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  • I have a New Job

    I just wanted to give an update for those facing surgery...There IS life after it!

    I started a new job today - sales/store management/instructor at a Paper Source here in Reston. (VA) I had interviews last week and did not mention my surgery. I have no idea if I should have but I didn't, and I had the distinct feeling that I was traveling incognito as a 'normal' person. But this is so eye opening to me - no one suspects a thing! My friends (and assistant manager) from my former job know what surgery I had and I felt they had formed certain opinions about my abilities post-surgery. I am (so far) successfully passing myself off...and I am not about to say anything to anyone. Not that I am afraid I would lose my job or something, but I DO NOT want this surgery to define who I am, just as I never let the fact that I had scoliosis define who I was prior to the surgery. And I know you know what I'm talking about.....

    So, for all of you contemplating surgery or a quickly approaching surgery, you can get through it AND be all the stronger for it!
    Julie - 51 yrs old

    Dx'd 1973 - 43* thoracic curve / rotation
    Wore Milwaukee brace 1973 - 1979
    Pre-surgery: 63* thoracic / 52* lumbar curves


    Surgeries: P - March 16, 2009 - Fused T3-S2 with pelvic fixation
    A -April 14, 2009 - Fused L5-S1
    Achieved +70% Correction
    Dr. Khaled Kebaish, (and team) Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore


    Standing x-ray
    New Spine 03/19/2009
    New Spine Lateral 03/19/2009

  • #2
    Congratulations on your new job. I'm glad you are doing so well!
    Karen

    Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
    Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
    70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
    Rib Hump-GONE!
    Age-60 at the time of surgery
    Now 66
    Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
    Retired Kdgn. Teacher

    See photobucket link for:
    Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
    Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
    tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
    http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

    Comment


    • #3
      Congratulations, Julie, on the new job and esp. on that "living life without focusing on scoliosis" attitude. That's my goal as I start back to school (work), even though I'm not as far along on the journey as you are. You, go girl!


      Anne in PA
      Age 58
      Diagnosed at age 14, untreated, no problem until age 50
      T4 to sacrum fusion
      63 thoracic now 35, 92 lumbar now 53
      Dr. Baron Lonner, 2/2/10
      Am pain-free, balanced, happy & an inch taller !

      Comment


      • #4
        Good for you Julie. That's a real good news post: getting back to normal!
        Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
        Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
        T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
        Osteotomies and Laminectomies
        Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

        Comment


        • #5
          hey, Julie..congratulations!

          you sound like a perfectly "normal person" to me!

          jess

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by doodie View Post
            I just wanted to give an update for those facing surgery...There IS life after it!

            I started a new job today - sales/store management/instructor at a Paper Source here in Reston. (VA) I had interviews last week and did not mention my surgery. I have no idea if I should have but I didn't, and I had the distinct feeling that I was traveling incognito as a 'normal' person. But this is so eye opening to me - no one suspects a thing! My friends (and assistant manager) from my former job know what surgery I had and I felt they had formed certain opinions about my abilities post-surgery. I am (so far) successfully passing myself off...and I am not about to say anything to anyone. Not that I am afraid I would lose my job or something, but I DO NOT want this surgery to define who I am, just as I never let the fact that I had scoliosis define who I was prior to the surgery. And I know you know what I'm talking about.....

            So, for all of you contemplating surgery or a quickly approaching surgery, you can get through it AND be all the stronger for it!
            Congratulations on your new job!!! You silly girl--yo don't have to pass yourself off as a normal person because you ARE a normal person now!!
            __________________________________________
            Debbe - 50 yrs old

            Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
            Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

            Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
            Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
            Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

            Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
            Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

            Comment


            • #7
              Congratulations Julie! I know exactly what you are talking about!!! And yes you are a normal person , just better...
              May 2008 Fusion T4 - S1, Pre-op Curves T45, L70 (age 48). Unsuccessful surgery.

              March 18, 2010 (age 50). Revision with L3 Osteotomy, Replacement of hardware T11 - S1 , addition of bilateral pelvic fixation. Correction of sagittal imbalance and kyphosis.

              January 24, 2012 (age 52) Revision to repair pseudoarthrosis and 2 broken rods at L3/L4.

              Comment


              • #8
                That's great! Good to be working around people who don't see you as limited--because you are not!

