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From Despair To Euphoria!
Hello Friends!!
My husband and I went to Reno to see Dr Menmuir today. I was basically going through the motions and resigned to some bad news as Dr Fry of Carson City, my previous surgeon, had told me that my revision surgery would involve removing all the old hardware, a new incision through my chest, and after all that might not prevent my neck from falling forward in the future. He said if I were his wife, he would advise me against it. I was completely disheartened and resigned to living my life with my ever increasing kyphosis, and my inability to stand upright and walk without some sort of support. Also, when I had my x-ray a couple weeks back, there was a lung nodule discovered, and the radiologist recommended a follow-up CT scan to rule out anything sinister. I've been very low. Well, I had the CT scan yesterday, and TODAY my primary Dr called to say it was nothing!! Hooray! This made my day and I left for my appt with Menmuir a bit more upbeat.
After waiting 20 or more minutes in the 8X12 space waiting for the appearance of the good Dr M, Mark and I were getting a bit perturbed. Not an auspicious start. Just when we were about to start opening cabinets and spilling q-tips all over the floor like in the commercial, in walks the GORGEOUS Dr M! Nevermind that he looks all of 25 years old. As much as I'm amusing myself with my own witty reparte, I'll cut to the chase.
HE WAS AMAZING!!!
Soft spoken, unhurried (what a concept!) and thorough, thorough, thorough.
I'm always ready for a fight when I go to the doc's office. I know I have to make my case concisely, or whoosh! He/She will be gone and I've blown my chance. This wonderful man asked many questions. He touched my body here, there, and asked if this or that hurt, and checked all my reflexes himself, not relegating that task to his nurse or assistant. He NEVER berated Dr Fry's method, but simply said he would do this or that instead. I asked if I would be a good candidate for this surgery in his opinion, and he said that that is up to me and whether or not I felt as though I was a good candidate. He would present his procedure, answer any and all questions, and warned that this surgery indeed had all the other dangers of any surgery; infection, paralysis, etc., but that he would only go through posteriorly, I'd stay in the hosp for about 3 days, and he wouldn't have to remove the old hardware at all, just the top screw which had slipped and no longer was anchoring anything. He said mine was a relatively simple procedure. My hubby and I both had quite a few questions and he answered them all patiently and calmly. I have NEVER had such a wonderful experience with my previous surgeon. This wonderful man looked my straight in the eye when he was talking TO me (not DOWN to me) and slowly considered my xrays, and explained EVERYTHING he saw and what his take on it all was. He said there was in fact a possible danger in doing nothing as the kyphosis can impinge on the spinal nerves and cause problems as well. He acknowledged that no one knows when, or if it may occur, but that it is a real possibility. I finally said "So I could actually walk upright again without a cane or hand or cart or.."and he nodded yes. I said "oh, I think I'm going to cry now.." And I did. But not for long. We left the office stunned and amazed. We went for lunch and I had to have a beer to touch back down to earth. We discussed the visit and I shed a few more tears here and there sadly reflecting on the possibly unnecessary pain I've felt for the last 5 years, the new life that might await me, and how I would have never even known about this man if it were not for this great forum and Ed aka Titaniumed. I am so grateful tonight. For all of you and the internet and the "marvels of modern science." I'm also trying to figure out why my ex-doc Fry was so dis-interested, afraid, or whatever to take on this surgery. Mark tells me to just let it go, and I think that's best. I'll just have to be content that I lived through the first one relatively unscathed, and can look forward to a better future with the new hope provided to me by Dr Menmuir.
Ever So Sincerely,
Sharon
My husband and I went to Reno to see Dr Menmuir today. I was basically going through the motions and resigned to some bad news as Dr Fry of Carson City, my previous surgeon, had told me that my revision surgery would involve removing all the old hardware, a new incision through my chest, and after all that might not prevent my neck from falling forward in the future. He said if I were his wife, he would advise me against it. I was completely disheartened and resigned to living my life with my ever increasing kyphosis, and my inability to stand upright and walk without some sort of support. Also, when I had my x-ray a couple weeks back, there was a lung nodule discovered, and the radiologist recommended a follow-up CT scan to rule out anything sinister. I've been very low. Well, I had the CT scan yesterday, and TODAY my primary Dr called to say it was nothing!! Hooray! This made my day and I left for my appt with Menmuir a bit more upbeat.
After waiting 20 or more minutes in the 8X12 space waiting for the appearance of the good Dr M, Mark and I were getting a bit perturbed. Not an auspicious start. Just when we were about to start opening cabinets and spilling q-tips all over the floor like in the commercial, in walks the GORGEOUS Dr M! Nevermind that he looks all of 25 years old. As much as I'm amusing myself with my own witty reparte, I'll cut to the chase.
HE WAS AMAZING!!!
Soft spoken, unhurried (what a concept!) and thorough, thorough, thorough.
I'm always ready for a fight when I go to the doc's office. I know I have to make my case concisely, or whoosh! He/She will be gone and I've blown my chance. This wonderful man asked many questions. He touched my body here, there, and asked if this or that hurt, and checked all my reflexes himself, not relegating that task to his nurse or assistant. He NEVER berated Dr Fry's method, but simply said he would do this or that instead. I asked if I would be a good candidate for this surgery in his opinion, and he said that that is up to me and whether or not I felt as though I was a good candidate. He would present his procedure, answer any and all questions, and warned that this surgery indeed had all the other dangers of any surgery; infection, paralysis, etc., but that he would only go through posteriorly, I'd stay in the hosp for about 3 days, and he wouldn't have to remove the old hardware at all, just the top screw which had slipped and no longer was anchoring anything. He said mine was a relatively simple procedure. My hubby and I both had quite a few questions and he answered them all patiently and calmly. I have NEVER had such a wonderful experience with my previous surgeon. This wonderful man looked my straight in the eye when he was talking TO me (not DOWN to me) and slowly considered my xrays, and explained EVERYTHING he saw and what his take on it all was. He said there was in fact a possible danger in doing nothing as the kyphosis can impinge on the spinal nerves and cause problems as well. He acknowledged that no one knows when, or if it may occur, but that it is a real possibility. I finally said "So I could actually walk upright again without a cane or hand or cart or.."and he nodded yes. I said "oh, I think I'm going to cry now.." And I did. But not for long. We left the office stunned and amazed. We went for lunch and I had to have a beer to touch back down to earth. We discussed the visit and I shed a few more tears here and there sadly reflecting on the possibly unnecessary pain I've felt for the last 5 years, the new life that might await me, and how I would have never even known about this man if it were not for this great forum and Ed aka Titaniumed. I am so grateful tonight. For all of you and the internet and the "marvels of modern science." I'm also trying to figure out why my ex-doc Fry was so dis-interested, afraid, or whatever to take on this surgery. Mark tells me to just let it go, and I think that's best. I'll just have to be content that I lived through the first one relatively unscathed, and can look forward to a better future with the new hope provided to me by Dr Menmuir.
Ever So Sincerely,
Sharon
I was in pain for many years, before finding someone who told me "you're back can be fixed, it's a very complicated surgery, but it can be done". I remember the feeling my husband and I had when we left his office. I'm now 8 weeks post op and already so happy I did it.
Cervical stenosis op'd 3-07, minimally invasive
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