After my September 2009 back surgery on my two Tarlov cysts, I had mandatory bed rest, ordered by my doctor, for a solid four weeks. After another two months, my incision had completely healed, on December 11, 2009 – exactly three months after my operation.

I was walking, pain free. Jim, Matthew and I made frequent trips across the border to Calexico to do our shopping, collect our mail, and drive on to El Centro to eat at Denny’s in the El Centro mall. The mall is where we buy our dog and cat food at Petco.

Life was wonderful.

However, on Monday, January 4, 2010, I suffered a temporary setback.

I found it difficult to get out of bed as my left leg felt a bit numb! Well, I totally freaked out.

That very Monday evening, Jim and I were at Dr. Carlos Maya’s office, anxiously waiting for him. When it was our turn, I rushed into Dr. Maya’s office, hopping on my right leg.

“Dr. Maya hola! You have to help me! This morning my left leg went a bit numb! What has happened? Everything was fine?’ I wailed.

“What have you been doing MaryAnn? Have you been exercising?” asked Dr. Maya.

“Well yes, I was doing some Jane Fonda exercises, you know, lifting up my legs, while lying on my bed; lifting up my butt, while lying on my bed, you know,” I said.

“Then Jim had a muscle spasm on Christmas Day. He was in so much pain that I had to drive him to the Emergency Room at the Hospital Almater on Avenue Madero. I dropped him off; parked the truck, and walked to the Emergency Room where I helped Jim find the patients’ waiting room.”

Dr. Maya nodded.

I continued, “Jim got to see the doctor immediately, who gave us a prescription. We walked across the road to the Almater Pharmacy to get the prescription which included an injection. Back at the hospital Jim got his shot, and then we went home.”

“I helped Jim, who could barely walk, to bed; did the dishes; walked our dog; cleaned the cat litter, and Matthew helped clean the house and cooked the food…other than that…nothing much,” I moaned.

Dr. Maya smiled and turned to Jim, “Jim, now you need help yes? and on Christmas Day as well?”

“Twaren’t nothin,” said Jim.

Dr. Maya nodded and said, “Let’s go, MaryAnn, stand against the wall, and put your hands against it. Now I am going to press on your spine, you tell me if there is pain, OK?” said Dr. Maya.

I complied. Dr. Maya pressed against each disc on my spine. “Pain?” he asked. “No,” I said.

“Now lie on the couch, face up, face up – OK? I am going to lift each leg up and you tell me if there is pain.” said Dr Maya.

Dr. Maya lifted up my right leg, and yanked it around. “Pain?” “No,” I said.

He then did the same with my left leg. “Pain?’ “No.” I said.

While Dr. Maya was moving each leg around, I felt like a grasshopper with its legs being pulled around.

“OK, come sit down,” said Dr. Maya.

“I cannot walk, you see; my left leg is numb – something is wrong with my left leg! See Dr. Maya?” I continued to wail.

“MaryAnn, sit.”

“Jim, is Maryann like this? No relaxation?” asked Dr Maya.

“You got it right Dr Maya,” said Jim, also shaking his head.

I could have almost smacked these men. I have a numb leg, and all they can do is smile and shake their heads!

“Dr. Maya? OK – I’m ready to listen.” I said.

“You have inflammation!” said Dr. Maya.

“Inflammation? what inflammation? my wound is healed, you see, my scar is so beautiful – the healing is done!” I said.

‘”No, no! The nerve from the S1 controls the movement of your left leg. It has been irritated.” said Dr. Maya

“I said to you, just walk. When we did your operation, the neurosurgeon and I worked together, with the spine, the bones, and we are very very careful with the nerves. The spine is full of nerves.

“Any nerve that is cut, the patient cannot walk. You can walk. The nerves inside your S1 and S2 must stay calm. No carrying heavy things – no driving – when you drive, you have to twist and bend your spine, right? Anytime when we cut open the back, the nerves get irritated, and your numbness in your left leg comes from the S1 nerve which is now irritated, and angry. Do you understand?” asked Dr. Maya.

“So I have a nerve problem.” I said.

“You have an irritated nerve, slightly inflamed, MaryAnn,” said Dr. Maya.

“I am going to give you a prescription,” Dr. Maya answered.

Returning to his desk, Dr. Maya began writing on his pad.

