By now you all know how much we LOVE Dr. S. I am so grateful to that man for taking such good care of Rick. If it wasn't for him I am certain that Rick would still be in a lot of pain.
We got to go visit with Dr. S this morning. Rick had the usual x-rays taken, sans paper pants :( , and we got to visit with the PA we saw before the surgery. He was very happy that Rick was doing so good. It was nice of him to stop by and talk with us. He remembered us and made the effort to see how everything was going.
Dr. S said that Rick's fusion is starting to really look good. He is growing even more bone and it is getting more solid all the time. That is such good news. We are so thankful that this has worked out so well. It is going so well that Rick doesn't have to see Dr. S again for six months. That is a good thing, but also a sad thing. I will miss him! He has been so wonderful!! He is the one doctor that we both really look forward to seeing.
It is so reassuring to know that we did choose the correct surgery. We knew that this was going to be the bigger surgery and that there was some risk involved, but it was not an easy decision to make. Rick wanted to smaller surgery, the rest of us thought that the bigger surgery was the way to go. I am so glad that we went with the bigger surgery. Dr. S said that this was definitely the right decision. Rick has no leg pain or numbness, and minimal back pain compared to what he had before. Of course the arthritis causes him back pain as well, but this made such a big difference for him.
So this should be about the last time you hear about this back thing until his next appointment, six whole months from now.
Until next time,
Jaime
Showing posts with label Back Pain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Back Pain. Show all posts
Friday, August 14, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Paper Pants Part 2 and Bone Growth
Going to see Dr. S has become even more fun when we get to play with the paper pants!!! When life hands you lemons, wear paper pants. I mean, really, with everything life has thrown at us lately it is good to just be able to be silly.
And now that you are finished laughing, or maybe your not, it is time for the results. Dr. S said that there is early bone growth. Thank God!! There were two different angles of x-rays taken. The only x-ray that shows the growth is the side view. The bone growth wasn't able to be seen in the front angle x-ray which proves that it is early bone growth and isn't dense enough to be seen in the front view. But we are just so thrilled that there is finally progress.
Rick no longer has to wear his brace except for when he is at work. And speaking of work, he was released to work full time again too. He still has a weight restriction but it has been raised to 25 pounds. And Dr. S also wants Rick to start physical therapy 3 times a week for the next 12 weeks. He will be focusing on core work to strengthen his core and avoid any further damage to the back. Maybe he will get that 6-pack I have always wanted.
Rick will go back to see Dr. S again in 6 weeks for more x-rays. Dr. S wants to make sure that the fusion is solid by 6 months post-surgery, which is September. So that is the next big goal to achieve. Come on fusion!!!
Rick is doing really good lately. He has been painting the trim on the house and doing yard work. It is nice to have him back, but I also miss having all that time together too. Things seem much more normal again, but normal means less time together. Oh well, I would rather have him feeling this way!!
Until next time,
And now that you are finished laughing, or maybe your not, it is time for the results. Dr. S said that there is early bone growth. Thank God!! There were two different angles of x-rays taken. The only x-ray that shows the growth is the side view. The bone growth wasn't able to be seen in the front angle x-ray which proves that it is early bone growth and isn't dense enough to be seen in the front view. But we are just so thrilled that there is finally progress.Rick no longer has to wear his brace except for when he is at work. And speaking of work, he was released to work full time again too. He still has a weight restriction but it has been raised to 25 pounds. And Dr. S also wants Rick to start physical therapy 3 times a week for the next 12 weeks. He will be focusing on core work to strengthen his core and avoid any further damage to the back. Maybe he will get that 6-pack I have always wanted.
Rick will go back to see Dr. S again in 6 weeks for more x-rays. Dr. S wants to make sure that the fusion is solid by 6 months post-surgery, which is September. So that is the next big goal to achieve. Come on fusion!!!
Rick is doing really good lately. He has been painting the trim on the house and doing yard work. It is nice to have him back, but I also miss having all that time together too. Things seem much more normal again, but normal means less time together. Oh well, I would rather have him feeling this way!!
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Health,
Rick,
Spinal Fusion
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
It's A Tie!
We have decided that we have a tie for first place for Rick's best doctor. Dr. S (the surgeon) and Dr. C (the rheumatologist) have tied for best doctor!!
Rick had an appointment last week with Dr. C (yes I know this post is a few days late). Rick has some swelling of his joints and so it seems that the joint disease (spondyloarthropathy) is acting up a little bit. But with going back to work it isn't surprising. If things don't regulate themselves we will look into starting a different drug therapy to control the joint disease. There are a couple new drugs that have just been approved by the FDA. So at least there are some options.
Dr. C wasn't really surprised by the fact that the spinal fusion hadn't taken yet. He agreed with Dr. S that it is most likely due to all of Rick's disease processes. He did say, very adamantly, that he knew that Rick needed this surgery and that he never would have gotten better on his own. That is why he put himself out there and personally called Dr. S. In that phone conversation he made it very clear how important it was that Rick have surgery. And Dr. S was obviously very supportive and completely understood the reason that it needed to be done. And so the two of them worked together and made it the great experience that it was.
Dr. S had joked with us about wanting us to tell Dr. C to send more patients his way since we had such a good experience with him. So we actually did. And Dr. C said he had already sent a couple patients to Dr. S because of how willing he was to work with Rick, and because he knew how well things had gone. So because of us Dr. S got more patients and some patients got a fantastic surgeon.
We are definitely blessed to have two wonderful doctors looking out for Rick's best interest!!! And even Dr. C's nurse is wonderful. She was very excited to see us and really wanted to know how things are going. Don't get me wrong, he does have other doctors, and they are good too. But these two are exceptional!!
Until next time,
Jaime
Rick had an appointment last week with Dr. C (yes I know this post is a few days late). Rick has some swelling of his joints and so it seems that the joint disease (spondyloarthropathy) is acting up a little bit. But with going back to work it isn't surprising. If things don't regulate themselves we will look into starting a different drug therapy to control the joint disease. There are a couple new drugs that have just been approved by the FDA. So at least there are some options.
Dr. C wasn't really surprised by the fact that the spinal fusion hadn't taken yet. He agreed with Dr. S that it is most likely due to all of Rick's disease processes. He did say, very adamantly, that he knew that Rick needed this surgery and that he never would have gotten better on his own. That is why he put himself out there and personally called Dr. S. In that phone conversation he made it very clear how important it was that Rick have surgery. And Dr. S was obviously very supportive and completely understood the reason that it needed to be done. And so the two of them worked together and made it the great experience that it was.
Dr. S had joked with us about wanting us to tell Dr. C to send more patients his way since we had such a good experience with him. So we actually did. And Dr. C said he had already sent a couple patients to Dr. S because of how willing he was to work with Rick, and because he knew how well things had gone. So because of us Dr. S got more patients and some patients got a fantastic surgeon.
We are definitely blessed to have two wonderful doctors looking out for Rick's best interest!!! And even Dr. C's nurse is wonderful. She was very excited to see us and really wanted to know how things are going. Don't get me wrong, he does have other doctors, and they are good too. But these two are exceptional!!
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Health,
Rick,
Spinal Fusion,
Spondyloarthropathy
Monday, May 18, 2009
Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off To Work He Goes!!
Rick left for work this morning for the first time in 3 months. Last night he had he girls help shave off his beard. I hardly recognize him now. Without the beard I can really see how skinny he has gotten.
I am a little bit worried about him since the fusion hasn't taken. He has so many limits and restrictions, and I worry that he is going to over do it. But he needs to get a paycheck again and he can't just sit around waiting for the fusion to work. So off to work he went.
Until next time,
Jaime
I am a little bit worried about him since the fusion hasn't taken. He has so many limits and restrictions, and I worry that he is going to over do it. But he needs to get a paycheck again and he can't just sit around waiting for the fusion to work. So off to work he went.
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Rick,
Spinal Fusion
Monday, May 11, 2009
Health Updates
I have been procrastinating doing an update on our health situations. I am tired of always having health stuff to blog about but I need to get these updates out there.
First I will give an update on how I am doing. I saw my surgeon and he said that after putting my gallbladder under the microscope it showed as being chronically inflammed. So I guess it was a good thing to have it removed. I am starting to feel better but I am still having some fatigue. I tend to get worn out by the evening. But it is getting better so I am trying not to complain. My incisions are healing nicely and hardly bother me much anymore. I still have some occasional stomach pain but the doctor said that is to be expected because the inflammation affected other areas around the gallbladder.
Now on to Rick. You know, the more important one.
Rick saw his surgeon on Friday. The news was not what we were hoping for. It seems that the fusion has NOT started to take at all. There is zero bone growth. Which basically means he is still in the same position he was in eight weeks ago right after surgery. Although he is starting to get his energy back and he doesn't really have incision pain anymore, he is NOT healed. He has to continue to wear his brace for the next six weeks, which at that time he will have another x-ray to determine if there is any fusion happening yet. That will be 14 weeks since surgery. I don't really know for sure what it will mean if there is still no bone growth at that point. I don't really even want to think about that right now. I can't change the situation so I am going to just try not to worry about it.
