13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |Free of Pain

Free of Pain

Scott Swan/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis - As a journalist, I am comfortable reporting the news. But in this particular story, I found myself in a unique duel position: reporter and patient. 

As you will learn, I recently underwent spine surgery. I decided this would be an opportunity to share with Channel 13 viewers a "first-hand" look at a dilemma facing many Hoosiers. 

Throughout my journey, I learned from experts that an estimated 80 percent of Americans will suffer from an excruciating bout of back and spine pain during their lives. At any one time, spine pain will incapacitate 30 percent of the population. Add me to that statistic.  

Thankfully, many people recover after rest or by using anti-inflammatory drugs. But in some serious cases, surgery is needed. That is the option I ultimately chose. 

In mid-April, I began experiencing incredible pain from my right shoulder, down into my elbow and ending with numbness and tingling in the fingertips of my right hand.  At times, the pain was sharp.  Other times, it was a dull ache. The variety was different throughout the day, but the pain never went away. My right arm felt dead. I could not sleep lying down. I found myself propped up in bed, unable to find a comfortable position for my arm. Ultimately, I would end up on the couch or a chair praying that God would relieve the pain. 

On a good night, I would get four hours of sleep. This went on for two weeks.  My family doctor prescribed a steroid pack. Unfortunately, it did not work. An MRI revealed a more serious problem: a herniated disc in my lower neck - specifically between vertebra #6 and #7. Doctors determined the disc was pressing against a nerve that was running down my right arm.

Two weeks after the pain began, I met with Dr. Rick Sasso at the Indiana Spine Group. Dr. Sasso was not surprised that I could not remember experiencing a specific injury.   

"It just happens. A lot of times, people just wake up. They just start having pain in their arm," says Dr. Sasso.  "Most degenerative discs don't cause any pain whatsoever.  The vast majority of degenerative discs don't cause any problems." 

Now, I knew. I had a disc that had worn out over time. I felt much older than 43 years of age.   This spine surgeon examined my MRI results in his office and determined the next course of action - a selective nerve root sleeve injection. 

I laid on a table with my head turned to the left.  Dr. Kevin Macadaeg of the Indiana Spine Group put a needle into the lower part of my right neck. His goal was to reach the sleeve of the impacted nerve and inject a small amount of steroid and numbing medication. Dr. Sasso told me the process is used as a diagnostic tool to help determine the exact nerve impacted. 

In some cases, patients can get long term relief of symptoms. My injection provided 15 hours of relief. Unfortunately, the pain eventually returned to my arm like an unwelcome alarm clock. I was unable to do much of anything with my right arm. Shaving, brushing my teeth and carrying items were painful. It hurt to type on the computer, so writing news scripts was problematic. 

I minimized the use of my right arm and began using my left arm as much as possible.  

"Your triceps muscle is extremely weak," Dr. Sasso said as he examined my right arm.  "And in fact, it's gotten weaker over the last couple of weeks. That's not a good sign. That's a sign that this nerve is having a really hard time because of the pressure caused by disc fragment."  

Since I was unable to do many of my normal activities, Dr. Sasso advised me to undergo an outpatient spine surgery called anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Dr. Sasso said the procedure involved making a small incision in the front of my neck. He would remove the problem disc and take pressure off the nerve. 

Dr. Sasso explained he would replace the disc with a small piece of bone graft and secure it with a small titanium plate and four screws.  

"There's about a 94- to 95-percent chance that the graft will heal. But that still leaves us with about 5 or 6 percent where the graft doesn't heal," said Dr. Sasso.  "This operation directly takes the pressure off the nerve but also indirectly decompresses the nerve by restoring the normal height of that disc and opening up the tunnel where that nerve runs out."

After talking with friends and co-workers, I was amazed to learn how many people had suffered from similar bouts of spine pain.  In some cases, these people underwent operations and discovered immediate relief. I was tired of living in pain and wanted that relief.  

Even as I was preparing to become a surgery patient, the mind of a reporter continued to crank. I kept thinking this could be a unique way of telling a story that could accomplish two things: Educate others about spine pain and surgery as an option; Reduce my anxiety as a patient by concentrating on being a reporter. 

Ultimately, I invited Channel 13 cameraman Steve Starnes to videotape the entire process. I underwent surgery May 3 at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis. Doctors wheeled me into the operating room at 7:00 am.  

As Dr. Stewart Hults began giving me a general anesthetic, I remember saying one last phrase.  "I'm starting to feel a little sleepy."  My cameraman was rolling as I fell asleep.  

Surgery began. I was lying on the operating room with my arms spread apart. The team of doctors and nurses went to work.   

"It is sort of like fishing," Dr. Sasso said as he began removing hard pieces of my herniated disc the size of the corn kernels.  "His (Scott's) nerve is much happier now. The nerve looks much, much better than when we started," Dr. Sasso narrated as my cameraman continued videotaping.  Surgery ended after 75 minutes.   

"It went great; it went perfect," said Dr. Sasso. In the recovery room, still groggy from the general anesthetic, I began hearing the voice of a nurse. 

"Scott, between zero and 10, how do you rate your pain right now? I mumbled one word.  "Zero." 

The pain had vanished. I still felt some numbness and tingling in two of my right fingers.  But Dr. Sasso reminded me that is usually the last thing to go away. I asked for my wife and kept telling her, "I don't have any pain in my right arm." 

It was an amazing feeling. Five and a half hours after surgery began, doctors released me from St. Vincent Hospital.  As the hospital volunteer brought me out to my car in a wheelchair, I jokingly asked my wife, "Would you like me to drive?"  She laughed, knowing I was in no condition to drive. 

But it was amazing how much better I felt.  No pain in the right arm.  The afternoon following the surgery, I was in my home office writing emails to friends and family. I was typing and not feeling any pain. I wanted to write all afternoon. I was excited to tell my three children that their daddy wouldn't have to sleep on the couch anymore.  

I returned to the anchor chair a few days after surgery. Fatigue was the biggest challenge. My next challenge is regaining strength in the nerve in my right arm.  

Dr. Sasso was optimistic before surgery. "The nice thing about a peripheral nerve is after a nerve leaves the spinal cord, it has a great chance of recovery.  It reliably recovers."  

That's what I'm counting on.

Indiana Spine Group

Spine Universe