                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.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Good for you, Julie! You go girl.....great attitude!

                  Glenda
                  Glenda
                  Age 66 Georgia (63 at time of surgery)
                  Bi-lateral laminectomy 2006
                  Kyphoscoliosis, approx 38* lumbar scoliosis, stenosis, disk herniations, lower back and hip pain, w/radiating pain, stinging and numbness in legs.
                  A/P fusion (T10-S2) 5/17/10 and 5/20/10
                  Dr Yoon, Emory Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital, Atlanta, GA
                  Pleased with outcome

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Update

                    I have worked 2 full shifts at the new job and I am certainly surprising even myself! I was primarily concerned with fatigue issues prior to returning to work - just didn't know if I could handle so much but I have been fine! Better than fine - that might be because of the job. Great customers, great work team and always moving which is exactly what I like. I'm amazed and excited!!!

                    Thanks for all of your support here! My husband is still right here encouraging me but he will never understand what this experience has been like for me. I'm just so grateful to have found this forum and all of you to share with. I don't post nearly as much as I could but I do read regularly and I identify with so many of your stories!

                    Thanks for 'listening'!
                    Julie - 51 yrs old

                    Dx'd 1973 - 43* thoracic curve / rotation
                    Wore Milwaukee brace 1973 - 1979
                    Pre-surgery: 63* thoracic / 52* lumbar curves


                    Surgeries: P - March 16, 2009 - Fused T3-S2 with pelvic fixation
                    A -April 14, 2009 - Fused L5-S1
                    Achieved +70% Correction
                    Dr. Khaled Kebaish, (and team) Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore


                    Standing x-ray
                    New Spine 03/19/2009
                    New Spine Lateral 03/19/2009

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Julie

                      Congratulations. Its good that you have a position where you are moving all the time. You would be surprised how much you walk during a shift, it can be many miles. This exercise will be a great benefit for you as it was for me.

                      I needed a new chair down at work and when I went to the store to pick it out, I lined up the candidates without any price shopping, and found out that the secretarial chairs seemed to feel best. It turned out that I had picked all the cheapest chairs in the store....

                      You will have your fatigue mornings as I do, just go in and move slow, most of the times I will just "walk it through"

                      I now have the ability to work 80 hours per week, and sometimes do. Its probably one of the complications of scoliosis surgery they don’t know about yet. LOL

                      Ed
                      49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
                      Pre surgery curves T70,L70
                      ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
                      Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

                      Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
                      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

                      My x-rays
                      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

                      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Congratulations, I hope to go back to work in 4 weeks. I am thinking of getting some kind of pillow or doughnut for the office chairs at work. I don't like to sit in a hard chair too long.
                        Janet
                        36 year young cardiac RN
                        old curve C 29, T 70, L 50
                        new curve C 7, T 23, L 20
                        Surgery June 11, UCH, Dr. Cronen T2-L5, posterior
                        Revision December 20 L5-S1 with pelvic fixation
                        and Osteotomy to L3 at Tampa General Hospital

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hi Julie, Congrats on your new job, I can relate to not wanting to be defined by my scolisis -- everyone in my family and at work (I've been here for 15 yrs) won't let me do anything, they think I'm going to break if stoop down to pick something off the floor, and it's been a little over a year since my surgery. Of course everyone is well meaning, but sometimes I just don't want the attention that it draws. Enjoy you new job!
                          Dolores A
                          June 4, 2009 Anterior L3 - S1
                          June 8, 2009 Posterior T4 - Pelvis
                          Mark Agulnick, MD FAAOS
                          NY Spine & Scoliosis Center

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Julie, Thanks for passing on such positive news about "life after surgery". I'm so happy for you to be enjoying your new job and feeling good. I don't know what to expect after surgery (short term or long term), sometimes I worry, feel anxious, am excited - mostly try to stay calm. I've been humming the lines "we will never know about the things to come, but we think about them anyway" by Carly Simon (heard it on the radio and can't get it out of my head). Anyway, it's great to hear your news and I wish you lots of success in your job!!
                            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

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I am in law enforcement, but have been told that they will medically retire me. I think I have a job lined up in the casino business, but ws wondering if I have to disclose my surgery. Do we have to tell them? For the health insurance coverage? Just wondering.
                              rich

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