car ride after surgery

[carols]

Hello: I have a few questions:
My 14-year old daughter is due to have an apical fusion this July.

1) Has anyone had this surgery? It may be called something else and if any moderators know another name, I'd love to know.

2) Is it painful to sit in the car for long car rides after surgery? We're four hours from Philadelphia where we will have the surgery. And, what can we do to make the drive more comfortable?

3) We're due to go to the beach two weeks after surgery. Any opinions on this? The beach is about four hours by car.

Thanks, everyone, for your help.
--Carol

[spincon58]

Hi,
My experience with long car rides after surgery are PILLOWS....pillows everywhere...to support under her arms to reduce the weight on the spine, a small one under the seat belt...also to take a strong pain med...right before...and elimate small roads..highways are best they have less bumps than sides streets....As far as the beach is concerned...try not to plan...maybe you can go last minute ...if she is feeling good after surgery plan should go....

[matt]

Hi there Carol. My name is Ross. I am a 15 year old boy from Louisiana. I had surgery in September. I went to Shriners Hospital for Children-Shreveport for my surgery, which is about 5 hours from my home. One the way home, my aunt let us use her suburban because my mom has a 2003 Toyota Tacoma, and it just rides like a truck. So getting a vehicle that is very comfortable is really good. Pillows! Bring lots of pillows. And the thing about the beach 2 weeks post op. I wouldn't really plan to go. You can never know how you are going to feel day by day, until you are in that day. I wouldn't plan on going alot of places for at least a couple of weeks. For me it was hard to get around for about 4 weeks. So if you go, just bring the things that make your daughter comfortable! Hope this helps! Take care and God Bless! Ross

[jc3]

i know 2 weeks after my daughter's surgery there was no way she would have been able to go to a beach! And as for the car ride home like the 2 others have said lots of pillows. We had brought some of our own to the hospital and the hospital put us in the car with a whole bunch.

Jennifer

[mamakay]

All the advice you've recieved has been accurate!
My husband tried to take all good roads to the highway that were not bumpy also.
I thought that was great advice that I had not thought about.
Of course PIllows Pillows.
We have a suburban that my dtr said was so comfortable to ride in. It would be good if you can get a good riding vehicle.
We put her in front with the seat back and first put the hospital blanket on the seat then I supported her while my husband went around to the driver side and carefully pulled the blanket bc the seats are leather and it slid her in.
We also had a 3 hr drive.
We only had to stop once to let her get out and stand for a bit.
Just make sure!!!!That you have the painmedicine timed out so you can give her the medicine and you will have enough for the way home. You may think 2 doses will get you there but I would try and fill any prescription before you leave bc it always takes longer to get going than you think.
Also maybe your hospital has a salon(check asap and may need an appt. and Dr signature) that will accomodate the patients by washing thier hair. Because we didn't even make it outside or upstairs for 2 weeks!
Hopefully all will go easily but everyone heals at different speeds here I noticed. One thing is most advice you get will be true at some point.
Good luck and let us know how you did..kay
p.s. Iam not sure of the surgery you mentioned so maybe all my rambling won't apply. Do you mean anterior?

[mamakay]

Jennifer,
I want to ask you if Nichole has pain at school often?
Ste's shoulder hurts everyday she finally admitted.
She said the chairs are hard and when I said put something soft behind you she said it hurts to lean against them.
She misses a class (sometimes a.m. sometimes the noon one) at least once a week.
I just wondered if Nichole was still coming home and laying on the couch bc she hurts or is exhusted.
Ste finally admitted she hurts everyday but it's not like before her surgery when she said it was BAD hurting.
She won't take anything but regular tylenol, does Nic take anything now?
Well just thought I 'd ask you if any thing has changed since our last conversation about them...thx,kay

[jc3]

kay
I think nicole's back hurts everyday in school also. Some days after school she will say it, but most of the time she doesn't say anything. I don't think it's a pain like you said a "bad" pain, but its maybe more of an uncomfortable thing. I think she is kind of getting used to it and i guess some days it bothers her more then others. This week she is off for winter break, so she is fine, not really resting much. With the resting after school, if she comes home after school and has nothing going on she will lay on the couch and watch t.v. and sit on her laptop, but some days she is going somewhere and doesn't. But i do notice since the surgery this laying on the couch alot, where before surgery she NEVER would do this. I've read that alot of people complain about sitting at the desks at schhol after surgery, i hope it doesn't always continue to hurt. and Nicole will not bring a custion, we tried asking her to after the surgery she said no way.
Otherwise she is doing really good. I just worry about her continuing to do good and i worry about the future with this whole thing
jennifer

