|
Junior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Sun City, AZ
Posts: 10
|
|
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Sun City, AZ
Posts: 10
|
Hi Ladies ... Again, sorry for not answering sooner, I didn't realize you had responded to the thread. In the future I promise to look at the threads a bit closer.
Anyway, Billye, I too have degenerative spinal disease and suspect some osteoporosis, so it seems that our similarities continue. The neurologist who did the work up is a HMO (Cigna) doc and they tend to look at surgery very conservatively... keeping track of the costs, the odds for success and so on. So I see that differently than a money hungry surgeon wanting to line his pockets.
Although, there is a chance he's unaware of the side effects from PCa treatment (hormone therapy) ... in that it weakens the bones and in general compromises the spinal area ... so things might change after he views the films and we see him next.
I'm retired, Jolene, but I can still imagine how terribly painful and difficult it must be for your husband to continue working while on chemo. If I might ask, what type cancer does he have and is there any mets (metastasis)? Sounds like you guys need to have a heart to heart with your oncologist or pcp and push for a pain specialist. Lots of folks have received help in these pain clinics. They have a lot of tools in their toolbox.
And, as you know, Steff, everyone's so different ... yet so much alike. I know that surgery is a big step and shouldn't be taken lightly, especially considering a failed back surgery in the past, and a vow to never ever consider surgery again. But when the pain is so intense, everything else has failed and you've got wheel chair life staring you in the face, one tends to look at things different. Hopefully everything will work out.
Thanks again to you all for your interest and advise.
Gerry
|