Andy’s Treatment

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ContributorAndy, 62Read Full Bio

Biography

Andy, 62, has had back pain and neck issues for as long as he can remember. He learned at a young age he had a very narrow spinal column. Not only did he need to wear a neck brace on and off as a kid, his discs would often slip leading to episodes where he was bed ridden. In his 60’s his chronic back pain was so acute he felt as if he had two separate lives. His pain kept him from enjoying life—he could not even walk the dog with this wife.

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ContributorAndy, 62Read Full Bio

Biography

Andy, 62, has had back pain and neck issues for as long as he can remember. He learned at a young age he had a very narrow spinal column. Not only did he need to wear a neck brace on and off as a kid, his discs would often slip leading to episodes where he was bed ridden. In his 60’s his chronic back pain was so acute he felt as if he had two separate lives. His pain kept him from enjoying life—he could not even walk the dog with this wife.

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Andy had a three-level fusion from S1 to L3. Even before the actual surgery, Andy felt overwhelmed by the whole process. Detailed information came pouring in, such as the fact there would be multiple surgeons during his operation, which surprised Andy.

So, the surgery I had was a three-level fusion from S-1 to, uh, L-3. They say that we’re going in through the front, they say we’re going in through the back. I think the first shocking point when, and I don’t mean to digress, was right pre-surgery, the amount of people that were around you. You’re meeting your anesthesiologist, and you’re meeting, you know, the vascular surgeon, and each one has their own partner that they’re working with.

And it was remarkable the amount of people that were there. I thought that they were gonna build a city. Waking up from the surgery and the recovery, I was not prepared for any of it, the pain level that I woke with was extreme, surely didn’t match anything that I had ever, you know, felt in the past with any of the other surgeries that I’ve been through. And they get you walking, I believe, the next day. They all got me up, and had me take steps, and, you know, I was willing, wanting, you know, you just wanna do whatever it takes. I could not move my bowels, bloating started, and to the point where I looked like a cartoon character. Then they brought in specialists for that, and the length of time due to the pain, a lot of nerve pain, and-and due to the bloating, I was in the hospital for a two-week period.

It was a nightmare. I mean, you can’t go in the hospital and sleep normally. Because the pain level I was at, I would rip things off of me. I would rip IVs out of my arm, because I wanted to go to the bathroom, and I felt I could. I definitely wasn’t the easiest patient for the nurses to have, I’m sure.

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