Conservative Blogs Central: The hardware removed from my spine, an update....and OUCH!

Friday, March 22

The hardware removed from my spine, an update....and OUCH!

I am alone for a few hours so I thought I would get an update posted and also include a few images of the OLD hardware that was removed from my spine this last surgery. I had similar new hardware installed, larger screws, rods but no cages and I am fervently praying that all will start fusing over the next 16-20 week or I will be trouble. I will then HAVE TO undergo a revision fusion surgery which is a nasty, nasty procedure. I am fully expecting this to fuse.

As to how I am faring: doing OK for the most part. Still running a fever and the infection is still there just not sure how much remains. Draining the surgery site is now a very real possibility with a culture taken to see if there might be a specific antibiotic that can then be prescribed for whatever infection I have. The area is still very swollen. I am able to walk about 1/2 mile or so and am trying to do this once or twice a day. Doing what the doctors want me to do and trying to be good. I just finished an excellent book and if you are at interested in WW 2 and the Pacific theater of the war, then this may be of interest to you. The book is titled "No Ordinary Joes" by Larry Colton. The book is about four American submariners and the story about their submarine getting attacked, scuttled, how they survived being captured and held prisoner under horrific conditions by the Japanese. The book starts before the war, takes you through each of the sailors lives before, during and after the war as they try to rebuild their lives after the war. I have always enjoyed U.S.and global military history. The history of the U.S. submarine fleet and those submariners who served on these 'boats' has always fascinated me. It takes a very special person to serve in this capacity, especially those who served on the diesel submarines.

So this is pretty much where I am at. I am still unable to do much on any computer as sitting for longer than 15-20 minutes is no no bad dog. Below are the parts that the good surgeon removed from my spine from the previous fusion procedures. She had to leave four screws and a couple of other pieces of hardware in my spine as it would have been at least two more hours of surgery, if not more time to beat, grind and yard those out of me.