Back to Adventure
If you’ve known me, I have always had back pain stemming from gymnastics and cheerleading since high school. My first injury was sophomore or junior year when I strained my lower lumbar (L4-5) which resolved over months of physical therapy and chiropractic work. Over the years, I would just have periodic back pain and learned to live with it, and avoid certain things that aggravate it. (Like gymnastics!)
2018:
Fast forward to 2018. I went out with a group of AIS moms to Top golf and without stretching before my first golf swing my back screamed. I had never played golf so my swing was beyond terrible. But Top Golf is fun so I kept going. my lower back was killing me. wrong choice as I went to the doctor after that evening and was diagnosed with a pars defect (fracture), annular fissure (another fracture) and Grade one spondylolithesis (movement of the vertabrae). That was a lot of new vocabulary all in one appointment and the surgeon recommended therapy and referenced surgery which I immediately declined.
Overtime I was able to rehabilitate myself back to my “normal” routine of getting back aches and pains every so often. (Thank you to Sports Rehab Center and Georgia Sports chiropractic).
2023:
Just after Thanksgiving, I got sick and had a terrible cough of which started to hurt my lower back and would feel like a bone crunching. Lucky me, I kept picking up illnesses thanks to my middle schooler. each illness with a cough would hurt my lower back even in a fetal position.
January 2024 I continued my routine of working out every day either with hit workouts, Pilates, yoga, and things were fine until the end of January something switched. There is no specific event, I just could not work out every day and would need to take a few days of break in between. I decided that was enough of a change for me to go speak with a spine doctor to see what’s going on.
in February, I got x-rays and MRI imaging which unveiled a not so picture.
Diagnosis:
All in the L4-L5…
Unstable Grade 2 spondylolithesis
Severe disc degeneration
Bilateral pars defect (fractures of the facet joints)
Fun Facts:
Spondylolysis is movement and misalignment of vertebrae. My L4 and L5 are naturally off by 9mm just standing. When I lean forward it shifts to nearly 15mm off and when I bend backwards it’s 3mm off. This movement without a disc creates bone on bone rubbing.
My L5 - S1 are naturally fused. This is a benefit at this point, so I don’t have to have more hardware put in.
The rest of my spine looks 15 years younger than me! Yay this is beneficial as if I can keep the rest of my spine healthy that can help avoid future fusions
The Plan:
I am scheduled for spine surgery on April 9, 2024. I will be having an Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) procedure with posterior fusion. Going through the stomach and artificial disc will be placed. Then they flip me over and going through the back will do the fusion using screws and rods. I’ve done a lot of research and everyone who has gone through this scary ass procedure has no regrets.
Recovery is supposed to be 2 to 3 days in the hospital, about two weeks mostly in bed, lots of time (months) at home.
if you have any exciting TV shows or movies or books or things to do to pass the time, please share them with me :-)