“I am writing out a prescription, for you MaryAnn. Jim, this is for three injections, one each day. Jim, you can give shots?” asked Dr. Maya

“Shucks, no – only gave a shot to a horse once,” said Jim.

“You don’t know how to give shots?” asked a baffled Dr Maya.

“Jim, here, this is the prescription – it’s for anti-inflammtories, for all this you go down to the pharmacy, and they can give the injection materials – then just go to any hospital for the shot. OK?” said Dr. Maya, handing the prescription to Jim.

“Maryann, are you taking any medications that I should know about?” asked Dr. Maya

“No just aspirin, nothing else,” I replied.

“After you finish my medication, come back and see me in 21 days. All of this is anti-inflammatory, to calm down all the nerves, and continue with the recovery.”

“Just because your scar has healed, the inside of the sacroiliac and the nerves all need time to recover,” said Dr. Maya, smiling.

“So it’s my S1 nerve that is irritated? that’s it?” I asked.

“Yes, this is common with back surgeries, and you had the Tarlov cysts! These all sit on nerves!” Dr. Maya explained.

“Why did you ask me what other medicines I am taking Dr. Maya?” I asked.

“We don’t like our patients to take any strong painkillers, like opiates, too strong”

“Why?” Jim asked.

“Opiates make it difficult for doctors to see the real healing of the patient. Opiates will hide all the pain, and when the opiates wear off, the pain is worse!” said Dr Maya.

“If you were on opiates, MaryAnn, I would not be able to identify your pain, and any nerve damage.

“Back surgery is very complicated for the patient. The post-operation, avoiding scar tissue inside the sacroiliac, very important. Scar tissue will grow wrongly can irritate the spinal nerves, and the back pain will come back again.

“The nerves especially get irritated and that is very normal. Taking opiates like Vicodin. I am not for my patients to do it. Also it is addictive.

“Let the recovery of the spine, and the nerves be simple and basic. Good for patient, and for us surgeons. You understand?” asked Dr. Maya.

“Why are you moving around so much, MaryAnn? This is not what I want you to do. You have to walk slowly, rest, rest. Do everything slowly,” said Dr. Maya, visibly upset.

We thanked Dr. Maya and will see him in 21 days.

After we got back into our truck, Jim laughed, “No more Jane Fonda leg exercises and what-not you’ve been doing Maryann!”

“Well…don’t you go pull a muscle spasm on me just three months after my back surgery Mister!” I said.

“Why, sure, MaryAnn. Next time I’ll choose the right time for my back spasms,” said Jim, flooring it and cutting out into the traffic.

I am now five months into my Tarlov cyst operation recovery.

My S1 nerve is doing great. I got the three shots, at the Hospital Santa Monica, right near our home (we just walked in – no doctor appointments in Mexicali). I am not bending and taking Dr. Maya’s prescription, and Advil (great stuff at a friend’s suggestion), and back to being my old self.”

Thursday morning, September 10th – A nurse came in at 7:00am and inserted an IV drip into my right hand. “Getting ready for your operation,” she said. Mentally, I was ready and excited about this whole procedure.

At 8:45am,  the nurses came in with a gurney and transferred me from my bed to the gurney.  This was it!

Jim had arrived early to keep me company, and waited in my room, while I was wheeled out and into the operating room.

There, waiting for me were a neurosurgeon, two anesthetists, and two nurses.

Dr. Carlos Maya, my spine surgeon was outside, in the hallway, speaking to someone. The doctors and the nurses were dressed in green scrubs.

“Buenos dias,” I smiled. “Buenos dias,” they all answered returning my smile.

The two nurses started to wrap my lower legs with gauze bandages and fitted each leg with a dark blue Velcro-like stocking to hold the bandages up.

Dr. Fernando, the anesthetist, spoke English to me, asking me how I liked Mexicali.

“I live here in Mexicali,” I answered. He was surprised at that, and we continued to chit chat about life and food in Mexicali.

As Dr. Maya entered the operating room also dressed in green scrubs, everyone fell silent.

Dr. Maya sat down next to me and said, “MaryAnn, I will make sure the cyst is out, and that you will have no pain. Don’t worry – everything will be fine.”

As soon as Dr. Maya finished speaking, Dr. Fernando showed me two syringes, saying, “Which one would you like, the one to put you to sleep, or the epidural?” He looked at me and said, ” I suggest the one to put you to sleep.”

