After spending most of the weekend nursing pain in my left shoulder and arm, and getting by on a couple of hours sleep, I arrived at work today, Monday pretty worn out. Sitting looking at a computer screen, with pain steaming out of my neck and down my arm, and the back of my left hand burning with pins and needles, courage deserted me. I threw in the towel. I rang Dr Ian Farey.
Dr Ian Farey, one of Australia’s most renowned Cervical spine surgeons. I would add him to the long list of doctors I visited in 2015
I didn’t know if he was still practising medicine. Last time I had seen him was 1998 – 17 years ago, when he operated on my Cervical spine. Looking up his address on the Internet gave me a jolt. Up came a photo of a building that formed a pivotal place in my life. I hadn’t been there for nearly 2 decades. I was one person when I walked into that building, all those years ago and quite a different person when I walked out.
The charmless building opposite Chatswood railway station, that housed the consulting rooms of Dr Ian Farey, one of Australia’s most renowned Cervical spine surgeons. I arrived in his rooms back then with a paralysed left arm and hand after a horse riding accident. I was bent over in pain and he operated the following day. He performed a Cervical spine fusion, at the junction of my cervical spine (C7) with the top of the thoracic spine (T1) That involved cutting a piece of bone out of my pelvis and jamming it into my neck, entering through the front of my throat. Way too much fun!
Six weeks after the operation – it’s called an Anterior Cervical Discectomy with bone fusion – I had regained the use of my arm but not the use of my left hand. It was virtually dead from the wrist down. I went in for a follow-up expecting that this would just be another speedbump. I expected Farey to tell me that the recovery would just take time. That I would soon regain the normal use of my hand. I remember his words:
Kelly: How long is this going to take to recover, till I get my hand back?
Farey: I’m sorry to say that the recovery you’ve had so far, is all that you’re going to have. It won’t get any better than it is now
Kelly: What never?
Farey: Yes, I’m afraid so. It’s most unusual but you’ll be left with permanent disability in your left hand and a partial disability in your left arm
I was rendered mute.
Kelly: Well just do another operation and fix it up. There must be something you can do.
Farey: No by now the muscles in your hand have atrophied. If they were going to come back to life, they would have done so by now. You’ve had permanent damage to the nerves running down from your spine into your hand and arm and the surgery didn’t fix it.
Kelly: So you mean it’s going to be like this for the rest of my life? I held my now lifeless left hand up in front of his face.
Farey: Yes I’m afraid so.
I looked at him in profound disbelief. I had come to Farey comforted by his reputation as one of the best Cervical spine surgeons in the world. I was devastated at his suggestion that he couldn’t he fix me up? I didn’t want to be a cripple. I travelled down in the lift, feeling I was standing on one of those hinge points in existence where you’ve left an old life behind and a new one is beginning – a new one you can’t see. My legs nearly buckled underneath me. I staggered out onto the footpath thronged by busy commuters coming out of Chatswood railway station, all oblivious to my recent news which though important to me, was immaterial to them. I looked at their left arms. All I could think was, Oh shit. I repeated it to myself, over and over, standing solitary and alone on the crowded footpath.
I didn’t blame God then. I had no idea of what a nasty, vindictive whack-job He could be. My hand has never recovered
I made an appointment to see Farey in a week’s time. They had to dig my medical records out of the archive. He wants me to have an MRI, but they saw in the records that I can’t do the standard MRI due to claustrophobia. It’s akin to being buried alive. I’m going to see him anyway but I feel very threatened by it. A walk back to the past. A ride up that dreadful elevator. I hope I don’t have to have more surgery.
Why do we suffer, crossing off the years
Ian Farey performed the same operation on me 8 years ago at the age of 39 as I had acute stenosis of my spinal cord and was in very bad shape. He removedc5 c6 c7 and did a hip graft into my neck/throat.I couldn’t speak more highly of the man and the imazing operation he performed on me. I have regained power on the left side of my body and suffer little if any pain anymore.
Michele,
Wow that is some operation. You must have approached that with great anxiety. I’m delighted your have made a full recovery. Yes he is a good surgeon. It is a joy to be free of pain.
Dr Farey, operated on my prolapsed disc coming up six years ago. Prior to the operation I had limited movement and horrendous pain for eight months. I was sleeping an average of three hours per night and working full time. I scanned and sent my MRI results to his office, he was due to go on annual leave after I sent through my results. He made time to see me for an initial consultation and operated on me before going on annual leave. He is truly an amazing man with a great bedside manner. I am forever greatful..
Amanda,
Yes I agree. He is a great surgeon and very caring for his patients. Unfortunately, surgeons can’t work miracles with all broken bodies. Mine was too broken for even Ian to fix. I’m glad here that you have recovered so well.
Having been in terrible pain for over a year and with my neck having almost no movement to the left at all, I went to see Dr Farey. I could not speak highly enough of him. He performed a spinal C1/C2 fusion and from the moment I came out of the anaesthetic, the pain was gone. I now have more movement looking both to right and left than before. Bumping my head and jarring movements no longer hurt and for the first time in ages I can back out of my driveway without pain. This fantastic surgeon has given me my life back.
Elizabeth,
That’s a good news story. Yes, I agree Dr Farey is a terrific, highly skilled surgeon. He is also a caring person. Unfortunately, surgery doesn’t always work despite the best efforts of the surgeon and the patient to rehabilitate. I didn’t quite appreciate it at the time of my spinal surgery. I just presumed that if the surgeon was skilful enough and the patient diligent enough at recuperation, then recovery would be total. Alas, I now realise that this is not the case. It is good to hear from people who have had complete recovery from any form of surgery.
In late April this year I saw the good doctor due to massive pain in my lower back. He saw me on a Thursday night and operated on me the following afternoon. He was leaving Australia to go bush walking in Italy the following Tuesday.
He fixed me. I now walk an hour every day and have no pain.
He saved my way of life.
David,
Thanks for passing that along. It is certainly a good news story. I had to have surgery on my skull this year to fix up a very badly deviated septum in my nose which had led to chronic sinus infection. The surgeon had to re-break my nose, bore out the sinuses and generally clean it out. It was wildly successful and I can breathe again properly for the first time since I was a teenager. I am also free of low-grade infections, head colds and sore throats for the first time that I can ever remember. Surgery works. Sometimes. I hope your recovery continues and you remain pain-free.
Dr Ian Farey operated on my spine, early 2011…it is now 2020.
I was in immense pain at the time and had a Laminectomy/stabilisation.
L2,3,4,5.
What a wonderful surgeon! I was up and about next day and haven’t looked back. I’ve never had any more pain and am very active.
Thankyou Dr Farey, you worked wonders and will be ever grateful.
Wendy Bull
Dr Ian Carey is a highly intelligent and respected person. He is extremely caring and thoughtful of people who suffer from chronic back pain and spinal degeneration.
He performed a miracle operation on my mother back in 2009 which extended her life by 11 years. My family are highly grateful for his skills and professional surgery and follow up consultations and for making the later years of my mother’s life somewhat easier despite her long term prognosis.