[carols]

Thanks to everyone for their replies. Any information is much appreciated.
Carol S

[mamakay]

jennifer,
Thanks for replying,
Everything you said is just like here too. Ste won't take anything to lean against either! "No way"!
And just like Nichole if there is something she wants to go do she will suffer through it I'm sure rather than sit at home w/me.
I also worry about the future for them and wonder how "normal"
thier lives can be.
I just get nervous reading about rod breakages and pains I see that crop up years later. I know things are different than 5,10 or 20 yrs ago but nothing is guarranted.
I remind her at least untill the 1 year mark to take EXTRA!!! precautions and baby herself.
I don't think she thinks like that and I'm sure it's hard for a 16 yr old to try and act like a old person for a while.
Lately she has bought some high heeled shoes (2-3"'s)
and gets mad when I won't let her wear them, especially to school!! Can you imagine with those cement stairs and crowded class changing periods !(her school is 3 stories)
Well everyday is a challenge I suppose, even to relax..ha She asked me yesterday if I thought the surgery was worth it?
I amsurprised she questions it now?
I think bc it was so painful, she remembers EVERYTHING!! Even in recovery when they rolled her over and even who was in there(family wise.)
Of course the answer is yes, we had no choice and at least there was a choice.
I am surprised you all are on Spring Break? already. Is that what it is are do you have 2 breaks?
We go on a cruise in March for our Sring Break, so now I am arguing with her about getting sun on that scar!!!She hates it when any one touches it so I know it will be a challange to get sunscreen on it!Plus alot of her friends will be on the boat and I hope I can track her down to make sure she is covering it w/some sunscreen.
Dr said she could put suncreen on it. Even w/my past and continueing skin cancers shewants to tan!!!!ugh!
When does Nichole drive?
Do you let her drive w/other kids?
Thanks for the comparison of the girls, sounds like they are on the same level. Atleast their backs look right and we can go from here. I am so happy she is not crooked and in the bad pain now.
Well jennifer talk to you later and have a good weekend!!! kay
P.S. I hope our stories help other people..

[jc3]

hi kay
i'm sorry did i say spring break? I meant winter break. I guess it is winter break, i'm not even sure what they call it but i know they have been off for a week now and go back on monday and then again in april i think for spring break. There seems to be alot of breaks.
Let me know how it goes when you go away with getting the sunscreen on her back. That worries me too this summer. Nicole does not let anyone touch her back so i worry also about getting that sunscreen on her. I thought about maybe the spray sunscreen. I don't think nicole will let me rub it into her back.
I definitely worry about later on, i made the mistake of going on the revision board every now and then. It's scares me so much. I can't even imagine after the year mark and they are allowed to do mostly anything, i can't imagine not worrying anymore. I don't think that will go away.
Nicole is turning 15 tomorrow and they can't drive alone here until i think 17 with drivers ed. 16 They get their permit. Driving i'm sure would make me nervous, especially other kids driving her. I'd be so scared they'd get in an accident. You must be a wreck.
Did you ask me if nicole takes anything anymore? She doesn't take anything anymore, but i have some pain pills just in case.
well definitely stay in touch with me and we'll compare how they are doing.
Jennifer
p.s. yes it is nice to see their backs looking so straight, nicole's was getting so noticable, not that it bothered her.

[mamakay]

Well my worries are warranted...Tonight Ste called me crying and said she had just been in a collision!
All I could think of was her back! (like you I have read the revision boards)
Her airbag did not go off so I guess that is good,but there was a good amount of damage so I know she got a a good jolt.
I guess this proves to my family they should let me be more strict in her driving. I get sick and tired of fighting everyone about what she should or shouldn't be doing now!
It seems like the day she woke up from surgery I have had to keep my mouth shut and live and let live!
It is hard enough to argue w/a teenager,much less others!
I swear I've aged 20 yrs in the last 6 months.
I feel like I may think about everything too much but on the other hand I feel like that is what I,m suppose to do. If not who else to!
Thank goodness no one else was hurt in the collision,she had a friend w/her (who I'm sure will not be riding w/her again for a while.)
Well thanks for listening everyone, kay

jc3,
I think you said it was Winter break, we don't have that here, only Spring break.I think we have a long Christmas break that is called "winter break" .
Yes I'll tell you how the sunscreening goes.

