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Hannah's surgery today with Dr Lenke !!! ALL DONE and she is WELL...

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  • Hannah's surgery today with Dr Lenke !!! ALL DONE and she is WELL...

    I have been following Hannah's progress on her CaringBridge Journal. Someone has been very good at doing this reporting. I have copied and pasted all the post to share my my family as it makes it easier to know exactly what is going to happen. Dr Lenke did her surgery and I am sure that Dr Bridwell will be similar.

    Please let me know if this is of interest to anyone to follow her progress as I encourage others to do the same and if there is interest, I will have hubbie or daughter to post my progress.

    Hannah's situation is: Scheuermann's disease, which is a curvature of the spine similar to scoliosis but instead of being an "S" curve, it's a "C" curve

    Day before… Written Sep 27, 2012 3:08pm
    Central line is in. I am sore from it. Had some nice sedatives when they did it. But now the lidocaine is wearing off, so I've taken Tylenol and will be relaxing the rest of the day. Now it's time to wait! Praying for good pain management. See you all on the "other side"

    Today - Surgery day as reported by family member: Written 13 hours ago
    Well, it's about 7 AM here at Barnes Hospital as we wait for our Hannah to go off to surgery. We (Tim, her mom, Christy, and I, Joe) all got here around 5:15 AM to register for the procedure. It went quick as she had preregistered.

    • We were sent up to the second floor for her to REALLY get ready for the operation. The registration clerk told us that only two people can be with her at any one time, BUT ..... if the nurse is nice (?) she'll let all three of us stay with her. Ha ! Of course, we got Nurse Ratched (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) who kicked ME out !

    So I went down the hall and found a chair to sit down in and kill time. 30 minutes later, the doctors and nurses flooded her room asking questions and telling her what to expect. They let me back in for that.

    Hannah was doing good but was VERY anxious (puked a couple of times)!
    We just left her room and headed for the family waiting room as they were getting ready to move her to the OR.

    Will keep you informed as the day goes. The operation is supposed to take until 4:00 PM. Long day ahead ........ Prayers !!
    ---------
    Written 12 hours ago
    Well, it's about 7 AM here at Barnes Hospital as we wait for our Hannah to go off to surgery. We (Tim, her mom, Christy, and I, Joe) all got here around 5:15 AM to register for the procedure. It went quick as she had preregistered.
    ---------
    Written 11 hours ago
    They just called us here in the waiting room. She's now in the OR and -----they're starting the operation (8:45 AM).
    ----------
    Written 9 hours ago
    Nurse just called us in the waiting room. All is well 2 hours into the operation.
    He told us to go ahead and eat lunch because it would be another two hours before he called us again. Good enough.
    -------
    Written 5 hours ago
    The last update we got was at 12:30 PM. The nurse said that they were in the "home stretch" and that they were just now putting in the "hardware". Hopefully, it won't take much longer. That's all for now.
    -------
    Written 5 hours ago
    At 2:30 PM, Dr. Lenke, the surgeon, came on in the waiting room here and said that
    the operation is all over and Hannah is fine !
    He was carrying two X-rays of Hannah. One before and one after !
    The before looked ..... Bad.
    The after looks ..... GREAT !

    She's got 2 steel rods and 26 screws ... attached to … or in ... her spine !
    We can go see here in about an hour.
    She's not in the ICU but in a critical care unit. She doesn't need as much attention as
    an ICU patient. That's all for now. Good news, eh ?
    Gardenia
    Baja California, Mexico & El Centro, Ca
    pre-surgery 75° and 89° - post ?
    Dr. Bridwell Nov 27, 2012 @Barnes Jewish @62yrs
    T11 to Sacrum Dural leak at L2 & L3 ccmail4g@gmail.com

  • #2
    Yah!!!

    Thank you for posting this!!! Congrats Hannah!!! You did it!

    Comment


    • #3
      Still praying for a speedy recovery!
      Tamena
      Diagnosed at age 12 with a double major curve

      Braced till age 15

      SSBOB T12-L2 Anterior age 34. (October 22,2012) Dr. Robert Gaines Jr. ( Columbia, MO)

      Revision Surgery T2-Sacrum with Pelvic Fixation Prosterior age 35 (November 13,2013) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)

      Revision Surgery L4/L5 due to BMP Complication age 36 (November 20,2014) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, Mo)

      Revision Surgery due to broken rod scheduled for October 19, 2016 with Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)

      Comment


      • #4
        congrads hannah
        Kara
        25
        Brace 4-15-05-5-25-06
        Posterior Spinal Fusion 3-10-10
        T4-L2
        Before 50T
        After 20T

        Comment


        • #5
          Hannah

          To Hannah and family,

          Tears of joy over the good report. Please keep us posted as to your progress.