Dr S thinks that all of Rick's other diseases are what is causing him to not heal. That makes sense because he takes immune suppressing drugs. But he needs the medications to prevent him from getting sicker. It is a tough situation to be in. He is going back to work next week. He hasn't been getting a paycheck for over 3 weeks now which is starting to cause him stress. Fortunately he will only be going back to work part-time for now. I can understand his need to get back to work. But I am nervous about it because I don't want him to get hurt or cause some damage since he isn't healed. We thought that by this time he would have at least had some bone growth, making him more stable and making it safer to go back to work.
This is not the position we thought we would be in at this point. I was expecting that by now things would be getting back to normal. And I use the term normal very loosely. But we deal with the cards we have been dealt. Nothing we can do to change it.
Until next time,
Jaime
First I will give an update on how I am doing. I saw my surgeon and he said that after putting my gallbladder under the microscope it showed as being chronically inflammed. So I guess it was a good thing to have it removed. I am starting to feel better but I am still having some fatigue. I tend to get worn out by the evening. But it is getting better so I am trying not to complain. My incisions are healing nicely and hardly bother me much anymore. I still have some occasional stomach pain but the doctor said that is to be expected because the inflammation affected other areas around the gallbladder.
Now on to Rick. You know, the more important one.
Rick saw his surgeon on Friday. The news was not what we were hoping for. It seems that the fusion has NOT started to take at all. There is zero bone growth. Which basically means he is still in the same position he was in eight weeks ago right after surgery. Although he is starting to get his energy back and he doesn't really have incision pain anymore, he is NOT healed. He has to continue to wear his brace for the next six weeks, which at that time he will have another x-ray to determine if there is any fusion happening yet. That will be 14 weeks since surgery. I don't really know for sure what it will mean if there is still no bone growth at that point. I don't really even want to think about that right now. I can't change the situation so I am going to just try not to worry about it.
Dr S thinks that all of Rick's other diseases are what is causing him to not heal. That makes sense because he takes immune suppressing drugs. But he needs the medications to prevent him from getting sicker. It is a tough situation to be in. He is going back to work next week. He hasn't been getting a paycheck for over 3 weeks now which is starting to cause him stress. Fortunately he will only be going back to work part-time for now. I can understand his need to get back to work. But I am nervous about it because I don't want him to get hurt or cause some damage since he isn't healed. We thought that by this time he would have at least had some bone growth, making him more stable and making it safer to go back to work.
This is not the position we thought we would be in at this point. I was expecting that by now things would be getting back to normal. And I use the term normal very loosely. But we deal with the cards we have been dealt. Nothing we can do to change it.
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Cholecystectomy,
Health,
Medicine,
Spinal Fusion
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Exceptional
Exceptional- beyond what is ordinary or usual; highly unusual or exceptional or remarkable; well above average; extraordinary.
I have been wanting to write this post but I have had trouble coming up with the best words. I have always thought that Rick was strong, but the surgeon (Dr. S) caught me a little off guard with his words regarding Rick the day after surgery.
Dr. S has a personal experience with crohn's disease. He has crohn's and has been to The Mayo Clinic for treatment of his crohn's. Dr. S said that Rick is exceptional. I, of course, think that myself. But it was so amazing to hear the surgeon talk about my husband that way. He said that a lot of people in Rick's situation would just give up. That they would be living under a bridge somewhere wallowing in self pity. But Rick's ability to fight everything that has happened to him is exceptional. He continues to work very hard to provide for our family. He doesn't complain, he does what needs to be done. He takes his handful of pills every four hours without complaint. He goes through numerous procedures, sometimes with very painful side effects (remember pancreatitis?!?!). And I never hear him complain. He endures major surgery that will be life changing and doesn't even fret about it. I really do agree with Dr. S, Rick is exceptional.
Dr. S went on to talk about how our daughters are very lucky to have Rick as their role model. They have someone to look up to that works hard no matter what. That doesn't give up. Of course they are too young to understand this now, but they see it everyday and it will rub off on them. In time they will understand and appreciate their Daddy even more. It was very touching to hear those words spoken about my husband.
How amazing is it to have a surgeon that thinks so highly of his patient. Dr. S said that the main reason he agreed to do the surgery was because he knew how hard Rick would work on his physical therapy. He knew Rick would follow the rules and do exactly what needs to be done. And the physical therapist that worked with him at the hospital agreed. He called Rick a model patient. I am just so proud of him.
I do think that being exceptional also makes him bored. He isn't used to just taking it easy and doing nothing so he is very bored. I have to remind him that taking it easy and resting is how the body heals. He knows, and he has been following the rules. But nevertheless, he is bored.
I am so lucky to have Rick in my life. Of course this isn't what I had imagined our life to be, but I wouldn't change a thing because I don't think we would have ever been this close otherwise. We have a very special bond that is formed from fighting this together. Not separately, but together.
Until next time,
Jaime
I have been wanting to write this post but I have had trouble coming up with the best words. I have always thought that Rick was strong, but the surgeon (Dr. S) caught me a little off guard with his words regarding Rick the day after surgery.
Dr. S has a personal experience with crohn's disease. He has crohn's and has been to The Mayo Clinic for treatment of his crohn's. Dr. S said that Rick is exceptional. I, of course, think that myself. But it was so amazing to hear the surgeon talk about my husband that way. He said that a lot of people in Rick's situation would just give up. That they would be living under a bridge somewhere wallowing in self pity. But Rick's ability to fight everything that has happened to him is exceptional. He continues to work very hard to provide for our family. He doesn't complain, he does what needs to be done. He takes his handful of pills every four hours without complaint. He goes through numerous procedures, sometimes with very painful side effects (remember pancreatitis?!?!). And I never hear him complain. He endures major surgery that will be life changing and doesn't even fret about it. I really do agree with Dr. S, Rick is exceptional.
Dr. S went on to talk about how our daughters are very lucky to have Rick as their role model. They have someone to look up to that works hard no matter what. That doesn't give up. Of course they are too young to understand this now, but they see it everyday and it will rub off on them. In time they will understand and appreciate their Daddy even more. It was very touching to hear those words spoken about my husband.
How amazing is it to have a surgeon that thinks so highly of his patient. Dr. S said that the main reason he agreed to do the surgery was because he knew how hard Rick would work on his physical therapy. He knew Rick would follow the rules and do exactly what needs to be done. And the physical therapist that worked with him at the hospital agreed. He called Rick a model patient. I am just so proud of him.
I do think that being exceptional also makes him bored. He isn't used to just taking it easy and doing nothing so he is very bored. I have to remind him that taking it easy and resting is how the body heals. He knows, and he has been following the rules. But nevertheless, he is bored.
I am so lucky to have Rick in my life. Of course this isn't what I had imagined our life to be, but I wouldn't change a thing because I don't think we would have ever been this close otherwise. We have a very special bond that is formed from fighting this together. Not separately, but together.
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Coping,
Crohn's Disease,
Health,
Rick,
Spinal Fusion,
Spondyloarthropathy
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
ALIF Part 3
Rick had to lay in bed, flat on his back for the entire first day. The head of the bed was barely elevated. He couldn't get up or move. He had a big bag of ice on his belly to help with incision pain and swelling. He was hooked back up to the same type of pain pump that he had during the other hospital stay for pancreatitis. By now we are veteran hospital guests. When the nurse asked if he knew how to use a pain pump this time he was able to say yes. Ughh.
I sat by his bed all day and just rubbed his head and shoulder. Rick would tilt his head and kiss my hand. I really appreciated that small gesture. It made me realize that he enjoyed me being by his side. It was really hard for me to see him like that. Yeah we had just been through a traumatizing experience in the hospital a week earlier, but this was different. The thought that he no longer had a normal spine; that he had a major surgery on his spine was nerve wracking. I started to worry about the future. How will he heal? Will this affect his hockey or work? What if he gets hurt? A lot of stuff ran through my head that first day.
Rick was pretty groggy most of the day. He had a few visitors but for the most part he was pretty quiet. He was only allowed ice chips all day, so I dutifully fed him his ice chips in between naps. It was a fairly quiet day for him. Since he wasn't able to get up or move the only thing he had to do was keep up on his pain pump.
Of course I found myself a recliner and slept right next to him again. It felt normal this time around. Like it was old hat. It wasn't as comfortable as the recliner at the other hospital though. I never thought I would miss that recliner, but I did.
The next morning the physical therapist was in first thing. He helped Rick "log roll" so that he could get his corset on. (Rick has a special corset that he has to wear for the next couple months. it helps to keep his back stable and prevents him from accidentally bending or twisting.) Then he was taught how to get up out of bed by log rolling. The therapist had him walk a couple feet in the room. And then he had him sit up in a chair for as long as he was comfortable. Which ended up being only about 45 minutes. Rick then learned how to get back into bed, and took a nap. Later he got up again and we took a short walk down the hallway with the help of a walker. I really wish I had taken a picture of that but I was focused on helping him at the time.
