My Journey into Hell

RIGHT SIDE HARDWARE ...Page 8

Anastasia — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:02:00 GMT

Coming Soon

PRODISC REVISION & CONSEQUENCES... Page 7

Anastasia — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:43:00 GMT

My husband brought me on lie-flat seat, non-stop flight from Munich to Los Angeles.

The second anterior approach to the spine is too dangerous due to great veins splitting at L4/L5 vertebra level.
I (to my best knowledge) had no veins barrier...even though my surgeon's web page states that they use the barrier.
My ProDisc revision was done by a lateral approach, through psoas muscle and geneto-femoral nerve that runs through the area:
My left side was cut open in order to get to the spine and the plastic Prodisc core was drilled out.
In order to free Prodisc keels, I had nearly 1/3 of my L5 vertebra dug out (major corpectomy).
My back side was also cut open (in 2 places) and my spine was fixated together (intended fusion) with screws and rods.

Unfortunately, my revision surgeon did not (or was not able to) reduce the space between vertebra and did not correct the segmental lordosis (abnormal pelvic tilt). He stated that he could not, because the oversized Prodisc had stretched the connective tissues, and he could not force them back together. In our understanding from the med. literature and other surgeons, an exaggerated segmental lordosis creates an exaggerated pelvic tilt, which will inevitably create problems due to the entire weight of the spine going straight into the next level (L5/S1) facets.

My current doctor's report states that I have pseudoarthrosis, i.e. I have no solid fusion due to exaggerated distance between my L4 and L5 vertebra (from oversized Prodisc) and massive L5 corpectomy. I.e. in order for bones to grow together, one has to put them reasonably close enough so that chemical signals can work together (basic biology). It is reported in the literature that most fusion failures are iatrogenic, i.e. due to bad surgical techniques.

I was in a wheel chair for about 2 months post revision, unable to straighten my leg (operated side). It was curled up in an excruciating cramp 24/7. I have parathtesia of my left thigh (operated side) that didnt clear off, sympathetic nerve/geneto-femoral nerve damages that effect greatly my left leg every day- all due to the extremely complicated psoas muscle approach in order to take ProDisc out. The revision recovery was so extremely painful for the first 5 months that I hardly can allow myself to look back...

My current doctor thinks that I have painful hardware. I had two "hardware blocks" on the right side - both were positive for pain relief. My right lower screw head is sticking out into the muscle about 1 cm more than the other 3. Unless it's some kind of nerve damage from the revision, it seems that the right side screws are causing me extreme nerve pain in my right side/leg/hip/buttock. I hoped so much to take out all the hardware! Unfortunately, with no solid fusion - I cant take it out. The progression of fusion seems to be stopped in 2008 according to 2008 and 2010 CT scans.

Before we flew to L.A. for a revision of ProDisc, my surgeon(s) told us that they had done one Prodisc L4/5 revision just recently with a woman from Florida.
When we flew in to LA, they said It was not Prodisc but something totally different...

After my surgery, he published an article stating that large ProDisc keels are precluding such a revision - because of the large corpectomy need to free the keels from the vertebral bodies..
Wouldn't he already known it if he had done a Prodisc revision as he claimed?

On a bright side: even though I have so many damages and no solid fusion; even though I am pronounced disabled from work (no, I am not qualified for any SSD payments as I spent last 3.5 years in Germany, so I am not sitting on any social well fare), even though I cant have children now; I am much better off than when I had Prodisc in. At least I am functional (at basic home bound extent), I can have a normal meal sitting like a human (which I could not do with Prodisc), I can walk 1 mile 2x daily, and I can even drive - although very short distances. After the fusion surgery, I am able to bend....which I could NOT with Prodisc.
It is a HUGE improvement to compare to where I had been with the overzised prodisc jammed into my fused-facet level.

SHSH...DON'T TELL ...Page 6 >

Anastasia — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:50:00 GMT

My husband and I worked for Texas Instruments, and were transferred to Germany in 2005. I was 30 then, and perfectly healthy. I had a minor disc rupture. I was denied medical care for nearly 3 months in Germany- even though we paid their astronomical taxes (42%) and health insurance (14.5%). The health insurance company delays giving you your card, to save money apparently- even though the relocation people of employer who transfers you abroad tell your insurance coverage is immediate and covers everything.
As it turned for us, wasnt true (SHSH - DONT TELL Americans).

