Hi all,
I have my first ever surgery on Feb 23 and am struggling with the anxiety and fear.
Classic story - wore a milwaukee for 4 years, closed out the process at 42*up/38*low, and went about my business, believing the dr who said it wouldn't progress.
Now at age 38, I have been on Celebrex and Tramadol max daily dosage for 2 years. I went to see Dr Boachie in December, hoping to discuss tweaking my pain management regimen and was stunned to hear that I need to be fused from T2 - L4.
I went for a second opinion and it was confirmed. My surgery date is Feb 23 at Yale with Dr. Grauer.
I am sure it's unpopular to say but I felt like Boachie saw me as a quick win and not as a patient. He spent most of his time - all $450 cash of it - with his back to me. He may be the best in the nation, and if I were having corrective surgery, I would be more willing to entertain HSS, but I really liked Dr Grauer and have confidence that Yale will be able to provide excellently for me.
I've thought this over 15 ways from Sunday and feel as prepared as I will be. Do I feel confident that my pain will go away and I will be better for having done this at all? No. But I do feel confident that I have no choice but to go forward, and it may as well be sooner than later. I thought I had outrun this and the shock of finding out that in fact, I hadn't, has been overwhelming.
We have a two story house with all beds and a bath with walk-in shower upstairs. I expect to be sequestered there for 2 weeks, as the stairs will be hard. Other than Wii, a dorm fridge, and a kindle, is there anything else I should acquire pre-op? I have ordered an old lady bonnet hair dryer, because my hair is long and takes forever to air dry, and I don't do being dirty.
I asked for the least amount of correction possible. I am very well compensated for now being 65/40, with my head only 2mm off center, and my left shoulder 2.5cm lower than the right. I am already long waisted, even with the curvature and have no interest in looking bird-like with a creepy long torso and short legs. I am hoping he can get me back the inch of height I've lost and that is it.
Also I am hoping that he doesn't maybe reduce the number of vertebrae he's fusing too.
So I have some questions that I hope you're willing to answer for me, based on your experience. Your answers are greatly appreciated.
1. Did you find that you needed 24/7 help the first two weeks? What did you mostly need help with?
2. How long before I can shower?
3. How long did you stay in the hospital? They're saying 5-7 days and I am shooting for 4.
4. How long was your surgery and how complex? The OR is booked for 5 hours.
5. When did you return to work? I have a 2 hour commute by train but am hoping to telecommute at 8 weeks. Is this reasonable or a stretch? I have a desk job.
6. Was there anything that was good during that first 3 months?
7. When did you first feel glad that you had done this? I don't know that I will ever feel that way, as for me, I don't know that I will ever be able to quantify what I have avoided by doing this.
Thanks for your help and please keep the horror stories on the down-low. I'm already taking xanax every few hours to keep the hyperventilation at bay.
Many thanks and I wish you all well.
I have my first ever surgery on Feb 23 and am struggling with the anxiety and fear.
Classic story - wore a milwaukee for 4 years, closed out the process at 42*up/38*low, and went about my business, believing the dr who said it wouldn't progress.
Now at age 38, I have been on Celebrex and Tramadol max daily dosage for 2 years. I went to see Dr Boachie in December, hoping to discuss tweaking my pain management regimen and was stunned to hear that I need to be fused from T2 - L4.
I went for a second opinion and it was confirmed. My surgery date is Feb 23 at Yale with Dr. Grauer.
I am sure it's unpopular to say but I felt like Boachie saw me as a quick win and not as a patient. He spent most of his time - all $450 cash of it - with his back to me. He may be the best in the nation, and if I were having corrective surgery, I would be more willing to entertain HSS, but I really liked Dr Grauer and have confidence that Yale will be able to provide excellently for me.
I've thought this over 15 ways from Sunday and feel as prepared as I will be. Do I feel confident that my pain will go away and I will be better for having done this at all? No. But I do feel confident that I have no choice but to go forward, and it may as well be sooner than later. I thought I had outrun this and the shock of finding out that in fact, I hadn't, has been overwhelming.
We have a two story house with all beds and a bath with walk-in shower upstairs. I expect to be sequestered there for 2 weeks, as the stairs will be hard. Other than Wii, a dorm fridge, and a kindle, is there anything else I should acquire pre-op? I have ordered an old lady bonnet hair dryer, because my hair is long and takes forever to air dry, and I don't do being dirty.
I asked for the least amount of correction possible. I am very well compensated for now being 65/40, with my head only 2mm off center, and my left shoulder 2.5cm lower than the right. I am already long waisted, even with the curvature and have no interest in looking bird-like with a creepy long torso and short legs. I am hoping he can get me back the inch of height I've lost and that is it.
Also I am hoping that he doesn't maybe reduce the number of vertebrae he's fusing too.
So I have some questions that I hope you're willing to answer for me, based on your experience. Your answers are greatly appreciated.
1. Did you find that you needed 24/7 help the first two weeks? What did you mostly need help with?
2. How long before I can shower?
3. How long did you stay in the hospital? They're saying 5-7 days and I am shooting for 4.
4. How long was your surgery and how complex? The OR is booked for 5 hours.
5. When did you return to work? I have a 2 hour commute by train but am hoping to telecommute at 8 weeks. Is this reasonable or a stretch? I have a desk job.
6. Was there anything that was good during that first 3 months?
7. When did you first feel glad that you had done this? I don't know that I will ever feel that way, as for me, I don't know that I will ever be able to quantify what I have avoided by doing this.
Thanks for your help and please keep the horror stories on the down-low. I'm already taking xanax every few hours to keep the hyperventilation at bay.
Many thanks and I wish you all well.
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