Sindrom drsnega rebra .org
SLIPPING RIB SYNDROME SUCCESS STORIES
LOGAN ALUCCI, PENNSYLVANIA, USA
Po skoraj 6-letnem potovanju iskanja odgovorov želim povečati ozaveščenost o sindromu drsenja reber.
Ko sem bil na kolidžu, sem naključno začel čutiti strašne bolečine v hrbtu blizu leve lopatice.
Bolečina je bila tako huda, da se mi je zdelo, kot da ne morem hoditi. Pred tem prvim dnem sem hodil 2 do 5 milj na dan, saj sem živel v New Yorku, po tem dnevu pa se je vse spremenilo.
Ker se je moja bolečina začela s hudo bolečino v hrbtu, me je pot pripeljala do desetine specialistov za ramena in hrbtenico. Dobil sem več napačnih diagnoz. Imel sem na desetine MRI, CT skeniranj, rentgenskih žarkov, pregledov kosti, injekcij kortizona, blokov medrebrnih živcev... če hočete. Seznam se nadaljuje in nadaljuje. Videl sem "najboljše" zdravnike v "najboljših" bolnišnicah. Nihče več let ni vedel, kaj je narobe. Rekli so mi, da je to samo slaba drža ali slaba tesnoba ali pa da preprosto pretiravam, ko sem rekel, da imam 10/10 globoko, parajočo, izčrpavajočo bolečino na levi strani hrbta, ki se je zdaj že začela širiti po mojem rebra.
Sčasoma sem našel novega kiropraktika in ob prvem obisku mi je povedala, da imam sindrom drsenja reber. Ker je bila edina oseba, ki mi je lahko dala kakršnokoli olajšanje, sem ji verjel na besedo, nato pa sem še ducatu zdravnikov povedal, da imam SRS. Nihče ni verjel, da obstaja. Rekli so mi "Rebra ne morejo zdrsniti".
Hitro naprej 2 leti, končno sem našel dr. Adama Hansena v Zahodni Virginiji in imel operacijo, za katero lahko iskreno rečem, da mi je rešila življenje.
Sindrom drsnega rebra ne more povzročiti le izčrpavajoče fizične agonije, ampak tudi veliko duševno stisko po letih trpljenja in ponavljanja, da je vse v vaši glavi. V času pisanja sem 4,5 meseca po operaciji in počutim se približno 80 % bolje kot pred operacijo in verjamem, da se bom še naprej izboljševal. Moje telo in um morata opraviti še dolgo pot, da se popolnoma pozdravita, vendar sem hvaležen, da sem končno na pravem mestu.
Nikoli ne obupajte na svoji poti. Nikoli ne sprejmi ne kot odgovor. Zaupajte svojim instinktom in telesu. Upam, da bo to še komu pomagalo najti odgovore in potrditve, ki si jih vsi zaslužimo.
Če si želite ogledati Loganove videoposnetke, ki tukaj dokumentirajo potovanje SRS, kliknitetukaj.
JOSEPHINE LJUNGKVIST, NORWAY
Odkar pomnim, sem čutil tako ostre kot tope bolečine zaradi reber. Kot zgodnji najstnik sem obiskoval najrazličnejše zdravnike, nevrologe, ortopede, fizioterapevte in tako naprej. Naredili so mi rentgen, najprej so mi rekli, naj več telovadi, nato pa naj neham telovaditi. Nihče ni mogel ali hotel rešiti vprašanja skrivnostne bolečine, ki sem jo doživljal.
Nekateri so mi celo rekli, da je vse v moji glavi.
Po nekaj letih sem opustila iskanje diagnoze in izhoda iz bolečine, enostavno sem se naučila živeti z njo.
Ko sem bil star 25 let, sem na zabavi naključno srečal naprapatha, ki je vedel za SRS, in tam se je začela dejanska pot do moje diagnoze. Zdaj je približno 2 leti in ena operacija kasneje. Imel sem operacijo v Ullevål Sykehus v Oslu na Norveškem. V času pisanja čakam na operacijo na drugi strani, da odstranim drseče hrustance.
Videoposnetke Josefine, ki dokumentirajo njeno potovanje, si lahko ogledate na njenem youtube kanalutukaj
Bolečine v hrbtu imam že od svojega 13. leta.
Pri 8 letih sem padel s 3 metrov višine in dobil nekaj majhnih razpok v 2 vretencih hrbtenice. Sem jezdec konj in sem včasih padel z njih.
Leta 2018 so se mi zaradi alergijske reakcije močno vnela jetra. Zelo sem shujšal, ker sem bil bolan in takrat sem čutil željo, da bi raztegnil zgornji del telesa in začutil močan klik v spodnjih rebrih, takrat me ni bolelo, a čez nekaj časa mi je rebro začelo polzeti , postalo je nadležno in začelo je rahlo boleti. Zadnja 3 leta sem moral večkrat na dan potisniti rebro nazaj na svoje mesto in bolečina je napredovala. Videl sem veliko zdravnikov specialistov in vsi so imeli čuden izraz na obrazu, ko sem jim povedal in pustil, da čutijo, kaj se dogaja. Rekli so mi, da ni nič, bo šlo.
Veliko sem iskal po Googlu in YouTubu, čez nekaj časa v začetku leta 2021 sem našel nekaj vlogov na YouTubu in en vlog je govoril o skupini Slipping Rib Syndrome na Facebooku. Imel sem tako srečo in olajšanje, ko sem našel to novo skrbno družino. Preko te skupine sem našel zdravnika na Nizozemskem, ki mi je lahko uradno postavil diagnozo SRS. Ta zdravnik mi ni mogel pomagati tako, kot sem želel, toda proti koncu leta 2021 sem našel drugega kirurga in bil 20. decembra 2021 na operaciji.
Imel sem "operacijo reber". Sprva smo mislili, da je samo eno rebro ohlapno, vendar sem vedela, da se dogaja več, in med operacijo so ugotovili, da imamo prizadeta 3 rebra.
V trenutku pisanja sem 4 tedne po operaciji, še vedno imam bolečine po operaciji in moram počasi, vendar lahko rečem, da je izboljšanje in da je luč na koncu tunela!
NICOLE VISSER, THE NETHERLANDS
Moji simptomi so vključevali močno bolečino v rebrih, levi dojki in okoli hrbta. Dolgotrajno sedenje ali stanje me je imelo strašne bolečine in nič ni pomagalo. 28. aprila 2019 sem se v cerkvi spotaknil in pristal na koncu lesene klopi, ki se je dotaknila mojega levega prsnega koša.
