Jacob hopes to leave Germany without any more pain in his back and without the steel rods that were implanted in Vancouver. In Canada they just tell you keep the steel in place for life and put up with the pain. In Germany they have been doing operations like this for 30 years and feel that is normal, low risk surgery and has a 99% chance for success to remove the steel and find the pinched nerve point and remove the pinch item (bone fragment or splinter) that is pushing on his nerve in the spinal column which created the excruciating pain that he has suffered from for so long.
Recovery time is 5-7 days in Germany and if nothing shows up as a complication in that time then he can go home to continue healing without any pain. Again, infection is his only real risk from their point of view.
Jacob has asked me to share this detail so that you don’t need to call him or bug him for details while he goes through this ordeal. Please use this blog to post your comments and encouragement to him over the next few weeks.
Let us hope and pray for a successful operation and no more back pain and a successful, no infection recovery process.
Gerry Bakker
Be sure to leave your comments and best wishes here.
Jacob……
we think it is good news, but looking forward and……we are with you and your wife. Tanden op elkaar, vaste wil om nu beter te worden en ons allemaal te verrassen.
Dank voor all info
R en B
hou vol, sterkte, veel wensen van ons
Dear Jacob!
Our thoughts are with you, we hope and wish your journey is successful and you come home without pain.
Love Hans & Elfi
Our thoughts are with you on this journey to a pain-free future. Good luck and take care!
Love
John and Cathy
We too hope you return with no steel-rods or pain,…& we’re liking the 99% success-rate that those wonderful doctors have! You are in good hands, my friend!!
Luv, Tom & Shar
Our thoughts and prayers are with you!
Mary and Doug
All the best with the three days of tests. We hope they have a positive and speedy solution once these tests are done. We love you Jake and Diana too.
God Bless
The doctors found the bad spot yesterday with the second injection. This is where the original fracture was. As soon as he hit the spot the pain disappeared. They phoned Dr. Ritter Lange in Berlin and this test confirmed his suspicion that either a screw or a bone fracture caused the pain. It is hitting a nerve. He wants to remove the metal on Friday and check and repair the pain spot, Dr. Lang is arriving tomorrow morning and will have a meeting with Jacob to discuss everything. Jacob will give us a last update tomorrow right after that meeting with the doctor.
Hi Diane and Jacob
We are glad your German doctor found de sore spot and even more glad he is able to do something about it.
We keep praying that all may turn out well.
Also our neighbour Murray Hodge is giving his regards.
Met vriendelijke groeten
Flore and Co.
Dearest Jacob & Diana!
Thank you so much for asking Gerry to update your blog (Gerry you are doing an awesome job….thank you!!). You have been in my thoughts & prayers daily & I pray you find the answers & pain relief you so badly need. Thanks for your thoughtful phone call from the airport, Jake. The German team seem to be incredibly insightful about your physical condition & their willingness to assist you is wonderful news. it is always unnerving searching out world class authorities in specific medical care while hoping their expertise is what is needed. It would seem this medical team has taken a real interest in your case & that is terrific, especially with their skillful knowledgeable & experienced approach. Please remember there are so many people here & abroad who love & support you & are praying for a success recovery. Diana, you have been a ‘rock’ through all this & I admire & respect you for your strength & devotion to Jake’s care. All my special thoughts & prayers Jake. love Jan xo
Our prayers continue to the throne of grace for Jacob’s conquest over pain. The latest report on his trip for relief has brought hope to the horizon.
Hello Everyone,
Jacob is concerned of course, a little worried, who wouldn’t be if they were going in for back surgery but he is committed to go through with it.
The surgeon said that the operation will be about 90 minutes long. Jacob will be in the Intensive Care ward for a day and then on to a general recovery ward for another 5-7 days. No complications are expected but they want to keep him in the hospital for that time – just in case there is a problem.
If everything goes as planned then he will be out of the hospital, pain free within a week.
Jacob was relating how amazing it was to experience no pain within a minute of them injecting the anesthetic at the suspected point of the pinched nerve – the original broken C5/C6 vertebrae. Using X-rays to watch the position of the needle they were able to pinpoint the exact point that is pinching the nerve that causes him the pain. The problem was quite obvious to the surgeon who then said he was certain of a positive outcome.
Keep Jacob in your thoughts – there is a 9 hour difference between British Columbia and where he is at so that would mean he is having surgery at about 2:00AM in the morning in BC.
