The McGill Neuro-Patient Resouce Centre has a number of relevant links for those with or interested in back pain, back surgery and related issues.  Most of the good information they give is actually from The University of Southern California Neurological Surgery site.  But there are other bits too, so I’ve linked to them both.  Unfortunately, most of the modern techniques they describe are not available yet in Canada.  If you find a place that does offer them in our country,  then drop us a line, eh?

(Thanks, Wendi, for sending us these links.)

Since it’s very difficult for Bernard to get to the doctor’s office, I go and talk with our physician on his behalf.  This works - for things like paperwork and prescription refills. 

Sometimes however, real physical tests must occur, so last week the local health nurse came to the house to do some blood work.  It’s great that they can do this, and I’m thankful that our local clinic helps us facilitate these things.  Unfortunately, the tests show that Bernard has some other health issues that need attention.  This will likely mean more medication and/or vitamins to take, something that’s been quite difficult lately because pain meds are so hard on the stomach.  But, at least we’re aware of the situation now and can try to remedy the problem. 

It must be very very difficult for disabled people to get the health care that we all require if they don’t have an advocate to help the process along.  Even with assistance from me, there are some things, like eye care for instance, that are being neglected with Bernard because we haven’t figured out the logistics.  The system is not set up to accomodate this type of disability.  And oh boy B really needs new glasses!

Bernard wore contacts for years, but that’s too difficult right now, so he’s wearing a rather tatty old pair of large, 80’s style specs that are so incrediably far out that they’re almost back in!  I’m sick of having to look through them to see my sweetie!!  

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Bernard claims that they’re good glasses.

 ”…they have so much lens to look out of, more lens bang for your buck!” 

I say they’re only good for a laugh.  Seriously though, the prescription badly needs updating, so a new pair would be a ‘two birds with one stone’ kind of deal.  I’m going to go to one of the local Optometrists and see if we can figure something out, though I don’t think there is an easy answer to this.

Anyways, I just think it’s hard for people who are hurt and alone to get the health care that they need.  Maybe you know someone needing a bit of help getting to where they need to go, or figuring out a different way to get the health care they require.

Below is a link to an interesting (and graphic) article about endoscopic surgery from the Bordeaux University Hospital and Rennes University Hospital in France. 

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Now we just need CANADIAN researchers to be developing these techniques and offering these surgeries. 

Here is a sample of the scans that were taken at the hospital in January.  Each one shows Bernard’s lower spine area.  The disc level that appears all squished together and at times with a whitish glow is the L4-L5, the real problem in our situation here, as far as we can surmise.

This is the x-ray.  It shows a loss of disc height and some vertebral body osteophytes (bony growths). 

Here is one of the CT (Computed Tomography) scan images.  It shows severe narrowing of the L4-L5 disc space.  The radiologist thought that the disc had been surgically removed - a discectomy - which is not the case.  There is still a little bit of a  disc bulge, but where has the rest of the disc material gone, and what impact does loose disc material have on surounding nerve tissue?

Here is one of the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans.  The disc that looks very narrow and has the white glow around it is L4-L5.  The report mentions some disc herniation on the inside of the left neural foramen but cannot make out any nerve root compression.  So, where does the intense nerve pain, and feeling of severe instability originate? 

For many years Bernard did the physiotherapist prescribed exercises which allowed him to live a pretty normal life.  But, now they, along with most other types of movement, make the pain and the sensation that he’s one tiny move away from a major acute incident, worse, not better. 

For more background and symtoms, please refer to:

 http://bernardsnewback.ca/wp-content/uploads/Letter_to_Specialist.pdf

Would someone please take a scientific approach, listening to all the evidence, and get to the bottom of this?