Naslednje jutro sem bil na rentgenskem slikanju, ki ni pokazalo zlomljenih reber. Mesece sem preživel v kiropraktiki in fizikalni terapiji. V zgornjem delu hrbtenice imam dva izbočena diska zaradi prometne nesreče leta 2006, zato je moj fizioterapevt menil, da je morda moja neusmiljena bolečina posledica poškodb tistih, ki so nastale zaradi padca. Končno smo prepričali mojo delavsko zavarovalnico, da je magnetna resonanca potrebna, a vse, kar je razkrila, so bile "artritične spremembe", ki jih ne bi povzročila travma zaradi padca, tako da smo bili v drugi slepi ulici.
Zdravnik me je nato napotil k specialistu in obiskal sem ga januarja 2020. Pogledal je moje prve rentgenske posnetke in rekel, da je moja težava na dnu prsnega koša. Povedal mi je, da je na hodniku od njega torakalni kirurg, ki je uvedel novo tehniko popravljanja reber, in me napotil k dr. Adamu Hansenu.
Mesec dni kasneje mi je dr. Hansen diagnosticiral SRS. Preprost 5-minutni pregled je pokazal, da so bila vpletena rebra 8, 9 in 10, in to je lahko popravil s svojo revolucionarno tehniko šivanja. 11. marca 2020 sem imela prvo operacijo. Medtem ko je bolečina pred operacijo takoj izginila, sem kmalu po operaciji začel čutiti ostre zbadanje v trebuhu. Dr. Hansen je zaključil, da so bili šivi pretesni in so posegali v medrebrni živec. 10. avgusta 2020 sem imel prvo revizijo dr. Hansena. Po reviziji so te zbadajoče bolečine takoj izginile.
Dr. Hansen je popravil svoj postopek, tako da drugim ne bo treba opraviti revizije zaradi pretesnih šivov. Hvaležen sem, da sem spet na približno 85-90 % normalen. Brez dvoma je to težka pot in okrevanje je bilo zahtevno.
Ne pričakujem, da se bom kdaj počutil 100-odstotno, toda brez te možnosti popravila vem, da bi bil veliko slabši in brezupen. Spoznal sem prijatelje med svojimi kolegi bojevniki SRS in zavezan sem, da bom drugim pomagal najti pot skozi to. Zavzemajte se zase in ne sprejmite ne kot odgovor. Res ni samo v tvoji glavi.
TINA VIAL, WEST VIRGINIA, USA
Moje težave so se začele, ko sem bila v 7. razredu. Imel sem pokanje v rebrih in bilo mi je neprijetno dihati, nato pa je po nekaj tednih izginilo, vendar se je občasno vrnilo. Ko sem bil v 9. razredu, so se mi rebra začela pojavljati do te mere, da si jih lahko videl skozi mojo majico.
Tekel sem med tekom na 5 milj in eno od mojih reber je izskočilo, težko sem dihal in šel sem v nezavest. Moral sem teči nazaj v šolo in poklical sem mamo, nato pa sva odšla na nujno pomoč.
Po tem je trajalo približno 6 mesecev, da sem dobil diagnozo in nato operacijo, vendar sem v tem času obiskal dva ducata zdravnikov. Diagnosticirali so mi pljučnico, bronhitis, artropatijo, edem kostnega mozga, kostohondritis, interkostalni nevritis in dislocirane glave reber, nato pa končno sindrom zdrsa reber.
Do sedaj so bili moji simptomi nenehne zbadajoče bolečine, nenehno pekoč občutek, občutljivost, hude težave z dihanjem, zbadanje, omedlevanje in bruhanje. Moj SRS je bil dvostranski in zdaj je minilo 14 mesecev po prvi operaciji in 7 mesecev po drugi operaciji, obe pri dr. Adamu Hansenu v Zahodni Virginiji. Obema stranema gre zdaj popolnoma neverjetno.
Moje besede spodbude bi bile, da se še naprej borite za odgovore, ker so tam zunaj. Ko izskočijo rebra, to ni mentalna stvar, zato nadaljujte in si prizadevajte za odgovore.
LINDSEY DARNELL, MICHIGAN, USA
Moj glavni simptom SRS je bilo pokanje reber in zbadajoča bolečina v trebuhu in hrbtu blizu lopatic.
Imam hEDS, ki so mi ga diagnosticirali po moji 3. operaciji kolka pri 23 letih. Zaradi operacij kolka sem razvil zapleten regionalni bolečinski sindrom, zaradi česar sem dobil živčni stimulator v hrbtu, baterija pa je bila v zadnjici. Po 2 operacijah hrbta, ker prva ni uspela, so se mi pojavile strašne bolečine v hrbtu in rebrih.
Po večkratnih poskusih, da bi bolečine v hrbtu odpravili z injekcijami, transfuzijami, fizikalno terapijo, sem našel skupino SRS na Facebooku, ki me je pripeljala do dr. Hansena. 10. marca 2021 sem imel prvo operacijo korekcije reber 7–10 na desni strani. Na žalost sem 27. julija 2021 popustil šiv med delom (sem medicinska sestra) med premikanjem rentgenskega aparata. Imel sem revizijo desne strani in istočasno so mi 22. septembra 2021 popravili levo stran in zdaj to jemljem dan za dnem, ko se zdravim.
Zaupajte svojemu telesu, počivajte tudi, ko želite biti aktivni, in vedno zagovarjajte sebe.
JESSICA TUCKER, WASHINGTON, USA
Februarja 2016, ko sem bila v četrtem mesecu nosečnosti s prvim otrokom, so me začele močno boleti spodnji del rebrnega loka. Kljub temu, da me je večkrat poslala na urgenco in mi onemogočala redne dejavnosti in spanje, je bila bolečina zavrnjena kot "normalna nosečniška bolečina" in "samo mišična". Po porodu se je bolečina zmanjšala, vendar je trajala. Pomirili so me, da bom z malo osteopatije še eno nosečnost dokaj dobro prenesla. Konec leta 2017/začetek leta 2018 sem imela drugo nosečnost. Bolečina se je vrnila z maščevanjem in je bila tokrat veliko hujša. Do tretjega trimesečja sem bila v popolni agoniji, nisem mogla spati, komaj sem hodila ali vozila in potrebovala sem stalno pomoč pri negi svojega malčka. Spet nihče ni dal odgovorov.
Ko je bila moja hči stara štiri mesece, mi je svetovalka za dojenje, ki je bila tudi osebna zdravnica, rekla, "nekaj moramo narediti glede tvojih reber". Bilo je prvič v dveh letih, da me je nekdo dejansko slišal. Poslala me je k specialistu za bolečino, ki je bil po naključju eden redkih zdravnikov v Avstraliji, ki je slišal za SRS. Takoj mi je postavil diagnozo in me poslal k ortopedu, ki je opravil dve operaciji izreza hrustanca (po eno na vsaki strani). Dobro sem okreval in z mislijo, da je tega poglavja konec, sem nadaljeval s svojim življenjem. Začela sva načrtovati tretjega otroka in bila sem tako navdušena, da bom doživela to, za kar sem upala, da bo nosečnost brez bolečin. Preden pa se je to lahko zgodilo, sem eno leto po operaciji začutil znan sunek bolečine v spodnjem delu prsnega koša. V nekaj dneh sem bil prepeljan nazaj v agonijo SRS. Vsaj tokrat sem si mislil, da vem, kako to popraviti.
