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Finally, I have the energy to "talk"!

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  • Finally, I have the energy to "talk"!

    Hi everyone. I can't believe that it's been 28 days since my surgery. I have tried a couple times to get on my laptop and share my experience but I got exhausted or nauseous and had to stop. I'm hoping to finish it this time!

    I just read Junosand's experience and I agree with a lot of what he said. Hallucinations? Oh yes, I had mine with the dilaudid and Ambien. Lack of sleep? Oh yes, hardly any real sleep. Plus I was not prepared for the many IVs I would have, blood tests, etc. But we each have our very own story to tell and no one will experience the same.

    My spinal fusion was successful. My back looks like someone else's...I don't recognize the straightness of it. Apparently he achieved excellent correction but I don't remember the exact numbers - have to wait for my followup appointment. Unfortunately I had a pleural effusion and had 2 chest tubes inserted. I also suffered some sort of heart abnormality while in surgery so they had to monitor my heart for over a week. My hospitalization was to be 7-10 days but turned into 19 days. I've been home for over a week now and I'm feeling better every day. Now that I've stopped the "puke drug" (MS Contin) and tapered my percocet to 1 pill every few hours, I can finally eat something.

    This has been the hardest experience that I have ever endured. Thank goodness for my husband, my daughter, my friends, and the awesome caregivers and UC Davis!

    Here's to being on the other side!
    Laurie
    Age 57
    Posterior fusion w/thoracoplasty T2-L3 Oct 1, 2010
    Thoracic curve corrected from 61* to 16*
    Lumbar curve, unknown measurement
    Disfiguring back hump GONE!!
    Dr Munish Gupta
    UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA

  • #2
    Laurie,

    Yay! You are back Wonderful to hear from you- sorry you had serious problems, but sounds like all is on the up-and-up. Love hearing that.

    Take care of yourself and stay tuned with us here...

    {{{Hugs}}}
    Amy
    58 yrs old, diagnosed at 31, never braced
    Measured T-64, L-65 in 2009
    Measured T-57, L-56 in 2010, different doc
    2 lumbar levels spondylolisthesis
    Exercising to correct

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Laurie. Great to hear from you and have you back on the forum. I hope every day shows improvement and now that you're home, that you're more comfortable. I too, was in hospital 19 days. I thought I was the only one.

      I laughed at your comment about not recognising your back and that it looks like someone else's. My thoughts exactly when I saw mine. "Whose body is that?" (eek in a good way!)

      Take care and take it easy. Walk as much as you can but relax and sleep as much as you can and the time will go all too quickly before you're back at the kitchen sink and in the laundry.
      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


      • #4
        Laurie--
        So glad you are doing better! It is never easy. Continue with the healing. It does improve slowly. Take your time & take it easy! Janet
        Janet

        61 years old--57 for surgery

        Diagnosed in 1965 at age of 13--no brace
        Thoracic Curve: 96 degrees to 35 degrees
        Lumbar Curve: 63 degrees to 5 degrees
        Surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis--March 30, 2009
        T-2 to Pelvis, and hopefully all posterior procedure.

        All was posterior along with 2 cages and 6 osteotomies.

        Comment


        • #5
          Laurie,

          Glad to hear that you are doing better!

          Melissa

          Comment


          • #6
            hi laurie

            holy cow, you are the first that i have read a post surgical report on that is so similar to mine, the extra hospitalization, pleural effusion, i had 3 er trips on and on. it is sad that we went thru' so many extra traumas but i am so happy to hear you are 'on the other side' and got thru' all that. i don't know what my post-curve is yet, as i need to go back early december. i had 7 discs replaced with the new XLIF (mini boobs) and 8 pedicle screws.

            with all the extra pains and issues that come along with our case, did you also have doctors ignore you? we are so busy (although perhaps all states are) in Las Vegas they barely have time to come in and give you 3 minutes, let alone return calls. i believe my surgeon is great, but the post care is awful with him and all the other specialists i had to see with the additional problems.

            today is week 8, and eventually i can post as you have the 'outcome'. i don't want to post anything until there is a measurement, however i am just happy i haven't had percocet since 7 hrs ago. to me, that is a breakthru!

            take care, karen
            XLIF 7 discs replaced L5-T10 lateral PEEK implants, pedicle/facet screws, rib resection
            Pre-surgical: 40 d lumbar-thoracic, sponylolisthesis, kyphosis, all discs ruptured, stenosis
            Post-surgical:12 d, 1" taller
            Surgery: 8/27/2010 Dr. W Smith, Las Vegas University Medical Center
            53 yrs old

            Comment


            • #7
              Karen and Laurie,
              Thanks for posting. I am sorry you both had such a rough experience, but at least it sounds like you're doing well now. Keep improving each day!
              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


              • #8
                I'm glad you're better. . .it is a slow recovery.

                I had a post-op pleural effusion, too . .which resulted in 2 more hosp admissions (in Sept '09) - the 1st for a thoracentesis, the next (1 -2 weeks later) for a chest tube. I did get a nice ambulance ride from my local ER to the tertiary hosp where my spinal fusion was performed ($1400 to ride up the interstate for an hour, listening to the music on their radio, w/an EMT asking me every so often, "Doing OK?" )

                My sympathies, lray, on the TWO chest tubes. . .I hated my ONE. . .I found it more painful than my 12 level fusion. (I did decide, though, that if I ever might need a heart surgery that would involve chest tubes, no thank you.)

                Welcome to the other side!
                Last edited by mgs; 10-29-2010, 08:50 PM.
                Fused T-3 to L-3, Aug 25
                Hardware removal surgery, Nov 2, 2010
                Fused T-10 to L-2, osteotomy, Feb 22, 2011

                Comment


                • #9
                  Glad to hear you've made it through the rough times and are now on the road to recovery. Take care and keep healing!
                  Age 56
                  Wore a Milwaukee Brace for 3 years in hs
                  Fused L4-S1 for high grade spondylolisthesis Jan '09 in Indy
                  Thoracic 68
                  Surgery Aug 31, 2010 T3 to L1
                  Dr Bridwell St Louis
                  http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...1&d=1289881696

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Laurie,

                    Yay! You are back Wonderful to hear from you
                    I agree with you about uc davis
                    Kara
                    25
                    Brace 4-15-05-5-25-06
                    Posterior Spinal Fusion 3-10-10
                    T4-L2
                    Before 50T
                    After 20T

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Laurie

                      You made it! Pretty soon you will start to feel much better.

                      Slow and easy now....Things might seem hard or impossible right now, but you will adapt in time....

                      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
                        I, too, had a pleural effusion as a surgical complication! It was AWFUL and so painful. But after a thoracentesis procedure and then being attached to a chest tube for a week, all was well

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