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After many different types of care (chiropractic, physical therapy, special shoes, hanging upside down) I had my first surgery in September 1991. It was a partial laminectomy at L4-S1. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any relief from this surgery and finally had a CT scan in 1993. There was a piece of bone resting on the nerve at the same area. That led to my second surgery in April of 1993. I did pretty well for about six months and then had a small accident where I fell off of a kitchen ladder. I managed to crack a couple ribs and fracture my elbow. It was the beginning of my low back getting progressively worse. I was treated with chiropractic care, occasional painkillers and local injections. In 1995 I started caudal blocks (a.k.a., epidurals). From 1995 through 1998 I had eleven or twelve of these injections. Sometimes I felt like I got a few days relief and was always hoping the next one would do the trick. In December of 1998 I switched from an HMO to a regular PPO insurance. It was within a couple of months that I had my surgery date for a L4-S1 BAK fusion. Good thing too, because I had to stop working in February 1999 since I was no longer able to sit for any period of time without my right leg going numb with intense pain in my legs and back plus had a lot of weakness in both legs. I am very optimistic about the future. I wouldn't recommend a fusion to anyone that is new to back pain, but if there is a lot of damage to the spine and/or nerves, you've been through a lot of other treatments, and your doctor thinks it can help, it's probably the best step you can take. So, here is some details of the four big accidents that make me grateful that I am alive and walking. They are also the main reason I ended up having back surgery. My first car accident occurred when I was 16. My father was driving, well we were actually stopped at a light when it happened. The car behind us did not see the red light and hit us going about forty miles an hour. The car was totaled, I had whiplash, and luckily my Dad was fine. My second car accident happened when I was 18. I was waiting to turn left. The light turned red. Traffic stopped in two of the three lanes and the only other car I saw was pretty far away from the intersection. Well, what I didn't realize is the car that was still moving was speeding (police estimated 55 miles per hour) and ran the light. He hit the passenger side door and pushed my car into another car. I was thrown against the passenger window and ended up lying on the passenger side floor. The car was totaled, I ended up with TMJ and damage to my low back and neck. I was 23 when I had my third accident. I was, again, waiting to turn left. The light, again, turned red. Traffic stopped in two of the three lanes (sounds familiar, huh?) A Bronco that had been no where in sight ran the light and hit my car nearly head-on (it was primarily on the driver's site). The police estimated she was going about 75 when she hit the brakes, which was right before the intersection. When she hit my car it spun the car in such a way that my car ended up back in the left turn lane facing traffic. I found myself lying with my feet on the driver's side and my head on the passenger's side and the gearshift was pushed into my hip. The car was totaled and I had additional damage to my low back and neck. My fourth and hopefully final accident was a bit different and definitely had its comical side. I lived on a dairy farm at a junior college overseeing the cows and calves. We milked the cows at 3:00 in the morning and 3:00 in the afternoon. It was a wonderful experience. Anyway, one day a few of us were getting hay from the hay barn for feeding time. The hay stack was about twenty five feet high and we were standing on a stack that was about five feet waiting for the person up at the top of the stack to drop down bales. I got bored and turned away from him for a second and, of course, that's when he threw down the bale. It bounced once then hit me square in the butt and threw me five feet forward. Luckily, I landed on the back of the truck we had parked up against the level we were standing on. Where's the funny part you ask? Well, one friend with me said, "You looked like a cartoon character being shot from a canon". I can imagine I did! It wasn't until this incident that I actually felt my first, finger-in-the-socket electric shock from my low back down to my toes. There you go. Like I said earlier, I am happy happy happy to be alive and walking. I have also given up my title as klutz of the year and am a wee bit more cautious! Leslie Anyone interested, please e-mail me.. Return to 'Other People's Stories'
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The Surgery:The Week Before * The Day Before * The Day Of * In The Hospital * Going Home * Let's Talk Pain * Home Again! Other Areas:Created and Maintained by Leslie Davidson.
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