Poiskala sem pomoč pri torakalnem kirurgu, ki je že zdravil SRS. Še dve operaciji pozneje in odstranitev dislociranega xiphoidnega procesa se nisem izboljšal po pričakovanjih. Bolelo me je hujše kot kdaj koli prej in iz dneva v dan se je slabšalo. Rebra so bila še vedno nestabilna. Rekli so mi, da to ni mogoče, da je vse samo živčna bolečina. Vedel sem, da ni, vendar nisem čutil, da imam veliko izbire, kot da sledim svojim zdravnikom. Potem ko sem zaradi posega zaradi bolečine v živcu brez izboljšanja in predrtih pljuč, sem se odločil, da se moram še bolj boriti. Dr. Hansena sem odkril v ZDA in njegovo tehniko šivanja reber. Njegovo razumevanje, da lahko ekscizije povzročijo nadaljnjo nestabilnost, je bilo zame popolnoma resnično.
Na žalost o operaciji pri nas niso slišali. Ker sem se počutil stisnjenega v kot, sem se odločil za skok in sem naročil operacijo rekonstrukcije po eksciziji pri dr. Hansenu v Zahodni Virginiji za junij 2020. No, vsi vemo, kaj se je zgodilo leta 2020, in nisem mogel zapustiti Avstralije zaradi operacije. Zdaj skoraj popolnoma priklenjena na posteljo in nezmožna skrbeti za svoja dva majhna otroka, sem se obupano obrnila na svojega torakalnega kirurga, oborožena z obilico informacij. Posvetoval se je z dr. Hansenom in se strinjal z izvedbo operacije. Očitno je to prineslo veliko olajšanje, toda blokade in težave z dostopom do zahtevanih tablic so pomenile, da sem moral v izčrpavajočih bolečinah čakati do novembra 2020 na prvo operacijo in marca 2021 na drugo. Okrevanje je bilo težko. Operacije so bile zaradi mojih predhodnih ekscizij bolj zapletene kot redne operacije šivanja dr. Hansena.
Po obeh operacijah sem utrpel hude živčne bolečine in obakrat preživel dva tedna v bolnišnici. Zaradi izrezov sem vedel, da moja rebra nikoli ne bodo popolna. Julija 2021 so mi vsadili stimulator hrbtenjače za pomoč pri nenehnih živčnih bolečinah. Ne morem teči ali skakati in v moji prihodnosti zagotovo ni skoka s padalom, lahko pa hodim, ne preživim dni v postelji, lahko skrbim za svoje otroke in jih celo peljem na preproste izlete. Videti je malo drugače kot prej, a spet imam svoje življenje. In, morda največji blagoslov od vseh, imam čudovitega tretjega otroka, o katerem sva leta sanjala, končno varno raste v mojem trebuhu.
Šest let sem se boril, ignorirali so me, zdravniki so rekli, "no, tudi rebra me bolijo, če jih zbodem", in rekli, da to, kar čutim, "ni mogoče". Prisiljen sem bil goreče zagovarjati zase in izkusil sem bolečino, ki je presegla vse, kar sem si prej lahko predstavljal, a nekako sem jo prebrodil. Neskončno sem hvaležen dr. Hansenu, da mi je namenil svoj čas in delil svoje znanje, ter mojemu kirurgu, ki me je poslušal in bil odprt za učenje novih tehnik.
Vem, da potovanje, da na svet spravim tega dojenčka, ne bo brezbolečinska izkušnja, na katero sem nekoč upala, a dovolj je, da sem dovolj zdrava, da nosim še enega otroka. Ta dojenček in moja starejša dva otroka sta bila razlog za boj.
AMANDA BERMAND, AUSTRALIA
Avgusta 2019 sem imela nesrečo, ko sem igrala odbojko v šoli, kjer sem delala. Vse življenje sem se ukvarjala s športom na visoki ravni, toda pri 54 letih in po raku dojke se je telo odločilo, da te igre ne bo več igralo. Skoraj sem se spravil in nadaljeval s stvarmi, a ko so se simptomi po nekaj mesecih postopoma poslabšali, sem šel k zdravniku.
Po 18 mesecih sem še vedno iskala diagnozo. Tako kot mnogi od nas sem šel skozi številne teste, povedali so mi, da je to v moji glavi, in kot rezultat tega sem začel z anksioznostjo/depresijo.
Na srečo sem po zaslugi sotrpina s SRS našel Facebook skupino za sindrom drsnega rebra in se dogovoril za sestanek z dr. Conaglenom, ki je bil edini kirurg, ki je operiral s Hansenovo tehniko na Novi Zelandiji.
Kljub 6 urni vožnji v obe smeri mi je postavil diagnozo v 5-10 minutah. Nisem mogel delati in sem moral jesti svoje življenjske prihranke, da sem preživel.
Na srečo sem ohranil svoje zasebno zdravstveno zavarovanje, tako da sem januarja 2021 opravil svojo prvo operacijo in zašil 9. in 10. rebro na desni strani.
Sem nekdanji policist z 21-letnim stažem, z depresijo in posttravmatskim stresnim stresom, tako da so se stvari med mojim potovanjem, da bi našla odgovore na svojo bolečino, poslabšale. Zdaj imam zelo dobro ravnotežje v svojem življenju.
Mislim, da je bil moj SRS vedno dvostranski, vendar smo delali eno stran naenkrat. Prav tako sem se ne zavedal, kako občutljive stvari so v resnici, 4 tedne po operaciji neumno pretiraval in verjamem, da sem poškodoval svoje novo popravilo.
Delam osnovne vaje, da poskusim okrepiti vse, kar lahko, pred okvirnim datumom moje druge operacije 7. marca 2022.
Imam tudi 3D CT skeniranje, da vidim, ali bo to pomagalo pri mojem načrtovanju revizije na desni strani. Moj kirurg bo revidiral operacijo na desni strani in zašil tudi levo 9-10 rebro.
Dr. Conaglen je neverjeten in zelo podpira metodo dr. Hansena.
Tukaj je nekaj lekcij, ki sem se jih naučil:
1. NE podcenjujte tega pogoja ... Čaka nas dolga dirka. Vsaj 6-8 tednov po operaciji ne počnite ničesar, kar bi lahko povzročilo nadaljnje težave, tudi če se počutite dobro. (Še vedno se pretepam, da počnem točno to)
2. NE obupaj. Sami sebi ste najboljši zagovornik, zato zaupajte svojemu telesu in svojim instinktom.
3. Sprejmite pomoč. Na koncu tunela je luč. Nekateri od nas imamo zelo črne dni (jaz jih še vedno imam), a bolj kot si delimo in se pogovarjamo o stvareh, bolj lahko pomagamo drugim (in morda tudi sebi). Skupine so zaradi tega neverjetne.