Essentially, I was forced to work in pain, because of our 18months contract. TI's lawyer said I had to fly back to the USA for my visa after 6 months - so I did - in pain. The flight farther aggravated my situation,and I had an emergency surgery in Phoenix. TI did not help. We paid$11K out of pocket. I spent 6 weeks in a hotel in bed, before going back to Germany (we were still on a contract). In Germany, I remained bed-ridden in pain - then when I could walk, pieces of my disc broke off into the nerve canal. I had another emergency surgery at the AlphaKlinik in Munich, paid out of pocket (we had a Public health insurance TKK, and AlphaKlinik was private - which is not covered by Public insurance) and was again bed-ridden. My knee had pain after this. I was ignorant that being 6months in bed makes one's knees unstable and weak. My husband took me to this amazing AlphaKlinik to see if there was a problem. They said I needed an emergency surgery to check for a torn medial meniscus. The surgeon performed an un-discussed, un-agreed upon surgical procedure on my healthy (per German investigation report) knee - shaving my patella cartilage. The procedure considers to be experimental in the literature. Now, I can barely use my knee, and my left leg is atrophied. I guess the surgeon knew, Americans can not sue German surgeons? Only 8% of German malpractice cases go to court, and only 6% of those prevail (according to "Law Library of Congress" web pages). And ... you need to have 'legal insurance', which mostly, only Germans even know about (SHSH - DONT TELL the Americans).

My disc, after these two surgeries, finally collapsed - which also caused my facet joints to fuse. But, I didnt know that. I was told I need an artificial disc replacement (ADR) - and hoorah, the world's best ADR surgeon was only an hour's drive. So, one year after my last spine surgery, I was told by this ADR surgeon that I was a perfect candidate.After that surgery, I could'nt even stand or sit without severe pain.The surgeon said there was no problem - its all in my head. After months, we found several international surgeons who reviewed my images,and said I was totally contraindicated to the ADR. Also, independent investigation by TKK presented to us a similar report stating that my spine surgery was a Grave Error in treatment. My surgeon in Germany said it was perfect (he claims 98% success). It turns out, the ADR surgeon shares patents on the device, and is a consultant for the company that makes the device. Are some American companies use some German surgeons to test out devices? (SHSH - DONT TELL the Germans)

I begged this ADR surgeon for help, but he ignored me. We searched for other surgeons in Germany who could take it out (as it was suggested to me by world's top ADR surgeons). A few that we found with experience, refused, saying they dont treat U.S. Citizens! I pleaded. They ignored me. We pleaded with T.I. for a transfer back to USA. They ignored us. I spent whole year bed-ridden in debilitating pain. Finally, we had to fly to Los Angeles to have the device removed (life-threatening traumatic surgery). We lost nearly all our savings.Then, TI terminated me while I was still, legally on disability. I did not complain-I was afraid to jeopardize my husband's job who worked for the same company. My husband complained to the US Embassy, US Chamber of Commerce in Germany, and EU Commission on Human Rights about discrimination. They said: Sorry, Although the Treaty of Amsterdam (Article 13) protects against all forms of discrimination in the E.U., this only applies for E.U.citizens - not for U.S. Citizens living and working in the E.U. (SHSH - DONT TELL the Americans).

Finally,when my husband was ready to leave the company (he had an offer from another company in California), TI 'allowed' us to pay our own way back to the USA (july 2008) - even though our contract says TI would 'repatriate' us if either of us losses our job due to circumstances beyond our control. But we were still grateful, my husband turned down the other job which paid $34,000/year more, and stayed with TI out of loyalty and camaraderie. After we arrived back to USA, from July 2008, he worked like mad to please his managers. Everyone was happy - until my husbands boss asked about my medical condition. My husband explained, that my fusion hardware caused pain, and I might need my screws removed. My husband's boss got mad and told him to go to LA again and make my surgeon to fix it. TI is self-funded with health-insurance, so any medical problems "cut" into profit-sharing, I suppose. (SHSH - DONT TELL the TI staff)

My husband was laid-off in January 2009. Although he had 14.5 years seniority, an Master in EE, multiple promotions, and superb performance reviews - he was laid-off while all the junior H-1B's in his group were kept. TI laid-off or 'retired' 3600 people, while at the same time applying for young H-1B foreigners. But TI is lobbying to congress about how they need emergency relief with even more H-1B visas. However, TI says it uses very few of them ... and its wages for H-1B's have fallen over 2% as compared to 2001, inflation adjusted (according to myvisajobs). (SHSH - DONT TELL the H-1B staff).

I keep reading about companies' ethics, the well-being of their employees, companies' awards and praises. BUT rarely journalists write about companies' mis-doings or unethical deeds. Is Corporate America that powerful? Is there no freedom of speech left in this country? (SHSH - DONT TELL ANYONE...I might have said too much)