@tara_shett

Surgery update! So if you remember, I told you guys a little while ago that both my screws at L3 were broken. I saw a surgeon (not my original neurosurgeon bc he’s “out of network” from my insurance unless I’m inpatient) and he said that everything else looks correctly fused, it was just that my last spinal fusion level (L3) did not fuse like it should’ve. There was still movement there and that’s why the screws broke. It’s funny bc i had x rays done 6 months post-op and some other dude said I WAS fused. (hmmm.) so we decided that the best option would be to create 2 new incisions directly above the broken screws. He will cut the rod at L3 and remove the first half of the screws that are floating around, but will leave the second half of the screws that are cemented in my L3 bc he said they shouldn’t cause issues. Basically we are reversing the fusion at L3 bc it didn’t work anyway and it’s not necessary anymore bc my other bones are good now. Hopefully, it was decrease pain and will be a relatively minor surgery. He said i should be going home same day and I won’t need a back brace like last time. When I first went into this I was terrified of reliving my spinal fusion (it was so baddd) but he told me that a spinal fusion is like rebuilding an engine and what he’s doing is more like changing the headlights, so that made me feel better about it! I chose a date in September so it won’t interfere with my summer activities hopefully! Anyways my wheels are pink now! (Swipe to see). Next color will probably be fall/Halloween related 😈 #disabled #disability #SpinalCordInjury #SCI #paralyzed #paralysis #paraplegic #EDS #hEDS #EhlersDanlos #ChronicIllness #wheelchair #WheelchairUser #WheelchairLife #DisabilityAwareness #awareness #MobilityAid #DisabilityAdvocate #DisabledFashion #advocate #feminism #IntersectionalFeminism