[jc3]

hi kay
I haven't been able to post to you i think something has been wrong with this website. I wanted to know how ste is? Is everything all right? I hope she is feeling okay. I can't believe that happened and we were just writing each other about the driving issue. I know how hard it is being a parent, these kids are not easy! Let me know if everything is all right. I know at the beginning i was so nervous of nicole getting bumped or doing anything and i called the dr's office and they reassured me that everything is in there very securely and this will make you feel even better, i read i don't remember where that this girl was 4 months post op and fell down the stairs and she was fine.
Well, stay calm and write me back and let me know if everything is okay.
Jennifer

[susannajon]

Kay,

So glad the site's back up. I've been dying to hear how your daughter's doing. Wow, I am so glad she wasn't seriously hurt. Sometimes it takes a fender bender to remind kids that they are not immortal, and that hurtling down the road with nothing but few mm of sheet metal protecting you is a thing that must be taken seriously! Anyhow, it is heartening to read your posts about your teenager, doing normal teen stuff, even if it is wrecking the car!

Wish us luck next week. Surgery is the 9th.

Susanna

[nikyergen]

To all of you:
We are sure all in the same boat here. I hear all of you that your daughters have had surgery and being worried about what they are going to do to keep them slowed down.

Crystal's doctor told her she could possibly play basketball next winter. That is going to be a tough one to do. I talked to her coach today and he asked if her surgery was still dated for the 15th of March. Told him yes. He has already guaranteed her a spot on the varsity team next year. Crystal also thinks she can make an appearance at her Prom the middle of April. Told her maybe, but it would be a short appearance. I hope the boyfriend understands.

I worry about her going out to work with her sheep after surgery, especially her ram. He is her show ram and has won lots of money and classes for her. She is bound and determined that she is going to show him this summer. I have arranged with her FFA advisor to have someone available to show her market lamb for her, if she can't do it. Market lambs can get a little hard to handle, because they are on such hot feed. She has shown her ram enough, he is easy to handle and shows himself off.

Basketball is my other issue. I am not sure I can sit in the stands about the time she gets bumped hard. But, she has excellent coaches and if the game gets rough they will pull her from the game, no matter how good she is playing at the moment. She had to beg to be put in at one of her last games because she was hurting so bad. She finally told the coach that she would tie up the game for them and put the winning points in the basket. They put her in and she kept her promise to them. So, now how am I supposed to keep her from playing next year. I guess I just put my hands over my eyes and peek through my fingers.

How do the rest of you handle these things? There are days I want to wrap her in bubble wrap to protect until surgery and after surgery.

I took her to school today for the last hour, so she could visit with her teachers. Everyone at school is so sick, we didn't want her sick again and made arrangements for her to do her work at home. She really enjoyed being there. We will probably let her go to school all day next Thursday. It will be the last chance she gets to see her friends before surgery. We only have school Mon-Thur. here.

Well, we are 11 days from surgery and I can't sleep anymore. I'd hang pictures on my walls, but it would wake everyone else up. I haven't decided where I am going to put everything that is in boxes yet. I may not get much done before surgery. It is so overwhelming to me right now.

I guess that's all for now.
'til later,
Nikki

[scoliosis-mom]

I wish I had seen this web site before my daughter had anterior/posterior spinal fusion 2 years ago - it's very comforting to share ideas with each other.

For those that are having surgery in the next 2 weeks - try not to worry too much. My daughter was in surgery for 12 hours for a complicated version of spinal fusion (anterior and posterior T-1 to L-2) with 2 operating teams and she did just fine!

She had some breathing problems the first day due to the long anesthesia (and asthma), but kids are remarkably resilient. I won't say she didn't have pain - she certainly did, and it took about 4 days before they really got her moving in the PICU. I understand that most kids are up on the 2nd or 3rd day.

By the 5th day, she was her usual chatty self and ordering us all around :)

Walking around the PICU and the step-down ward (when transferred) was very therapeutic and made her feel much better. It was slow at first, but she was doing marathons around the ward by the 7th day.

We had to drive 5 hours home from New York to Washington, D.C. The surgeon recommended frequent stops so my daughter wouldn't stiffen up. We stopped about every hour and extended the trip to 8 hours. Of course, she was in the hospital for 10 days which is a little longer than usual.

Her recovery was about 2 months long and she was very dizzy the first month due to the blood loss during the operation. I wouldn't plan any trips the first month if possible.

The fun part was all the new clothes she was able to wear after the hump was gone and everything fit so much better! It really helped her self esteem.

Good luck to you all - I'll say a prayer for your kids - I'm certain it will go well!

