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Hi, you all know me, my name is Michael but friends and family call me Mikey. I am a surgical scrub in a children's hospital and I have helped others my whole life. I am now asking for help for myself from you. I had surgery for stage IV melanoma on my lower back in 1983, I was only 19. Because of the muscle that was removed and the lack of support surrounding the vertebrae, I herniated and ruptured four discs, along with arthritic spinal stenosis.
Always an athlete I've tried to take care of myself. It's just come to this. Last year I was diagnosed with total systemic anemia, where every six weeks I have to have an iron infusion by IV and they last about six hours each. I was out of work for almost a half year last year and when I did go back to work, I couldn't even complete a full week of work and this is the way it's been up til now,
Well I'm home now after four long days in the hospital. Surgery is over and the surgeon found much more extensive damage than originally thought in my lower back. They did levels L1 - L5 and S1 lumbar Laminectomy, Discectomy, Foraminotomy. They also removed a tumor that was impinging on some spinal nerves. Im still in a lot of pain and recovery will be a long haul. The surgeon had to do a Flap incision as opposed to a vertical
Midline which is normally used. The flap incision was just retraced from my original flap incision from thirty years ago. This will add weeks to my recovery.
With the disability insurance and the amount of coverage with my health insurance, and what I'm going to have to pay upfront for tests out of pocket, with all of this that has been happening for over a year, I am asking for help in my recovery which will last several months. This is hoping and praying that all goes well, that surgery is the answer and I can come back to work at near 100% of my ability. I'm just asking for any help at all to help me get thru the rest of the year. It tears me apart having to ask for help from anyone. Please share this, Please, and thank you with all of my heart.
Michael
Always an athlete I've tried to take care of myself. It's just come to this. Last year I was diagnosed with total systemic anemia, where every six weeks I have to have an iron infusion by IV and they last about six hours each. I was out of work for almost a half year last year and when I did go back to work, I couldn't even complete a full week of work and this is the way it's been up til now,
Well I'm home now after four long days in the hospital. Surgery is over and the surgeon found much more extensive damage than originally thought in my lower back. They did levels L1 - L5 and S1 lumbar Laminectomy, Discectomy, Foraminotomy. They also removed a tumor that was impinging on some spinal nerves. Im still in a lot of pain and recovery will be a long haul. The surgeon had to do a Flap incision as opposed to a vertical
Midline which is normally used. The flap incision was just retraced from my original flap incision from thirty years ago. This will add weeks to my recovery.
With the disability insurance and the amount of coverage with my health insurance, and what I'm going to have to pay upfront for tests out of pocket, with all of this that has been happening for over a year, I am asking for help in my recovery which will last several months. This is hoping and praying that all goes well, that surgery is the answer and I can come back to work at near 100% of my ability. I'm just asking for any help at all to help me get thru the rest of the year. It tears me apart having to ask for help from anyone. Please share this, Please, and thank you with all of my heart.
Michael