This is the first in a series of guest posts by Jim Spell, The Better Way Back® Patient Ambassador.
My name is Jim Spell. I recently had spine surgery to fuse my lumbar vertebrae. I am now the proud owner of 18 screws and two rods totaling over two feet. My doctor compares it, with fondness and pride, to the Golden Gate Bridge. While I probably wouldn’t have found this metaphor as funny four months ago, my sense of humor is returning, along with my overall health.
The decision
For me the decision to undergo minimally disruptive back surgery was somewhat straightforward. I was beginning to lose the use of my legs. Pain was not limited to my back, but had migrated down my legs and up to my brain. Depression was now following my physical pain everywhere. My personality was changing along with my walk. It
was time.
Of course, the internet was no help. “Surgery: The Last Desperate Stop” and “Can’t have just one” were just a couple of the titles I came across. The horror stories filled my screen and doubt and fear filled my heart. Although I knew information was important, I realized you must go to the source. I read and organized information, making no decisions or resolutions until I made an appointment to see my personal physician. While I could have gone directly to a surgeon, a seemingly logical idea, going to my doctor first allowed for better communication (since neither of us were surgeons), a qualitative direction for my fears (what should I really worry about), and time to just talk about it with a trusted friend.
What came next was emergency surgery, having waited too long for a decision. I also had a battery of MRIs and EMGs, not to mention injections, projections, and a myriad of discussions as to what exactly was happening in my back and to my legs. The result was the decision for a full lumbar fusion. Although a straightforward decision, it was not an easy one to make, but that’s another story.
Check back next week for “Jim Spell’s story part 2: the surgery.”
13-NUVA-1263