09/02/2026
🚨Update 😷
🔊I had a Carotid Ultrasound done today, to check for blocked or narrowed blood vessels in the neck that can increase the risk of a stroke. Results soon. 🧠
🩻 I saw an Orthopedic Surgeon today, as well. After dealing with a lot of pain for years (lower back pain that's separate and different than the damaged sciatic nerve pain that I've had for 20+ years)... This pain is what has had me in a wheelchair for 2 years to ambulate more than a few feet and more than about 5 mins. Well, now I finally have a clear plan to help📋
My official diagnoses(plural🤕)are
🩻Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
🩻Neurogenic Claudication (leg pain and low back locking up when standing)
🩻Bilateral Lower Extremity Radiculopathy (pinched nerves causing pain down both legs).
🩻Advanced Degenerative Disc Disease (severe breakdown of the cushions between my spine bones)
🩻 Grade 1 Listhesis (slipping of the bones in my lumbar spine, no long lined up)
To fix this, I am moving forward with a surgery called an🧑🏼⚕️🔪L4-5 Laminectomy and Decompression with Foraminotomies (and possibly a Bilateral Hemilaminotomy).
Here is what the doctor is actually doing to help me:
🪚 L4-5 Laminectomy:
The doctor will remove the "roof" of bone (the lamina) over my spinal canal to open up space and let my pinched nerves breathe.
✂️Removing the Thickened Ligament:
Right under that bone is a ligament (ligamentum flavum) that has buckled and become too thick, severely choking my nerves. The surgeon is going to completely cut out and remove that ligament to clear the canal.
🪚Bilateral Hemilaminotomy:
The doctor might do this, he has to assess once my back is open. It means carving small, precise "windows" out of the bone on both the left and right sides to remove the tissue, while keeping my center spine structure intact.
Foraminotomies:
The doctor will also clear out and widen the narrow side tunnels where the nerves exit the spine to travel down into my legs.
We chose this decompression over a spinal fusion because it is a more conservative option to get me back to my regular activities faster without permanently locking my spine. There is a risk the bones could shift more later (most likely will, but we're hoping it will be some time from now) and when/if it does, I will require a fusion down the road.
Now we wait for approval from the insurance company 🙄😒