4. BODITE PRIJAZNI DO SEBE
Še nikoli nisem bil tako navdušen nad operacijo in posledično bolečino. To bo bolečina z namenom. Tudi jaz sem zelo živčna. Toliko nas je s podobnimi težavami, zato preprosto vedite, kje ste, ne glede na to, ali imate dober dan ali slabo noč v bolečini, "Kia Kaha, Kia manawanui" (Ostani močan, nikoli ne obupaj).
GINA SAMSON, NEW ZEALAND
Moja pot SRS se je začela pred 17 leti leta 2004 v Združenem kraljestvu. Imela sem 4 otroke, od katerih so bili 3 težki 10+ funtov in po dojenčku št. 4 sem opazila, da mi je eno od reber neboleče škljocalo navznoter in ven na desnem rebrnem loku. Kmalu je postala občasna globoka topa bolečina in zdelo se mi je, kot da bi mi pod prsni koš potisnila otroško nogo, vendar nisem bila noseča. V naslednjih nekaj letih sem imel kolonoskopijo, endoskopijo in številne ultrazvoke zgornjega dela trebuha. Vse se je vrnilo v normalno stanje. "To mora biti IBS," so rekli.
Leta 2009 smo se preselili v Ontario v Kanadi, kjer so se moji simptomi nadaljevali na & izklopljeno. Moj novi osebni zdravnik (dr. družina) me je poslal na dodatne preiskave. Vse je bilo normalno, a moja bolečina se je nadaljevala. Poskusil sem izpiranje žolčnika s kitajsko medicino. Žolčni kamni so bili izločeni, vendar niso povzročili olajšanja simptomov. Številni obiski pri osteopatu, naturopatu, homeopatu, nutricionistu, kiropraktiku & Fizioterapevt. Nič ni pomagalo.
Konec leta 2018, po premikanju težkih škatel, je bila moja bolečina veliko hujša. Veliko več diagnostičnih testov. Potem sem se neke noči zbudil z bolečino 10/10 in se počutil, kot da bi me zabodel. To je bil manjkajoči del sestavljanke in končno je moje iskanje v Googlu našlo sindrom drsenja reber. Aleluja! Z veseljem sem se vrnil k osebnemu zdravniku in pričakoval, da bo vedel vse o SRS. Samo prazno me je pogledal in predpisal še več lajšanja bolečin. K sreči me je moj kiropraktik poslušal, začutil škljocanje mojih reber in se strinjal, da je SRS precej verjeten.
Na žalost sem leta 2019 imel nesrečo, ko sem oplazil nezavarovano vlečno kljuko avtomobilske prikolice. Vrglo me je v zrak in zelo me je bolelo. Tudi za moja rebra ni dobro. "Fizioterapija bo pomagala," je rekel moj zdravnik.
Moj fizioterapevt ni mogel ugotoviti, zakaj se ne izboljšujem. Omenil sem SRS, začutil je, da mi je počilo rebro, se strinjal z mano in pisal mojemu osebnemu zdravniku ter predlagal blokado živcev. Splošni zdravnik me je napotil na protibolečinsko ambulanto zaradi "bolečin v trebuhu"?!! Ne omenjam mojih reber. Protibolečinska ambulanta Dr je rekla: "Ne ukvarjamo se z bolečinami v trebuhu". Med videoklicem sem planila v jok, dr. je poiskal SRS in mi ponudil blokado živcev. Potem se je začela pandemija in živčni bloki se nikoli niso zgodili.
Zahteval sem napotnico k lokalnemu ortopedu. To je bila moja najhujša izkušnja daleč naokoli. Potem ko mi je povedala, da je zelo malo verjetno, da imam "nekaj redkega internetnega stanja", je rekla, "ne delam reber" in me odpustila. Zdaj sem že postajal obupan. Imela sem stalno hudo topo bolečo bolečino na obeh straneh, bolečino v boku, strašno bolečino v hrbtu okrog naramnice nedrčka, občasne ostre zbadajoče bolečine na obeh straneh in težave s spanjem. Moja rebra so večkrat na dan kliknila noter/ven in potovanja z avtomobilom so bila grozna.
POTEM sem odkril dr. Adama Hansena v Zahodni Virginiji. Aleluja trenutek št. 2! Odkrila sem tudi Facebook skupino SRS. Nenadoma sem našel cel kup ljudi z enakimi simptomi kot jaz! Svojemu osebnemu zdravniku sem poslal povezavo do spletnega seminarja dr. Hansena. Po tem je bil pogovor enostaven. "Morda imaš prav," je rekel! Poklical sem v ordinacijo dr. Hansena.
Ko sem potoval iz Kanade v ZDA in sam plačal operacijo, sem imel možnost, da en dan pridem na diagnostiko, naslednji dan pa na operacijo - zelo strašljivo! Kaj če sem se motil glede SRS? V začetku oktobra 2021 smo se v Zahodno Virginijo vozili več kot 8 ur. Bilo je živčno parajoče, saj je pandemija pomenila zaprtje kopenske meje med ZDA in Kanado, vendar nam je uspelo. Dr Hansen je bil neverjetno prijazen in nežen in v 5 minutah mi je diagnosticiral obojestransko zdrs reber.
Moja operacija je bila daljša in bolj zapletena, kot sem pričakoval. Imel sem dvostranski 9th & Zlomi hrustanca 10. rebra z deformacijami prsne stene, SRS & medrebrna nevralgija. Konice mojih 9-k so lahko subluksirale le posteriorno in je bilo zelo težko priti do njih. Konice hrustanca vseh 4 reber so bile izrezane za 2 cm vsakega, ker so bile dolge in kljukaste, nato pa 9 in amp; 10-ke so bile prišite na 8-ke, da bi ponovno ustvarili stabilno rebro. Zbudil sem se z bolečino 10/10 in potreboval sem veliko morfija & fentanil v sobi za okrevanje, vendar sem bil presenečen, da sem končno lahko popolnoma globoko vdihnil. Tega leta nisem mogel storiti. Dr Hansen je rekel, da bosta prva 2 tedna zelo boleča in imel je popolnoma prav! Okrevanje je tobogan, to je gotovo.
Zdaj, v času pisanja, sem 4 mesece po operaciji. Počasi se izboljšujem in upam, da se bom do 6. meseca počutila odlično. Zelo sem hvaležen dr. Hansenu za njegovo pionirsko tehniko. On, njegova žena Lisa in njihova ekipa na UHC v Zahodni Virginiji so odlični. Moja fotografija je bila posneta s Hansenovimi 1 teden po operaciji. Moj žebljiček je na zemljevidu za mano, skupaj s stotinami drugih, ki so imeli operacijo SRS pri dr. Hansenu.
