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  • Decided on surgery!

    My (!) in the subject is with a little hesitation, but I did in fact decide this morning in my consultation with Dr. Errico in NY to have the surgery after all. He and his team member (Dr. Stanley) were extremely helpful, reassuring and thorough. My husband and I were there for over an hour with them. I was very impressed with how confident they were. I asked all of the questions I possibly could ask.

    I am thinking I will schedule the surgery sometime in the Fall (I want to get it over with, I can't imagine having this linger in my head for a year!). Of course now I am already wondering if there is some crazy reason I wouldn't be medically approved for surgery - I also have a heart murmur like Greenthumb(?) just posted about. I will be proactive and send my last EKG results in for review just in case. I worry too much, that's just my nature!

    Thank you all for your support and advice in my recent posts trying to make a decision. I feel strongly that my curve will continue to worsen (46 degrees currently), and the surgeons agreed my current pain/discomfort will only get worse too. I sort of feel more confident today, and a bit relieved. But I also feel "stress" thinking of how many phonecalls and prep work will go into scheduling the surgery.

    Anyway - thanks again, and I'll keep you all posted on my journey!

    -Jamie

  • #2
    Congratulations. Making the decision is a big step! I am going to my doc today for another consult on this issue. I'm bringing four pages of questions this time! So I can definitely relate to what you've just been through. Hope the preparation goes well.

    Cheers!
    Evelyn
    age 48
    80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
    Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
    Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
    Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
    Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

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    • #3
      Congratulatons, Jamie on making the decision to have surgery! I know how hard of a decision it was. I made mine back in November and I am having the surgery done this Tuesday, the 8th also in NYC just like you. I am 31 years old, a few years older than you, and have about the same curves as you. I believe we are making the right decision. I finally realized that the pain and deformity are never going to get better. I saw my grandmother hunched over with two 100 degree curves in her 80's in tons of pain and said to myself I never want to be like that. I would never want to be in a wheelchair when I am older due to something that could have been prevented when I was younger. When she was my age her curves were just like mine.

      Best of luck to you!

      JenM
      Surgery date: June 8, 2010 with Dr. Boachie
      Thoracic curve: 55 degrees, corrected to 25 degrees
      Lumbar curve: 58 degrees, corrected to 27 degrees
      Posterior-only surgery, Levels T3-L3
      31 year old mother of 2 young kids

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      • #4
        Thank you both so much for your responses. Your support really helps give me the confidence I will need in the next few months.

        I still have not grasped that I'm going ahead with this. It's all I've been thinking about - second guessing myself - asking myself is it bad enough, should I wait, etc.

        I really look forward to hearing your progress, Jen, and I wish you the very best of luck. Of course I've heard nothing but great things about Dr. Boachie, and I'm sure you know you're in great hands. Please keep us all posted, and enjoy the weekend doing whatever makes you happy.

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        • #5
          Jamie-

          I think it's best you are getting this now and not waiting. Even though I didn't have the operation yet, I really wished I had this surgery earlier in my twenties. Over the past few years I have had alot of pain which I think could have been prevented if I had the surgery earlier. I recently had an MRI of my neck and it showed protrusions and alot of other disc problems. I'm pretty sure this is a result of my kyposis, which just really increased over the past few years. I now have pain in my shoulder, neck, elbow and hand and think if I had the surgery earlier in life this wouldn't have happened. I'm hoping the pain in my neck/upper extremity will be relieved once I stand up straighter and my posture improves.

          What hospital does Dr. Errico work out of? I heard nothing but really good things about him too. I am from NJ as well. Do you live close to NYC, or are you a few hours away? We have done alot of mileage this week into NYC for all the preop appointments! I just wanted to have this done in NYC because I think the best surgeons are out there.

          Anyway, I'll post once I'm out of the hospital! I really enjoyed reading everyone's posts over the past 7 months so I'm excited to post my "on the other side" post! I'm soooo nervous though!

          Jen
          Surgery date: June 8, 2010 with Dr. Boachie
          Thoracic curve: 55 degrees, corrected to 25 degrees
          Lumbar curve: 58 degrees, corrected to 27 degrees
          Posterior-only surgery, Levels T3-L3
          31 year old mother of 2 young kids

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          • #6
            Hi Jamie,
            Congrats on your decision. I too, agreeing with Jen, wish I had it done in my 20's. I just decided recently myself to have the surgery done, I have an appt. June 18th with Dr. Boachie in NYC. When I was in my early 20's (over 20 years ago) and beginning to have more pain and feeling like things were getting worse, I went to the orthopedic surgeon I had while I had my Milwalkee brace. He said scoli. doesn't progress, didn't do an exam or take xrays, and sent me on my way -but of he course took my $50 bucks. About 5 years ago, I started reading about people who were having surgery as adults, and so I went to the ortho & YES I could/should have the surgery. Very excited, followed by anxiety. It has taken my this long to come to terms with my decision, and feel like the timing was right for me and my family. But let me tell you, I've thought about almost everyday of the past 5 years and it feels good to put this in motion.

            I''m hoping for a fall surgery too, so I hope we can keep up with eachother.

            Debra:-)
            Debra
            Age 45
            Pre - surgery Thoracic 69, Lumbar 48
            Post-surgery Thoracic 37, Lumbar 39 (unfused)
            Fused T4-T12
            Milwaukee braced, 11 years old to 15 yo
            Surgery Sept. 1st, 2010 Dr. Boachie

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            • #7
              Debra - it's frustrating that a doctor would dismiss your situation, but I suppose everything happens for a reason, and now that you've found Dr. Boachie, it will be worth the wait I'm sure.

              Jen - I live close to the city, I work there actually. Dr. Errico is in the Hospital for Joint Diseases, but I also found out he operates at NYU Tisch which is where I saw him the last 2 times. They are both on the East side, like HSS, which makes the drive a little longer for sure.

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              • #8
                I just had my surgery on May 4th but I am very happy that I did

                I , of course , have post surgical pain , but the pain from before the surgery is gone

                Melissa

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                • #9
                  My doctor was similar, not real chatty and would give me the basics, but he exuded confidence in what he does. I was so pleased with my surgery. This forum helped fill in alot for me and also prompted specific questions for me to ask him. He now is prepared for me to pull out my list and ask questions. He always smiles at how many questions I have.
                  Waiting to many months for the surgery has got to be tough. I waited 2 months after deciding to do it. It was all I thought about, I couldn't imagine waiting much longer. Again, this is where the forum helped alot.
                  Shari - 55 years old
                  Pre-Surgery 62 degree thorasic curve with shifting.
                  Post op 13 degree curve.
                  Successful surgery 4/15/10, T3-L2 fused.
                  2nd surgery to reopen incision 10" to diagnose infection, 5/18/10
                  Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI - the late Dr. Harry Herkowitz
                  www.scoliosisthejourney.com

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