Larry the headhunter is getting operated on

[rick_debbie_gallant]

My Debbie and I will keep you and your Debbie placed up high before God and His Son that you receive a miracle and your heart and back are healed and that you become pain free during the healing. Getting addicted to drugs ain't fun, but then neither is the pain. May the peace of God continue to be with you and you receive that miracle from God for Christmas. Merry Christmas, God is GOoD!

 

[Larryheadhunter]

I want to thank everyone for their support. Once the inevitable set in that my spinal fusion failed, I began searching for solutions. I can't undo past decisions and must just move forward. Due to some lucky connections of my brother, I have an appointment this coming Monday with Dr. Robert Watkins of the Marina Spinal Institute in Marina Del Rey, CA. He is considered the best back surgeon in the West Coast. Normally it takes 3 months to see him, and patients come from all over the world. If accepted, the fusion surgery requires both front (anterior) and back (posterior) incisions. I never thought that I would be excited about incurring this enormous amount of pain, but right now I'm a bedridden cripple, depending on Oxycodone for relief. So let's hope he accepts me as a patient, and doesn't make me wait another 6 months after my last, stent in early Nov.

 

[slmayor]

Larry, would it help if we all wrote letters to him asking him to see you ? Hang in there buddy, and you too, Deb, You'll come out on the other side of this and it will fade into a good story to tell around the campfire. Prayers and hugs to you both.
Deb (and Ray too)

 

[ziggy]

Ditto from us Larry and Deb! Maybe this guy has the magic touch to fix it.
Kristy

 

[JohnDar]

I remember reading something about that front/back surgery someplace and thought "YIKES!" And here I was scared back when I had my little incision job on my back (1994).

Good Luck with it, Larry! There isn't anything like the relief you get from lower back surgery that goes right.

 

[GETnBYE]

Larry,
We are praying that you will be accepted at the Dr. that you need to go to. We are keeping you and Debbi in our thoughts always.
Nita & Wayne

 

[Larryheadhunter]

Thanks everyone for all your support, it is pouring rain like crazy so if we are lucky, it will take us 3 hrs to drive there, so we are leaving at 7am tomorrow a.m. with all your prayers in our hearts.

JohnDar, it is an extremely, frightenening, dangerous surgery, but when one is desperate like I am, what the h**l, DW Debbi and I are going for the gusto. No guts, no glory. As Rick said God is GoOD, and our faith will prevail.
Wish us success, we are going for it, there is no other choice.
I will report back as soon as we have some news. No one ever said tough, life or death decisions were easy.
God bless.

 

[YaShouldaGotaDiesel]

Larry and Debbi,
I hope your visit goes well and that he excepts you as a patient.
I wish you all the best and may God be with you.

 

[Tom of Ypsi]

Larry, We hope things will get better for you and all of your prayers are answered. Hopefully some day we can meet each other on the road. Good Luck and God Bless

 

[SouthernNights]

Our prayers continue for you and Debbi. I like the idea that Ray had about the letters. let us know if you think that would help.
You continue to be a huge inspiration for the rest of us.

 

[Larryheadhunter]

Hi folks, today has been a super tough, long, rainy pain filled day, filled with multiple tests to determine the status of my double spinal fusion, including a Catscan, EMG, and a contrast MRI. That EMG was incredibly painful. I met with Dr. Watkins afterwards to discuss the results, which were conclusive. As our hearts were pounding, it was quite apparent from the computer screen that there was black between the vertebrae, which was air, meaning the fusion failed and I'm screwed, blued and tattooed. Debbi and I were both stunned, and shattered. He also said it appeared that one of the screws was slightly loose. He said the fusion was done correctly, but there is a 20% failure rate for spinal fusions.
He said the only choice we had was the front and back incisions surgery using cadaver bone for fusion purposes. Then he dropped the bomb on us. Tests have proven that patients taking narcotics regularly before this surgery were most likely to experience failure of fusions, so I have to completely detox before the operation. Also, my cardiologist has to stop both my blood thinning medication Plavix and aspirin. The required time after a medicated stent with Plavix is 6 months, so that would mean I will have to wait until next May.

Wow, when we walked into the Orthopedist's office we saw pro athletes signed jerseys on the wall thanking Dr. Watkins, including Eli Manning, Rafael Furcal from the Dodger, and players from the Lakers, and Kings, for him giving back their lives. Very comforting to say the least during uncomfortable times. And I want off of Oxycodone anyway no matter what, so it is a great incentive for me to man up and step to the plate.
So that's the story for today.

Thanks everyone for all your continued support and kind words.