Later in the afternoon an occupational therapist came and showed Rick how to do normal everyday things. Like get on and off the toilet, get in and out of the shower, put on socks. All of the things that he normally does has to be relearned. These activities have to been done without any bending or twisting. You would be surprised how many things have to be done completely different.
We thought that he would be going home on thursday but wednesday evening was not so good and so on thursday morning when the surgeon came in he decided that it would be best to have one more day. There was no reason to rush home. It would be better to have one more day to rest in the hospital with the nurses there to take care of him. So that is what we did. Besides, that gave him some extra time to walk and the physical therapist came in one more time on friday before we left. He helped remind Rick how to do things and give him a big pep talk about how he was a model patient. Rick followed all the rules and did everything how he was told to do them.
Once we were given the discharge instructions on friday afternoon we were outta there. It was nice to get home. However it is harder to be at home. There isn't room service to bring us food whenever we want. Yes there was room service at the hospital, even for me. We have been sleeping together on the recliner loveseat in the living room. That is the most comfortable place for Rick to sleep and I want to be with him. It really isn't bad. Our new loveseat is really comfortable. Thanks to my mom, my dad, my grandma, and Rick's parents for buying him the recliner loveseat.
So that is Rick's journey through spinal fusion surgery in a gazillion words or less. Since it appears that you all are crazy readers and want to see the scar I will be posting that tomorrow. I promise! And I have one other story from the hospital that deserves it owns separate post.
We want to thank everyone for praying and supporting us. This has been a crazy few weeks. Much more has happened than we could have ever imagined. And we really get energy from reading comments and knowing that there are so many people that care about Rick.
Until next time,
Jaime
I sat by his bed all day and just rubbed his head and shoulder. Rick would tilt his head and kiss my hand. I really appreciated that small gesture. It made me realize that he enjoyed me being by his side. It was really hard for me to see him like that. Yeah we had just been through a traumatizing experience in the hospital a week earlier, but this was different. The thought that he no longer had a normal spine; that he had a major surgery on his spine was nerve wracking. I started to worry about the future. How will he heal? Will this affect his hockey or work? What if he gets hurt? A lot of stuff ran through my head that first day.
Rick was pretty groggy most of the day. He had a few visitors but for the most part he was pretty quiet. He was only allowed ice chips all day, so I dutifully fed him his ice chips in between naps. It was a fairly quiet day for him. Since he wasn't able to get up or move the only thing he had to do was keep up on his pain pump.
Of course I found myself a recliner and slept right next to him again. It felt normal this time around. Like it was old hat. It wasn't as comfortable as the recliner at the other hospital though. I never thought I would miss that recliner, but I did.
The next morning the physical therapist was in first thing. He helped Rick "log roll" so that he could get his corset on. (Rick has a special corset that he has to wear for the next couple months. it helps to keep his back stable and prevents him from accidentally bending or twisting.) Then he was taught how to get up out of bed by log rolling. The therapist had him walk a couple feet in the room. And then he had him sit up in a chair for as long as he was comfortable. Which ended up being only about 45 minutes. Rick then learned how to get back into bed, and took a nap. Later he got up again and we took a short walk down the hallway with the help of a walker. I really wish I had taken a picture of that but I was focused on helping him at the time.
Later in the afternoon an occupational therapist came and showed Rick how to do normal everyday things. Like get on and off the toilet, get in and out of the shower, put on socks. All of the things that he normally does has to be relearned. These activities have to been done without any bending or twisting. You would be surprised how many things have to be done completely different.
We thought that he would be going home on thursday but wednesday evening was not so good and so on thursday morning when the surgeon came in he decided that it would be best to have one more day. There was no reason to rush home. It would be better to have one more day to rest in the hospital with the nurses there to take care of him. So that is what we did. Besides, that gave him some extra time to walk and the physical therapist came in one more time on friday before we left. He helped remind Rick how to do things and give him a big pep talk about how he was a model patient. Rick followed all the rules and did everything how he was told to do them.
Once we were given the discharge instructions on friday afternoon we were outta there. It was nice to get home. However it is harder to be at home. There isn't room service to bring us food whenever we want. Yes there was room service at the hospital, even for me. We have been sleeping together on the recliner loveseat in the living room. That is the most comfortable place for Rick to sleep and I want to be with him. It really isn't bad. Our new loveseat is really comfortable. Thanks to my mom, my dad, my grandma, and Rick's parents for buying him the recliner loveseat.So that is Rick's journey through spinal fusion surgery in a gazillion words or less. Since it appears that you all are crazy readers and want to see the scar I will be posting that tomorrow. I promise! And I have one other story from the hospital that deserves it owns separate post.
We want to thank everyone for praying and supporting us. This has been a crazy few weeks. Much more has happened than we could have ever imagined. And we really get energy from reading comments and knowing that there are so many people that care about Rick.
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Health,
Hospital,
Rick,
Spinal Fusion
Sunday, March 15, 2009
ALIF Part 2
As you know I really suck at waiting. And this was probably the most nervous I have ever been while waiting for Rick. I found a seat in the waiting room and gave my mom and Rick's mom a call to let them know he was in surgery. They were both going to come sit in the waiting room with me so that I wouldn't have to wait all alone. While I waited for them to get to the hospital I found myself very upset. I tried to read my book but I kept realizing that I had no idea what I had read. I just kept stopping and praying that everything would go as planned. My eyes kept filling with tears but I didn't want to cry in front of the other people in the waiting room.
Our mom's arrived and they tried to talk to me and keep my mind off of what was going on. But I couldn't help but have my mind keep drifting back to what was happening in that operating room. I knew that Rick was hooked to a breathing machine and that there were doctors messing with his spine. That was a terrifying thought for me. I just couldn't help but think about what was happening. Part of me wished I could just make sure that everything was going okay somehow. But I also had complete faith in his surgeon. And that was comforting; knowing that his surgeon truly cared about Rick.
I pretty much have memorized what the little clock in that waiting room looked like. I basically couldn't take my eyes off of it. I was told that the surgeon anticipated the surgery only taking 90 minutes. At the two hour mark I couldn't take it anymore and I asked the receptionist if she could find out if he was okay. She phoned back and found out that at that moment he was being wheeled into the recovery room. The doctor would be out shortly to talk with me. At that moment I thought I should feel relieved to know that he was no longer in surgery but I didn't. I just wanted to see him for myself but I couldn't.
The surgeon came walking down the hall and I jumped up to find out how it all went. Apparently the disc was completely obliterated. It never would have healed on its own. (Take that you other stupid "wait and see" doctor.) The reason surgery took longer was because it took a lot of work to get the part of the disc out that was bulging into the space where the nerves run (I can't remember exactly what that is called). And they had to use a bigger capsule than what the surgeon thought he would need. They are measured 14, 16, and 18 mm (at least I think it was mm). The 16 was just too loose when he inserted it, so it had to be removed and the 18 had to be forced in place. Rick is now 1/8 inch taller. It took a lot of work to get the 18 in place, and it is apparently in there very snug. The capsules are filled with growth hormone that will stimulate bone growth and over the next year the two vertebrae will grow together, thus the fusion will be complete. But for now the capsules and vertebrae are held together by the fibrous tissue that makes up the outside of the disc. That part of the disc was left in place to hold the vertebrae together. The good news is that there was no need to insert any rods or screws. That was something that Rick was really hoping to avoid.
I thanked the surgeon, I wanted to hug him but I didn't. And then even more waiting continued. Family is not allowed in the recovery room so I wouldn't be allowed to see Rick for another hour and a half. I think that wait was almost harder because I knew he would be waking up in pain and I wouldn't be there with him. I just wanted to hold his hand and be there but I couldn't. So yet again I just stared at the clock. I did break down a little at that point.
As soon as I heard a nurse say Wallace I jumped up out of my seat and I could see Rick being wheeled down the hallway. I was able to get in the elevator with him. He looked so pale and when I asked him how he was doing he just made a little noise. The elevator doors opened and I was told to wait in another waiting room while they transferred him to his bed. I was NOT happy about having to wait again. I did not wait in the waiting room, I waited in the hallway. And then after he was transferred to his bed, using a back board and pain apparently, I was told to still wait because the nurse wanted to check his vitals. The heck with that!!! I waited about one more minute and just walked into his room. The nurse didn't seem very thrilled with me but I was not going to wait any longer.
I knew he was in pain. I could see it all over his face. And that totally sucked!!!!
I think I will continue later. That's probably enough for now. I will have a couple pictures for the next post. I didn't really take pictures this time.
