Hi Susan,
I think trust is definitely the key. You have to decide which surgeon you trust and can work with to get through this. Once you decide to trust, you need to let the surgeon do the worrying for you, since that is what they have gone to years and years of schooling for. I know it is hard for us medical types to shut it down and let someone else be in control of decisions for our body, but I think it is the only way to make peace with your need for surgery.
Please do yourself a favor and stop obsessing about the bad outcomes. Stop searching for posts about bad outcomes, and please stop reading the posts about people who regret being fused. You are really torturing yourself. It will not change the fact that you need surgery. Just say no!
I offer this advice in the most gentle, supportive way imaginable. I see you struggling with this decision, and I want to help you get to the point of peace with your decision. It occurred to me that you are still so conflicted because you have not met the right surgeon for you yet. Maybe you will click better with Dr Hu. Not every surgeon is going to be the right fit for every patient. I truly know how busy it is at OHSU, and if you don't trust, it could be easy to leave there thinking it is not the right fit for you. Only you can decide.
Please also be prepared that you could end up disappointed in your second opinion if it is not everything you are hoping for. I got two other opinions (one in Eugene, one in Portland) and found both of them to be disappointing, and the Portland one especially, as I have mentioned, to be confusing. I wrote a thread about it at the time if you are interested.
Best wishes, and please try to stop tormenting yourself by reading so many medical articles. I know, because I did it too, and it really did me no good at all. This time you are going to have to be the patient, something we nurses hate to do!
Take good care, know we are here for you.
I think trust is definitely the key. You have to decide which surgeon you trust and can work with to get through this. Once you decide to trust, you need to let the surgeon do the worrying for you, since that is what they have gone to years and years of schooling for. I know it is hard for us medical types to shut it down and let someone else be in control of decisions for our body, but I think it is the only way to make peace with your need for surgery.
Please do yourself a favor and stop obsessing about the bad outcomes. Stop searching for posts about bad outcomes, and please stop reading the posts about people who regret being fused. You are really torturing yourself. It will not change the fact that you need surgery. Just say no!
I offer this advice in the most gentle, supportive way imaginable. I see you struggling with this decision, and I want to help you get to the point of peace with your decision. It occurred to me that you are still so conflicted because you have not met the right surgeon for you yet. Maybe you will click better with Dr Hu. Not every surgeon is going to be the right fit for every patient. I truly know how busy it is at OHSU, and if you don't trust, it could be easy to leave there thinking it is not the right fit for you. Only you can decide.
Please also be prepared that you could end up disappointed in your second opinion if it is not everything you are hoping for. I got two other opinions (one in Eugene, one in Portland) and found both of them to be disappointing, and the Portland one especially, as I have mentioned, to be confusing. I wrote a thread about it at the time if you are interested.
Best wishes, and please try to stop tormenting yourself by reading so many medical articles. I know, because I did it too, and it really did me no good at all. This time you are going to have to be the patient, something we nurses hate to do!
Take good care, know we are here for you.
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