I went and met with the Neurosurgeon yesterday to talk about the when, where and how of the spinal surgery. It was a stressful appointment but was made even more stressful with the fact that we forgot the CD of the MRI that I got when I had it done. My husband drove the hour drive, round trip, to get the CD at our house and arrived just as the Doctor was finishing up telling me the ins and outs of the surgery (and that I would be down for at least 9 weeks!). My husband gave the CD to the Doctor and the Doctor stepped out to look it over.
In the meantime, I cried and told my husband what the Doctor had said.
Minutes passed and the Doctor was back in the exam room to explain to us that he did not think I needed surgery after looking at the MRI pictures. The Neurologist and Radiologist both had exaggerated my condition. Yes, I have pain and numbness in my legs and arms, Yes my spinal cord is compressed, but the Doctor thinks that a few steroid injections in my neck and physical therapy will correct the problem. He wants to see me every few months to monitor my progress and he said that maybe in a few years I may have to have the surgery or it could end up correcting itself and I won’t have to have the surgery ever.
The next thing he said made me laugh. He said he loves to cut, cutting makes him the big bucks so he guesses that I am not going to make him the big bucks right now!
So no surgery on my neck/spine right now! Just heart surgery on Monday.
I was so relieved after that appointment that I came home and went to bed and slept like I have not slept in a long time.
This is the best news! Just one surgery not two!!!!!!!!!