Until next time,
Jaime
Our mom's arrived and they tried to talk to me and keep my mind off of what was going on. But I couldn't help but have my mind keep drifting back to what was happening in that operating room. I knew that Rick was hooked to a breathing machine and that there were doctors messing with his spine. That was a terrifying thought for me. I just couldn't help but think about what was happening. Part of me wished I could just make sure that everything was going okay somehow. But I also had complete faith in his surgeon. And that was comforting; knowing that his surgeon truly cared about Rick.
I pretty much have memorized what the little clock in that waiting room looked like. I basically couldn't take my eyes off of it. I was told that the surgeon anticipated the surgery only taking 90 minutes. At the two hour mark I couldn't take it anymore and I asked the receptionist if she could find out if he was okay. She phoned back and found out that at that moment he was being wheeled into the recovery room. The doctor would be out shortly to talk with me. At that moment I thought I should feel relieved to know that he was no longer in surgery but I didn't. I just wanted to see him for myself but I couldn't.
The surgeon came walking down the hall and I jumped up to find out how it all went. Apparently the disc was completely obliterated. It never would have healed on its own. (Take that you other stupid "wait and see" doctor.) The reason surgery took longer was because it took a lot of work to get the part of the disc out that was bulging into the space where the nerves run (I can't remember exactly what that is called). And they had to use a bigger capsule than what the surgeon thought he would need. They are measured 14, 16, and 18 mm (at least I think it was mm). The 16 was just too loose when he inserted it, so it had to be removed and the 18 had to be forced in place. Rick is now 1/8 inch taller. It took a lot of work to get the 18 in place, and it is apparently in there very snug. The capsules are filled with growth hormone that will stimulate bone growth and over the next year the two vertebrae will grow together, thus the fusion will be complete. But for now the capsules and vertebrae are held together by the fibrous tissue that makes up the outside of the disc. That part of the disc was left in place to hold the vertebrae together. The good news is that there was no need to insert any rods or screws. That was something that Rick was really hoping to avoid.
I thanked the surgeon, I wanted to hug him but I didn't. And then even more waiting continued. Family is not allowed in the recovery room so I wouldn't be allowed to see Rick for another hour and a half. I think that wait was almost harder because I knew he would be waking up in pain and I wouldn't be there with him. I just wanted to hold his hand and be there but I couldn't. So yet again I just stared at the clock. I did break down a little at that point.
As soon as I heard a nurse say Wallace I jumped up out of my seat and I could see Rick being wheeled down the hallway. I was able to get in the elevator with him. He looked so pale and when I asked him how he was doing he just made a little noise. The elevator doors opened and I was told to wait in another waiting room while they transferred him to his bed. I was NOT happy about having to wait again. I did not wait in the waiting room, I waited in the hallway. And then after he was transferred to his bed, using a back board and pain apparently, I was told to still wait because the nurse wanted to check his vitals. The heck with that!!! I waited about one more minute and just walked into his room. The nurse didn't seem very thrilled with me but I was not going to wait any longer.
I knew he was in pain. I could see it all over his face. And that totally sucked!!!!
I think I will continue later. That's probably enough for now. I will have a couple pictures for the next post. I didn't really take pictures this time.
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Health,
Hospital,
Rick,
Spinal Fusion
Saturday, March 14, 2009
ALIF Part 1
It seems that a lot of you enjoyed the play by play of the pancreatitis experience so I thought I would do the same thing for the surgery as well. Now remember the surgery was called an ALIF, which stands for Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion. So here it goes:
We woke up way before the sun on tuesday morning. I am not a morning person and I should never be up before the sun, but its just one of those things I will do for my hubby. As I was finishing up getting ready we got a phone call from the hospital asking if we could come in early because the guy scheduled before Rick had a big cup of coffee before coming in for surgery. What an idiot!! So we were out the door in about 5 minutes.
We arrived at the hospital a few minutes before 7 a.m. We didn't have to wait at all. Rick was immediately sent back to a room to get prepared for surgery. I got to go back with him right away, which is how it should always be but I won't get into that now. He put on his gown and crawled up into his bed. At this point I was so nervous. The thought of what was about to happen was almost too much for my nerves. But I of course held it together.
The nurse asked a lot of questions and got him all entered into the computer. Then another nurse walked in and said that she had the blood and would be sending it to the operating room. I saw the 2 units of blood she was trying to hide behind her back. It was a little disturbing to think that Rick could possibly need a blood transfusion. Luckily he never needed the blood though.
He was then rushed up to another pre-op holding area where lots of different doctors and nurses talked to him about what would be happening. They kept asking him if he was nervous and he said he wasn't, but I think he was just trying to hide it from me. His IV was started and he got to put on his very fashionable blue hospital cap. The surgeon came and talked about the surgery. He was a little worried about the pancreatitis getting stirred back up because of the surgery, but it never did. He explained what was going to happen. And the general surgeon that was working with him came and talked to us as well. The incision was going to have to be made a little higher on the abdomen because of where the herniated disc was, and because of the abnormality of Rick's back. He also told us that there is a chance that the leg pain won't be completely relieved, in which case he will go back in and remove some more disc from the back. But that wouldn't be a major surgery and wouldn't slow the recovery time. We are just hoping that doesn't happen.
So after the anesthesiologist came and explained how Rick would be intubated during the surgery, and the rest of the nurses were done with their stuff, it was time to say goodbye to Rick. The anesthesiologist gave him some IV versed (very good happy drug) and I had to kiss him goodbye. I watched as he was wheeled out the doors and I was escorted to the dreaded waiting room. My heart was beating like crazy and my stomach felt like it was in my throat. I hate saying goodbye, but this was a very different circumstance than what we are used to. Major surgery is scary. I was very scared!
I will continue later. Now I am going to hang out with my hubby.
Until next time,
Jaime
We woke up way before the sun on tuesday morning. I am not a morning person and I should never be up before the sun, but its just one of those things I will do for my hubby. As I was finishing up getting ready we got a phone call from the hospital asking if we could come in early because the guy scheduled before Rick had a big cup of coffee before coming in for surgery. What an idiot!! So we were out the door in about 5 minutes.
We arrived at the hospital a few minutes before 7 a.m. We didn't have to wait at all. Rick was immediately sent back to a room to get prepared for surgery. I got to go back with him right away, which is how it should always be but I won't get into that now. He put on his gown and crawled up into his bed. At this point I was so nervous. The thought of what was about to happen was almost too much for my nerves. But I of course held it together.
The nurse asked a lot of questions and got him all entered into the computer. Then another nurse walked in and said that she had the blood and would be sending it to the operating room. I saw the 2 units of blood she was trying to hide behind her back. It was a little disturbing to think that Rick could possibly need a blood transfusion. Luckily he never needed the blood though.
He was then rushed up to another pre-op holding area where lots of different doctors and nurses talked to him about what would be happening. They kept asking him if he was nervous and he said he wasn't, but I think he was just trying to hide it from me. His IV was started and he got to put on his very fashionable blue hospital cap. The surgeon came and talked about the surgery. He was a little worried about the pancreatitis getting stirred back up because of the surgery, but it never did. He explained what was going to happen. And the general surgeon that was working with him came and talked to us as well. The incision was going to have to be made a little higher on the abdomen because of where the herniated disc was, and because of the abnormality of Rick's back. He also told us that there is a chance that the leg pain won't be completely relieved, in which case he will go back in and remove some more disc from the back. But that wouldn't be a major surgery and wouldn't slow the recovery time. We are just hoping that doesn't happen.
So after the anesthesiologist came and explained how Rick would be intubated during the surgery, and the rest of the nurses were done with their stuff, it was time to say goodbye to Rick. The anesthesiologist gave him some IV versed (very good happy drug) and I had to kiss him goodbye. I watched as he was wheeled out the doors and I was escorted to the dreaded waiting room. My heart was beating like crazy and my stomach felt like it was in my throat. I hate saying goodbye, but this was a very different circumstance than what we are used to. Major surgery is scary. I was very scared!
I will continue later. Now I am going to hang out with my hubby.
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Health,
Hospital,
Rick,
Spinal Fusion
Friday, March 13, 2009
Home Sweet Home! Again
Rick is home. He is in his recliner sleeping at the moment. He has some really good pain meds that have knocked him out. I am very tired. I will write a better update later. For now I am going to unpack and rest. It is going to be a lot of work taking care of Rick. He has some major restrictions. But for now I am just going to enjoy the fact that we are home.
Until next time,
Jaime
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Health,
Hospital,
Rick,
Spinal Fusion
Friday, February 20, 2009
Surgery
I want to thank everyone for the prayers and good thoughts for us as we awaited the scheduling of Rick's surgery. We met with the surgeon this morning and he explained everything to us. We were told about the different techniques of spinal fusion and shown models of how it works and what it will look like. He was very supportive of our decision and thinks we made the right one. He feels that this will really help Rick to get back to his old self. That is definitely what we are praying for.