 

[ziggy]

Larry,
Its going to be tough, but you can do it! The pain you feel now is terrible, but imagine how good it will feel after the surgery and recovery. We're here with you Larry. You might try acupuncture for the pain. It may or may not help, but it beats drugs. Ice is always the best pain medicine for my back. I can use it for an hour at a time before bed. That totally numbs the area so I can get to sleep. I was told that walking is the best exercise to strengthen your back so it can recover as quickly as possible. PT helps me a lot since they know what movements I can do and what I can't do. The trick is to find the right person. The PT has to understand that you are not trying to be an athlete. You are trying to prepare for surgery and they can't fix you. They just need to teach you how to help yourself be strong.

If I can do it, you can too. The drugs are the hard part and learning to handle the pain without drugs is hard. The right movements to help strengthen you back are essential.

Take Care and give Debbi a big hug from us. This is hard on her and we know you are trying to take care of her while she takes care of you.

Kristy

 

[Larryheadhunter]

Hi everyone,
Happy New Year to all my Heartland friends. Just an update here that maybe this year Debbi and I will be back RVing by the end of summer. Well, it's our goal, and everyone has to have hope and wishful thinking.

The latest news is that my cardiologist has OK'd my surgery for February, so I will be undergoing a double fusion, with some decompression of the spinal column just above it. The surgery is huge, and involves 2 six hour surgeries, the first done on a Tuesday, where the surgical team will open up my back and decompress my spinal column, then turn me over and go thru the stomach, where they move all the organs to the side, so they will have easier access. Then on Thursday, they go in thru the back, and using cadaver bone, synthetic bone, and my bone, they will fuse the lumbar L-4-5, and L -5 S1, then put in the titanium rods, pedicle screws, and the rest of the hardware to stabilize my lower back. This operation is called an anterior/posterior lumbar fusion, and although it is huge and painful, my wonderful DW Debbi and I are incredibly optimistic, and hopeful that this will put me back on my feet again by summer. In 3 weeks I have to detox off of the Oxycodone for 2 weeks, so that I am narcotic free going into the surgery. I should be in the surgical hospital for a week, then perhaps a rehab hospital for another few days.

We have dreams of buying that Landmark and one ton Chevy and riding into the sunset. I really want to see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side, so anyone with pictures of that beautiful scene, please post or send them to me. That's the latest and hopefully the greatest.

Thanks Heartlanders for all your support, and I appreciate all the prayers and well wishes. This has been a long and winding road, and hopefully, we have found the answer thru prayer and meditation, and a darn good surgeon and his team. You cannot believe how much all your emails, phone calls and posts have meant to me and Debbi. You are all the best.

 

[YaShouldaGotaDiesel]

That's great news Larry. Glad to hear you'll be Rving soon. You have our prayers for a complete recovery.

 

[ziggy]

Fantastic! Now you just have to get off the pills, which will be hard, but it will be worth it.
Kristy

 

[Chuck Richard]

Larry, Best of luck in Feb and our prayers will be with you. I have been away from the forum for what seems like forever and it was sad to read about your back problems today. I hope to see you at a rally with the new rig soon.

 

[reverts]

Larry & Debbi,

Happy New Year's and best of luck on your upcomping surgery. We will keep you in our prayers and thoughts and look forward to seeing you on the road.

Rich & Robin

 

[rarnold]

I'm fairly new to the forum and just came across this thread. Larry, it sounds like you have been through the ringer with your back. We certainly hope & pray that these surgeries will do the trick to alleviate all that back pain you are suffering with. This is a great way to start the new year.... by taking care of business (no matter how painful), doing the P.T. so you can move on to enjoy the back-end of this year (no pun intended).
Good luck to you, Debbi and all your team (surgery as well as support team). We will be praying and wishing the best for all of you folks!!
Rod

 

[loafer]

Larry
Thanks for the updates,I am glad that there is a light at the end here for you .Feb will come fast so do all the right things and get as strong as you can to endure all that anesthetic and surgery you will go thru.
I too hope to see you down the trail somewhere in 2011 with your new rig.
Bill and Maureen

 

[mikeandconnie]

Larry, Hope to see you and Deb on the road soon, The one ton chevy you told me about rides sweatttttttt, I think this will help a lot with your traveling.... My 08 Ford really was a ruff ride and 2 hours riding would cause my side to hurt, I had to trade it, ... Very Big deference in the new chevy ride. I drove 400 unloaded miles yesterday and it road better then our car.. I think the Landmark and 2011 Chevy is for you....

Take care my freind, tell Deb hello..
Mike