Težko je zagovarjati sebe. Bodi močan, poslušaj svoje telo, ne sprejmi ne kot odgovor in resnično upam, da boš kmalu dobil potrebno oskrbo.
ELIZABETH LIDBETTER, ONTARIO, CANADA
Ko sem bil star 11 let, sem imel prvo nenadno, grozno, krčevito epizodo bolečine v prsnem košu, pod roko ob boku in pod prsmi. Upal sem, da gre za naključje, vendar so se mi vsakih nekaj mesecev začele pojavljati podobne epizode, ki so trajale od nekaj minut do več ur intenzivne bolečine, ki se je nič ni moglo dotakniti, kjer se zaradi bolečine nisem mogla premakniti ali celo govoriti. ;
Takrat sem imel vse preiskave itd. in seveda je bilo vse normalno. Našel sem kiropraktika, ki je uporabljal izjemno nežne tehnike, in redne prilagoditve tam so začele spodoben odsek skoraj normalnosti. Še vedno sem lahko čutil tiščanje in zbadanje, ko sem pretiraval z aktivnostjo ali z vrtečimi gibi, vendar sem večinoma živel normalno najstniško življenje približno leto in pol.
Februarja 2021 se je vse spremenilo. Nenavadno gibanje doma je sprožilo epizodo, ki je trajala nekaj dni in je bila najhujša doslej. Namesto da bi izginila po nekaj preostalih dneh bolečine, je bolečina trajala in postala vsakodnevna. Moral sem prekiniti večino dejavnosti in skoraj ves čas počivati.
Imel sem VSE teste, vse slikanje, potoval sem v Cleveland in Indianapolis, potem ko sem videl vse, ki sem jih lahko lokalno, in še vedno brez odgovorov. Po internetnem iskanju simptomov sem našel Facebook skupino sindroma zdrsnega rebra in kot strela z jasnega sem spoznal, da gre za SRS.
Dva različna kirurga sta mi rekla, da ga nimam. PREPRIČAN sem bil, da sem. Stvari so se premikale notri, čutil sem to in nihče tega ni mogel potrditi. Nazadnje sem lani julija končal na kliniki Mayo, kjer dinamični ultrazvok še vedno ni pokazal veliko, ročni pregled pa je. Naslednji dan je bila operacija nenadoma in odkrito je bilo, da sta bili rebri 9 in 10 na levi ločeni. Operacija pri Mayu je nekoliko pomagala. Moje epizode neznosne bolečine so bile manj pogoste in so trajale krajši čas, a preprosto ni bilo prav.
Oktobra 2021 smo odpotovali v Zahodno Virginijo k dr. Hansenu. Bil je prav tako sočuten in čudovit, kot so vsi rekli. Bil je iskren z nami, da ni bil prepričan, kaj bo operacija odkrila, saj sem že imela šive in je bilo težko reči, kako varne so stvari. Vendar je bil pripravljen narediti vse, kar je lahko, in točno to smo potrebovali.
2. marca 2022 sem imel rekonstrukcijsko tehniko dr. Hansena, s ploščami in presadki konic hrustanca, med rebri 8/9 in 9/10, in tako sem začel čakati in okrevati.
Kot vsi vedo, je tobogan. Okrevanje je bilo na začetku intenzivno. In zdaj, v času pisanja, sem 10 tednov v procesu po operaciji. Obstajajo vrhovi in doline. Dolžini dobrih dni lahko sledi obdobje bolečih.
Ampak. Ste opazili besede "dobri dnevi"? Ker sem jih imel! Več dobrih dni v zadnjih 10 tednih, kot sem jih imel v prejšnjem LETU svojega najstniškega življenja. Velikonočno praznovanje z družino ves dan, kar bi bilo prej nemogoče, ko sem kasneje rekel: "Počutil sem se odlično!". Še vedno imam napade živčnih bolečin in zakrčenosti mišic, ki me pošiljajo v »kaj če«, vendar sem še vedno na začetku procesa okrevanja in to je bil očitno korak k ozdravitvi.
Nisem še končal. Morda bom imel v prihodnosti operacijo na desni strani in možna je ablacija živca zaradi čudnega kosa hrustanca na rebru 8, ki ga dr. Hansen ni mogel odstraniti brez strukturnih pomislekov, vendar čutim večjo stabilnost, in manj bolečine.
Še vedno sem na tem potovanju, vendar sem se želel javno zahvaliti družini Hansens in vsem v podporni skupini za nenehno podporo in spodbudo – tudi ko ne veste, da jo dajete. Reševalno je bilo.
MAYA OYER, USA
JESSICA DE'O, ONTARIO, CANADA
Ko sem bil star 11/12, sem začel imeti simptome SRS. Sprva se je začelo z neizmernimi bolečinami v prsih, zaradi katerih skoraj ni bilo mogoče dihati. Ta bolečina bi se ovila okoli mojih prsi in prsnice. Pokanje se je začelo približno leto kasneje. Zdravniki so rekli, da imam kostohondritis, in mi rekli, naj jemljem naproksen. Rentgen prsnega koša je bil vedno normalen. Imel sem celo slikanje kosti, kar je bilo tudi normalno. Sčasoma se mi je verjetno povečala toleranca na bolečino. Nisem več imel živčne bolečine, ki bi se ovijala okoli prsnega koša do hrbta, vendar sem občasno imel ostre bolečine, ki so mi šle navzgor po prsnici. Moje prsi so bile nenehno boleče na dotik in celo na ehokardiogramu me je teden dni bolelo. Imel sem izredno hude bolečine v hrbtu, ki so jih zdravniki vedno olepšali z "vaš nahrbtnik je pretežak". Leta in leta sem bil brez odgovorov, jemal sem veliko naproksena in živel v bolečini.
Pri 18 letih sem šel h kiropraktiku, ki mi je prvi povedal za sindrom drsenja reber. Takrat na spletu res ni bilo ničesar, kar bi lahko našli o tem. Sčasoma so se pojavile nekatere stvari, kot je pacient dr. Oz, nato pa sem videl nekaj raziskav o proloterapiji za SRS. Bil sem pri zdravniku športne medicine, naredili smo ultrazvok (ki je bil normalen) in se pogovorili o proloterapiji. Navsezadnje je bilo predrago in rekel je, da to ni garancija, saj moj SRS že deluje že več let, proloterapija pa je v njegovi praksi najbolje delovala pri novih poškodbah.
Spet sem bil na začetku. Potem sem nekega dne našel skupino SRS na Facebooku in izvedel za metodo dr. Hansena, vendar sem v Kanadi in nisem mogel odpotovati k dr. Hansenu. Ko sem prvotno našel skupino, nisem vedel, kdo je dr. Matar. Šele leta 2020 sem zanj izvedel od njegovega prvega pacienta SRS in čutil sem, da končno imam rešitev za težavo, s katero sem živel polovico svojega življenja.
