Well, I finally have an ultimate date for my surgery: 28 Feb. I guess I would really say that I need doctors to correct damage caused by other doctors...but I take the responsibility for taking NSAIDs for so long and accelerating my kyphosis.
So, with the hunched over posture, the gravity vectors were enough to wear and tear on my L2, but I had to start feeling too good thanks to the NSD and I overstepped my limits, so fractured this vertebra (called a pseudarthrosis, or false joint--in this case another joint in my spine--without any disc for cushion).
I have been getting along great with the nerve blocks, but, due to the angulation, I am not able to heal.
I think they are going to drill out the fracture and insert a cage, then use some titanium 'instrumentation' to immobilize the whole thing, then do an osteotomy, or insert some bone chips to straighten me out and shift my COG (center of gravity), so I have a chance of healing. Estimated duration of the procedure is 10 hours, and 4 units of blood might be needed; I have given three so far, but one will expire because of the reschedule fiasco.
Rescheduled due to an admissions doctor who did not like the fact that I had been treating myself using antibiotics, so decided to complicate things. Too bad he is an instructor at the hospital--knows almost nothing at all about AS (even from the standard allopathic orientation). His focus is lungs and I do remember hospitals giving potassium chloride to persons with asthma, but I did not know it was potassium iodide. The chloride sure worked for me, when I had asthma.
So, I waited to see an 'infectious disease specialist' and he just said 'no problem' over the telephone; did not even need to see me, but gave my doctors some pointers for after-care based upon my antibiotic history. Hope I don't contract a new strain of Kp while in hospital!
Also hope that I don't like being out of my crummy body so much that I refuse to return when it is time! Annie would not like that very much...
Well, I'll be around until then, trying to tell fellow sufferers how to avoid this!
Best of Health to Each of You,
John
"Any teacher who can be replaced by a machine, should be."
Isaac Asimov, 'Project Hole-in-the Wall'
