Alison Moran - Key Hole Surgery

I have always had what we call "a bad back", and for many years I ignored it and put up with the pain or sought relief with the normal pain killers.

In January 1996 I was out with a friend and accidentally fell. This time my back was unbelievably painful. I could not walk, my leg was killing me and I found it very difficult to sleep, turn over in bed, wash my hair, my teeth and even go to the loo. I went to my doctor who just said. "Rest up you've strained your back. It'll get better in a few days". It didn't.

The pain in my back eased a great deal, but my leg was still very stiff and painful to move. The job I had at the time meant I was involved with some lifting and bending over to pick items up, this I found impossible, to the degree I couldn't even put my shoes on let alone a pair of tights. So I went back to my doctor, who this time sent me to a Physio at the surgery. I only saw her the once. She assessed me and recommended to my GP that I saw a specialist immediately. He sent off for an appointment to see Mr. Krishna at North Tees Hospital.

Eventually my appointment came through and I saw Mr. Krishna. By this time I had left work and applied for incapacity benefit, because I was bedridden all the time. I found it very hard to do all my personal daily chores. Added to this, the tablets I was given made me sleep most of the time.

Whilst sitting in the waiting room to see Mr. Krishna I was a bit apprehensive as to what he was going to say.

Would I need surgery? Would I just have to live like a cripple? Will I ever to be able to work again?

All these thoughts just echoed in my mind. I was in agony, but the thought of surgery made me feel sick. I had heard of so many people say that the surgery doesn't always work, and you end up in a wheel chair or worse, PARALYSED! My fear soon passed when he sat me down and spoke to me after a long look a my X rays. He had me doing all sorts of little exercises to see what movement (if any) I had. There was not much in the way of movement, just a great deal of pain in my leg, but not my back. I thought it was a trapped nerve so from the top to the bottom of my leg.

Mr Krishna reassured me that I wouldn't need knee or leg surgery and explained I had slipped a disc at the base of my spine. The pain I felt was called referred pain, which is why I felt it in my leg not my back. I was put on strong pain killers and told to rest (proper rest, that means not getting up and doing the hoovering, washing up, wallpapering or even walking). I did rest for a while because I thought if I did something it might ease the pain. I was wrong, very wrong it only made me worse.

After a couple of weeks I went back to Mr. Krishna for a check-up. I was no better but got into trouble for exercising in the house and not having complete rest. So I tried that. That didn't work either, though the pain in my leg did ease for a bit but not completely. I thought it was getting better. When returned to see Mr Krishna again I still wasn't right.

It was now six months since this all started and I felt I couldn't go on much longer. I was bored and fed up of being in pain. Mr Krishna took a long look at my X rays again. This time it was Hospital for me! I was sent into rest in front of the nurses so that they could keep an eye on me.

I was in for three days and could get out of bed. The nurses were brilliant. I felt a bit of a fraud compared to some of the old folk in the ward. They had broken legs and arms. There I was, OK, except for my leg. I was sent to Darlington for an MRI scan, which proved to be a slipped sciatic nerve which confirmed what Mr. Krishna thought it was and after a long talk I was sent home but told to come back in two weeks. This I did but I still felt the same, so we now discussed surgery. Keyhole surgery. I had never heard of it, and it sounded more frightening than normal surgery because it is a small incision on the left or right of your back. No bigger than a small finger nail. The surgeon places a very thin tube with a camera in it through the incision and locates the disc. Then they cut away the disc or affected area.

I must say my heart was racing while Mr. Krishna nattered on about the surgery. I didn't take it all in at first. I just kept thinking about it all going wrong. He was very gentle and understanding, going to happen. I said "Yes" tot he operation because I was in so much pain. I was passed caring. I wanted to walk properly no Galen from the Planet of the Apes.

It wasn't long before I got the phone call from the hospital to say there was a bed for me, could I go in the next morning. I was petrified but had to think positively that I could walk out of the Hospital normally, not a cripple.

In the ward I was settled in by the nurses and asked the usual questions and blood was taken.

The morning of the operation I was very frightened especially when the house doctor asked me to sign a form to say Mr. Krishna could change to normal spinal surgery if the keyhole surgery wasn't possible once they got me down to Theatre. This I did once it was explained to me to be routine if the keyhole surgery was not going to work. I must admit I shed a few tears at this point thinking "was it worth it?" It was I was taken down to the pre-op room where two lovely nurses talked to me through the whole operation. Not just the surgery but relaxed me just by generally talking and being friendly. One nurse held my hand while the other nurse gave me the injection to make me sleep. I had to count to ten. I only got to three.

When I woke up my father was there and so was Mr. Krishna. Even though I don't remember, apparently I was ecstatic to see them both, so I was told by the staff nurse. I do remember asking Mr. Krishna weeks before to let me go down very early to the Theatre because the England match was on and I wanted to watch it. I did but I don't remember. Apparently then Mr Krishna held my hand and helped me out of bed. He asked me to walk round the ward and corridor slowly with his aid and then back into bed. I can't tell you how I felt. The pain in my leg had gone!! I only felt a small burning sensation in the base of my back and that was all. It was great. I was starving and tired. After having something to eat I slept until morning.

The next morning Mr. Krishna came up to see me and was very pleased that it had all gone well and did do keyhole surgery after all. Later the Physio instructor came to visit and gave me a few exercises to do and then I came home. I couldn't believe I was being sent home the day after my surgery. I thought I'd be in for at least three days.

I had to go back to the Orthopaedic department at North Tees to see Mr Krishna and he was pleased with my progress.

I am still on Incapacity Benefit and healing slowly each day. I can't go back to work yet because I still can't bend or lift properly. My walk and posture has improved but I still have a stiff leg, but that will go eventually with the help of physio.

If you are thinking of having keyhole surgery, don't think twice. I would recommend it every time. I am so glad I said yes and have every faith in Mr Krishna and I am sure once you've spoken to him about your fears and thoughts you'll feel the same way. Trust him, he knows what he's doing.