Dr. Matar in njegova ekipa so bili naravnost fenomenalni. Pred tem nisem bil operiran kljub tonzilektomiji in nekaterim zobozdravniškim zadevam, ko sem bil majhen, zato me je zelo vznemirjalo. V preteklosti sem šel skozi napade panike, ko sem se premagal/instinktivno boril proti temu, tudi ko sem psihično v redu. Dr. Matar in njegova ekipa so me držali za roke/tolažili, ko sem bila v anesteziji. Operacija je bila hitra in naslednji dan smo se odpravili na 5,5-urno pot domov. To je bil edini dan, ko sem vzel opioidno tabletko.
Prvi 3 meseci so bili težki, zdi se mi, da veliko ljudi pravi isto. Po teh 3 mesecih sem prenehal dvomiti o uspehu operacije in sem resnično začel videti njene koristi. Po tem je šlo večinoma navzdol, vendar so bila obdobja, v katerih sem imela veliko vnetij.
Zdaj sem eno leto zunaj in počutim se naravnost fenomenalno. Zmožen sem narediti veliko več, česar prej nisem bil sposoben. Dvigovanje težkih stvari mi nikoli ni bilo lahko in po tem sem imel dolgotrajne bolečine v prsih. Zdaj lahko dvignem polovico svoje telesne teže brez bolečin ali neugodja. Pri dolgih sprehodih bi moral vzeti odmore zaradi bolečin v prsih/težkega dihanja, zdaj pa hodim 1,5-2+ uri na dan in delam polni delovni čas kot vzgojitelj predšolskih otrok brez bolečin ali nelagodja. Preden se nisem mogel nežno dotakniti svojih prsi brez bolečin, je bil dotik kjer koli boleč in boleč.
Nisem opravljal nobenih aktivnosti z velikim vplivom, a glede na dosedanje okrevanje se zdaj počutim veliko močnejšega. Velik razlog, zakaj so bile moje bolečine v hrbtu prej tako hude, je bil ta, da sem imel skoraj nič jedrne mišice zaradi SRS. Počasi sem gradil svoje osrednje mišice tako, da sem počel vsakodnevne stvari in se poskušal zavestno zavedati, da jih aktiviram. Desna stran me sploh ne moti, ne poka in ni boleča. Operacijo bi znova opravil v trenutku, če bi jo potreboval, in za vedno sem hvaležen dr. Hansenu za njegovo delo pri ustvarjanju neinvazivne metode za popravilo SRS, pa tudi dr. Matarju in njegovi izjemni ekipi v Ottawi .
AUDREY THAIN-ARDIS, GEORGIA, USA
Hi, I'm Audrey, from Georgia, USA. My SRS journey started at least 13 years ago, but possibly even longer. Between a car accident when I was 18, overworking my abs as a teen (why did I do 200+ crunches most days?), being hypermobile, and finally 2 pregnancies in my mid 20s, my ribs have been painful for so many years. I started pursuing medical help for my rib pain during my first pregnancy in 2010, when the pain became unbearable. I was told it was probably round ligament pain and would resolve after delivery. When it didn't resolve, I went to many doctors for many years, most of whom told me it was all in my head.
When I showed them my lumpy deformed-looking ribs, one doctor even told me I just had an uneven fat deposit on that side! By this point, the pain and worry about not knowing what was wrong and imagining all the "what-ifs" had given me pretty bad anxiety. The pain made it hard to do my daily tasks, hard to sit on the floor and play with my kids, really hard to sit at all. Riding in a car or sitting anywhere for more than a few minutes was excruciating.
I got used to awkwardly telling people I'd rather stand when they offered me a seat, and always stayed flightily busy to avoid sitting. My lack of rib structure also made it very hard to get a deep breath. (Imagine trying to do pull-ups on a spring-- that's what trying to get a deep breath felt like!) Meanwhile I was still being told that my pain was all in my head. The lack of validation from this has such an effect on your confidence and mental health! Finally in 2018, late one night, desperately searching google for what could possibly be wrong with me, I saw something online about Slipping Rib Syndrome and it clicked! I knew this had to be it.
I saw a new local doctor who was just out of school and she agreed. Meanwhile, I had found the Slipping Rib Syndrome Facebook page and had started feeling so much more validated finding a whole community of people who understood exactly how I was feeling! (That little group is now over 5600 people strong!!). The Facebook group led me to Dr Adam Hansen at WVU in West Virginia, who had developed a new repair for SRS. We made the trip to West Virginia and Dr Hansen confirmed my diagnosis. My 9th and 10th ribs were fully detached, hooked, and jammed under the upper ribs. There's an intercostal nerve that runs between each rib, so that nerve was being constantly compressed, giving me pain from my abdomen all the way around to my shoulder blade.
I had Dr. Hansen's 3.0 surgery in February 2022 and have never regretted it! He spaced my ribs apart with cartilage grafts, loosely sutured my ribs together, and topped them off with a bioresorbable plate to hold things in place until my body could heal and develop its own scar tissue to keep itself secure. I woke up from surgery feeling much more stable, somehow taller (I didn't even realize how much I had been guarding and compensating for my ribs) and finally able to breathe freely!! Within a few months, I felt well enough to get back to daily life, travel, plant a garden, go kayaking, hiking, and generally enjoy life much more again! Now at 17 months post op, I'm so thankful to be doing pretty much anything I'd like to do and feeling so much better! If you're struggling with these symptoms, please reach out! There is hope!
KARI MORGENSTEIN, FLORIDA, USA
My journey started in 2019 when my husband and I found out I was pregnant. Around 5 weeks, I was vomiting 20 times a day and left fighting for my life and my daughter’s as well. At 8 weeks, I was diagnosed with severe Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). I was placed on a feeding tube through a PICC line as I was severely malnourished. I was vomiting 20 times a day until my daughter was born.
Around 6 months postpartum, I started to get a sharp, excruciating pain in the front of my chest near my Xiphoid. Any movement such as breathing or talking too much made it worse. This led to appointment after appointment from cardiology, rheumatology to gastro and pulmonology it felt like my husband and I spent every day either scheduling a doctor’s appointment or seeing a provider. Many providers told me nothing was wrong with me and I just needed to “push through”.
Luckily my husband and I were not willing to accept this. We fought tirelessly, day and night, to find answers to my debilitating pain that left me unable to care for our newborn daughter. I, fortunately, came across the Slipping Rib Syndrome (SRS) Facebook page and this led me to Dr. Adam Hansen and Ms. Lisa Hansen. We made the trip to West Virginia in January 2021 and I was diagnosed with SRS (9th and 10th rib on right side).
I am forever grateful to Dr. Hansen (and to so many SRS sufferers and survivors that I met on my journey) for giving me my life back and ensuring my daughter has her mommy. I am now 2.5 years out from my surgery and living life again. Pain free!!! My recovery was not an easy one, but it was totally worth it. To anyone reading this that is currently struggling with SRS or trying to find answers to your debilitating pain: You are stronger than you think.