I agreed. Dr. Fernando said, “You will have no pain, as I will inject the anesthetic into your IV drip.

In no time, I was out.

Three hours later, I woke up in the recovery room. There was no headache, and no side effects. I felt great!

Jim was standing just outside the room peering in. “MaryAnn, Dr. Maya found a second cyst, one inch long – you had twins, Honey,” he smiled.

Here in Mexicali, the doctors keep their patients in the recovery room for at least two hours to make sure that they are fine before returning them to their rooms.

At 3:00pm, I was wheeled back to my room and transferred to my bed. “You did just great, Honey!” Jim kissed my forehead and grinned.

The first thing I did was wiggle my toes – yippee! They all worked!

“Jim, I have no more pain,” I said, sleepily.

“Wow, that is amazing, MaryAnn! Dr. Maya is a genius!”

There were now three tubes coming out of me, my IV, a tube from my spine to drain the blood, and a catheter for the bladder.

Through the IV, I was given pain medicine, antibiotics, and medicine to calm my tummy.

For the rest of the day, I slept.

When I awoke to have a light dinner, Jim was there. He had arranged to feed our pets, and decided to spend the night in the room with me, sleeping on the sofa.

Jim and I slept very well that night. Jim was relieved that everything had gone so well, and, for the first time in 13 years, I had no pain in my back.

Around 9:30am the next morning, Dr. Maya came to pay me a visit. He explained that, in addition to the cyst we knew about which was about half and inch long, he had found a second, larger, cyst about an inch long.

He then looked me over and removed the small plastic tube draining blood from behind my spine by simply pulling it out very slowly.

When he was finished, Dr. Maya wrote out a prescription for an anti-inflammatory, a pain killer, and an antibiotic, and told me I could go home, anytime, but that I had to rest in bed for four weeks. The healing was important, especially the internal healing. The two cysts were in the middle of spinal nerves, and if scar tissue formed there, it could push on the nerves, causing pain.

“You come to see me at my office on September 25th,” he said.

“Dr. Maya,” I said, “you are a genius – thank you so much!”

Dr. Maya looked at me, and pointing upwards with his finger, said, “No, it’s God.”

I have been plagued with a back pains since 1996. Originally, a doctor had prescribed Soma to relieve the pain. Later, as the pain increased, and Soma did not help, I had treatments of steroid shots from a new doctor in the States.

First, I had three steroid shots in my neck, and that helped, but not for too long. I then had another three shots into my lower back which relieved the pain, but only temporarily.

None of my U.S. doctors made any attempt to diagnose the cause of my condition.

It was only when we came to live in Mexicali that I was diagnosed with scoliosis (curvature of the spine) in 2008.  I had an MRI taken of my lower back, due to my increasing back pains here in Mexicali. My spine surgeon, Dr Carlos Maya, detected a slight scoliosis, but thought my condition might be due to a herniated disc. At the time, it did not appear to be so serious as to operate. (I covered this in my prior page, “Healthcare we couldn’t afford in America.”)

After that visit to Dr. Maya, my back pain continued to worsen, and my ability to use my left leg was getting less and less. My lower back was in burning pain and there was numbness, tingling sensation from my lower back all the way down to my left leg.

This change in my ability to walk frightened me. I was disintegrating rapidly.

Now, in 2009, I went to see Dr Carlos Maya again and he sent me off for another MRI.

After collecting my new MRI, my husband, Jim, and I arrived at Dr Maya’s a bit early, at 6:00pm. We also had the results of my blood test for Dr. Maya. His waiting area was swamped with patients.

In Mexico, you don’t make an appointment with your doctor (and wait a couple of months like in the U.S.) – you just go to his office.

As usual Dr. Maya’s reception room was swamped with patients.  We waited and, finally, at 7:00pm the receptionist said it was our turn to see the doctor.

Dr. Maya greeted us with his usual friendly attitude, a nice comparison to the grave attitude of some of my U.S. doctors.

He took a quick look at the results of my blood test, and said, “Good.” He then took a look at my MRI and after a brief inspection said, “You have a Tarlov Cyst.  See this white spot right here…that’s a cyst on your spine.  That cyst may have been your problem, all along.”

Dr. Maya then opened the radiologist’s written MRI report. It confirmed what Dr. Maya had seen – that I had a Tarlov Cyst.