Best wishes for a very successful surgery and quick recovery Jacob! We’ll be thinking of you! We know you can do this!
You take care too, Diana!
Luv
John and Cathy
we are so anxious to hear how the surgery went and wish you a start without pain, without fear and going uphill in everything day by day.All the best to you in this time of tension, we hope-hope-for the word “FINALLY”. For Diana the wish that :NOW THERE IS A MUCH BETTER TIME STARTING.
Wish you
Ben and Riky
Dear Jake,
Jan has forwarded the daily updates on your health status & proposed surgery. Muriel & I send you our very best wishes for a successful operation & return to a pain free life. All our love & support to you & Diana.
Bill & Muriel xo
Jacob is back from surgery. According to Dianna he looks good but really tired, the operation went well.
Dianna will report back when Jacob is out of the recovery room and able to better determine how he feels. I am sure Jacob is quite groggy at the moment. We may not hear from them for another day or so.
Hey Jacob,
Wat fijn dat de operatie gedaan is. Nu heel erg hopen dat je de rest van je leven niet meer geplaagd wordt door die vervelende pijn.
Herstel goed en wij houden contact!
Liefs, Monica en groetjes van Terence
Great news Jac,
Your self determination really shines through today . Those rods were not going to hold you back . Congrats can’t wait to see your amazing results.
Jolene
Hi Jacob;
We wish you a speedy recovery, and pray that your operation was successful.
All the best,
Ed Kolisnyk & Shannon Brolund
Jacob is doing well – he even phoned me to say so – a success!!!!!
Apparently Jacob woke up immediately after surgery and the surgeon said all went as planned and went well.
Other than the obvious pain from having your back cut open, Jacob felt fine and ate a full meal an hour later. So far he has not had to take pain killers but if you know Jacob you know he would rather die than admit taking any so he may be hurting more than he lets on or the pain killers haven’t worn off yet. Tomorrow he will call again to confirm his new condition.
Good to hear the latest news. You are doing well, keep on improving, come home reborn, we are happy with the good news.
Take it easy and don’t overdo….
Ben Riky Palma
We send love and pryaers to Jake and Diana. Jake is such a rock and will be so happy to be pain-free!!
Totally Awesome
Love Anne and Rod xoxox
Hi dad!
glad to hear your surgery went well! hope your recovery time wont be too long:)
I wont have service again for another 5 days, so i will try and call when I get to Darwin, and hopefully you will be back in the Netherlands by then
miss you tons
love michelle
To quote Jacob directly:
“I am up and running again. It is amazing how good I feel, the intensive pain spot on my back is gone. I have pain from the wound but this is bearable, I shaved myself the next morning and have a good appetite. I feel like going home already.
The people here are amazed with my quick recovery.This is the best money I ever spent. I went in with low expectations because of pain and recovery but this is 1000% better than I expected.
The care here in the Hospital is excellent, very professional, also very clean. The room gets cleaned 3 times a day and there is always someone walking around cleaning rooms and hallways.
I am a happy guy! Lets hope it keeps improving.
Love Jacob”
So happy to hear things are going good! Take care and DON’T OVERDO! Diana, tie him to the bed if you have to (LOL) or put a leash on him!
All kidding aside, missing you and will see you soon!
John and Cathy
Na alle goede berichten die we kregen uit Duitsland hopen we ook dat het herstel nog steeds positief verloopt. We hopen je deze week weer in Huizen te zien en met eigen ogen te aanschouwen dat je “pijnvrij” bent. A miracle!! En heel erg fijn voor je natuurlijk.
Well happy guy. See you soon
Love John, Marjon and kids
We hebben nog niet van complikaties gehoord. Dus blijven wij hopen en bidden, dat alles naar wens verloopt. Dan hopen wij ook nog. dat Diana en Jacob een leuke herstel-vakantie in Nederland kunnen doorbrengen.
Geniet maar zonder pijn.
Flore en Co Langeslag
Was great to hear that Jake’s operation was a success. I know you want to come home but it is a long time on a plane, so don’t push it Jake. So glad you get to spend time with your families.
Hope Jake got the okay from the doctors to come home! Take it easy and please be careful on the trip home (that means take your medication Jake) LOL. See you soon!
YEEAAHH !!! if there is no more pain what more needs to be said.