Well, my friends, after some research on various possible ways/approaches to treat my trapped nerve problem, it is decided. Anyone who wants to review what happened to me can look here:
http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=56002
Thanks to you who remembered me in your prayers for a quick solution to this terrible pain. The neurosurgeon I consulted is the same one who fixed my cerebral/spinal fluid leak in my head in 2006, exactly 6 years ago. Of course he remembered me and was surprised to see me
sitting in a wheel chair in front of him, once he put the image on the screen with my face. (Naturally he wanted to examine the back of my head and admire his work!)
He proposed that my problem is very clear, but rare; only 1/100 or so back problems are like mine. So, here we go again, and I am SO GLAD I came to someone I knew had a lot of experience (and a Seattle TOP DOC), and not some "young Turk" doc who may have not seen my exact problem.
Left lateral microdiscectomy, which will require a little different (but small) incision to access the errant piece of disc. He says I have an 85% average chance of full recovery, and I put those odds even higher with him on the job and getting at this in as short a period as possible. So he told his scheduler to put me in the "next available" slot. Since he does surgeries only on Wed/Thurs, I am on for next week. May get in Wed orThursday for sure.
Will update this with the date when I have it firm. Meantime, I am starting to get a rather nasty case of Cabin Fever, having been housebound for a month with a few more weeks ahead of me until I am recovered and can drive again. Oh Happy Day, that will be!
Visit to neurosurgeon
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