Crying is a sign of strength. Let the tears flow! Lean on your support system and ask for help. Be kind to yourself. The SRS FB group is filled with many incredibly giving and strong individuals. We are all in this together. Use this group to support you at whatever stage you’re in. Keep advocating for yourself. Your pain is real. You. can do this. Take one hour, one minute, or just one second at a time.
HOPE WILD, MARYLAND, USA
My pain began around the end of 2016. It started out with an annoying pain on my right side liver area. I had imaging which found polyps in my gallbladder but that surgeon was kind enough to let me know he didn’t believe it was causing my pain because polyps typically don’t hurt, but the gallbladder had to come out due to their size and possibly eventually growing into cancer if they weren’t already. There were 3 and thankfully, they were benign. I went through years of pain, which over time turned into clicking with the pain. I think my right 10th rib started to come loose and eventually detached altogether.
The pain continued and my life began to decline more and more each day, which became years. I lost my mojo. Procedures I had: -Too much imaging (scans/X-rays) to count -Endoscopy -Pill Camera -Scoliosis diagnosis and physical therapy -Spinal injections to test for a Rhizotomy which I decided not to follow through with because I didn’t feel it would help -Colonoscopy -Whatever else I may not be recalling in this moment.
Because I was so desperate I asked my orthopedic surgeon to perform a spinal fusion at one point. Thankfully, he’s a great man/surgeon and talked me out of it because he knew it wasn’t causing the pain I was describing. I couldn’t work and had to give up my independence. I withered away because the rib pain was so bad, I could barely eat. I lived on Ensure. Not eating helped, but it still hurt all the time. My muscles atrophied and everything else began to decline due to the effects of losing nutrition and movement.
Eventually, I found some motivation and I got a job working from home, got on my own again and pushed through it. I kept losing weight and got down to about 92lbs. I started researching more and found out about SRS. I researched thoracic surgeons in my area to find a surgeon that appeared to have an open mind and would be willing to learn. The surgeon I chose was also an assistant professor and that gave me hope. I provided him with Dr. Hansen’s procedure information and he reviewed it, ordered ultrasound imaging and some other tests and we kept meeting and talking. He reached out to Dr. Hansen and scheduled my surgery. At this point, it was exploratory because when it came to slipping ribs, it wasn’t something he’s treated this way and when he looked into it, resection was the solution.
I said no thanks to that and kept asking him to look into the suturing procedure. I need my ribs to protect my organs and support my bone structure. I remember waking up from my surgery and him telling me “you were right!” My right side 10th rib was completely detached and free to float around. He used Dr. Hansen’s 2.0 technique and sutured it to the 9th. It was finally stable! That was January of 2021. I began to have the same type of pain again a few months later. I was happy to let him go back in to take a look around to figure out what was going on. It turned out that the very tip of my 10th rib cartilage had come loose and was flipping around so he snipped it off, added sutures and closed me back up. That was September 2021. I’m almost fully recovered. Recovering from the atrophy is the hardest part because like many SRS sufferers, I have other diagnosed problems like Hypermobility and severe scoliosis. I am a work in progress and I will get there! We grow through what we go through.
HEATHER DOBOS, MINNESOTA, USA
I fought SRS for 16 very hard long years of my life and I’m only 38. I can now say that it’s been 3 years of living and finally experiencing the life I have always wanted and dreamed of pain free. My journey of SRS was hard frustrating painful and so many emotions I can’t even describe. I can not pinpoint exactly how why or when this happened but my decline started in 2004 when my appendix ruptured. From then many GI related issues happened.
I have had all the tests you could imagine and they all would come back negative. Being told over and over again by doctors that nothing was wrong and that it is all in my head. I had fo fight and advocate over and over again to be heard by all physicians. I was losing weight and barley being able to eat or even drink water on my surgery day I was only 96 lbs and felt like I was whithering away. I kept my determination and strength up that I was going get on the other side of whatever was going on with me. If I hadn’t kept that mindset I wouldn’t be here today.
In 2020 while the world was shutting down is when I really started to go downhill with pain and frustration and lack of answers. I was going to a pain clinic and a physical therapist mentioned the words that I had already circling in my head from my own research of Slipping rib syndrome. She did a dynamic ultrasound and saw my flaring ribs very clearly on my left side and said to me “how has no one ever seen this?”
I burst into tears and wept in her exam room and thanked her for not thinking I was crazy. With that I went home and began my own advocating and determination to find a doctor no matter how far I had to go that would help me. I found Dr. Shiroff at University of Pennsylvania. I reached out to his office and I honestly didn’t know how much more time I could deal with this physically or mentally. After a week or so his assistant reached out and we got the ball rolling with zoom meetings and medical records being sent and within one zoom meeting he could see how bad my 8th, 9th and 10th ribs were for me. On July 27th 2020 I met my knight in shining armor, Dr. Shiroff who I believe saved my life and gave me my life back to share my story and help others in the process. It’s been wonderful to be able to experience life, food and and new experiences again. I was finally healthy enough to get pregnant with our beautiful daughter and happy to announce we’re pregnant again. A dream and experience I thought I would never see in my life. I get to be me again and it feels so good.
OLIVIA HEATH, COLORADO, USA
My daughter Olivia swam competitively for years. During her junior year of high school, she experienced intense back pain that worsened when she swam. She also regularly experienced a stabbing pain along the front of her abdomen, and she could trigger that pain by moving her lower ribs back and forth.
Olivia's weekly physical therapy only provided temporary relief for her pain. After her symptoms worsened, leading to her quitting swimming, I turned to the internet for answers. Thankfully, I stumbled across Slipping Rib Syndrome and the Facebook support group. I spent many hours gleaning information and encouragement, and it was immeasurably helpful. Olivia’s story would not be the happy one it is today without this group.
My internet searches also led me to Dr. Diaz-Muron, a surgeon at Denver Children’s Hospital who is familiar with SRS. In October 2022, he diagnosed Olivia with bilateral SRS through a physical exam. He also ordered a dynamic chest ultrasound to confirm the diagnosis. It was such a gift to have received an answer so quickly!
The techs were puzzled during Olivia's dynamic ultrasound because they had never seen or heard of SRS before. They did their best to decipher what we were all seeing on the screen, and in the end, they diagnosed her with bilateral SRS at ribs 8-9. Later we’d discover that they had counted the ribs wrong, and it was actually Olivia’s 9th and 10th ribs that were slipping. In fact, ribs 9 and 10 on both sides had become completely separated from her costal margin.
In December, Olivia underwent a bilateral intercostal radio frequency nerve ablation (8-10 R and 10-12 L) at Denver Children’s Hospital. While this helped with the pain a bit, it created an additional problem where she temporarily lost muscle strength and tone in her lower abdomen. Thankfully, she has a great manual physical therapist who helped her through that hiccup. Olivia also had an assessment at the Denver Children’s Hospital Genetics Hypermobility Clinic. They diagnosed her with Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder but not hEDS (she got her hypermobility from her mama).
