Spinal stenosis happens when the space inside the backbone is too small. This can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that travel through the spine. Spinal stenosis occurs most often in the lower back and the neck. Some people with spinal stenosis have no symptoms.
For years, Gerry, my wife, has suffered back problems. Problems which were caused initially when Gerry was a trainee nurse. She was trying to help move a patient who wouldn’t comply with instructions. Bingo ! There then followed years of painful episodes.
Gerry tried various treatments ranging from putting a board under the bed mattress thru acupuncture and microwave treatments and on to the more physical chiropractor, osteopath, and physiotherapist sessions.
Some of these treatments seemed to work, and others seemed to do nothing much at all. Regardless, Gerry has suffered.
More recently and for some time, Gerrys ability to stand for longish periods has been diminishing. As has her ability to walk any great distances. This prompted me to obtain a wheelchair which did help some, and then after hiring one at a garden show, we bought Gerry a mobility scooter.
Last year, June 2022, Gerry started a particularly painful episode. The pain was unrelenting, mainly in her lower back, but also shooting down her legs.
We were due to go on holiday with family to Menorca and things were so bad I thought we would cancel. But Gerry was adamant, another word for stubborn. The holiday went ahead but only due to the use of airport services who transported Gerry through Gatwick and Mahon airports and loaded her onto the planes. I have to say the folks working in airport services were brilliant.
As for the holiday, it wasn’t the best. Although we went out for meals, we were pretty much confined to barracks with Gerry spending a lot of time laid on a bed. I suppose it was some compensation that it was warm and sunny.
Following the holiday, Gerrys back pain continued, easing a bit then increasing, then easing again but never really going away.
And so Christmas came and went, and to add to her woes, Gerry got a chest infection. I’m pretty sure she got one around the same time last year. We managed to get Gerry a telephone consult, and she was prescribed antibiotics without anyone seeing her or laying hands or a stethoscope on her. The chest infection seemed to clear up but came back again, so more antibiotics were prescribed. Still no face to face with a doctor.
Chest infection, finally, dealt with, and the back pain was still there. Gerry then got an ear infection. This triggered a face to face with a real doctor. The net result was more antibiotics but, big but, we were also able to discuss Gerrys back issues.
Following the doctors consult, Gerry got an appointment to see a physiotherapist who was a spinal specialist.
What a refreshing experience that was. He gave Gerry a thorough workup. Examining her mobility and discussing all aspects of her pain and additional symptoms such as continence issues.
Following his assessment, he told us that he suspected Gerry was suffering from severe spinal stenosis that, if untreated, could mean paralysis of her legs and further serious continence issues. He further stated that at no time should Gerry allow any physical manipulation, i.e., by a physiotherapist, osteopath, or chiropractor.
The physiotherapist referred Gerry for an MRI. Within a month, Gerry had the scan, and a few days later, the results were available. He called early one morning to confirm that, as he suspected, Gerry did, in fact, have severe spinal stenosis of the L3/L4 vertebrae.
Wow ! A diagnosis. You cannot know what that meant to Gerry. Up till now, she had always had the feeling that people didn’t believe that there was an issue. After all, it’s invisible. Now, with an official diagnosis, it seems more real.
So where to from there ? He told us that he was going to submit Gerrys case to the surgical team to see if they could operate.
Things moved quite quickly after that. We heard that the surgical team were prepared to operate, that we would be contacted by the surgeon.
Gerry then had an appointment to see the surgeon, Dr Davies, at New Hall Hospital, near Salisbury. He discussed the procedure and showed us the MRI images. The images showed very clearly what the issues were. In particular, they showed how the inside of Gerrys vertebrae had spurs, which were impinging on her spinal cord, the source of her continuing pain.
Dr Davies was very confident that he could operate and, at the very least, resolve Gerrys pain. This, in turn, would improve Gerrys posture, her ability to stand straight and to walk reasonable distances. Time would only tell if any spinal damage would be healed and alleviate the continence issues. So we left New Hall to await a date for Gerrys procedure.
We didn’t have to wait very long. Wednesday, the 1st of November, was the date set for the operation with a pre-admission clinic on Monday, the 30th of October.
And so Gerry had her procedure as scheduled. She was in theatre for around an hour and in a private room soon after. At around 17:15 she was visited by a physiotherapist who cajoled her into getting out of bed and had her walking down the hospital corridor. Shortly after that, I headed home with the intention of going back the following morning as early as I was allowed. Hospitals are not the most stimulating of places.
The following morning, I had already spoken to Gerry about her night, and if she managed to get any sleep. I had just cooked myself some breakfast when my phone rang. It was Gerry informing me that she could come home.
Wow !!! I was expecting Gerry to be kept in at least one more night. Obviously, she had impressed the medical staff so much that they felt she should complete her recovery at home.
Ninety minutes later I was loading a fairly tender Gerry into my car. One hours fairly careful driving and she was home.
And so, here we are, ten days after the operation. Gerry is fairly pain free. What pain she does have is from the surgery, not from the stenosis. All the signs are positive that the surgery has removed the pain. Gerry is able to get herself in and out of bed fairly well and she is definitely standing straighter. She is managing to navigate around the house with the aid of a Zimmer Frame. Time will only tell if her spinal cord will recover sufficiently to restore full continence. Such recovery could take up to eighteen months.
Gerry had an appointment on Tuesday at our local surgery to have the surgery site examined and the dressing removed. The wound is healing nicely, and it was not necessary to apply a new dressing. No stitches to be removed, just the glue which slowly disappear over time. And the best news, Gerry was told that she could have a shower, not having had one since November 1st.
On the 23rd of November, Gerry starts physiotherapy, which will speed her recovery and on to full independence. No doubt we will still be making use of the wheelchair and “Madge” the mobility scooter for some time. However the goal is for Gerry to, eventually, become separated from them too. Fingers crossed.
Gerry has already stopped using the Zimmer around the house.
Although Gerry was diagnosed with severe spinal stenosis this year and has been treated this year, I believe that she was exhibiting the symptoms over twelve months before. Two things delayed this diagnosis …
- Gerrys on going back problems over so many years brought about a kind of “oh it’s just her back” kind of attitude. Just prescribe some painkillers but no real diagnostic investigation. Although Gerrys long-term back problems and the stenosis do not have the same origins, I am convinced that the former masked the onset of the latter.
- The difficulty, post Covid, to get an appointment with a doctor, thereby blocking a proper diagnostic conversation and, of course, removing the visual aspect of a doctor actually observing their patient.
On the 14th December Gerry has a telephone consult with Mr Davies. Just over a month will have elapsed. What progress has been made remains to be seen.
So, that’s the story so far……
WrAnTz 