          Hugs,
          Patty
          1963 Fusion T4-L2 for congenital scoliosis. It was a bone graft and not instrumentation
          1989 to Present....Have had chronic pain. MRI's show severe neural foraminal stenosis L2-S1, rotational scoliosis lumbar spine over 40 degrees, compression of nerve roots L5-S1, Broad Based Herniations L4-L5, L5-S
          Surgery scheduled with Dr. Bridwell on December 11, 2012
          December 11, 2012 Had surgery with Dr. Bridwell. He fused L4-L5 with rods and screws.

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks, Gardenia, for posting this. Please keep us updated when you can.
            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


            • #7
              Thanks for all of this info. It sounds like she's doing great and Dr. Lenke did a great job! 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


              • #8
                Update Good news!!!!

                I keep reading and following her caring bridge journal. And sharing with all.....


                day 4 post op monday by HANNAH

                Written 1 hour ago
                This morning was eventful because I was back and forth to the restroom, The nurses gave me way too much stool softener that caused a very negative effect. I had my first solid food for breakfast, but only could eat 1/4 piece of toast with water. They started decreasing my IV pain meds and slowly subsituting pill form. Eddie (my nickname for my pain med dispenser) I miss you. I took a walk thru the hall of over 300 ft. Whew! sure tired me out. Tried to stay awake most of the time but had a hard time carrying on any meaningful conversation. Did some therapy with bath stool and walked again. The nurses call me the star of the floor, I am recouperating so well. Lunch consisted of chicken, mashed potatoes, broc, roll, cake and soda. I did take 2 bites of each, dont want to over eat at first. Tim and Dad came by in the evening and mom went home. I would say that I had a full day and need to concentrate on getting some sleep tonite. Peace out...........til tomorrow.
                Gardenia
                Baja California, Mexico & El Centro, Ca
                pre-surgery 75° and 89° - post ?
                Dr. Bridwell Nov 27, 2012 @Barnes Jewish @62yrs
                T11 to Sacrum Dural leak at L2 & L3 ccmail4g@gmail.com

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hannah,

                  Loved your "peace out"! You are making excellent progress. Keep up the good work.

                  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/

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by gardenia View Post
                    I keep reading and following her caring bridge journal. And sharing with all.....


                    day 4 post op monday by HANNAH

                    Written 1 hour ago
                    This morning was eventful because I was back and forth to the restroom, The nurses gave me way too much stool softener that caused a very negative effect. I had my first solid food for breakfast, but only could eat 1/4 piece of toast with water. They started decreasing my IV pain meds and slowly subsituting pill form. Eddie (my nickname for my pain med dispenser) I miss you. I took a walk thru the hall of over 300 ft. Whew! sure tired me out. Tried to stay awake most of the time but had a hard time carrying on any meaningful conversation. Did some therapy with bath stool and walked again. The nurses call me the star of the floor, I am recouperating so well. Lunch consisted of chicken, mashed potatoes, broc, roll, cake and soda. I did take 2 bites of each, dont want to over eat at first. Tim and Dad came by in the evening and mom went home. I would say that I had a full day and need to concentrate on getting some sleep tonite. Peace out...........til tomorrow.
                    Hannah: Did you write this 4 days postop?? If so, you are one awesome lady! Much better to overdue the stool softener than be blocked up!

                    Thanks for the posts and so glad that Hannah is doing so well. Such and inspiration! Good thought and prayer coming your way for a continuing recovery. Susan
                    Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis

                    2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
                    2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
                    2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
                    2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
                    2018: Removal L4,5 screw
                    2021: Removal T1 screw & rod

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Day 6

                      Originally posted by susancook View Post
                      Hannah: Did you write this 4 days postop?? If so, you are one awesome lady! Much better to overdue the stool softener than be blocked up!

                      Thanks for the posts and so glad that Hannah is doing so well. Such and inspiration! Good thought and prayer coming your way for a continuing recovery. Susan
                      Hi Susan, my mom wrote the day 4 post but I told her what to write. Today was my first REAL post and it's taken forever to do.


                      Here's day 6....I passed *all necessary requirements (walking 300 ft., stairs, some other jstuff etc) , so they let me go home yesterday around noon. Wish I could have stay longer to get more acquainted with the oral Meds and not the pain pump.
                      *You could definitely tell when it was getting close to time for more pain Meds I get Grouchy .
                      Settled in nicely. I'll sent a link back photos when uploaded. Time to nap thanks all for the support!

