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Having Back Surgery: Some Questions....
I'm having surgery to remove some material that's pressing against nerves; the cause of my condition was a fall of about 2 1/2 feet right on my bottom.
My main question is why do some doctors order a myelogram in addition to the MRI, while others don't.
Is this perhaps a precautionary measure to make sure the surgeon is seeing a very complete picture of the injured area ? One doctor will operate on me next Friday, pending my passing the pre-surgery screening criteria. I may be able to get an appointment this week with another doctor who is highly regarded, and who I know does have the myelogram performed.
I'd like to get this over with, but I can surely wait a little longer since IMHO, this is such serious surgery.
My main question is why do some doctors order a myelogram in addition to the MRI, while others don't.
Is this perhaps a precautionary measure to make sure the surgeon is seeing a very complete picture of the injured area ? One doctor will operate on me next Friday, pending my passing the pre-surgery screening criteria. I may be able to get an appointment this week with another doctor who is highly regarded, and who I know does have the myelogram performed.
I'd like to get this over with, but I can surely wait a little longer since IMHO, this is such serious surgery.
Upon further reflection, I've come to the obvious conclusion that I'm making myself into exactly the very same type of person that Dr Warren Parker is, and believe me, that is not me at all, and that's is not good at all.
I had initially wanted to be seen by Dr Richard Harper, who is in the same office, and who has performed surgery on my sister, brother, and my brother's son. My appointment was all set with Dr Harper when I received a call from the office of the Neurosurgical Group of Texas office stating that the doctors in this group did not see each others patients, even if it had been over 9 years ago (that I had seen Dr Parker). So, although disappointed, I assumed that Dr Parker was a good doctor and surgeon, plus I had one recommendation from a valid source, so I made an appointment with Dr Parker. My wife and I drove all the way into Houston from Conroe, TX (about a 45 mile one way trip) in rainy weather. I spent 20 minutes filling out paperwork. We were then called in to see Dr Parker.
Dr Parker was as rude, if not ruder, than I remembered him so many years ago; it was just incredible ! Neither my wife nor I could believe the man was so incredibly rude and arrogant.
I will give Dr Parker an absolute 0 regarding all criteria that doctors are rated on, plus an additional absolute 0 for treating ANY PATIENT so rudely and acting as though he were our Creator's gift to medical science; possibly he watched "Malice" a few times too many.
Medical science and surely no patient deserves the treatment of someone such as Dr Warren Parker. Isn't it a little bit incredible that his computer wasn't working ?? (And he couldn't look at my MRI's ?? I had already looked at them).
I will file a complaint against this person, and not insult any other physician by calling him a doctor. That's something one earns, every day.
I would only state, "May God have mercy on you, Dr Parker, when you're in dire need of medical attention some day. I honestly pray that you do not have the displeasure of being at the mercy of someone such as yourself sir".
I had initially wanted to be seen by Dr Richard Harper, who is in the same office, and who has performed surgery on my sister, brother, and my brother's son. My appointment was all set with Dr Harper when I received a call from the office of the Neurosurgical Group of Texas office stating that the doctors in this group did not see each others patients, even if it had been over 9 years ago (that I had seen Dr Parker). So, although disappointed, I assumed that Dr Parker was a good doctor and surgeon, plus I had one recommendation from a valid source, so I made an appointment with Dr Parker. My wife and I drove all the way into Houston from Conroe, TX (about a 45 mile one way trip) in rainy weather. I spent 20 minutes filling out paperwork. We were then called in to see Dr Parker.
Dr Parker was as rude, if not ruder, than I remembered him so many years ago; it was just incredible ! Neither my wife nor I could believe the man was so incredibly rude and arrogant.
I will give Dr Parker an absolute 0 regarding all criteria that doctors are rated on, plus an additional absolute 0 for treating ANY PATIENT so rudely and acting as though he were our Creator's gift to medical science; possibly he watched "Malice" a few times too many.
Medical science and surely no patient deserves the treatment of someone such as Dr Warren Parker. Isn't it a little bit incredible that his computer wasn't working ?? (And he couldn't look at my MRI's ?? I had already looked at them).
I will file a complaint against this person, and not insult any other physician by calling him a doctor. That's something one earns, every day.
I would only state, "May God have mercy on you, Dr Parker, when you're in dire need of medical attention some day. I honestly pray that you do not have the displeasure of being at the mercy of someone such as yourself sir".
Actually, Dr Tomaszek is a very good doctor, and I have the greatest amount of respect for him; although he does practice an economy of words, his skills and results speak for themselves.
Parker is simply a bumbler who happened onto a good deal when he was allowed (against the judgement of several members) to become a "part" of a the Neurological Group there in Houston; his old man's money beat out the better judgement of his peers, although his "having a nip" here and again almost damaged that beyond repair.
I actually wish the old man the best; I've heard that other members cover for him, so hopefully no one will ever be injured. I heard his boyfriend wouldn't even let him operate on his dog. Scraping the bottom of the barrel is one thing; when there's no bottom to scrape, that's really a little beyond words..........
