Crystal,

You are so right. Thank you for that word of encouragement. I will wear my scar and hardware with pride as well. I am also glad I am walking. By the way I am going back to work in six weeks not right away. I will work only part time. I need the income things are tight right now. I am glad your x-rays are great. It is nice to speak with people that are going through this. Even though I am not real good figuring out these forums. I am not real smart with computers and online communication. I think it is kind of fun though.

Cheryl

Hi Cheryl, what's new? Sorry, it took me so long to write, I only check it like once or twice a week. I try to be grateful every day that I can still walk and that I'm still just as attractive and my face isn't what's wearing the scar. I went to the mall today and went grocery shopping with my husband. I was panting with exertion, but I had fun, and by the time I was in a lot of pain, I was home and I was able to lay down. What hurts the most is to sit. I go the 1st or second week in march to see my surgeon again, I just saw mine this past week. He said my screws and stuff are tiny. He said for my type of surgery complete fusion will not occur for 1-2 years. They will take a CT next month and depending on how it looks and how I feel, I can start trying to go without it. I've already been trying to go without it for short trips from one room to another in the apartment and I feel very sore and weak almost immediately. So I'm not very close yet. He said it's normally not a surgery that they would ever even recommend if they can avoid it, but it was either that or become paralyzed, so they didn't have choice. I would love to work but it hurts to sit for any real length of time still. So untill that gets better I will not be able to do any kind of work that requires me to sit. I usually don't do forums either but I was pretty desparate to compare notes with someone with a similar story. I'm going to try to start a local support group through my doctor's office. Put up a sign at the office with my email address and meet at the local coffee house! I need new friends that know what I've gone through!! Talk to you soon, hope you have a good Valentine's if I don't talk to you before.-Crystal

So, this is the first time I am writing on this site. I have been dealing with chronic back pain in my thoracic area for the past seven years. I have done everything from injections to chiropractor and everything in between, but nothing has worked.

My newest MRI showed I have an osteoblastoma growing on my T11 T12 area.

I am seeing a doctor in NYC and he told me he thinks the tumor needs to be removed with surgery. This tumor is the type that will grow back so he said he would need to be aggressive in getting it out and would have to fuse a few vertebras together during the operation.

I was taken aback by all of it and forgot to ask a few questions...so I figured you all would know:

-How invasive is surgery at the t11 t12 area?
-How will he get to the area through the front or back?
-I have heard thoracic surgery requires the doctor to remove ribs and deflate lungs and sometimes even shift your heart out of the way....is this true?
-Is there anything I am missing that I should ask my doctor?

My next step is to get a second opinion, but I thought I would start here with a few questions.

Thank you for any info you can provide.

I am glad I found a place where I can talk about this situation with people who understand what I am about to go through. I am sorry for all the pain and suffering each and every one of you has gone through to get here, but I am grateful you are willing to share your experiences. It means a lot to the ones who are on deck to go next.

FeltStreet

And a big Howdy and NT Welcome to ya.

Glad you found us.

Yes, we will share what we know so it will help someone else. We will also give you our support for what you ultimately chose to do about this.

I Googled "osteoblastoma" and read a little bit about it. I'm sorry you have this problem. It does sound like surgery is in your future, with about 20% chance of it recurring. You just do what you have to do about it right now and don't worry about it coming back. 20% is not bad odds. I took it to mean there's an 80% chance it won't come back. Sounds better, don't it?

...and even if it does come back, it may not need surgery right away. Research may find alternatives to reduce the size. They were speaking about irradiation of it. radiation would shrink it... and everything else in its path. They're experimenting with radio frequencies for possible treatment of cancer tumors I hear, with promising results. The future holds many new concepts for diseases and injuries. Hang in there.

You are very kind: "I am sorry for all the pain and suffering each and every one of you has gone through to get here."

You're going to like it here. You're one of us now...

Thank you. I think you are 100% correct, I am going to like it here.

Cheryl,
I am not sure how to feel when I read your post, you poor lady! I am 50 years old, had lumbar fusion in December of 2010 and it turned out beautifully! I left the hospital in less pain than I went in, had immediate relief in the pain in my legs, and am extremely happy with the results. I will say this, though. I believe very strongly in that brace and it sounds to me like it may be part of the reason you are in so much pain. You are moving stuff that needs to stay put. I wore it constantly when I was up and was only allowed to be up for 10 minutes without it. I definitely had more pain without it.

Here is the reason I'm not sure how to feel. I also have hemangiomas in the thoracic area of my spine and have been told by my neurosurgeon in Chicago as well as Mayo Clinic that benign hemangiomas do not require treatment. Maybe I didn't read your post closely enough but were yours large? Did they say what causes them? The reason I ask is that I also have thoracic degenerative disc disease and the pain is so severe that I take ibuprofen AND hydrocodone every 4 hours and that's how I function and even sleep. I also take an antiarrhythmia for very frequent and regular PVC's that mysteriously started two years ago. I have bone swelling, spurs and bulging discs as well as Teitse's syndrome. I'm not sure how I got them, if it was a severe car accident 28 years ago that started the process, undifferentiated connective tissue disease which I've also been told I have, running marathons or just a combination of them all! It seems as though you did not have good results from thoracic surgery and that gives me pause to even have the upcoming discogram. I know that you will feel better over time and that healing from all those levels has got to be painful.

I hope you are feeling better now! I would definitely ask for some physical therapy and even a brace if it's not too far past your surgery. Definitely take a pain pill and do the walking. It will help the fusion process! Also, stop thinking about the hardware in your back. All I have to do is SEE my xrays and it makes my back hurt! You are in my prayers!