                      Hannah

                      Noticing a lot of stiffness in Lower back and atching shoulders. And I am so bloated. Erg..... Any suggestions?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Hannah,

                        Welcome to "the other side"! Sounds like you are doing fabulous!! I can't remember your exact fusion levels, but stiffness and soreness is to be expected for a while, as you know. Don't be shy about pain meds right now--you'll need them for a while. The swelling will go away on its own. Drink lots of water and don't eat too much salt, if you want it to go faster. I sweated mine off--bed sweats! Yuck. But you are younger than me, so hopefully that won't happen. Glad to hear you're doing so well!

                        Evelyn
                        age 48
                        80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
                        Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
                        Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
                        Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
                        Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Photo of the scar:

                          IMG_1981.jpg

                          My fusion was between tT-L3 with smith-peterson osteotemies from t7-12. Not sure if my previous posts stated my degree of curvature. Before: 89 degrees After: 45 degrees. <--Definately ok with that! The scar isn't TOO bad either

                          I have noticed that I have to consciously hold my head upright, since it wants to go back to it's original spot. Any one else have that issue?

                          We MAY have gotten the pain under control, but I may not be saying the same tomorrow. We will see. I am SOOO glad that i built up my arm muscles beforehand because for my log rolling it's quit a workout pushing myself up.

                          I have so much food/water in my body right now (no BM since Sunday or Monday I can't remember) and it has no where to go since I am so stopped up, think I may look into suppositories tomorrow, because my belly HURTS BAD!

                          I can also tell when I have done too much (walking etc,) cuz my body tells me to slow it down.

                          Any advice on the little things the following weeks out of surgery? I know talking BM's is weird but man, I look like I am 4 months pregnant with all the fluid/food buildup.

                          Thanks,

                          Hannah
                          Last edited by HannahCP; 10-04-2012, 10:46 PM.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Hannah,

                            Your back looks so straight! Beautiful!
                            I am stronger than scoliosis, and won't let it rule my life!
                            45 years old - diagnosed at age 7
                            A/P surgery on March 5/7, 2013 - UCSF

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by HannahCP View Post
                              Hi Susan, my mom wrote the day 4 post but I told her what to write. Today was my first REAL post and it's taken forever to do.


                              Here's day 6....I passed *all necessary requirements (walking 300 ft., stairs, some other jstuff etc) , so they let me go home yesterday around noon. Wish I could have stay longer to get more acquainted with the oral Meds and not the pain pump.
                              *You could definitely tell when it was getting close to time for more pain Meds I get Grouchy .
                              Settled in nicely. I'll sent a link back photos when uploaded. Time to nap thanks all for the support!

                              Hannah

                              Noticing a lot of stiffness in Lower back and atching shoulders. And I am so bloated. Erg..... Any suggestions?
                              You are amazing! Unfortunately, with hospitals as tight as they are with insurance companies breathing down their necks, I think that they probably let everyone go before they solidly get their feet on the ground. But, the longer that you are in a hospital, the more chance that you have to catch an infection from someone else in the hospital. Also, there's nothing like the comforts of home and your special blanket and pillow and whatever makes you [and me] feel more relaxed and secure. Keep up with the pain med when it's time. If you don't take them, you are more likely to stay in bed more in pain and not move around. Looking forward to the pictures. Day 6 and you did all that above that you mentioned? YIKES! Wonder if they have a slower schedule for little old 66 year old ladies like me!

                              My guess that some of the stiffness and aching could be from being in bed so much while you recovered. Also, when you have the many hours of surgery, they move you some. Also, to straighten your back, they have to slowly get the rods in a more or less straighten back and that puts great stretch on muscles that tissue that was kind of contracted in one direction for so long because of your curve. Your body needs to get used to it's new position. And you are day 6....it takes a while for everything to adjust. The bloating....are you constipated or have lots of gas?

                              Take this time to pamper yourself and heal and let everyone else do everything. Naps are good! Listen to your body! Congratulations on doing so well! You are awesome! HUGS...ever so gently... Susan [I am in Fiji doing women's health screenings. My "twisted back" is holding up well, so far!]
                              Last edited by susancook; 10-05-2012, 03:14 AM.
                              Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis

                              2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
                              2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
                              2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
                              2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
                              2018: Removal L4,5 screw
                              2021: Removal T1 screw & rod

                              Comment

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