Parker is simply a bumbler who happened onto a good deal when he was allowed (against the judgement of several members) to become a "part" of a the Neurological Group there in Houston; his old man's money beat out the better judgement of his peers, although his "having a nip" here and again almost damaged that beyond repair.
I actually wish the old man the best; I've heard that other members cover for him, so hopefully no one will ever be injured. I heard his boyfriend wouldn't even let him operate on his dog. Scraping the bottom of the barrel is one thing; when there's no bottom to scrape, that's really a little beyond words..........
In search of that elusive "best" surgeon !!! So far, 2 swings and 2 strikes.
The first neurosurgeon, Dr Tomaszek of The Woodlands was great at getting me in right away, great at scheduling surgery quickly, and great at calling in a enough Lortabs to put my neighborhood under the table for a few days (180 10mg !!), and Just As Quickly to get me Out without explaining some very important questions. Like why does he operate in Bellaire, Texas when his office is in The Woodlands. which has several nice hospitals ? If the operation was going to allegedly make me pain-free, why the huge amount of pain medication just 3 days before the surgery ?? And why wasn't he going to do a myelogram the just as several doctors performing this same type of surgery ? Do not be afraid to ask questions, as your entire future and quality of life may very well rest on asking the right questions with no hesitation.
Well, I thought I really had an ace up my sleeve....Dr Warren Parker, a noted Houston neurosurgeon , had my MRI and report already, since I had made an appointment with Dr Richard Harper (in the same office), but since I had seen Dr Parker for 5 minutes in 2002, they found my prior paper work, appointment ! I was respectful the entire "interview", that didn't take over 5 minutes, during which time Dr Parker acted as though he had no ideal what we were even discussing; he had over 3 weeks to check out the forms, but he hadn't even looked at them: he then proceeded to tell my wife and I that his computer was not working (oh, and no others were either in a suite with 5 doctors and secretarial staff.....
Please save yourselves a great deal of money and pain by seeing someone who is competent and makes an effort to follow the oath he took at one time, and who is more interested in helping his fellow man that adding a few more gold coins to his collection.
Thank you very much.
The first neurosurgeon, Dr Tomaszek of The Woodlands was great at getting me in right away, great at scheduling surgery quickly, and great at calling in a enough Lortabs to put my neighborhood under the table for a few days (180 10mg !!), and Just As Quickly to get me Out without explaining some very important questions. Like why does he operate in Bellaire, Texas when his office is in The Woodlands. which has several nice hospitals ? If the operation was going to allegedly make me pain-free, why the huge amount of pain medication just 3 days before the surgery ?? And why wasn't he going to do a myelogram the just as several doctors performing this same type of surgery ? Do not be afraid to ask questions, as your entire future and quality of life may very well rest on asking the right questions with no hesitation.
Well, I thought I really had an ace up my sleeve....Dr Warren Parker, a noted Houston neurosurgeon , had my MRI and report already, since I had made an appointment with Dr Richard Harper (in the same office), but since I had seen Dr Parker for 5 minutes in 2002, they found my prior paper work, appointment ! I was respectful the entire "interview", that didn't take over 5 minutes, during which time Dr Parker acted as though he had no ideal what we were even discussing; he had over 3 weeks to check out the forms, but he hadn't even looked at them: he then proceeded to tell my wife and I that his computer was not working (oh, and no others were either in a suite with 5 doctors and secretarial staff.....
Please save yourselves a great deal of money and pain by seeing someone who is competent and makes an effort to follow the oath he took at one time, and who is more interested in helping his fellow man that adding a few more gold coins to his collection.
Thank you very much.
Yes, it does help a great deal and I appreciate it.
I think I'll be waiting now for an appointment with the other surgeon.
Other "suspicious" indications regarding the doctor I initially had the appointment with were:
1) He showed my wife and I my MRI and a model of the spine, showing us the affected area/s, but other than that, there wasn't a lot of explanation
2) I had a question regarding the myelogram, and his aide told me I should have asked about it when we were talking with him (no one told me I had "X" minutes with the doctor.....
3) When I was leaving, I asked about something for pain, and again I was told I should have asked about that; something was called in, but at 4:30.
I think I'll be waiting now for an appointment with the other surgeon.
Other "suspicious" indications regarding the doctor I initially had the appointment with were:
1) He showed my wife and I my MRI and a model of the spine, showing us the affected area/s, but other than that, there wasn't a lot of explanation
2) I had a question regarding the myelogram, and his aide told me I should have asked about it when we were talking with him (no one told me I had "X" minutes with the doctor.....
3) When I was leaving, I asked about something for pain, and again I was told I should have asked about that; something was called in, but at 4:30.
from what my neuro recently told me I did ask. he said when you get a mylograme it shows alot more things that can make youover look what your looking for.like scare tissue would show up more then on a mri..cause I wanted a mylogram done..he said he wanted an mri and if it did not show what he needed to see then he would order the mylogram..does that help? plus I think they want to go cheaper first ( my opinion)lol..
in any case good luck with your surgery
in any case good luck with your surgery
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