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  • The First Look

    I took the first picture of my back tonight. Something came over me. I was ready to look. I was too terrified before. I've never felt normal. Made me cry for I actually have hips/waist that I have never had. I didn't mind the scar because of the physical change. Now for energy to lose the weight I gained from all the times I couldn't do anything so I can show of those hips and waist.

    I'm sure I'm not the first to wait seven weeks to look, and I never knew how emotional it was going to be.

    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)

  • #2
    very happy for you Tamena...
    but i first thought you waited a year to look...
    because your signature says surgery was Oct 2012...
    confusing...

    i hope things look and feel better and better...
    happy 2014...

    jess...and Sparky

    Comment


    • #3
      Jess, she had a revision resently.
      Tamena, isn't it a wonderful feeling? I remember looking at my back many times a day because I could not believe my eyes. I was also paranoid that my back will not stay straight and will start curving again. I asked my husband every day in the early recovery if my back was still straight :-)
      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


      • #4
        hi Irina
        yes, i know about the revision, and the reason for it...
        just that the signature is confusing...

        j

        Comment


        • #5
          nice job fixing signature...makes it much more clear
          what happened with your spine...

          wishing you the best...
          jess...and Sparky

          Comment


          • #6
            Tamena, when I first looked at my back, I felt a real disconnect. How could that be MY back? For one reason my whole back was painful and all I saw was a very neat scar tucked into my midline of my entire back. I thought that, crazy thought, that my entire back would be scarred all over.

            Now, since I have minimal pain, I look at my back in the mirror and say "wow". I cannot believe that I had such a huge surgery and feel as well as I do. How can that happen? I am 9+ months postop and have some minor pain here and there, some weakness, some limitations, but I am so much better than I was before surgery.

            I stood in a line at a museum last week and suddenly got a déjà vu experience of standing in line before surgery, then sitting or lying on the floor after a very short time. A silly grin came over my face.

            Be proud of your back, you earned it! Susan
            Last edited by susancook; 01-03-2014, 04:20 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


            • #7
              Smiles

              Susan,

              It is so good to hear that you can now stand in line without having to lie on the floor.

              Libby

              Comment


              • #8
                So encouraging!
                Peg
                61 yrs old
                75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
                T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
                Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!

                Comment


                • #9
                  I guess it is emotional looking at your scars....I’ve actually forgotten. After a few years, you don’t even look anymore and the scars do blend in quite nicely.

                  You also forget what it was like before your surgeries.....Susan, if we didn’t document what it was like for us, we would forget. I’m glad I documented what happened to me here.

                  It is nice to be over the pain......the lying on the floor (I’m also guilty) and getting stuck in the rain.....(sounds like a movie title) Starring Dustin Hoffman of course.......Susan, you will have to pick your leading lady. (smiley face)

                  What’s truly emotional is the fact that this “can” be done after all the people in the scoliosis community chipped in over the last 50 years. If it wasn’t for them, Dr Moe founding SRS in 1966, and all the pioneer’s, and the hardware people, things would be truly miserable. I would be dead.

                  I am extremely greatful to have a second chance.

                  Ed
                  49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
                  Pre surgery curves T70,L70
                  ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
                  Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

                  Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
                  http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

                  My x-rays
                  http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

                  http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I figured out how to attach my pics from my phone. I will put the starting, first surgery, and final.
                    Tamena
                    Attached Files
                    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


                    • #11
                      Nice rack!

                      Ed
                      49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
                      Pre surgery curves T70,L70
                      ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
                      Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

                      Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
                      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

                      My x-rays
                      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

                      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Wow, Tamena, that looks awesome! I'm very happy for you. (I just don't have that way with words like Ed does!). 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


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Doodles View Post
                          Wow, Tamena, that looks awesome! I'm very happy for you. (I just don't have that way with words like Ed does!). Janet
                          Originally posted by Wish2bstraight View Post
                          Susan,

                          It is so good to hear that you can now stand in line without having to lie on the floor.

                          Libby
                          I am amazed that I can stand without pain. I wonder how long until I take it for granted? It is awesome not to be in pain. Cool. 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


                          • #14
                            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
                              Thanks guys! I can't believe the transitions that I have gone through the last few weeks. I go from thinking I'm never going to make it to driving for my first time today. It is almost liberating to slowly be getting my life, or should I say a better life back!

                              I do feel like I am trapped in the dang brace that I hated as a kid/teen, but I know that will just become a normal feeling in time. But at least I got an hour off back then, or more if I snuck it in my school locker. Hehe!

                              I do also feel like a bobble head at times. Anyone else fused starting at T2 feel like that. I want to have a daily neck/shoulder massage because it feels like it takes all my strength to hold my head up with all this metal work.

                              All I know is Dr. Kelly performed an amazing work of art with my spine and I feel so blessed to have had God put him and his team in my path.

                              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

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