General Chat

Just to get an idea of what people would risk.

If you had the chance of Surgery (Life changing but high risk) what are the lowest "odds" of it being a success would you take that risk?

50-50 or less?

Depends. If 'life changing' meant essential for any real quality of life, and on age, and the specific circumstances of ones life ( children to leave ).


xx

Very essential but not life & death (except I spose for the usual risk from the anaesthetic etc).
Option-if op "do"able,no wheelchair. Age, too young for wheels :(

& maybe,just maybe less pain

As long as the benefits outweigh the risks and the op is essential to improve the quality of my life then I would go for it.

yes i agree with Tooty Fruity, Eeyore 13.
Hazelx

mmmmh

still scary-may cause a titanium shortage.

its a real "if you didnt laugh,you'd lose it"..someone had a thread a while ago re:waiting times for appointments & this has been ridiculous,the MRI result was described as a "catastrophe" ,needless to say the finger nails are taking some hammer :(

(& Ron & my dog & anyone or thing that's in the wrong place at the wrong time!)

It's an awful choice isn't it? Me.....I am older so I'd go for it even though the prospect of disaster would give me nightmares.

But.......if it's successful and there would be no need to order wheelchair catalogues then on balance I would opt in.

Sue xx

Thats what I'm thinking Supercrutch :)

I thought if I could get about a 30% chance of success I'd go with it-It'll do a DIY eventually anyway.Heck of a decision though.

Thanks Mac.
I need all the positive input I can get :/

it really does depend, my nephew a few years ago was offered a possibilty to walk again, the down side was if it didn't work he would be a quadraplegic instead of a tetraplegic ..he turned it down saying at the age of 18 he had time for them to perfect it. He is 35 now and they haven't perfected it. so he is still a tetraplegic with hope. But better that than a quadraplegicwith no hope.

Eeeyore what people would risk really does relate to what they would lose otherwise.

My father at the age of 81 needed an aneurysm by pass. The chance of surviving the op was 50/50 without the op he was dead in 6mths.

Choices ???

edit to say the survival rate was actually less in his favour but 50/50 sounded nice see he had a dodgy heart which wouldn';t take well to surgery, but ..

I had the big egyptian heart man poking around, but it all went pear-shaped and life has never been the same since.
He offered me a second go, but I turned him down.

Thats the thing Uzzi,way too many pro's & cons.
I did ask how advanced they were in building artificial spines (or bits of)-optimistically about 80 years!

To be fair this Surgeon has "rebuilt" it before & isnt one to give out "false hope"
but 50/50 would be nice.
It's knowing when to say"no more"................& walk (hopefully) away.

I've bin told the op I need is too risky for me yet my quality of life would be better once I had it rite now I'm exhausted with it all but I don't think the risk is worth it so will plod along as I am x

Thats why I've put this thread up Footie 'cause you can drive yourself to distraction trying to work out "what & if".
I would like to say a big "thank you" to everyone who's been on,it really helps to hear other people's experiences & opinions.

glad yu did Eeyore I think I'd rather not have my op x

I KNOW A GUY WHO WAS DUE TO BE OPERATED ON SIX MONTHS AGO,BUT DELAYED BECAUSE OF SHADOWS ON HIS LUNG,
HIS ODDS ARE 30% GOOD 70% CHANCE OF WHEELCHAIR
BUT BCAUSE OF CONSTANT PAIN IS GRABBING THE ODDS
HE HAS TO HAVE CLEAR ,NO SHADOWS FOR SIX MONTHS
THEN THEY WILL OPERATE XXXXXXXX

I am very lucky to have never been in that situation, but I believe life is for living and if an operation is offered that can improve quality of life, that chance should be taken.

No surgeon would offer a procedure with risks attached to it unless they deemed it worth taking.

I would trust the expertise of the surgeon and go for it if my pain was unbearable and the chance to remove it was offered.

Edit....Footie, as you have been told (presumably be the doctor) that an operation is too risky for you that takes away any dilemna you have about choosing to have it or not.

Don't know how I really feel, such a difficult situation, my dad aged 56 went to hospital for what he was told a minor operation, we did not dream it would be life affecting, he died two days after the op. He was told it was a minor operation a small cut two inches long into his chest and they would spray in a glue like substance his lung would be inflated and stick to his ribs and this glue. The sight of him after this operation was unbelievable he looked like he had been pumped up at a service station.

This Surgeon did do an emergency op on it 6yrs ago...to quote him..."I operate now or in 24 hours you will feel nothing from the waist down".Even though it was a helluva shock it made "The Choice" a lot easier.
If I could have the same happen I would be a lot happier.(On those odds Dizzi I'd take it.)
I agree Kitty they don't waste money on anything it's always cost-v-benefit...but the waiting is really horrible :(
Catch the Cat there are no alternatives which makes it really harsh,however,there's always the worry it's been left too long,I know several people who've had that happen as well....so I'd be off to the "human scrapyard"!(& more painkillers-I rattle when I walk already)
If this was my son I'm sure I could get a clearer perspective of what are the best options & I really do appreciate what people are adding 'cause it makes me take a step back & think.........hang on a minute,valid point...... & I am taking everything on board.Thank You.