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  • 3 week update

    Well, I thought that I'd drop a line to let you all know how I am at 3 wks. This past weekend we brought my 15mo. home and my 6 year old has been my little helper since the get go. My 15mo old has been only been to "visit" prior to this weekend. I can honestly say that I was EXHAUSTED after we dropped her off this morning but also felt very accomplished. I was strategically figuring out how to care for her. Hubby was home but he and I worked together figuring it all out. We found that if we put the stool by the bed she would climb up to get dressed and I could do that without bending over her and even diaper changes I could do like this if I had to. It is so hard to try to keep aligned and not bend forward to do her care and so at first hubby did it all but before the weekend was out I found that I could do more with her than I thought. I was really worried about the trick or treating and all of the walking but I did good! Personal goal #1! Yea! I even made it to the 6 year old's class party and downtown trick or treating (after school Friday) I have 3 acres that we live on and I walk it once a day along with my track around the inside of the house. Hubby started out being here all of the time and is now back at work, in and out all day long. I am still having to take the pain meds of course but am off the percocet, down to vicodin (cannot imagine ever having said that before, I hate meds). Dr. Lenke told me to take them and get moving and we will taper down to less meds each week. The muscle relaxer makes me sleepy sometimes but I feel that after such a large surgery, my body needs a nap a day anyway, sometimes 2. I have been showering and almost all of my steristrips are off (they told me to pick them off today if they were still there @ 3 weeks). I have some numbness to the back and really weird numb/tightness across my back quite a bit. I have found that activity is the best thing for this and try to keep busy. the lady from ot told me on my d/c day that the faster I find ways to adapt to daily chores and keep busy the faster my recovery will go. I do laundry with my reacher, lol! My hubby brings and takes the baskets up and down the stairs for me a lot of times. Nighttime is still kicking my butt. I cannot sleep more than 2 hrs. without every muscle in my back getting so tight that I almost want to cry. They gave me valium but it just makes me so sleepy and I am even stiffer when I wake. I guess just time alone can probably make this better. I am such a crazy girl, I just get up and walk, walk, walk. then I want to eat, eat, eat. (i did that when I was breastfeeding and up so many times a night too) I actually feel that my family is closer all working together like this. It has definately been an experience. My next goal is to return to my desk job at 6 wks. for 1/2 days. Kelly at Dr. Lenke said that they pretty much leave it up to the pt. Hope all is well with everyone on here. I haven't been on here much as I have been surprisingly busy with daily life and rehabbing. Thanks to everyone for all the support. (Kelly said that predischarge xrays looked great, I don't go for f/u visit until Dec. to see Dr. Lenke)
    Heidi
    35 year old mother of 2 lil girls
    60 degree thoracic
    44 degree lumbar
    Oct. 11, 2010 surgery
    Dr. Lenke St. Louis
    1 year follow up: 15 degree thoracic, 22 lumbar
    fused T1 to L1


  • #2
    Heidi it great to hear from you your done a geart job
    Kara
    25
    Brace 4-15-05-5-25-06
    Posterior Spinal Fusion 3-10-10
    T4-L2
    Before 50T
    After 20T

    Comment


    • #3
      what a great post! thanks for sharing! It's so good to hear the good and the bad from those of you who've already made the leap.

      I have a question for you though. we have stairs, and all our bedrooms are upstairs. how do you manage with the stairs post op? is it very painful/hard?
      I've been through the surgery recovery with stairs before, but nothing like the full fusion and have been wondering if i'd be stuck up in our bedroom for a month!

      thanks, and blessings on your recovery as you take care of your family and your family takes care of you!
      Rebecca
      Age: 28
      Dx w/ scoli @ age 12 S curves T-40* L-42*
      wore night bending brace as teenager
      Curves changed to 50's plus or minus
      herniated disc L2-3, Discectomy October 2007
      fusion L2-3 November 2008
      Revision L2-3 Fusion, Removal of hardware August 2009
      Curves measuring 52 T&L September 2010
      Fused T4-L4, all posterior December 27th 2010
      gained almost two inches in height

      Before and After Exterior
      Before and After X-rays
      My blog: http://herscoliosisjourney.blogspot.com/

