On 10/15 I went into the hospital for a microlaminectomy to repair some lumbar disc issues I had been having for several years.
Surgery was performed early afternoon and I was discharged that evening. All seemed well until Friday evening 10/16. I experienced pain so severe I could not walk. I called the surgeons office and was told take more oxycodone and see how you feel in the morning.
After lying on the couch in a fetal position for 12 hours my wife called 911 and I went to the ER at Morristown Medical Center. I was left on a gurney in the hall and 3 hours after arriving and 4 mg of IV morphine later I was taken for a CT scan and suffered the most intense pain I have ever felt. I literally screamed at the top of my lungs the 3-4 minutes the scan took.
They brought me back to the hall and said my surgeon has ordered an MRI and I would have to wait for that. I informed the ER Dr that an MRI would not be possible without sedation as the pain was too intense. I was promised a better drug cocktail for the MRI and was given several IV steroids and muscle relaxers to ease my suffering.
7 hours later the Er Dr comes up and says we can clear you for discharge your CT shows nothing. I had just been given a valium and the nurse was standing there with a syringe of dilaudid to get me through the MRI so I refused and went to the MRI.
Turns out that I had a cerebral spinal fluid leak in my spine and had emergency surgery Sunday morning at 5AM to repair the leak and had to lay motionless on my bach for 24 hours to make sure the patch would hold. I was released from the hospital Wednesday afternoon but still have pain in my leg and cannot walk without a walker.
I am walking to regain my strength and powering through the leg pain which they hope will dissipate over time but it could be months.
I am confident I will return to somewhat normal and I’m determined to get back to shooting.
Reading these and other boards just fuel my desire to get better so thanks to the 2A community for just writing so I could read.
JFC man - sounds like a horrible ordeal, hope you are past it!
I also hope your surgeon and the ER Dr will not be so quick to dismiss with a “take 2 and call us in the morning” when they’ve got a patient with a pain level that requires essentially elephant tranqs to just stay still.
I’m so sorry you went through that, Bruce! Sounds horrific, as I’m sure it was. I hope your recovery goes smoothly and you never have to suffer through something like that again.
I had a similar bad experience at Morristown Hospital a few years ago. I’d partially burst a disk moving something heavy out of the basement, and my first-ever visit to a chiropractor greatly aggrevated the damage. I went first to urgent care, who sent me directly to Morristown, where I also waited on a gurney in a hallway (for 7 hours!) to get my MRI, and only AFTER that was I given anything for the pain. I wasn’t impressed with the standard of care there. But, my experience wasn’t nearly as bad as yours and only required a couple of months of physical therapy–no surgery–to make right.
Don’t rush your recovery, but I hope you can be out shooting again soon.
I was not impressed with the care either at the ER except one Dr who assessed my pain and came up with the cocktail but that wasn’t till I was there for several hours.
I will say that the care I received after being admitted and after the second surgery was unbelievably good. The entire staff was amazing. I’m going to send a large basket of goodies because their caring and encouragement and assistance really helped me pull through this.
Just when I was feeling a little bad about some medical stuff I went through today, holy shit. Get better soon my friend. Looking forward to meeting you in person at the range one day soon.
Sorry to hear about your bad experience! I had a Lumbar Laminectomy 35 years ago and was lucky to have a great surgeon! Dr. Frederick Simeone. Never had a problem since!
I wish you a speedy recovery Bruce!
A general reply to all the well wishes I’ve received to say thank you. Colandro is right “gun people are the best people” hands down. I believe that more strongly now than ever.