The technique that will be used is called ALIF. It stands for Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion. The surgeon will go in through the abdomen and remove the damaged disc. It will be replaced with a cage full of bone graft material and growth hormones that will stimulate bone growth and fuse the vertebrae together. There will also be a metal plate to stabilize the vertebrae. If the surgeon feels that the spine is unstable after all that he said that he will go in through the back and use screws and rods to stabilize the spine. That is hopefully not going to happen.
Surgery is scheduled for March 10. Check in at 7am for a 9am surgery. As long as everything goes smoothly it should only take 2 hours. We have a lot to do to get ready. I have already found tank tops for Rick to wear underneath the back brace. And some comfy pants to wear that shouldn't bother the incision. But that is the least of my concerns. I still have a ton of stuff to do around the house as well. It needs to be accessible for a walker and have things in convenient locations for Rick. So much to do, and only 18 days to go.
Until next time,
Jaime
The technique that will be used is called ALIF. It stands for Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion. The surgeon will go in through the abdomen and remove the damaged disc. It will be replaced with a cage full of bone graft material and growth hormones that will stimulate bone growth and fuse the vertebrae together. There will also be a metal plate to stabilize the vertebrae. If the surgeon feels that the spine is unstable after all that he said that he will go in through the back and use screws and rods to stabilize the spine. That is hopefully not going to happen.
Surgery is scheduled for March 10. Check in at 7am for a 9am surgery. As long as everything goes smoothly it should only take 2 hours. We have a lot to do to get ready. I have already found tank tops for Rick to wear underneath the back brace. And some comfy pants to wear that shouldn't bother the incision. But that is the least of my concerns. I still have a ton of stuff to do around the house as well. It needs to be accessible for a walker and have things in convenient locations for Rick. So much to do, and only 18 days to go.
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Health,
Rick,
Spinal Fusion
Monday, February 16, 2009
Decision
We have made our decision. Rick has decided to have spinal fusion surgery. You can read more about the surgery here. I called the surgeon's office to let them know about our decision and the scheduler said that she would have the doctor write the orders and call me back as soon as she receives them. Hopefully in a couple days we will have a set date for surgery.
This is a major surgery and Rick will be out of work for around 2 months. He will have a hospital stay that could be close to a week. He will not be able to lift anything for at least 6 weeks, nor will he be able to drive. He will have to wear a back brace to keep his torso from twisting.
The fusion will happen at L4-L5. Luckily a fusion in this area of the spine results in limited loss of motion. With physical therapy and healing Rick will most likely not even notice much of a difference.
We have lots of things around the house to do to prepare for having Rick out of commission. Thankfully my Mom will be taking care of the girls for a while after the surgery so that will be a big help. This is going to be a difficult time, especially since Rick doesn't have quite enough sick time and vacation time to cover the 2 months. We just have to pray that the benefit is successful so that can help with the lost paychecks.
I am sorry it took so long to post our decision. I had a busy day and this was the first time I have been able to sit down with the computer.
Until next time,
Jaime
This is a major surgery and Rick will be out of work for around 2 months. He will have a hospital stay that could be close to a week. He will not be able to lift anything for at least 6 weeks, nor will he be able to drive. He will have to wear a back brace to keep his torso from twisting.
The fusion will happen at L4-L5. Luckily a fusion in this area of the spine results in limited loss of motion. With physical therapy and healing Rick will most likely not even notice much of a difference.
We have lots of things around the house to do to prepare for having Rick out of commission. Thankfully my Mom will be taking care of the girls for a while after the surgery so that will be a big help. This is going to be a difficult time, especially since Rick doesn't have quite enough sick time and vacation time to cover the 2 months. We just have to pray that the benefit is successful so that can help with the lost paychecks.
I am sorry it took so long to post our decision. I had a busy day and this was the first time I have been able to sit down with the computer.
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Benefit,
Health,
Rick,
Spinal Fusion
Friday, February 13, 2009
Something to mull over
The meeting with the surgeon went fantastic. The surgeon is phenomenal. He was very friendly and even sat down and said "let's talk friend to friend." We were both so impressed with him. He spent close to an hour with us and went over everything! He gave Rick two options for surgery to research over the weekend and then call on monday to set it up.
The surgery options are very different from each other. One is minor surgery, one is major surgery. One "might" help, one "will" help. One will mean only a short time off work, one will mean a long time off work. Rick is still undecided. I am leaning more towards the major surgery. Only because it is most likely of the two to alleviate the back pain.
One of the new things that we were told is that Rick has a strange presentation of his spine. In a normal back the lowest disc is L5-S1. In Rick his lowest disc L4-L5. Apparently his L5-S1 is not a disc, and is part of the deformity of his lower back. It is really intriguing how many medical mysteries have been discovered in Rick.
I can't believe how much pain he is in. He can hardly move at this point. And believe it or not standing up is easier than sitting. So it is important that we weigh all the options and think things through.
Please pray that we make the right decision for Rick, and that it is what is needed to send him on the road to healing.
Until next time,
Jaime
The surgery options are very different from each other. One is minor surgery, one is major surgery. One "might" help, one "will" help. One will mean only a short time off work, one will mean a long time off work. Rick is still undecided. I am leaning more towards the major surgery. Only because it is most likely of the two to alleviate the back pain.
One of the new things that we were told is that Rick has a strange presentation of his spine. In a normal back the lowest disc is L5-S1. In Rick his lowest disc L4-L5. Apparently his L5-S1 is not a disc, and is part of the deformity of his lower back. It is really intriguing how many medical mysteries have been discovered in Rick.
I can't believe how much pain he is in. He can hardly move at this point. And believe it or not standing up is easier than sitting. So it is important that we weigh all the options and think things through.
Please pray that we make the right decision for Rick, and that it is what is needed to send him on the road to healing.
Until next time,
Jaime
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Big News
Rick's rheumatologist called him tonight and told him that he has found a surgeon that is very sympathetic to Rick's situation. And the amazing thing is that this surgeon is meeting with us at 8 a.m. tomorrow, on his day off. Can you believe it?!?! A surgeon is meeting with us on his day off. That is unheard of!! I have a feeling this is the surgeon that is going to finally help Rick. And the really nice thing is that Rick won't have to explain everything to this guy because the rheumatologist already did it. He apparently laid it all out there and this surgeon is really interested in helping and understands that non-surgical techniques are not an option at this point. I will let you all know what happens tomorrow. You can check in on my twitters for updates as well.
You may have noticed my twitter from earlier today. I was asked to tell our story at the meeting at the girls school tonight. I am not really a public speaker so I was very nervous about it. The president of the program introduced me by telling about the benefit coming up on March 24th. Then I spoke about our situation. I spoke from the heart, and didn't really touch much on the clinical stuff. Apparently I did a good job at speaking because people were crying. And after the meeting I had a line of people wanting to talk to me and give me hugs. I was even given McDonald's gift certificates for the girls. Because the school has a fundraiser that sells gift cards people bought them after the meeting and handed them to me. I talked to people that I have never even met before. Everyone was very supportive and wanted to help. I got lots of offers for babysitting the girls. It was an amazing experience. Especially since I didn't even know what I was going to say. I was so nervous and my legs were shaking. I didn't cry though. But once I saw other people crying I had to look away so that I wouldn't start crying too. It is so humbling to have so many people wanting to help us.
Rick has his ultrasound tomorrow afternoon. He is going to have a busy day with the surgeon in the morning and the ultrasound in the afternoon. Please join me in praying for a productive day. I am praying that tomorrow will bring us some answers and lead us on the right path. It will be a busy day.
Until next time,
Jaime
You may have noticed my twitter from earlier today. I was asked to tell our story at the meeting at the girls school tonight. I am not really a public speaker so I was very nervous about it. The president of the program introduced me by telling about the benefit coming up on March 24th. Then I spoke about our situation. I spoke from the heart, and didn't really touch much on the clinical stuff. Apparently I did a good job at speaking because people were crying. And after the meeting I had a line of people wanting to talk to me and give me hugs. I was even given McDonald's gift certificates for the girls. Because the school has a fundraiser that sells gift cards people bought them after the meeting and handed them to me. I talked to people that I have never even met before. Everyone was very supportive and wanted to help. I got lots of offers for babysitting the girls. It was an amazing experience. Especially since I didn't even know what I was going to say. I was so nervous and my legs were shaking. I didn't cry though. But once I saw other people crying I had to look away so that I wouldn't start crying too. It is so humbling to have so many people wanting to help us.
Rick has his ultrasound tomorrow afternoon. He is going to have a busy day with the surgeon in the morning and the ultrasound in the afternoon. Please join me in praying for a productive day. I am praying that tomorrow will bring us some answers and lead us on the right path. It will be a busy day.
Until next time,
Jaime
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
4 Things and an Update
My friend Heather posted this on her blog today and named me on it so I decided to play along.
