My journey with a T11 to L4 spinal fusion - 40 degree scoliosis curve

Hi Tanya! I’m sorry that I missed your post.
Which vertebrates did you have fused? I’m planning to ride my horses after I heal and understand that there will be more wear and tear on my L4/L5 by doing it. Living life was exactly what my surgeon talked about during my zoom appt last week!!!
Sherry😊🙏

Hi Sherry,
I just read your post to Tonya and I noticed you said your surgeon talked about living life in your zoom appointment?
Before you went back for your procedure, did you get an evaluation through a zoom appointment? They’ve asked me to fly out to Arizona for the evaluation. I guess then If I’m considered a candidate for surgery, I will go home and then fly back to Phoenix again?
I will call and get that clarified, I just wondered if your appointment was done that way ?
Thanks,
Bob

Thats what I thought you did! So happy to hear that, as I will be doing the same (I hope) My evaluation is on the 11th then I am hoping I will get scheduled for surgery in or around 30 days out. It would be nice if my follow up appts are zoom appointments. Looking forward to all of it. Just hoping and praying it all goes well.

Thank you so much for your reply !

Sincerely,
Bob

Bob that is wonderful news about your appointment with Dr Krishna!!! I did a little research on him and he sounds amazing! There are different schools of thought on whether it is best to go with an Orthopedic Surgeon or a Neurosurgeon, but I know I felt a Neurosurgeon was best for my surgery and Dr Krishna is also a Neurosurgeon!
You might want to ask him is he performs minimally invasive surgery. I didn’t see it in his Bio but it doesn’t mean he doesn’t do it. The doctors typically list a few of their main interests/specialties.
Great job with your perseverance in getting an appointment!!😊
Wishing you the best for your appointment and please let all of us know how it went.
I will continue to pray for you!!!
Sherry

Hi Sheri,
I’m back from my appointment with Dr Krishna. He was very thorough in going through all the different surgeries I’ve had starting with the SI Joint fusion, crushed L3 vertebra, Kyphoplasty, crushed L3 again and the L3 L4 & L4 L5 Fusion, Medtronic pain pump Implant & spine stimulator Implant.
I didn’t leave with an appointment for Surgery however I mentioned that I followed Dr. McClennan and he suggested A co-surgery with himself and Jamal McClendon ~
In addition to that, he’s presenting my case at their spine conference for input from all the spinal deformity surgeons, so I will get the opinion of multiple surgeons that are all experts in that field. I have a video Consultation with Dr McClendon in a week, I suspect a surgery date will be soon after that. I think I am looking at a T2 to L4 fusion
They leave their patients with so much confidence in their ability to gather information and proceed in the best direction possible for your needs. It is comforting to know that I will be in the best hands possible to correct my complex case.
I want to thank you again for all your support, encouragement and prayers.

