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  • i'm really nervous

    hi i am new to this website it seams good, i am 37 and i am awaiting surgery, i have a 74 degree curve and progressing fast ,i am really nervous and worried about my after care and leaving my kids, i have never been apart from them ,my husband is great. i hav'nt had any information on what exactly they are going to do , i think this is why i am so anxious i am hoping to have it done by march, please could anyone give me any advice about the operation - during and after . i am from the uk and the web sites here are not so good , also i have just given up smoking as i read that fusion may not be so successful.
    thanks sarah

  • #2
    Hi Sarah,

    I'm 55 and had a double-stage scoliosis operation (for a similar curve at 77 degrees) at the end of November. Every case is different, but what helped me was getting as many questions as possible answered from the surgeon in advance, and especially, being committed to seeing it through, and my husband also.

    Recovery is a slog, but easier in retrospect: I can see now that improvement has been steady, and each of the problems has either reduced and/or become easier to deal with as the right level of medication etc. gets established. By now I have a reasonable time pain-wise, with half the dosage that I started out with. I can spend my days reading, listening to music and the radio, going for a walk each day and having still rather brief visits. Simple housework is OK - ironing and chopping up veg, but not stretching or hoovering. I expect to begin back at work after Easter.

    Useful things have been mentioned on this website, including Dave Wolpert's book (but don't expect to recover at his rate!), having the house in order, and appointing your partner to liaise between you and the outside world. I was in hospital for 4 weeks (delayed by a bout of pneumonia which only lasted a few days), needed quite a bit of help in the first two weeks but my husband could go back to work after Christmas as usual.

    Top tips: comfortable mattress (we finally got a memory foam mattress pad which has been great); several microwave hot water bottles ( I often used 3 at a time at first, now 2); friends who want to help can be encouraged to bring a cooked meal round; make sure you have medical advice always available - we ran into Christmas and New Year on my return home which made things difficult for us.

    If you would like more detailed info, do contact me directly,

    Very good luck,

    Lavinia

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    • #3
      some info

      Hi there:

      You may want to try this forum -

      scoliosisnutty@yahoogroups.co.uk

      most of the folks have had surgery and many of them are extremely well informed and since it is a UK site they will be able to fill you in on things over there. They are a great group to talk with and are wonderful at listening as well. They will be able to give you the full title of a good book about scoliosis surgery as well. Drop in on it you will really find it useful. Good luck with your surgery.

      Momo ( Nancy )
      Nancy

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      • #4
        Hi Sarah

        I am also in South Wales - I suspect we may go to the same clinic!

        I am 41 years old, and have a double curve 60Deg L and 50+ T. I have been told that my surgery date will be between July and December this year. Obviously I can't tell you what will happen after the op, but I though you might like to know you have a little support close to home!

        Like you (and I guess everyone else out there in a similar situation) I find the whole prospect prety scary but am trying to take things in my stride. The forum is very helpful and I also thought Dave Wolpert's book was very good. I downloaded a copy (e-book) over the internet - you may not realise that it's one way of getting hold of a copy, even here in the UK. It has all kinds of stuff from how surgery is done to how to prepare your house for coming out of hospital. He may be in the USA, but I think lots of things are just the same.

        Best of luck anyway and don't forget to post with your experiences when you are post op!
        Double 63(T)/75(L) deg curve with big sideways shift - Surgery in UK on 8th February 2006.
        Post op 30(T)/33(L)
        http://warpedwoman.blogspot.com/

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