J.R's 2009 Spinal Surgery: Day One

Day One:
We arrived at the hospital at 9 AM for a surgery which was to start at Noon.

The idea behind the surgery was originally suggested by JR's neurologist about 8 years ago.

According him, JR needed to have his spinal canal enlarged. He needed work on 4 vertebra (C2 thru C6). He had two broken vertibra which needed repair or replacement. He had two discs that were damaged, and he had spinal cords either pinced or compressed, causing electrical shocks to JR's limbs, so this situation needed to be relieved.

However, the doctor then told JR that the technology needed to all that did not yet exist; but, that JR should check back with him in a "few years."

That was in 2001.

After the disaster which was his neuro-stimulator implant at Stanford University Hospital in 2006, JR had given up on surgery as a solution to his condition. Instead JR continued relying upon ever-increasing multiple daily doses of morphine, oxycontin, and a variety of muscle-relaxers, trying to stave off the ever-increasing pain and migraines triggered by his deteriorating spine.

Then, in August of this year, a new neurologist told JR that it was time to go back to his original neurosurgeon. The necessary technology had arrived and there are now some things that could be done to solve JR's growing issues of paralysis and other spine-nerve problems.

Using both throat and back surgical entries, the neurosurgeon planned to carve out bad bone material and replace it with donated bone dipped in titanium. Repair any ruptured discs. Enlarge the spinal area, by removing the protective mylar spinal sheath covering 6 vertebra. And finally, increase the distance between key vertebra; while then fusing four of these vertebra with metal plates drilled right into the bone. The surgery was projected to last 2-3 hours.

It took 4 1/2 hours.

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