When I last wrote I was doing well some two plus months into my recovery. Sadly, by the holidays I had started a downhill slide. More back pain returned for more of the time. I ended up with sciatica problem in left leg and eventually by mid January with lower extremity muscle weakness. Also had weak abdominals and occasional bouts of shaking of torso. Continued reduced routine

Increasing problems and then inability to get up to stand from chair or bed led to rip to ER at Mercy Allen Hospital in Oberlin on this past Wednesday afternoon. Tests and rest for six hours and I could walk with walker and went home. Thursday morning no way to get out of bed or stand. Back to local ER and then late afternoon by fast ambulance transfer in the snow to CLE Clinic Main Campus where original surgery was done. Some tests and consults yesterday and more today. Awful not to be able to get out of bed. Also dealing with utinary tract infection that started a week ago. That is now done in terms of my blood

That all sets me up for more possible tests tomorrow and then a second back surgery early Monday morning. Thus will all lead to same long recovery as from first surgery

So, what is wrong. Original surgery involved all vertebrae from T10 to the sacrum. A series of issues then happened over time which placed stress on T9 -T10 junction. Disc there as moved to impinge on spinal cord and that explains the symptoms. So we now fuse from T4 down to T9 and that connects with earlier rods at T10

Sorry to be the bearer of this news. I am ok but slowly downhill mentally. More months of doing little is scary and very depressing. I will sign off for now as doing this on iPhone is taxing

Best wishes. Lee