In January 2023, Olivia had a “normal” CT scan that, when converted into 3-D, revealed her detached ribs. Also in January, she had a consultation with Dr. Pieracci at Denver Health. We both really liked Dr. Pieraacci. He was kind, empathic, and communicated clearly. However, he was performing the Hansen 2.0 surgery, and through the group, I had learned that Dr. Hansen was doing a 3.0 version of the surgery. So, we decided to wait until we saw Dr. Hansen to determine the next steps.
In February, Olivia and I traveled east for consultations with Dr. Shiroff at Penn Medicine and Dr. Hansen at WVU. The consult with Dr. Shiroff went well, and we left with the sense that he is a skilled surgeon who successfully treats many SRS patients. However, he was performing a version of the Hansen 2.0 surgery, and we were eager to learn about Dr. Hansen’s 3.0 version.
Olivia’s consultation with Dr. Hansen was great—he was knowledgeable, professional, kind, and humble. He spent so much time addressing our many questions and concerns. Olivia felt seen, understood, and heard. But I won’t sugarcoat things—the surgery and recovery ahead were daunting for Olivia and left her feeling scared and overwhelmed. And as Olivia’s mom, I was terrified of making a wrong decision that could negatively affect her present and future. (I may or may not have sobbed in the bathtub when we got back to the hotel.)
It didn’t take long for Olivia, my husband, and I to agree that the 3.0 surgery with Dr. Hansen was Olivia’s best option. However, Dr. Hansen’s first available surgery slot was too close to Olivia’s first day of college. It wouldn’t allow for enough recovery time before she needed to do things like carry a backpack long distance. So, we put her on a wait list and hoped and prayed.
Over the next few months, Olivia’s pain became nearly unbearable. Simple things like sitting in class and driving in a car were extremely painful. The main thing that helped her was lifting weights; her muscle gains and the endorphins she got after each lift helped her to push past the pain, discouragement, and fear. She had been lifting for around a year, and Dr. Hansen told her that the muscle strength she had built would greatly help with her recovery. So, Olivia carefully pressed on in the gym despite her growing pain.
The day after Olivia graduated from high school, Lisa Hansen reached out with fabulous news. She said that if we could be in West Virginia in exactly one week, there was a surgery spot available for Olivia! The news was both exciting and terrifying. It was difficult for Olivia to wrap her mind around all that was about to change and around the long road to recovery, but she was all in.
Olivia’s May 24th surgery was a tremendous success! Dr. Hansen excised some costal cartilage from her 9th and 10th ribs on both sides, used the excised cartilage to create spacer grafts between ribs 8-10 on each side, sutured ribs 9 and 10 together with the grafts, and bilaterally placed bioabsorbable plates from ribs 7 through 10. The entire surgery took around three hours, and Dr. Hansen was really excited about how well everything went.
After a week at a nearby hotel, Dr. Hansen cleared Olivia to fly home to Colorado. Olivia's recovery was tough, even though she knew what to expect. Ice became her best friend, and she found ways to stay entertained and encouraged while being bed-ridden. Still, those three months were extremely difficult for her.
About those recovery months Olivia says, “Lifting was my mental and physical solace through my senior year, and to have it taken away was devastating. Those first months felt like purgatory, and recovery was filled with countless tears. SRS patients may feel hopeless during the initial months of healing after surgery, but I encourage them to make a list of all the ways their ribs held them back before the surgery so that they can check them off as they regain strength. Watching my progress kept me sane. I felt devastated right after the surgery, but in time I saw how it brought new abilities and reduced pain that I didn’t think was possible.”
As Olivia’s 3-month post-surgery milestone neared, she was feeling quite good. She no longer needed ice, could work as a restaurant hostess, and was back to being the social butterfly that she is. And three months after her surgery, she was back in the gym. Although she had lost most of the muscle she had built, she was determined to regain it carefully.
On August 30, my husband and I moved Olivia into her dorm to begin her freshman year of college in Arizona. To this day, we’re still in awe over the timing of her surgery. She had exactly three months to heal at home under the care of her family and without the demands of school.
With her four-month surgery anniversary just around the corner, Olivia says, “My body feels drastically better and almost normal, and I’m able to move without popping. Since it’s only been four months, there’s still some healing to be done and there’s still some soreness, but I’m able to do all the things I love. I can do so much more than I could do before my surgery with Dr. Hansen, and I don’t feel held back by my body anymore. Every minute of the recovery pain was worth it now that I get to be under a bar with a lot of weight on it again.”
Whether to have surgery, what surgery to have, and which surgeon to trust are weighty decisions. We believe that we made the right choice for Olivia and hope that the coming months and years yield even more healing and strength.
If you’ve read this far, I hope Olivia’s story has encouraged you. The road to wellness is hard, and conflicting information and experiences are discouraging. As someone who also lives with chronic pain, I know how difficult it is to keep striving for healing and pain relief. Hang in there. Keep doing the next right thing. Hold on to hope, and remember to look for the beauty around you.
ALYSSA LOWE, GEORGIA, USA
After suffering for more than 4 years from severe pain in my chest and abdomen, difficulty breathing, nausea, and fatigue, I had surgery to secure my slipping ribs.
I was scared to have surgery, because I read some horror stories online about how it didn't work or made things worse. I also worried about the risks and complications of anesthesia and infection. But I decided to go ahead with it, because I couldn't stand living in pain anymore. I found Dr. Christie, who is one of the surgeons in the US who specializes in slipping rib syndrome surgery.
He was very knowledgeable and compassionate, and he explained everything to me in detail. He assured me that he had a lot of experience and success with this procedure, and that he would do his best to help me.
The surgery went well, and I went home immediately after surgery. Dr. Christie removed the part of the rib that was causing the problem, and sutured the other ribs that were loose. He told me that I would feel some pain and soreness for a few weeks, but that it would gradually improve as I healed.
He was right. The recovery process has been amazing. Every day, I feel a little bit better. The pain is much less than before, and I can take less medication. I can breathe more deeply and easily, without feeling like someone is squeezing my chest. I can sleep more comfortably, without waking up in agony. I can eat more normally, without feeling sick or bloated. And I can do more things that I enjoy, like walking, reading, and spending time with my family and friends.
Dr. Christie really changed my life for the better, and I'm so thankful to him and his team. They gave me hope and relief, when I thought there was none. They treated me with kindness and respect, when I felt alone and misunderstood. They gave me back my health and happiness, when I thought they were gone forever.
If you have slipping rib syndrome and you're scared of surgery, don't let the fear stop you. Trust me, it's worth it. It's not an easy decision, but it's the best one you can make for yourself. You deserve to live without pain and suffering. You deserve to live your best life.
