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
|
joebob
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Aug 2007 Posts: 23 Location: Springfield, PA USA
Laser Surgery Posted: 08-14-07 16:47pm
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
|
littleonefb
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 11 Aug 2007 Posts: 228 Location: ,
Thanks: 6
Thanked:0
Laser Spine Posted: 08-14-07 22:51pm
Has anyone heard how carrieann is doing?
Fran
|
Carrianne
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 107 Location: Tampa, FL
I'm Back! Posted: 08-15-07 15:35pm
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
|
RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 910
Thanks: 21
Thanked:0
Glad You Are Doing Well Posted: 08-15-07 16:09pm
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
|
RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 910
Thanks: 21
Thanked:0
Excellent Spine Information Posted: 08-15-07 16:17pm
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.
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
|
RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 910
Thanks: 21
Thanked:0
Carol Sends You Her Best Posted: 08-16-07 08:21am
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
|
Carrianne
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 107 Location: Tampa, FL
Posted: 08-16-07 09:36am
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
|
RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 910
Thanks: 21
Thanked:0
Wonderful!!!! Posted: 08-16-07 10:10am
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
|
RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 910
Thanks: 21
Thanked:0
Laser Surgery - Results For How Long? Posted: 08-16-07 10:21am
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
|
joebob
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 10 Aug 2007 Posts: 23 Location: Springfield, PA USA
Relief Posted: 08-16-07 11:52am
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
|
AbraCadabra
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 21 Location: St, Petersburg,FL
Carrianne Posted: 08-16-07 15:05pm
Carrianne:
I am soooo happy for you that your surgery
went well. Don't overdo it!
I'll be joining you soon.
Guyb
|
AbraCadabra
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 21 Location: St, Petersburg,FL
Surgery Research Posted: 08-16-07 15:20pm
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
|
lonestarguy
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 592 Location: , Hoosierland, USA
Thanks: 10
Thanked:1
Great News Carrianne Posted: 08-16-07 15:38pm
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
|
lonestarguy
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Jun 2007 Posts: 592 Location: , Hoosierland, USA
Thanks: 10
Thanked:1
Thanks Posted: 08-16-07 15:54pm
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
|
RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 910
Thanks: 21
Thanked:0
Dragonfly (susan) to Carrianne, Posted: 08-16-07 18:20pm
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
|
RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 910
Thanks: 21
Thanked:0
On a Roll Posted: 08-16-07 18:23pm
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
|
RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 910
Thanks: 21
Thanked:0
the High Jump Posted: 08-16-07 18:27pm
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
|
RichT
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Jul 2007 Posts: 910
Thanks: 21
Thanked:0
Learning About Laser Institutes. Posted: 08-16-07 18:32pm
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".
Carrianne:
I am soooo happy for you that your surgery
went well. Don't overdo it!
