Brother is Having Emergency Spinal Surgery

[pastafreak]

I just had an email from my SIL---brother went to neurologist due to back pain. Tests show a disc is pressing on a nerve.
What is involved...and what is the recovery like? He is 75....

[vodkancoke]

Hi pasta, sorry I can't answer your question but I hope he gets on ok and he has a speedy recovery x

[pastafreak]

Thanks vodka...thing is-he's over there,and there is 3500 miles between us...so I feel a bit helpless.Not that there is a lot I can do....

[albaqwerty]

ooh pasta, that sort of distance will not help. I can't answer your question either I'm afraid but do wish him well. xx

[rowanwitch]

http://www.patient.co...sc-(Slipped-Disc).htm

A lot will depend on his mobility etc and whereabouts in his spine the problem is situated. try not to worry too much if he is otherwise quite fit he should be ok afterwards

[excelsior-1]

pasta. i too would not presume to give an answer on such a delicate topic that i have no knowledge about. i just want to join the others in sending all my thoughts to you and your brother .. fingers crossed.

E

[Kiki-frog]

Oh heck, that distance must make things so much worse. Are you able to talk on Skype or something? I've no useful comments to make, other than to say that I hope it goes well for him. x

[Sqad]

The object of the operation is due reduce the pressure on the spinal nerve by removing part of the intervertebral disc that is pressing on the nerve.
Operation is done under general or spinal anesthesia.

For the procedures Google Laminotomy with Discectomy OR Microdiscectomy.

Jackthehat has had the latter, so she should give you some personal information.

[Carakeel]

Pastafreak, I am waiting for an MRI to determine if I need something similar. So, I can understand that you are a bit worried. I think as long as he has a good specialist, he should be fine. Best wishes to your brother! I really hope he will be OK and back at home soon. Hugs!

[jackthehat]

Firstly, stop worrying! :o)

Secondly, hopefully, he will feel a great deal better once he has had it done.....I did (micro-discectomy, in my case).
Recovery consists of laying in bed whilst others do your bidding, bring you meals, etc.......if that is what your surgeon prescribes.
I was up and walking to the loo later the same evening (I shouldn't have been, but that's another story!! LoL).

Easing himself back into his daily routine is the best way of regaining full fitness post-op.........there really isn't much more to it than that.

Thirdly, stop worrying! :o)

[tonyav]

ummmmmmm, laying in bed whilst others do your bidding, sounds alright to me lol.

[Sqad]

pasta....you are a highly strung young woman, based on threads over the years, so don't let the word "EMERGENCY" drown you with impending doom for your relative. Emergency means "life threatening" in the UK, but in the US of A it just indicates that they are "getting on with the job."

[pastafreak]

Thank you all for your reassuring responses...especially you JTH...I value it.

Sqad..Much as I would like to-I cannot pop out to visit my brother or his family.
I asked what I thought was a reasonable Q...and I didn't even feel hysterical when I did so.

[pastafreak]

PS-thanks so much for describing me as 'young'....lol

[daffy654]

I would try not to worry and be very grateful that your brother is in the US, he may not have been getting surgery at all if he were here and relying on a decision by the NHS.

[Sqad]

daffy.......:-)

pasta...YOU used the word hysterical, I used the phrase "highly strung"

[pastafreak]

I should have put a smiley.....it was tongue in cheek ;-)