Surgical update

It has been 3 months since my last Surgery. I had follow up with neurosurgeon on Wednesday to review latest MRI and he said I have developed a spinal fluid leak. We are going to monitor it for 6 months and if it is better it means more back surgery.

I continue to struggle with feeling in my foot and leg. I also have horrible migraines which the doctor feels may be due to the leak.

I would love to hear from others who have suffered with this disease.

My parents never knew I had Spina Bifida and I guess back in the 1950's they didn't test for it during the prenatal screening. I did have symptoms growing up but I was always told you are just clumsy or pick up your feet.

Update

I am a month post surgery and doing pretty good. I am having some pain in my foot which is good since I have not felt this foot in over 9 months. Some of the stuff I just have to learn to deal with and am going to practice some meditation techniques for relaxation.

I opened my work email yesterday and found an email from my supervisor terminating my employment due to medical issues. What a way to start the weekend. So next week I have to go over to the school and empty out my office as I left all my therapy supplies because I intended to return.

In less than one years time I have had two major back surgeries, numerous MRI's, and lost my job. What a year!!

Post Surgery

I went to the neurosurgeon for my follow up and things are progressing as well as can be expected. I continue to struggle with my left leg and foot with very little reflexes but it takes time for nerves to regenerate. I have a lot of trouble sitting for any length of time but am up more and feeling some better. My family has been great through all this. They have taken turns doing different things for me (i.e. cooking, cleaning, visiting). I have a wonderful family and really appreciate them coming together for me.

Surgery Update

This is Elizabeth, Ann's youngest daughter.  My mother asked me to update her blog while she was in the hospital for her second spinal surgery.  I'm late doing this and I apologize for that.

My mothers surgery went well and took less time than the doctor thought it would initially.  The doctor stated that with her last surgery he used the "trap door" technique where they cut the bone opened it like a door did what they needed to do then put the bone back in place and it would later fuse itself back together.  In my mom's case her bones did not fuse together her bone slipped and was pressing on her spinal cord causing compression.  I spoke to her doctor about this and he agreed that this could be the culprit causing the loss of feeling in mom's leg.  She was in the ICU until last night and now she's on the Neuro Science floor recovery well.  Yesterday when I visited with her she said her feet and legs were hurt so I was massaging them for her and she said "Hey, stop tickling my foot."  I asked her, well which foot am I messing with (knowing it was her bad foot) she told me, you're tickling my bad foot.  Then I took the sharp edge of my finger nail and pressed into the heel of her bad foot and she told me to stop pinching her heel.  She said, Hey, I can feel my bad foot.  So, she has some feeling back that she's not had in over a year.  I'd consider that a huge success and hopefully it's giving her some huge feeling of accomplishment..  We're praying to get her home by this weekend if she's well enough.  Thank you so much for caring enough about my sweet Mom to follow her blog.

Pre Op

Did all my stuff for pre op today. Nurse said I was the first patient she had my age that had to have a second operation for untethering. She said she did have a woman come through last week with a tethered cord but it was her first time.

I am hoping that I do as good as my grand daughter who recently had surgery for Kyphosis and was already riding her bike after just a few weeks :) She is such an amazing little girl.

Court and work

Today I had to appear in court for one of my counseling clients and I absolutely hate doing this. I am totally rethinking if I want to continue to do therapy. What is the good of confidentiality if a judge can court order you talk (either you talk or your held in contempt of court). I was so frustrated when I left the court room that I am seriously going to reassess what I want to do with my social work degree!!

Friday is my last day of work, I took a medical leave so I can try to spend some time focusing on recuperating. My surgery is on Tuesday and at that time I will turn the posting of information to my daughter until I am able to be back on the computer. I am ready for this to be over and hopefully it will be successful this time.

My grand daughter just recently had back surgery for Kyphosis and it is amazing how well she is doing. Children have such great stamina and seem to bounce back so quickly. She is an amazing little girl!

Tethered Cord Syndrome

I am writing on this blog in the hope that others will read and see that there are other adults that suffer with TCS. I have had a difficult time finding other adults that have been going through this.

Mine started in June of 2010 when I had my first surgery for TCS, I also have Spina Bifida Occulta. Things got better for a while but then my numbness became worse, walking has become difficult, and I have a tremendous amount of pain. I went to a neurologist who requested a EMG which showed extreme weakness in my left leg. He referred me back to my neurosurgeon who informed me my cord had retethered at L 3 due to scar tissue. I am scheduled for surgery on March 22, 2011. I am really dreading this surgery as my recovery from the other was difficult.

I would love to hear from others that have the same condition and have had to have multiple surgeries due to TCS.