Bit of back news..

Hmm, interesting times. I went to see a different back specialist at a Parkside recently, to work out for once and for all if there is anything that can be done to improve my back.

 

First meeting was as expected – he looked my recent MRI and said that while it’s a degenerative mess, there is no one thing standing out that can be improved. Mentioned physio and steroid injections, but as I’ve had dozens of these about 3 times already, they’re not a go—er really.

 

But also said it was worth getting CT scan for a final view, so I had that on Mon and popped back to see him yesterday before my chemo day kicked off.

 

A different story emerged..

 

Seems that the lumbar fusion I had done 3 years ago, hadn’t actually fused the two joints as there is a clear gap still between them. And worse, it’s potentially impinging on the vertebra above which does need to move, so I can bend. 

 

No wonder it did cock all for me in terms of pain improvement and I can feel it tugging when I lean forward! 

 

Long story short, he’s now recommending I have all the metalwork removed, and that we see if that improves matters. 

 

Apparently it’s a biggish scar as he needs a wide opening to unscrew each of the 4 posts, nice, but more straightforward than putting them in, despite my rather grisly imagination seeing metal with my flesh grown all over them, which will surely get ripped out too. (Now if it was some tummy fat, that’d be a bonus..)

 

Only 1 night in post surgery needed, then two week recovery, so pretty good and much better than when they went in.

 

I’m maybe still clutching at straws a bit but he would not be suggesting it unless there was some reasonable possibility of improvement and it’s the only route on offer, so I’m hoping it’s a longish straw…

 

Obvs won’t take it further till after NZ, and need a further chat with him once he has taken the scans to his multi-disciplinary team to discuss, before getting on the phone to BUPA yet again…

 

But at least it’s a glimmer of hope that something could give me more confidence in moving, as at the moment I literally wouldn’t jump over a puddle. Which is a bit shit at only 51, and when it would be nice to jump into a swimming pool again one day… We will see x