Hello Maxnrizzo,

It hurts to read about your pain. Not good. I'm glad you are seeking help.

What does LSI and most spinal surgeons do - They operate on your spine to hopefully make things better. For some they are back to a normal life. Unfortunately surgery is not a guarantee that things will get better.

It is wise to do your research as you are doing. To ask questions. You want to play the odds in your favor.

I hope Joe responds to your post and questions. He had excellent results from his surgery at Bonati.

I am also looking at laser spine surgery and have communicated with LSI.

Regarding insurance - Do you have insurance, and have you spoken to LSI about the insurance carrier that you have?

I have Medicare and a secondary insurance company. Bonati won't accept Medicare coverage, nor will they accept my secondary insurance company. On the other hand, LSI accepts Medicare and they accept my secondary insurance company. My out of pocket costs (at this time) will be $12,900.

I still have a lot of questions to ask LSI about a number of things.

Okay Joe, you are ON!!!

RichT

LSI is a great place.There is another about 40 miles north of tampa
called Bonati institute.Dr bonati is the inventor of this surgery and
most Drs at LSI were trained by Dr Bonati.Bonati does take some
insurance. Yes it is worth every penny.I have 90% of my pain gone
and I feel better every day.I am now 6 weeks post OP.I had my
surgery at bonati and would highly recommend them.


Joe

Has anyone heard how carrieann is doing?

Fran

Hi all. So sorry I haven't written in a few days. I'm staying with my husband's uncle here and don't want to take over his computer. I'm using the guest computer here at The Bonati Institute.

As most of you know, I had surgery here on Monday. It went really well. Dr. Bonati said I handled it better than the big muscle guys who come in there! I was nervous, but just really focused on trying to remain calm. I felt a nice peace about the whole thing.

My back and left leg feels a bit better. He did facetectomy, laminotomy, foramenotomy, and discectomy on L5/S1. I was out walking the next day (for an hour)! I feel good now, but still have a little pain in my left leg (which Dr. Bonati said was normal and would go away). I have pain in my right leg still which he believes is coming from L4/L5. I came into this knowing that 2 discs were bad so thought it may come to this, but was reaffirmed today that I'll need a second surgery which is scheduled for Aug. 28th.

I'm a bit down on it, but feel confident in the care that is given here. I started PT yesterday and did pretty well. Everyone is super nice here!!

Thanks for all your concern and I do apologize for not getting back on here sooner!! If you have any questions, fire away! I'll try and check this everyday now as I'll have a little more time.

Best wishes and God bless!!
Carrianne

Hello Carrianne,

So nice, so very nice to see and read your post. I'm very happy for you that the surgery went well, and that at least some of the pain is reduced. I'm sure that as Dr Bonati said, it will take some time for the pain in your leg to go away.

I hope and pray that your second surgery on August 28th goes well.

A bit down is understandable, however, it is one step at a time. So Carrianne, be patient. You now know you are in excellent hands.

Again thank you for your update. The good Lord above is watching over you.

Take care.

RichT

Hello Everyone,

In searching the web today I came across some very good information about spines, what causes some of the pain, what can be done about it, etc.

The article mentions Tables/Figures, but I could not find them.

Okay if interested go to

www.kwoc.net/Dr patel handouts/The S pine and Aging.pdf

Welcome back Carrianne. So glad things are going well for you. Hey, one more OR time is just a litttl blip on the map to recovery.

Hoping to hear more good news and speedy recovery.

Fran

Good Morning Carrianne,

Carol just sent me an E-mail saying that she is having some difficulty posting on EHealth and that the Admin is working on it.

She wanted me to send her best wishes ifora good recovery from your surgery. She has asked me several questions, so I trust you won't mind my copying your post to her by way of E-mail. Carol said she feels much better now knowing that the surgery went well.

Carrianne, I hope that today you will start to feel less pain than earlier.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

RichT

RichT,

Thanks for your encouraging words. I do feel that the Lord is watching over me. It was really surreal how "at ease" I felt. Like I said before, I felt a peace about it and will try my hardest to do the same for the next surgery.

I have no problem with you copying my email to Carol!! Feel free! Hope she's able to post soon here.

I went to PT this morning and did aqua therapy for the first time. It was pretty neat. I'll do that again tomorrow and plan on going back to Tampa afterwards. The PT dept. here has recommended a place in Tampa for me to continue my PT until I come back for my next surgery. They'll send them a script so that they keep me on the same program they've started here.

As always, I wish you all the best with your recoveries and please feel free to pick my brain. I'm so thankful to have learned so much from the wonderful people here and hope that I can help others as well!

God bless,
Carrianne

Hello Carrianne,

Perhaps that special someone was there with you giving you His peace. Not perhaps, for I know He was there with you and will continue to be.

Glad you didn't mind my copying your post. I'm sure Carol is going nuts not being able to communicate with you directly. I hope the Admin are able to fix the "bug" shortly.

Great that you like the aqua therapy. I trust it will all help in your recovery.

Joe is obviously enjoying his "new life". I'm sure he will drop by soon.