Four Things
FOUR PLACES I GO OVER AND OVER AND OVER: Target, Starbucks, Work, the girl's School
FOUR PEOPLE WHO EMAIL/IM ME REGULARLY: Jackie, Sally, Lee, Facebook
FOUR PLACES I LIKE TO EAT: Anthony's, Red Lobster, Clinkerdaggers, Olive Garden
FOUR PLACES I’D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW: Hawaii, A Caribbean Cruise, Italy, anywhere that reality won't follow me
FOUR TV SHOWS I COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER: Beverly Hills 90210, CSI Miami, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives
FOUR PEOPLE THAT I THINK WILL RESPOND: I don't really know. If you have a blog maybe you will feel like posting. And if not maybe you will leave me a comment with your four things.
_______________________________________
I made a few phone calls today to a couple of Rick's doctors because of the pain. First I called the GI because of the jaundice/itching/right side pain. His doctor sent him immediately for more bloodwork and scheduled an ultrasound for friday afternoon. The doc is concerned that there could be a blockage in the liver somewhere causing these problems. Second I called the rheumatologist to let that doc know how bad Rick's back pain has gotten in the last 48 hours. I was told to contact the surgeon we are waiting to get an appointment with. That was a bust. But the rheumatologist is so worried about this that he is personally contacting another surgeon first thing in the morning.
And he also said that Rick should STOP working. I don't know how to convince him to take some time off. His pain is basically a 10 out of 10. It hurts him to sit so he has to recline in the recliner. That is the only comfortable position he can sit in. To watch him stand up is sad because I can see how much he is hurting. How he can continue to work, and make it seem as if he isn't in pain is beyond me. He really needs to not worry about the financial stuff and take care of himself. The financial stuff can be worked out later, his health cannot.
I am so close to needing a padded room. I really need a hug. I really need to just cry and scream. I really need a break. Rick needs a break. Rick really needs a break. Or maybe just a good surgeon.
Until next time,
Jaime
Four Things
FOUR PLACES I GO OVER AND OVER AND OVER: Target, Starbucks, Work, the girl's School
FOUR PEOPLE WHO EMAIL/IM ME REGULARLY: Jackie, Sally, Lee, Facebook
FOUR PLACES I LIKE TO EAT: Anthony's, Red Lobster, Clinkerdaggers, Olive Garden
FOUR PLACES I’D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW: Hawaii, A Caribbean Cruise, Italy, anywhere that reality won't follow me
FOUR TV SHOWS I COULD WATCH OVER AND OVER: Beverly Hills 90210, CSI Miami, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives
FOUR PEOPLE THAT I THINK WILL RESPOND: I don't really know. If you have a blog maybe you will feel like posting. And if not maybe you will leave me a comment with your four things.
_______________________________________
I made a few phone calls today to a couple of Rick's doctors because of the pain. First I called the GI because of the jaundice/itching/right side pain. His doctor sent him immediately for more bloodwork and scheduled an ultrasound for friday afternoon. The doc is concerned that there could be a blockage in the liver somewhere causing these problems. Second I called the rheumatologist to let that doc know how bad Rick's back pain has gotten in the last 48 hours. I was told to contact the surgeon we are waiting to get an appointment with. That was a bust. But the rheumatologist is so worried about this that he is personally contacting another surgeon first thing in the morning.
And he also said that Rick should STOP working. I don't know how to convince him to take some time off. His pain is basically a 10 out of 10. It hurts him to sit so he has to recline in the recliner. That is the only comfortable position he can sit in. To watch him stand up is sad because I can see how much he is hurting. How he can continue to work, and make it seem as if he isn't in pain is beyond me. He really needs to not worry about the financial stuff and take care of himself. The financial stuff can be worked out later, his health cannot.
I am so close to needing a padded room. I really need a hug. I really need to just cry and scream. I really need a break. Rick needs a break. Rick really needs a break. Or maybe just a good surgeon.
Until next time,
Jaime
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
9 out of 10
When I normally ask Rick how he is feeling he usually says something like "alright" or "fine" but these past few days I know he has not been "alright or fine." I found out that his Crohn's is acting up a little bit. And at the doctor's office yesterday when the doctor pressed on his right side it hurt. So I am guessing that the liver is not a happy camper right now. I could tell that today his back was really bothering him. I asked him on a scale of 1 to 10 what his pain was today. He said in the mid 9's. For someone who normally says he is "alright" I know he must really be in pain. I don't know what to do. So I think I am just going to wait it out.
We have been contacted by the coordinator for a different surgeon. Rick went over all his problems and she is going to discuss it with the surgeon and then get back to us. I don't know if I should contact them to let them know how bad his pain is getting or if I should just wait til they call back. I don't want to seem too anxious about all of this, but I am.
What we found comforting and interesting was how concerned and "on top" of things the rheumatologist was yesterday. He was very concerned when he found out that Rick is actually doing worse. Apparently the back is so bad on his body that it is causing the joint disease to flare up and is probably the reason for the flare in the Crohn's as well. It could possibly have something to do with the PSC acting up as well. But that is not for certain. The doctor had originally, back in November, said not to have surgery. But now he is saying that Rick definitely needs surgery because this is affecting his other disease processes that can be life threatening. He also gave us some good advice on what kind of surgery options to choose from.
I am reeling at this point. It has been a long 3 months since Rick's back pain started. And a really long past 12 months. To think about how much he is suffering with now is heartbreaking. I just can't believe all of this is happening to him. I just have to pray and believe that God has a hand in this and will be there for us. I just don't know how much more I can take. I don't know how much more Rick can take. He is so strong, but I know there is a breaking point. He is so amazing; still working and teaching. Most people have no idea how much pain he is in because he can just push through the pain and go on with his day. If only they knew the truth. If only.
I would really appreciate prayers for Rick. He really needs a break. His body really needs a break. I am really worried about his health right now. We also need prayers that this surgeon will realize how badly Rick needs this surgery and will operate ASAP.
Until next time,
Jaime
We have been contacted by the coordinator for a different surgeon. Rick went over all his problems and she is going to discuss it with the surgeon and then get back to us. I don't know if I should contact them to let them know how bad his pain is getting or if I should just wait til they call back. I don't want to seem too anxious about all of this, but I am.
What we found comforting and interesting was how concerned and "on top" of things the rheumatologist was yesterday. He was very concerned when he found out that Rick is actually doing worse. Apparently the back is so bad on his body that it is causing the joint disease to flare up and is probably the reason for the flare in the Crohn's as well. It could possibly have something to do with the PSC acting up as well. But that is not for certain. The doctor had originally, back in November, said not to have surgery. But now he is saying that Rick definitely needs surgery because this is affecting his other disease processes that can be life threatening. He also gave us some good advice on what kind of surgery options to choose from.
I am reeling at this point. It has been a long 3 months since Rick's back pain started. And a really long past 12 months. To think about how much he is suffering with now is heartbreaking. I just can't believe all of this is happening to him. I just have to pray and believe that God has a hand in this and will be there for us. I just don't know how much more I can take. I don't know how much more Rick can take. He is so strong, but I know there is a breaking point. He is so amazing; still working and teaching. Most people have no idea how much pain he is in because he can just push through the pain and go on with his day. If only they knew the truth. If only.
I would really appreciate prayers for Rick. He really needs a break. His body really needs a break. I am really worried about his health right now. We also need prayers that this surgeon will realize how badly Rick needs this surgery and will operate ASAP.
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Crohn's Disease,
Health,
PSC,
Rick,
Spondyloarthropathy
Friday, January 23, 2009
ANGRY doesn't even describe it!
Rick had the appointment with the surgeon this afternoon. And angry doesn't even begin to describe how we both feel tonight. This so called doctor was the rudest man we have ever dealt with in the medical field. I know surgeons are a different breed of doctor and tend to be more arrogant but this guy was so beyond being arrogant that he was outright rude. Even his nurse looked mortified by the way he was treating us. I should start out by saying that the nurse was very nice and genuinely seemed interested in all of Rick's health conditions. She did a thorough exam and noticed that Rick does not have any muscle control in his left toes. Not a good thing in my opinion or the nurses opinion. And considering that the leg pain has progressed to his right leg now I would venture a guess that he is not getting better, but in fact getting worse.
I bet you want to know what the "doctor" thought. Well his opinion was that Rick needed to suffer through a year of this, go through physical therapy and change his job before he would consider doing surgery. WHAT!!!! The physical therapy would mean that he could not continue doing the job he has been doing for 15 years. Um, no. And when Rick said "I have a lot of other medial stuff going on here" the doctor replied with basically "so what". He was not interested in looking at the big picture.
What made him so rude you may be thinking. Well let me tell ya. He walked in the room and did not even say hello, he just slumped down in his chair and put his foot up on his knee and crossed his arms. He asked where the pain was. Looked at the MRI for less than 30 seconds and did not ask about Rick's health. After we said that we didn't want to wait a year to get this resolved and asked why he had to wait, the doctor very rudely said that since we did not want to hear what he had to say and that we didn't agree with him that we could go somewhere else. And then proceeded to get up and leave the room without saying goodbye. The poor nurse seemed to not even know what to say at that point.