Susan

[jc3]

Susanna,
I'm so glad this site is back up. I wanted to say good luck before surgery. I can't believe it is only days away. It will be over before you know it.
Nikki
Good luck to you to also. I can image what you guys are feeling like right now. I remember before my nicole's surgery i just wanted the day to get there already and get it over with. It felt like the day would never come. The morning getting into the car at 5:00 a.m. was surreal. It almost felt like a dream.
We'll be thinking about all you guys all day on the day of their surgery.
Susanna, while you are in the waiting area there is a computer so if you get a chance try and post to us and after the surgery and she is settled in her room ask the nurses for a computer they'll wheel one in, it kept me busy at night while nicole was sleeping. I played some game on there.
Nikki,
You mentioned the worries after (sports, etc) You will worry and i'm sure it will be hard to watch her play basketball. My nicole isn't allowed to do any of that yet she is 4 months post op, but i even worry when she runs to the car or jumps down two steps leaving the house. So i could imagine her playing a sport how i'd be. I don't think we'll ever stop worrying about them after this just knowing they have rods in there.
Susan,
thanks for sharing your daughters surgery story. How is she doing now 2 years post op? I like to hear other stories and see how my daughter will be doing down the road.
Jennifer

[scoliosis-mom]

Just a quick response to Jennifer to let you know that 2 years down the road things are pretty good.

My daughter is struggling with daily back pain that we are trying to resolve.

But emotionally, the surgery has turned her life around. She was clinically depressed (hospitalized) 1 year before the surgery and I'm certain the physical deformity had a significant role in her emotions and self esteem.

Today, she is confident, out dancing every Saturday night (just turned 18) and much more mature.

While scoliosis is something you would never wish for anyone, and I'm sure most mothers wished it had happened to them instead of their child, my daughter has grown from the experience. She is so empathetic to others with more severe disabilities. She has little tolerance for healthy kids who complain about their day, but she goes out of her way to seek out kids with more serious issues (emotional and physical).

I do worry about how she will cope physically when she's in her 40's, 50's, etc if she has any unforeseen problems, but she is a courageous kid (as all our kids are) and I know she can get through it.

Good luck to everyone!

Susan

Daughter fused 2-24-2003, age 16
NYU Medical Center
T1-L2

[nikyergen]

Susan,
Your daughter and mine sound almost like they know each other. Crystal has suffered with depression, all because she has been teased so terribly about her back. I think that is why she is setting aside any fear she may have. She goes out of her way to defend those less fortunate than her. Sometimes it shocks the kids at school when she gets on to them for teasing someone. She actually stuck up for herself this year for the first time. Of course, it was the school bully. He had said some terrible things about her back. She turned around, got in his face, and let him have it. She was very lady-like about it, but very firm that she wasn't going to put up with his garbage. I saw the whole thing happen. She actually felt better after she did it. I was proud that she actually stuck up for herself for a change, instead of going into the bathroom and crying.

If your daughter has any forseen problems, she will have to remember to get them dealt with right away. You should of seen Crystal when she got her sinus infection and the thought of having to cancel her surgery just devastated her. Her medical doctor said not to worry. She would be healthy for surgery.

'til later,
Nikki

[jc3]

hi susan
thanks for writing about how your daughter is doing 2 years down the road. I also worry about what the future holds long term down the road. It's scary reading some posts on the revision board. I don't know why i even look at those posts. I see that your daugher has surgery in NY, what dr. did her surgery. We also had surgery in NY at Hospital for Special Surgery with dr. boachie.
thanks again for sharing
jennifer

[Mary Lou]

Jennifer,

Am I correct--your daughter goes to the doctor this month? If so, when?

Susan,

Wow! I thought my daughter had a long fusion, but compared to your daughter, her's seems small.

My daughter sounds very much like your daughter--see finds girls her age to be very immature. I've always told her she was going to grow up so much faster than her peers and she's come home and told me stories of her friends who sound like the world will end because they have a hang nail (or something just as trivial) etc. I'm looking forward to next school year when she will be in high school and can meet older kids who might be more mature. I am so proud of the young lady Jamie has become. When she was first diagnosed, she didn't want to talk about her back, but I made her at times and she didn't want me to use her name on this forum. Since her surgery, she has come full circle-she talks to people about her back, she's has to do a report on "communications" and she has worked it so that she can do her report on Scoliosis, she has really started to walk around with a pride about herself that she never had before.