Carrianne, thanks for helping me to continue my investigation in laser spine surgery.

Take care.

RichT

Hello Everyone,

I just went back to a past link and found some interesting info. Go to
(edited to remove website information)

Read comment No. 6 from a 75 year old elder. I'd also suggest reading comment No. 4.

RichT

Hey gang
Hope everyone is doing well. Carrianne so glad to here all is good,
bummer having another surgery but at least you know you are on the right
road to pain relief. I am doing better every day.I am completly of all
meds have been doing many activitys and have almost no pain at all.
Streatching and exercising is definitly the way to go. Must keep moving.
I had my skates on for 1/2 hour today and felt great.Dont want to
push to hard yet.I never thought I would feel this great and be doing
so much at week 6. All the best

Joe

Carrianne: I am soooo happy for you that your surgery went well. Don't overdo it!
I'll be joining you soon.
Guyb

Here is a copy (with some edits) of my post to "Prayers for Spineys Forum.

I thought some of you might be interested in what I have learned the last few days about my planned surgery:

MicroSpine - From phone conversation: They have a 4 day program. Day 1 is evaluation. Day 2 is diagnostic testing, ie., injections and tests to make sure that the area they operate on is the area causing pain. Day 3 is surgery. Day 4 is post-op and possibly an epidural if needed. Dr. Mork was one of the Bonati doctors and claims to have patents on some of his instruments. MicroSpine seems to be more thorough on diagnosing your problem (day 2 diagnostics) than LSI or Bonati. I think they do the same thing as LSI/Bonati, but from their web site, I surmised that may have a different/better procedure for dealing with bone removal. They also honor BC/BS insurance allowances.

Tampa Laser Spine Institute. I had my first meeting yesterday. My appointment was for 11:00 and I waited for 2 hours and 15 minutes before being called in. The were ready to start my "med clearance", including MRI, EKG, bloodwork (all this is billable). I said "Wait a minute, you are putting the cart before the horse. The Dr. has not even seen my MRI and I don't even know what he plans to do." Carrie then left the room and when she came back, she said they would just do the medical evaluation that day and when I come back on Friday I would see the Dr. - afterwhich, if I decide to go ahead, they would do the "medical clearance." So far, I was not impressed by the wait time, and I was not impressed with them pushing me right through to surgery before the DR. had seen my MRI or talked to me. (For the record, I had sent them the MRI "report" in advance, but that's all.) We shall see what happens on Friday.

Today, I saw Dr. Tolli (Orthopedic) in St. Petersburg. Apparently, he operates on a lot of professional athletes and has their pictures all over the office. He does 3-5 back surgeries per week for 11 years and you don't feel like you are in the production line of a factory, like I felt at LSI. He does about a 1" -1.25" incision, uses a laser for soft tissue and a grinder for bone, working with a microscope. No muscles or ligaments are cut. Two days in hospital, followed by 3 weeks of taking it easy, then physical therapy. Before doing surgery, he will order a myelogram followed by CTscan because it shows more than an MRI and he wants to make sure he gets all the areas that are problematic. He will operate on more than one level at a time if indicated. He is in the BC/BS network, which is a big plus expensewise. He also seems to be more thorough than LSI in making sure he is operating on the correct problems. Sounds slightly more invasive than LSI, but certainly not "open back."

Well, back to LSI on Friday to see what they say.

Has anyone had the type of surgery performed by Dr. Tolli and if so, how would you say it compares with what LSI claims?
Guy

Hey Carrianne....So glad to hear you came through your surgery okay. I guess the second one should relieve the rest of your pain, huh? I know that getting through the first one is the roughest....Now you have an idea of what to expect....Not sure if knowing what is ahead is all good but, in a month, you should be back in training for the women's high jump in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing!!

Anyway, all of us back guys are glad everything went fine for you. I'm leaning more and more towards laser surgery now. Good luck with the next step.

LSG

Abra...Thanks for all your info about the different places....It is helpful for those of us considering the surgery....Sorry, I live in the midwest and don't know anything about Dr. Tolli or laser surgery for that matter, except what I have learned here and other places online.

LSG

Hello Carrianne,

Suan wishes me to forward her blessings on to you. (She is having problems in "logging on" as Carol is. The two of you share a very rock solid faith. WONDERFUL!!!

She wishes that your PT goes well and helps you on your recovery. Also that your surgery on Aug 28th goes well.

I have shared your posts with her. She much wants to be "in the loop".

Take care.

RichT

Hello Everyone,

Thanks to everyone, this thread is ON A ROLL!! It is YOU that make it happen. It is YOU that enable each of us to become more knowledgeable so we can make the RIGHT desicion for ourselves.

RichT

Hello LSG,

YES, and Carrianne used to do it with SKATES!!!!

LSG, you have shared some wonderful thoughts with not only Carrianne, but with all of us. Thanks!!

RichT

Hello Abra,

WOW, thanks for sharing all the info and feelings about the various laser instututes. You have provided EXCELLENT "food for thought". I know, you certainly have done so for me.

Please do keep us updated on your research and "investigations".

RichT