It took everything I had to not burst into tears right there. I can't believe that he would treat a patient with such disrespect. He didn't want anything to do with Rick. So now we are left to wait out the weekend before we can call the rheumatologist and ask for someone else. And I will also be calling the office manager and complaining about the treatment that my husband received. We will not be making the office visit co-pay to this guy. I will not pay someone to be so rude and condescending.
This experience just piles even more stress on me. I am so frustrated and angry tonight. I can't believe that a doctor would basically tell someone they have to continue to suffer because he hasn't suffered for quite long enough. Are you serious?!?! Progressive pain and numbness isn't enough? Because Rick is flexible due to hockey he has a better range of motion than me, and I am not injured. It is just how he is, that shouldn't make him ineligible for surgery. And the doctor didn't say he was ineligible, he just said he hasn't suffered enough.
Maybe by now you are wondering what type of surgery Rick is facing. Well according to this "doctor" he will need a disc replacement or spinal fusion. A simple discectomy is not going to fix the problem, it will actually make it worse because his disc is unstable. So with a year of physical therapy he might get better and not need surgery. But in the mean time he could get much worse and it is going to start interfering with everything else. This type of disc problem could lead to damaging the nerves that control bladder and bowel function. Um I am thinking that someone with Crohn's disease needs to be able to have bowel control. But that's just me. I mean I'm not a doctor or anything. It blows me away that he was not willing to look at the whole picture and see where this fits in.
I know I need to let it go. And I am trying. But it is so hard that with everything that Rick has to deal with physically he now has to deal with a condescending jack-a$$ of a surgeon. It takes so long to get an appointment with a surgeon that now we have to wait probably another couple weeks at least to find out what's next in this journey. I just want to scream!!! Please pray with me that Rick doesn't get any worse before we can get in to someone else. I can't take anymore of this!!
Until next time,
Jaime
I bet you want to know what the "doctor" thought. Well his opinion was that Rick needed to suffer through a year of this, go through physical therapy and change his job before he would consider doing surgery. WHAT!!!! The physical therapy would mean that he could not continue doing the job he has been doing for 15 years. Um, no. And when Rick said "I have a lot of other medial stuff going on here" the doctor replied with basically "so what". He was not interested in looking at the big picture.
What made him so rude you may be thinking. Well let me tell ya. He walked in the room and did not even say hello, he just slumped down in his chair and put his foot up on his knee and crossed his arms. He asked where the pain was. Looked at the MRI for less than 30 seconds and did not ask about Rick's health. After we said that we didn't want to wait a year to get this resolved and asked why he had to wait, the doctor very rudely said that since we did not want to hear what he had to say and that we didn't agree with him that we could go somewhere else. And then proceeded to get up and leave the room without saying goodbye. The poor nurse seemed to not even know what to say at that point.
It took everything I had to not burst into tears right there. I can't believe that he would treat a patient with such disrespect. He didn't want anything to do with Rick. So now we are left to wait out the weekend before we can call the rheumatologist and ask for someone else. And I will also be calling the office manager and complaining about the treatment that my husband received. We will not be making the office visit co-pay to this guy. I will not pay someone to be so rude and condescending.
This experience just piles even more stress on me. I am so frustrated and angry tonight. I can't believe that a doctor would basically tell someone they have to continue to suffer because he hasn't suffered for quite long enough. Are you serious?!?! Progressive pain and numbness isn't enough? Because Rick is flexible due to hockey he has a better range of motion than me, and I am not injured. It is just how he is, that shouldn't make him ineligible for surgery. And the doctor didn't say he was ineligible, he just said he hasn't suffered enough.
Maybe by now you are wondering what type of surgery Rick is facing. Well according to this "doctor" he will need a disc replacement or spinal fusion. A simple discectomy is not going to fix the problem, it will actually make it worse because his disc is unstable. So with a year of physical therapy he might get better and not need surgery. But in the mean time he could get much worse and it is going to start interfering with everything else. This type of disc problem could lead to damaging the nerves that control bladder and bowel function. Um I am thinking that someone with Crohn's disease needs to be able to have bowel control. But that's just me. I mean I'm not a doctor or anything. It blows me away that he was not willing to look at the whole picture and see where this fits in.
I know I need to let it go. And I am trying. But it is so hard that with everything that Rick has to deal with physically he now has to deal with a condescending jack-a$$ of a surgeon. It takes so long to get an appointment with a surgeon that now we have to wait probably another couple weeks at least to find out what's next in this journey. I just want to scream!!! Please pray with me that Rick doesn't get any worse before we can get in to someone else. I can't take anymore of this!!
Until next time,
Jaime
Thursday, January 8, 2009
So much to say
So much to say, so much to say..... Oh wait, that's a Dave Matthews Band song. But I do have some stuff to go over. I don't even know where to start.
Yesterday my Step-Dad's Mom passed away. That makes her my Step-Grandma I guess. The girls really loved her. Samantha was really upset about it last night. And Megan is still at that age where she doesn't completely understand. Grandma Cris was such a sweet lady. She would hold your hand if you were sitting by her. And she loved to see the little kids. The last time I saw her was on Thanksgiving at my Mom's house. She suffered a stroke just after Thanksgiving. The funeral is on Monday.
____________________________________________
We got the results from Rick's colonoscopy. The polyp is benign and would not develop into cancer. And the biopsies were consistent with Crohn's disease. So that is a good thing. About time we got some good news. I really wasn't expecting it to be anything, and I honestly wasn't even thinking about it. About time, right?
____________________________________________
The epidural injection did not make much of a difference. Rick said that maybe he has seen a 25% improvement overall. That isn't much. We are skeptical about doing another injection considering it didn't work well, and he got that horrible headache. So we have decided to meet with a surgeon. That appointment is scheduled for January 23rd. Part of me really wants Rick to have the surgery because it is the one thing that can be fixed. I want him to be able to do the things he wants to do without worrying about making the pain worse, or causing more damage. There isn't a way to fix his other health problems but this is the one thing we can have control over. Does that make sense?
_____________________________________________
Megan had a doctor appointment today. As some of you may know, we have been having some big behavioral problems with her. So her teacher, and us, decided that it would be a good idea to talk with the doctor about it. The doctor thinks that she may have ADHD. Rick says "now days there is a label for everything." But having an idea of what the root of her behavior problems are will help with discipline and how to deal with some of the other issues. We are NOT using medications to treat her! She is only 5 years old and more than likely will grow out of it. For now we are going to fill out a questionnaire and have the teacher fill one out as well. That will help us in scoring where she is at and give us a starting point. I am actually happy that we know what is going on because now we can do something about it. Does ADHD run in the family?
_____________________________________________
The big melt down has begun. We are down to only a couple inches of snow in the front yard now. It has gotten warm and rainy, and so the snow is flooding away. School finally started again today. Yippee!!!
I know that is a lot of information in one post. I would love to answer any questions, from anyone. Or maybe someone has some advice on the back surgery thing. Comments and thoughts are appreciated.
Until next time,
Jaime
Yesterday my Step-Dad's Mom passed away. That makes her my Step-Grandma I guess. The girls really loved her. Samantha was really upset about it last night. And Megan is still at that age where she doesn't completely understand. Grandma Cris was such a sweet lady. She would hold your hand if you were sitting by her. And she loved to see the little kids. The last time I saw her was on Thanksgiving at my Mom's house. She suffered a stroke just after Thanksgiving. The funeral is on Monday.
____________________________________________
We got the results from Rick's colonoscopy. The polyp is benign and would not develop into cancer. And the biopsies were consistent with Crohn's disease. So that is a good thing. About time we got some good news. I really wasn't expecting it to be anything, and I honestly wasn't even thinking about it. About time, right?
____________________________________________
The epidural injection did not make much of a difference. Rick said that maybe he has seen a 25% improvement overall. That isn't much. We are skeptical about doing another injection considering it didn't work well, and he got that horrible headache. So we have decided to meet with a surgeon. That appointment is scheduled for January 23rd. Part of me really wants Rick to have the surgery because it is the one thing that can be fixed. I want him to be able to do the things he wants to do without worrying about making the pain worse, or causing more damage. There isn't a way to fix his other health problems but this is the one thing we can have control over. Does that make sense?
_____________________________________________
Megan had a doctor appointment today. As some of you may know, we have been having some big behavioral problems with her. So her teacher, and us, decided that it would be a good idea to talk with the doctor about it. The doctor thinks that she may have ADHD. Rick says "now days there is a label for everything." But having an idea of what the root of her behavior problems are will help with discipline and how to deal with some of the other issues. We are NOT using medications to treat her! She is only 5 years old and more than likely will grow out of it. For now we are going to fill out a questionnaire and have the teacher fill one out as well. That will help us in scoring where she is at and give us a starting point. I am actually happy that we know what is going on because now we can do something about it. Does ADHD run in the family?
