Spinal Fusion’s and continuing to climb - reasonable well

I’m only posting this in hopes that it may give some climbers pause before considering spinal fusions.  And, I hope it gives other climbers hope and confidence that even after the worst case scenario, one can still climb and enjoy the climbing life.  Sort of a technical note first:  I spent the last 18 years of my career before retirement selling a specific medical device developed for monitoring spine and brain surgery (total of 34 years with the same company selling electro-diagnostic equipment).  In May of 2023, I had a simple ACDF (anterior cervical disk fusion).  It was the second surgery as the first one in 2013 had put stress on the vertebrae's below.  I had personally witnessed this surgery hundreds of times, knew every detail about it and kidded that I could have done it on myself with a mirror, if I could have stayed awake!

Short story of a very long story is the doctor screwed up - bad.  I got a hematoma 24 hours after, rushed to the hospital via ambulance in Salt Lake, put into an induced coma and nearly died.  After that fiasco, another neurosurgeon I enlisted to do a lumbar fusion noticed bone fragments (knuckle size) pressing against the cord near C5/6.  He strongly advised surgery to fix it after the wound healed.

I had the lumbar fusion (L4/5) in October 2023 and prepared for what would be two, back to back surgeries in February 2024. Anterior approach the first day, and posterior approach the second day.  Ended up with two vertebrae taken out, a metal cage, a plate to cover it and several screws to hold it in place.  Next day, a more serious posterior and invasive approach through the back of my neck to retrieve more bone fragments.  Posterior surgery takes much longer to do, to heal and is much more painful after because of the cutting and/or spreading of the paraspinals.  This resulted in another 8 longer screws and metal rods along the vertebrae’s.

Pictures of the outcome. I’m now fused from C3 to T2.  It’s a problem looking up!

Bottom line:

After three+ months of pain and struggle, my neurosurgeon cleared me for climbing (he is a climber).  I am back climbing, gaining strength, working at coordination and balance, and feeling the same stoke that drove me for 56 years of climbing. Even taking into consideration geriatric or ‘geezer’ status, I’m still doing it and loving it. 

Thanks for the post Kim and good luck with your recovery.

Inspiring story of perseverance!!!

Thanks for the update Kim. I'm headed to the City tomorrow and was just thinking about you and your recovery. Inspiring!

Dam…. That’s a ton of hardware in your neck, do you think you’ll be able to get through TSA??

Seriously- that’s quite the wound.

Best of luck 

Great writeup, sir!

It was SO good to bump into you at Rock City just now. Typing this with pizza, lol!

And, so so so glad this one went well. Honestly? You look great....maybe better than I've seen you in years, or at least recently, with all the various surgeries, or awaiting surgeries, or....

I confess, I did drive up the road, to see if you might be around, right after we got here, but the gate was locked.

I doubt I will ever come to COR....without thinking of you, and others too. 

:-)

Rock City has pizza? Oh yeah.

Whoa, dude!  (As you'd say).  Hopefully on the forever mend!  Glad to know you'll still be putting up the rope for me.

Can't look up very well?  Good thing you're a friction master!  Seems like I spend more time looking at my feet than anywhere else when I'm climbing.

I remember when you could look up...(woulda put most of us in a stretcher)...

Best we keep our heads down (!)...  Be safe out there!

Great post and good info for folks having to consider this type of surgery.  Eeeeeeek.

Cheers and hope to see you soon.

Interesting to read the whole story, RKM. It’s amazing how well you are doing after those hideous procedures. 

Wow, that is a harrowing tale!!!  How wild (and unfortunate) that your ACDF surgeon did not utilize the very equipment that you sold which could have prevented the bone fragments and spinal cord damage.  So encouraging to hear that you are recovering and returning to training after all of that corrective surgery and new hardware!

I had an emergency one-level ACDF six months ago when a herniated disc at C4/5 pressed on my spinal cord causing me to lose all feeling in my limbs.  I had never heard of Intraoperative Monitoring before that but was glad that my surgeon used it, especially since there was a high risk of tetraplegia.  

When I got the hospital bill, I was surprised to see that the fee charged for the IOM was nearly three times more than what the surgeon's fee was.  After reading your story, I am even more convinced that it was worth it because surgery went smoothly with no complications, and I've recovered most of my sensation and function.  I'm still a little uncoordinated and get shaky legs/imbalanced (possibly from the muscle spasticity?) but strength is returning and I am thrilled that I can get out there and top rope my heart out with my friends this summer and fall. :)

Wishing you all the best on your journey back to doing all the things.

Sherri

Thanks for sharing and with the additional info. Definitely learned some things here to remember. Very glad you're still here!