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Thanks, Tamena. I had heard he was coming, but appreciate the article. His name was familiar to me which I assume was from this forum. Now, I don't know if I'll see him or Dr. Kelly for my check up in January.
Karen
Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
Rib Hump-GONE!
Age-60 at the time of surgery
Now 66
Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
Retired Kdgn. Teacher
See photobucket link for:
Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right. http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/
Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
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Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation
yes Dr.Gupta is my surgeon I'm going to be one of his partners after he moved to saint Louis. when I first saw the article I felt really sad and happy at the same time. but how it made me feel it felt like being punched in the gut.
Kara
25
Brace 4-15-05-5-25-06
Posterior Spinal Fusion 3-10-10
T4-L2
Before 50T
After 20T
yes Dr.Gupta is my surgeon I'm going to be one of his partners after he moved to saint Louis. when I first saw the article I felt really sad and happy at the same time. but how it made me feel it felt like being punched in the gut.
Kennedy,
I know exactly how you feel. My surgeon, Dr Bederman, is leaving Southern CA and moving to Texas. I am glad for Dr Bederman but I am sad for myself.
So how is Dr. Gupta? I am assuming I will see him also since Lenke left. I am not planning on having anymore surgery, (two in a life time is plenty), but just in case, (God Forbid), I have to, I want to make sure I have a very good surgeon.
Manish Gupta was previously at UC Davis in Sacramento. They have still not hired a replacement for him, and so now there is only one deformity surgeon there that sees adults, and that is Rolando Roberto. This guy is SO overwhelmed by patients that they've got him operating four days per week - two at UC Davis Medical Center and two at Shriners. I saw him twice. I liked him and unlike some of the other surgeons I saw, he was happy to answer my questions and work with me, but the last time I saw him I waited two hours to see him and was in tears from the pain. To say he is busy is an understatement. I don't care how good you are, doing these kinds of complex surgeries four days per week is too much in my opinion. I have just never seen a surgeon be this busy. It was actually scary how busy he was. Let's hope they hire a third deformity surgeon soon.
1st surgery: Fused T1-L3 in 1987 with contoured Harrington Rods. Rods broke at top.
2nd surgery: Re-done two weeks later; fused C7-L3. Left in chronic pain.
3rd surgery: Hardware removal 1997, but still pain for 30 years.
4th Surgery: Fused to the sacrum in 2016. Came out of surgery with left foot paralysis. (Drop Foot) Can't walk on my own.
I'm blessed to have found my peace and reason to live not from a husband or kids (I have none) but from God and within myself.
I agree that is too many surgeries for one doctor. Sort of scary.
My last visit with Dr. Lenke here in St. Louis, I waited 5 hours and 15 minutes. Yes you read it right....5 hours & 15 min. It was my 2 year followup so I guess I kept getting bumped back. Not sure but I was almost passed out in pain by the time he came walking in with his Fellows.
Then he spent most of my 20 minutes telling me about HIS sciatica problem. I was of course complaining about my 'DAILY PAIN' and asking him why. I know this is going to sound bad of me but after the short visit, and LONG WAIT, I turned to my husband and said "Boy, I hope his Sciatica is REALLY hurting him". I know that was bad. But what I meant was because they (doctors) never seem to offer much sympathy regarding our constant pain. Plus I wasn't in the best of moods by then anyway.
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