Jacky Bright - Fusion

Hello I'm Jacky, I'm 33 years of age, married with two children and work full time as a Community Psychiatric Nurse. Since approximately 1976, when I was 14 years old, I have suffered from lower back/leg pain following a childhood prank, at school, when a chair was pulled from beneath me as I sat down.

Two years on, after endless repeat prescriptions for pain killers, I eventually requested help privately. With in weeks I was admitted to hospital, placed on traction, then put in a plaster jacket and sent home. Six weeks later I was given a surgical corset. Very little explanation was given to me; I didn't know what was wrong with my back, only my own assumption that it was a prolapsed disc.I was made to feel like a "neurotic teenager".

My back did improve to some extent, but, basically I learnt to live with pain and carried out a normal life. On the whole I denied I had a problem until I was pregnant with my second child, in 1991. I fell, on the ice, leaving work one evening. Back and leg pain became intolerable but, I could receive no effective treatment until I had my baby. After my daughter was born the pain got progressively worse as I had a toddler, a new baby, who didn't sleep, and a job to contend with.

I eventually requested to see an Orthopaedic Consultant. I was to have an MRI Scan; but, before this happened I was admitted to hospital as an emergency because I could no longer bear weight due to pain. I was sent for an MRI Scan which showed a large prolapsed disc and I was operated on the same evening. The main thing I remember after the operation was the wonderful absence of pain. I recovered quickly, I was discharged from hospital in just over a week, received some physiotherapy "The back school" which was great and I returned to in just under two months.

As time went on I started getting lower back pain again particularly after being more active. Last year, 1995, I developed pain again in my leg, plus more numbness/tingling; in my foot and lower leg. Therefore I requested help from my GP. I was sent for Hydrotherapy which helped for a while and then was reffered back to the Orthopaedic Consultant. I had another MRI scan and was told that there was nothing significantly wrong but, as a new Orthopaedic Consultant had come to the hospital who specialised in spinal surgery I was very luckily referred to him. Mr. Krishna and his team were wonderful. I felt "believed in" and "cared about" as an individual. I was told immediately that I could be helped and some time was spent with me explaining exactly what operation could be performed. All advantages as well risks were explained to me in terms I could understand. I felt part of dissolved most of my anxieties and fears.

Every thing happened as I had been told. I had another MRI scan that week for clearer pictures. Four weeks later I as admitted to hospital on the Sunday afternoon.

I was a little anxious but after I had seen Mr. Krishna and he had gone over everything again I felt good about things. My operation went well and on the same evening, post op, the nurses got me up but only for a very short period of time as I felt faint. The next morning Mr. Krishna got me up and I, delightedly, walked unaided around my bed and back. On the Wednesday I was discharged home.

It is now only two and a half weeks since my operation and everyday I grow stronger. I have very little pain in the wound site and do not require any pain killers. Everyday I go for walks and do simple exercises and for a short time I have to wear a surgical corset.

I feel optimistic about my future and will probably return to work earlier than I anticipated. I am glad I had this operation and a lot of people are suprised at how quickly I am recovering. Many people have voiced to me that they would not have had a spinal operation - even my G.P. But it was easy and relatively painless, for me anyhow!!