Sincerely,
Bob

Hello! This is the beginning of My Journal, through my journey, to have a spinal fusion surgery that will take place on December 11, 2024 at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona.
This is my quick intro and I will add to it as the days go by.
In December 2023 after a 31 year career of firefighting and a lifetime of riding horses, I finally went to my doctor and told her that I could not handle my back pain anymore and that I need to figure out what was going on with it!!!
After x-rays, an MRI, and a CT scan, I was diagnosed with a 40 degree scoliosis curvature of my spine.
Looking at the images, made it very clear to me where my pain originated. I consulted with a surgeon at UC Davis in California and was scheduled for a T10 to L4 fusion surgery on October 1, 2024.
I research and pray about everything. This brought me to the Mayo Clinic. I reached out to the Phoenix clinic and sent them my imagery and medical files and they called me the following week and said that a surgeon had accepted me as his patient.
Their soonest evaluation appointment was a month after my scheduled surgery at UC Davis so I canceled that surgery and then met with the surgeon at the Mayo Clinic.
The surgeon was kind and attentive and very articulate as to my situation and what he thought would be best as far as correcting my curve and relieving my pain.
I left his office excited and hopeful at a future with less pain, with a surgery date scheduled for December 11, 2024 for a minimally invasive spinal fusion that would be, at the most, a T11 to L4 fusion. The minimally invasive surgery would take much longer than the open surgery, but would not do as much damage to my body and would most likely not require a blood transfusion and would quite possibly create less pain and a quicker healing time.
I am a single mom with a young daughter. We live on 5 acres with three horses, three dogs, four cats, ten chickens and two fish.
I have a list that I am working on every single day to get things in order for my surgery. My parents live on my property with us. My mom will take care of my daughter throughout my healing. One of my sisters is flying with me to Arizona, and I am prepared for us to stay in the hospital for a few days and then in a hotel for a few days to heal enough to fly home.
I am now almost 3 weeks away from surgery. I am planning to take a carry-on and a personal item. I have front button up and snap up shirts, lightweight clothing and everything else that I can think to pack to get me through the first week of surgery.
I have a room reserved at the Sleep Inn that is 4 miles away from the Phoenix Mayo Clinic. I also have a reservation at the Help in Healing Home that is on the 8 acre Phoenix, Mayo Clinic property. There are pros and cons to each facility. The sleep in provides a free shuttle on every half hour, but does not have a recliner in the room. The help and healing home, which is only $50 a night, is walking distance from the hospital but requires you to have a rental car and you share the kitchen, living room, pantry, and library with five other rooms.
The Sleep Inn has nice amenities and was the most affordable hotel that I found. After weighing out the pros and cons of having Uber, drop us off the airport versus being in pain and having to deal with returning around car, I am choosing to stay at the Sleep Inn.
This is my first entry on my journey and I am going to call it a night. I would love to hear anyone’s feedback, ideas, tips to help me and others navigate through this process. It’s scary and yet I am so hopeful. Thank you so much!

@sherrym25

Hi Sherry. I’m in a very dark place right now. They postponed my surgery due to the infection and the X-rays showed severe constipation which was also a concern. I don’t think either of them on their own would’ve been enough to cancel my surgery but both together had them worried.
I spent so much money… over 4K arranging for people to take care of my livestock, my pets, watch my home and to pay someone to accompany me on my trip, airfares, lodging, plus the time involved, etc.
And of course I’m still in serious pain. I’m praying hard for a reason why this all happened, but I need to remember God knows what He’s doing and He doesn’t have to explain anything to me!
I’m just not really in the mood to discuss much, I hope you understand.
I do have one question for you. Why did you decide to change from you the University of California to Mayo? When was your surgery and how old were you when you had your surgery?
I’m in the beginning of your journal, and plan to finish it tonight.
Thank you Sherry for your kindness. I live alone, so, being lonely AND in severe pain really wears a fellow down. I’ll get back in the ring soon. I need to come up with a back up plan. I wish I could tell you why, but I can’t on this forum since it involves Mayo and I don’t want to upset anyone.
Thanks again for your prayers and empathy.

@sherrym25

Hi Sherry. I’m in a very dark place right now. They postponed my surgery due to the infection and the X-rays showed severe constipation which was also a concern. I don’t think either of them on their own would’ve been enough to cancel my surgery but both together had them worried.
I spent so much money… over 4K arranging for people to take care of my livestock, my pets, watch my home and to pay someone to accompany me on my trip, airfares, lodging, plus the time involved, etc.
And of course I’m still in serious pain. I’m praying hard for a reason why this all happened, but I need to remember God knows what He’s doing and He doesn’t have to explain anything to me!
I’m just not really in the mood to discuss much, I hope you understand.
I do have one question for you. Why did you decide to change from you the University of California to Mayo? When was your surgery and how old were you when you had your surgery?
I’m in the beginning of your journal, and plan to finish it tonight.
Thank you Sherry for your kindness. I live alone, so, being lonely AND in severe pain really wears a fellow down. I’ll get back in the ring soon. I need to come up with a back up plan. I wish I could tell you why, but I can’t on this forum since it involves Mayo and I don’t want to upset anyone.
Thanks again for your prayers and empathy.