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  • 5 weeks

    So it's hard for me to believe it has been 5 weeks since surgery. My left ribs feel more like I got hit by the kiddie train at the mall instead of a 5 engine locomotive I can tell I haven't been active as much as I see my legs getting smaller. Took my recumbent trike out twice today and sat on my regular bike and I think I will be able to ride it one day soon. My bowels have regulated since getting off the pain meds and a couple extra strength Tylenol seems to help but still any activity including sitting up makes me exhausted I took my first soaking bath today- so good. And I started my car and backed out of the drive and back to the garage. I had my neighbor drop me off to a local diner and had breakfast- getting stir crazy in the house. They all said I was getting color back into my face and they were encouraging. I scheduled my icv filter removal surgery for December 14 so I hope that does it for me this year for surgeries. I am told in 2 to 3 more weeks I should actually start feeling more motivated and alive. Looking forward to that. I hate feeling so weak Ramping up my ensures to gain some weight I hope and actually made some shortbread. Added lots more nuts and some vitamin a and b to my diet. Hoping appetite will come back soon. Lots of things sound great and taste great for about 5 bites then done. Hoping to actually use my laptop next week a d sit up for 6 hours in a day because I have to go back to work in a few weeks from home. I appreciate everyone's comments and encouragement I don't think I would have made it without this outlet. I think once I can get back to work (telecommuting for 16 weeks) and have a more regular routine I will have more energy etc. I know people say u have to use energy to have it but everything just exhausts me so easily. I got pt exercises but idk if there is someone who should be coming to the house or if I should just start doing them. I can do wii exercises the dr said. But I just haven't been able to get that motivated yet. Any suggestions on how to have more energy or motivation would be much appreciated. Thanks all. Kayde

  • #2
    Hi Kayde...

    You have a really great attitude, and I think it's served you well these 5 weeks. You've been through some rough patches, but you're focusing on the good days instead of the bad ones. Nice going!! That sounds easy, but I think you're either born with the attitude or you're not. I'm glad to be a glass-have-full girl myself.

    Although I never had the exhaustion after my January surgeries, I definitely had it after my surgeries 20 years ago. It really took me a year to get back my stamina. I figure it was my body's way of telling me that I needed to keep things at a slower pace for awhile, and it was a good excuse when I wanted to get out of doing something. ;-)

    Regards,
    Linda
    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

    Comment


    • #3
      Great job!

      Hi Kayde!
      You are doing great! Off the narcotics at five weeks??? That's fantastic! I was scared to death to go off of them but when I did, I felt much better than I thought I would. My surgeon's nurse really pushed me to wean myself off of them and I'm glad she did. By six weeks I was off everything (except the occasional tylenol) and back to work, part time.
      Keep up the good work!
      50 years old!!!!!
      Wore Milwaulkee Brace 1976-77
      Original curve 36 degrees ( measured in the 70s)
      Advanced to 61 degrees 01/2011
      Surgery 07/11/2011
      Fused T1-L2 (curve now in the 20s!)

      Comment


      • #4
        Kayde,
        It sounds like you are doing well. It's frustrating not to the have the stamina that you want, but it will come. I started feeling so much better when I got off the heavy pain medicine which was also at 5 weeks. I got my bowels regulated and started going out more to eath and manly to be around people. That was a big boost. As others have said, this surgery requires a lot of patience. I didn't do much more than walk for the first few months. I added some free weight arm exercises that I still do while laying on my back on the bed. The first time I walked up the stairs to get some different clothes from my closet at about 4 weeks, I was out of breath. I just couldn't believe it. I suggest that you keep walking and try to increase your distances when you think that you can and you'll be surprised at how you'll get your strength back. I bought a pedometer so that I could try to have daily goals for distances.
        You have a good attitude and that means so much!
        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


        • #5
          Breath

          My worst problem is running out of breath. My lungs and ribs really have been used this way in a while. I thought I used to get out of breath easy before. Man what I wouldn't give to have that back. Lol. My left hip and left side really hurts some days. Biofreeze and blue stuff helps. 3 weeks was all I could take with the pain meds. The withdrawals were really rough sort of thought I might just die. But my bowels and appitite was more important. So far the soreness has been the worst. Been trying to massage it- but really I had no idea how little weight that side was carrying. My right foot has a huge calus and the the two toes sort of have ridges points on the from being squeezed to the side. I can actually see them beginning to look normal. No outside contact with people and being in bed so much has been hard. I actually asked my dr for 800 mg motrin and I increased my vitamin a and b which has seemed to help. It's very hard to not think of all u can't do, but my friend at the diner told me I was looking better and to go get my hair done and remember time is all I need. He had a triple by- pass and a hip replacement all n the same year. He said he doesn't even think of that year anymore. I try to remember what carol Burnett said about all the tragedies in her life....tragedy plus time equals humor if you keep your sanity and perspective of the goal. I can look back even now and find humor in the fact I was so out of it with pain meds that I texted my friend and told her I had escaped the hospital by climbing out the window and my surgeon had come to my house but he wasn't going to get me because I was taking my road trip and taking pictures like I wanted. Lol. Of course she is asking me if I was driving and I told her no I needed to walk. Lol. Made her call the hospital for them to make sure I was n my room. Lol. I sent one friend a text and she said not one word was spelled correctly she said she had no idea what I was trying to say. Guess she texted back and said -oh well that sounds real good. And I texted back and said thanks I thought so too just wanted to check with her. Lol. I'm sure what I'm going thru now will have some humor as well as soon as I have enough time to see it. I'm just used to things moving fast so the time part is really getting to me. Ready to be over this by now. I'm the most happy about bowels being back to normal. I did have my daughter's friend come over yesterday. She is a massage therapist for elderly- she was encouraging by saying the muscles on my left side were very very tight and then she got to my rib area and the front of my ribs and I discovered I am now ticklish. Something new. But she said that was a good sign that the nerves that far from the surgery site were that sensitive that I should have full feeling back into my back that is numb now. Hoping she is correct. . I appreciate everyone listening.

          Comment


          • #6
            [QUOTE=Kayde;130183 I actually asked my dr for 800 mg motrin [/QUOTE]

            Did your surgeon give you the 800mgs of Motrin? Motrin is not good for fusion.
            Melissa

            Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

            April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

            Comment


            • #7
              Also heard no NSAIDS (Mortrin for at least six months)

              I'll also repeat what mabeckoff said as my surgeon's office also said it--no Motrin (or any NSAIDs) until at least six months post surgery. If you are going to a normal doctor, they may not know the NSAID will inhibit fusing.

              Stick with the tylenol....

              Regarding the energy, I am now a little over three months and it's starting to come back. I actually survived taking the train and metro into DC for a short work day of meetings at our HQ...and wasn't exhausted after the event.

              Yep, you are still in resting and short spurts of energy right now.

              I admire you are able to do this mostly on your own. Bravo to your neighbor who drove you to the diner!
              Discovered scoliosis when 15 years old.
              Wore Milwaulkee Brace for 1.5 years.
              Top curve 85 degrees, bottom curve 60 degrees

              Surgery completed August 23, 2011 (during an earthquake, can you believe that?)
              Dr. Charles Edwards, II
              The Spine Center at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, MD
              Before and after xrays:
              http://www.valley-designs.com/myspine

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