“You know, this is a very rare condition, “said Dr. Maya. I have seen it only twice in twenty years.”

“To be sure where the pain is coming from, I want you to have a nerve conduction test,” said Dr. Maya, writing down a referral, “and see where the pain in your back is coming from for me to operate. You will see Dr. Zazueta – this is very important!”

Well, I was in a state of shock, and so was Jim.  I had a cyst in my lower spine!

I had never heard of a nerve conduction test. It sounded like a great idea, especially since it could determine where the pain was coming from.

On Saturday, Jim took me to Dr. Zazueta’s office. Even though the nerve conduction test involved sticking some small needles in my back, it was not painful.

Jim collected results of my nerve test from Dr. Zazueta on Monday, September 7th, Labor Day, but it was not Labor Day in Mexico.

With the test results, we went to see Dr. Maya at 7:00pm. As usual, his waiting room was filled with patients – patients with arm slings, patients with canes like me, a woman who had her neck in a brace, a young boy with a bandaged left hand, all waiting to see Dr. Maya. There were patients holding onto their MRIs, sealed in big flat brown paper envelopes.

There was also an Englishman waiting for his turn. Jim started talking to him. The fellow works in Mexicali, and had a back operation done by Dr Maya, and was waiting for his final checkup. He was very pleased with his operation.  His wife, a Mexican lady, and new baby were there with him. Even the baby was smiling.

There were so many people that the receptionist had to bring in more chairs.

I was looking forward Dr Maya’s explanation of just what my nerve conduction tests showed.

Finally, our turn came. Dr Maya opened the sealed envelope from Dr. Zazueta, and confirmed that my “new friend,” the Tarlov Cyst was giving me all the excruciating pain from my lower back down to my swollen left leg.

Just like a nerve irritating a tooth, my Tarlov Cyst was sitting between nerves on my spine! Dr Maya made me lie down on the couch, and did his own nerve test.  He checked both of my lower legs, with a sharp object, and asked: “Which leg feels this pinch? Right leg or left leg?”

I said, “My right leg feels the sharp prick – the left leg not so much.”

“That is consistent with your tests,” said Dr Maya as he helped me off the couch, and back to my chair.

“Are you ready to have the operation?” Dr. Maya asked.

“Yes, Dr Maya.  Right now, I am in so much pain, this is no life,” I said.

“Dr  Maya, I want to check into the hospital as soon as possible.  At this point in my life, I am in so much pain, that I find it difficult to walk.  The medications that I am on, especially the cortisone pills have made me into a bloated moonfaced person. What day do you think will be good for you to operate on me?”

“Thursday morning, at 9:00pm is a good time. Wednesday, I will be going to Tijuana, to do an operation and I will be back in the late afternoon. Yes, Thursday will be fine.” said Dr Maya.

I couldn’t help but think of an American lady with a similar condition. She has a blog, too. She called a specialist, and he did not return the call for five weeks. When he did, he gave her instructions as to what tests she must take and to “send them in.” The poor lady is dealing, at least so far, with a voice on the telephone. All I can say is “Viva Mexico.”

“Can I check in Wednesday evening?” I asked Dr. Maya.

“Yes, or Thursday morning – it’s up to you,” he answered.

Since my operation was scheduled for early morning, Jim and I agreed that it would be best to check in the evening before.

Dr. Maya recommended a not-so-expensive hospital, as the operating room was just as good as those in the big name hospitals here.

Jim and I wanted to save money, but I really did not know what to expect of a “not-so-expensive” hospital. Still I had faith in Dr. Maya’s recommendation.

Wednesday evening, I packed a bag, and Jim drove me to the hospital – Centro Quirurgico del Vallee, or Valley Surgical Center.

The hospital was a small, one-story affair. I noticed that the reception room was immaculate as Jim checked me in.

After checking in, a nurse walked us down a beautiful hallway, and into a large immaculate private room, with a private bath – WOW!

“What’s this? The Waldorf,” said Jim as he looked around.

Jim stayed for awhile, but didn’t know if he could sleep over, so he went home.

After Jim left, was I afraid? Yes! I had no idea of how I would come out of the operation. I had heard of so many cases where such operations did little to reduce the pain. I was also worried that something might go wrong. We were dealing with spinal nerves. Would I walk again?

Stay tuned – I hope to see you all on the other side of my operation.