_____________________________________________
The big melt down has begun. We are down to only a couple inches of snow in the front yard now. It has gotten warm and rainy, and so the snow is flooding away. School finally started again today. Yippee!!!
I know that is a lot of information in one post. I would love to answer any questions, from anyone. Or maybe someone has some advice on the back surgery thing. Comments and thoughts are appreciated.
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Colonoscopy,
Crohn's Disease,
Family,
Health,
Megan,
Rick,
Snow
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Goodbye 2008, Good Riddance
This has been one of those years that I am not sad to see go. It seems like the last couple years have been that way. And on each New Years Eve when the clock strikes midnight I think that the new year just has to be better. I don't know if I can even think about that tonight. Because for some reason I just have a feeling that it isn't going to get any easier.
2008 was filled with lots of bad things, but also some good things. Like:
The Good:
I was blessed with a great job
My beautiful niece Mady entered the world
We were supported by family and friends
The Mayo Clinic
Adding Jack to our family
"Meeting" some new friends
My blog (in my opinion)
Having a snow blower
Samantha broke her arm
I HAD to go back to work
Rick's PSC progressed
Rick had 2 ERCP's
Rick had an ERCP that had some complications
Had to go to Mayo
Rick now has yellow eyes
Because of Gilbert's Syndrome
Worry about the possibility of new diseases, that were eventually ruled out
Testing Rick for lymphoma
Rick had a colonoscopy
Rick has a herniated disc
Rick had to have an epidural steroid injection
The injection didn't go as planned
Nothing really went as planned
Rick's migraines
I started seeing a therapist but had to stop because it was too expensive
Bills, bills, and more medical bills
A dishwasher that keeps breaking
Megan's behavior problems
People that don't get it
I could probably go on but it is getting depressing. And the finale to our great year (can you sense the sarcasm), Rick had a epidural headache all day. The doctor thinks it is a reaction to the dye used and the steroid leaking out of the spine. We were told to keep a watch out for worsening (is that a word) symptoms and if it gets worse to go to the ER. We spent New Years there two years ago, I am not doing that again.
So I think that probably sums up our year. I am having a bad night. I was really worried about Rick while I was at work. And the stress of it all is just coming to a boiling point for me.
But I do want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I really do hope that 2009 brings joy and good health. Even if I do sound pessimistic tonight.
Until next time,
Jaime
2008 was filled with lots of bad things, but also some good things. Like:
The Good:
I was blessed with a great job
My beautiful niece Mady entered the world
We were supported by family and friends
The Mayo Clinic
Adding Jack to our family
"Meeting" some new friends
My blog (in my opinion)
Having a snow blower
To tell you the truth, I am having a hard time coming up with the good things. I even asked Rick and he just shook his head.
The Bad:Samantha broke her arm
I HAD to go back to work
Rick's PSC progressed
Rick had 2 ERCP's
Rick had an ERCP that had some complications
Had to go to Mayo
Rick now has yellow eyes
Because of Gilbert's Syndrome
Worry about the possibility of new diseases, that were eventually ruled out
Testing Rick for lymphoma
Rick had a colonoscopy
Rick has a herniated disc
Rick had to have an epidural steroid injection
The injection didn't go as planned
Nothing really went as planned
Rick's migraines
I started seeing a therapist but had to stop because it was too expensive
Bills, bills, and more medical bills
A dishwasher that keeps breaking
Megan's behavior problems
People that don't get it
I could probably go on but it is getting depressing. And the finale to our great year (can you sense the sarcasm), Rick had a epidural headache all day. The doctor thinks it is a reaction to the dye used and the steroid leaking out of the spine. We were told to keep a watch out for worsening (is that a word) symptoms and if it gets worse to go to the ER. We spent New Years there two years ago, I am not doing that again.
So I think that probably sums up our year. I am having a bad night. I was really worried about Rick while I was at work. And the stress of it all is just coming to a boiling point for me.
But I do want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I really do hope that 2009 brings joy and good health. Even if I do sound pessimistic tonight.
Until next time,
Jaime
Labels:
Back Pain,
Colonoscopy,
Coping,
Crohn's Disease,
ERCP,
Gilbert's Syndrome,
Health,
Jaime,
Mayo Clinic,
PSC,
Rick,
Stress
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
All done
The epidural injection is done and Rick is laying on the couch next to me sleeping. The doctor was great! And the facility is really nice too. We got a very informative explanation of how the spine works and what is wrong with Rick. I want to write this all down so just bare with me. There is quite a bit of information.
This doctor said that the MRI was quite impressive. He is amazed that Rick isn't in excruciating pain. There is significant pressure in the spinal canal pressing against the nerve roots. There is a name for it but it was crazy and I can't remember what it is. We were told all this before, but this doctor deals with this everyday and is really amazed at the damage done. Rick's spine curves more than normal down towards L4 and L5. And the L5 disc is bulging badly and causing severe pressure down to the disc below that. So much so that the disc is compressed to half the size it should be.
The doctor really wanted to go at the epidural from a different angle and do two injections to really coat the area with the steroid. But once in the procedure room they started taking live x-rays and it was discovered that the malformation in Rick's back made that impossible. So he had to go at it from a different angle and wasn't able to do the two injections. The cool thing was that I got to go in the procedure room with him. They asked if I was pregnant, which of course I am NOT, and then I had to wear a lead vest. I got to watch the whole thing which was actually pretty cool. They numbed the skin up then placed the epidural needle. After that they took several live x-rays as the epidural needle was carefully moved into place. A dye was injected to make sure the steroid would go where it is supposed to, unfortunately the space is open so some of it leaked out. Which meant that when the steroid was injected not all of it went into the epidural space. So it wasn't the exact outcome the doctor was hoping for in a couple different ways.
The next step is to go back in three weeks and do this again. The doctor also thought that talking to the surgeon might not be a bad idea. There are some surgery options that might be better than the "band aid" that the epidural injection is. So we are back to a wait and see game again. Of course Rick doesn't want surgery, but if this doesn't get better it could cause permanent nerve damage. We don't want that to happen.
It is just such a pain (pun intended) to have to deal with this on top of everything else. It is really unfair. But I am not starting a pity party right now. Especially because Rick is so stubborn and he always says he is fine. Bull sh**!! He says he doesn't want to worry me by complaining all the time. I told him that I worry more when he says he is fine because I know he is not. I just wish he would be honest with me all the time.
So for today Rick is just taking it easy because his left leg is numb and his back is sore. The doctor said that because his leg is numb he could easily fall since he can't feel where he is placing his foot. He should sleep for a while because he worked all last night. I am going to enjoy the quiet time since the girls are with my mom. Thank you for all of those who pray for us.
Until next time,
Jaime
This doctor said that the MRI was quite impressive. He is amazed that Rick isn't in excruciating pain. There is significant pressure in the spinal canal pressing against the nerve roots. There is a name for it but it was crazy and I can't remember what it is. We were told all this before, but this doctor deals with this everyday and is really amazed at the damage done. Rick's spine curves more than normal down towards L4 and L5. And the L5 disc is bulging badly and causing severe pressure down to the disc below that. So much so that the disc is compressed to half the size it should be.
The doctor really wanted to go at the epidural from a different angle and do two injections to really coat the area with the steroid. But once in the procedure room they started taking live x-rays and it was discovered that the malformation in Rick's back made that impossible. So he had to go at it from a different angle and wasn't able to do the two injections. The cool thing was that I got to go in the procedure room with him. They asked if I was pregnant, which of course I am NOT, and then I had to wear a lead vest. I got to watch the whole thing which was actually pretty cool. They numbed the skin up then placed the epidural needle. After that they took several live x-rays as the epidural needle was carefully moved into place. A dye was injected to make sure the steroid would go where it is supposed to, unfortunately the space is open so some of it leaked out. Which meant that when the steroid was injected not all of it went into the epidural space. So it wasn't the exact outcome the doctor was hoping for in a couple different ways.
The next step is to go back in three weeks and do this again. The doctor also thought that talking to the surgeon might not be a bad idea. There are some surgery options that might be better than the "band aid" that the epidural injection is. So we are back to a wait and see game again. Of course Rick doesn't want surgery, but if this doesn't get better it could cause permanent nerve damage. We don't want that to happen.
It is just such a pain (pun intended) to have to deal with this on top of everything else. It is really unfair. But I am not starting a pity party right now. Especially because Rick is so stubborn and he always says he is fine. Bull sh**!! He says he doesn't want to worry me by complaining all the time. I told him that I worry more when he says he is fine because I know he is not. I just wish he would be honest with me all the time.
So for today Rick is just taking it easy because his left leg is numb and his back is sore. The doctor said that because his leg is numb he could easily fall since he can't feel where he is placing his foot. He should sleep for a while because he worked all last night. I am going to enjoy the quiet time since the girls are with my mom. Thank you for all of those who pray for us.
Until next time,
Jaime
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