      Comment


      • #4
        Peachrush7,
        We too have a 2 story home with all of the bedrooms upstairs. I have done fine with the stairs, the physical therapy asked what kind of home so they would know what to really focus on and they worked with me on the stairs before discharge. They do wear me out going up and down them so at first, I limited myself to 1-2 times a day up and down. My family were "gofers" for a while
        Heidi
        35 year old mother of 2 lil girls
        60 degree thoracic
        44 degree lumbar
        Oct. 11, 2010 surgery
        Dr. Lenke St. Louis
        1 year follow up: 15 degree thoracic, 22 lumbar
        fused T1 to L1

        Comment


        • #5
          Heidi- I think you're doing great for only 3 weeks out! It does get better each week. You are making so much progress, especially dealing with your kids. Good luck with your recovery!
          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


          • #6
            What a great update! Nice to have another safely over to the other side.
            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


            • #7
              Heidi,
              I think you are doing great. I know you are much younger than I am, but I can still hope to do as well after my surgery with Dr. Lenke. I worry about how I will take care of my dogs and feel foolish after reading how well you're coping with your young children. I can't believe all that you are doing at such an early period after your surgery. Keep up the good work!
              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
                Good to hear your update, Heidi! Sounds like your are doing great! I also was up many times at night in the beginning (still up 2-3 times each night). I also would take little walks inside the house at night to try to loosen up my muscles a bit. I no longer have to take the walks at night, but do get up and change position.

                It's amazing how well you are doing with your girls! I bet that your 6 yo is very proud of being able to help you!

                When walking on your grounds, be cautious of the leaves (if you have any). They can be slippery when wet and they can "hide" low areas in the ground.

                Dr. Lenke told me at my visit that the body burns approximately 10,000 calories per day in the early healing days, so continue to eat, eat, eat!
                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/

                Comment


                • #9
                  Way to go, Heidi

                  Hi Heidi,

                  Hello from your fellow Oct 11th buddy! You sound like you are doing quite well, and my hat is off to you to even contemplate taking care of a 15 month-old by yourself at this point. That is just not an easy age! My kids at 8 and 5, especially my 8 y/o daughter, are a big help, and Leah is just such a little mommy to my 5 y/o son, she helps him with many things so I can rest here and there.

                  I feel like I am doing quite well at this point, too, probably similar to you except I can't eat well still. The body is hungry, but the brain and mouth just don't cooperate and my appetite is fairly poor. Slowly though I am trying to eat more. I have lost quite a bit of weight I know, but don't have a scale.

                  I was also able to go out trick or treating for over an hour with hubby and the kids Sunday, and I too was pretty proud of myself. I was sore at the end, but we had a lot of fun and walked a long time.

                  We have a two story house also and the stairs seemed exhausting the first few days, but now I can go up and down without difficulty. I consider it part of my exercises! I am planning to go to the warm pool at my athletic club at the end of this week and try to water walk for a few minutes. We'll see how that goes!

                  Take care, thanks for the wonderful update. I think of you often!

                  Gayle
                  Gayle, age 50
                  Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
                  Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
                  Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1


                  mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
                  2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
                  2017 curves stable/skeletely mature

                  also mom of Torrey, 12 y/o son, 16* T, stable

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    thanks for answering my question about the stairs. it's very reassuring to hear that is doable. One more thing on my list of questions crossed off!
                    Rebecca
                    Age: 28
                    Dx w/ scoli @ age 12 S curves T-40* L-42*
                    wore night bending brace as teenager
                    Curves changed to 50's plus or minus
                    herniated disc L2-3, Discectomy October 2007
                    fusion L2-3 November 2008
                    Revision L2-3 Fusion, Removal of hardware August 2009
                    Curves measuring 52 T&L September 2010
                    Fused T4-L4, all posterior December 27th 2010
                    gained almost two inches in height

                    Before and After Exterior
                    Before and After X-rays
                    My blog: http://herscoliosisjourney.blogspot.com/

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Gayle,
                      So glad to hear from you Oct. 11 buddy! I am glad that you are doing well also. No doubt that I think of the stairs as my exercises also!LOL
                      Heidi
                      35 year old mother of 2 lil girls
                      60 degree thoracic
                      44 degree lumbar
                      Oct. 11, 2010 surgery
                      Dr. Lenke St. Louis
                      1 year follow up: 15 degree thoracic, 22 lumbar
                      fused T1 to L1

                      Comment

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