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12 week follow-up - good news!

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  • 12 week follow-up - good news!

    Hi All,

    I had my 12 week follow-up appointment with Dr. Lenke on Wednesday. It was a happy occasion to see him again and to get a good report. My hardware all looks the same as in the x-rays taken on the Friday that I left the hospital. I asked if he could see bone fusion on the x-rays and he said that it is really too early to see fusion at this point. He measured my curve as 34 degrees now. I had a very stiff curve with lots of arthritis and lots of rotation (I had the spine of an 80 year old in Dr. Lenke's words), so I feel god to have received a 50% correcton. He says that I look well balanced in both directions.

    As I was sitting in Dr. Lenke's waiting area, I felt blessed. There are some very difficult cases out there and some folks who are really in pain. I feel blessed to have been well corrected and to be on the healing side of this very daunting surgery.

    Some thoughts on travel during these early days for those of you who might have travel in you future. I flew this time from Columbus to St. Louis and, although I was worried about it, it went fine.
    1) Don't be shy about getting a wheelchair assist at the airport. I could have walked to my gate, but I wasn't sure if I could sit in the airport seating comfortably for an hour while waiting to board. The airports have the wheelchir assist down to a science and it worked great. I was able to pre-board this way also, which allowed me to sit in the front, bulkhead row.
    2) If possilbe, try to ride on a larger plane, like a 737 as opposed to the commuter jets....no ducking to get into the seat.
    3) I wish I had taken my long handled grabber along, even though it didn't fit in my luggage. I felt so helpless without it. I even had to ask my mom-in-law to help me dress.
    4) My cobalt chrome / titanium "rack" did not set off airport security...yeah!
    5) If your travel takes you to St. Louis, I hghly recommend the Parkway hotel. The beds were comfortable again this visit, even without being on pain medications! And, the staff is so nice. Erica, at the front desk, remembered me immediately and told me how much better I was walking now :-).

    I also want to let folks know that, for me, the 10 and 11 week mark was a "turning pont" (as a "fusion to the sacrum" gal). I really started to feel stronger and have more stamina and energy at this point.

    Cheers,
    Kathy
    Kathy
    46 yrs at surgery, now 50
    71 degree thoracolumbar curve corrected to 34 degrees
    8/2/2010 surgery with Dr. Lenke

    posterior T9 to sacrum with pelvic fixation

    4 osteotomies and 1 cage
    http://s1066.photobucket.com/albums/...athK_08022010/

  • #2
    Hi Kathy- I've been waiting to hear about your trip. Glad everything went well. Since we don't have nonstops between Indy and St Louis, I will probably drive for next visit (Feb 28) since 3 of my 4 flights (2 each way) were delayed which makes for a very long day. When do you go back next? I agree that we should be very thankful things have gone as well as they have! And thanks for your pre surgery advice; it really helped!
    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

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    • #3
      Kathy, Glad to hear your post op appointment went well. I was relieved too to hear all the hardware was in place at my first post op. Everytime I sneezed I thought "did i pop a screw?". Congrats too on a good correction. My correction is a little less than 50%, but I feel very straight compared to before. Just grateful to have a good result. I hope your recovery continues to really well!
      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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      • #4
        good news encouraging

        glad to hear you're doing so well, i had my surg with dr lenke 10/6 and hope i do
        as well, seem to be progressing so far; i agree with you about the Parkway, it couldn't be more convenient to the CAM bldg where the outpt offices are and they have van service if you need to go all the way around to Barnes South; they were so nice at the desk to us also and, just looking around when in the lobby, i never felt i was the only one with a disability
        junosand
        59 yo recently retired otolaryngologist (ENT surgeon)
        schedule oct 2010 for T11 - sacrum fusion, all posterior approach with pedicle screws, steels rods, revision decompression left L3-4, right L4-5 & L5-S1, transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion L3-4 L4-5 L5-S1
        with titanium cages
        Dr Lenke, WashU/Barnes/Jewish St. Louis

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