Mary Lou

[jc3]

hi marylou
yes nicole has an appointment march 10th, which is a day after susanna's daughter is having surgery with the same dr. we used, the hospital is across the street from the drs office so i am goinng to try and stop in and give them a visit.
jennifer

[scoliosis-mom]

Hi Jennifer,

My daughter's surgeon is Dr. Joseph Dryer at NYU Medical Center on First Ave in New York.

After taking my daughter to 4 different surgeons, she chose Dr. Dryer because he had recently done a 100 degree curve on a girl from Russia, he had a very caring manner, and we were really impressed with the hospital.

It was important to my daughter (who was 16 at the time) that she liked the surgeon and felt she could trust him/her. We had an unfortunate experience at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore (which is only 45 minutes from home) where we had an appointment with a world renowned scoliosis surgeon who made us wait 4 hours in the waiting room, after which we were shuffled from one assistant to another, and finally met him for the last 10 minutes of a 7 hour day.

We struggled with having the surgery 5 hours from home, but in the end, it was really important that she was comfortable with the doctors and the environment.

We're heading to N.Y. in 3 weeks for her 2 year checkup!

Susan :)

[jc3]

hi susan
i've heard good things about dr. dryer as well. Wow, two years! That is great. I did read somewhere that you are trying to find a physical therapist whom have worked on scoli patients (i think that is what you wrote somewhere) Our dr. did give us a list of p/t's who have worked on scoli patients but when we went for the first time it didn't really seem like they did. I was very nervous when we first went she was only 3 1/2 weeks post op at the time and i was petrified that they would do something with her that she wasn't supposed to do yet. After surgery the dr. tells you all these things not to do, no bending, twisting, etc.. so we are fearful for anything to go wrong and wreck the fusion. I hope to relax more at the 1 year mark.
jennifer

[susannajon]

Hi Nikki,

I haven't slept in days myself. I am the walking dead, between worrying about my baby girl, and worrying about being out of work for weeks!

Go ahead, nail those pics!

XOXO

Suanna

[Mary Lou]

I don't know why I didn't think of this before, but reading Susan's posts about her daughter reminded me of something. When Jamie was diagnosed in 2003, a friend of mine put me in touch with their friend who's daughter had spinal fusion w/instrumentation at the age of 12 or 13. I left her a message yesterday to try and find out how she was doing and I'll let you know if I hear back from her. Anyway, when I first talked to her, she mentioned her daughter's surgery was done by Dr. Betz and that she hasn't had any problems with her back since the surgery. She was away from home in college when I called. The reason I want to talk to her and hear all the details now that I understand everything better---her surgery was done in 1995!!!!

Mary Lou

[jc3]

marylou
let me know if you speak to that woman i'd love to hear how her daughter is doing now years later.
jennifer

[Alleycat]

Car Ride!
Ahhhh!
That was the most painful part of the whole surgery for me, so I'm not going to let this happen ok!. My advice- SUV with great suspension because your kid is going to feel every little dip in the road and every rock or bump you hit. so next major padding-pilllows!!!!!! when I went for car rides three or four weeks after my surgery the pillows were more then a foot thick so I'm talking the best you can get and be able to sit and lean back against. Also legs stretched as far out as possible and probably rested up. Also plentyof medication because even with all this they will still be in plenty of pain but it is undeniable.
And to think my car ride home only lasted 45 minuites.

[mamakay]

Hello all,
Yes thank goodness they fixed this site! I had typed so many mails and then to see they just vanished! UGH
Well Ste was okay from her collision where she clipped someone.
It scared her but apparently not enough..bc get this ..Wed after her Friday wreck she called me crying at lunch time and said she was in ANOTHER wreck!!!! (It is really hard to not take those left over drugs!!)
Okay now she is crying so much I have to talk to the police and they are taking her and one other girl in ambulance. She said she was okay but when I heard the car rolled on it 's side and skidded 30 ft landing next to a rock wall I almost S#$@. (With 4 off campus kids)
I get to the hospital and they are going to do xrays to check her back of course.
I called the surgeon in Houston and he said to also send them to him.
Now the xrays "seem" to show she is okay but her neck was sore for a few days. I cannot believe how invinsible she thinks she is!!!!! This other driver didn't even have her license!! What the hell was she thinking?!
Of course she is grounded big time but how can I make her see she and ONLY she can take care of herself and make this surgery succesful!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jc3,I also read about the girl who fell down the stairs and was okay.
I am still unsure how anything could not have been moved or damaged but I guess I will just have to not worry.

Susannaj, thanks for making me see she's doing normal again, that's probabaly a good thing..
Just read your dtr surgery is 9th!! I will be thinking of you!!!

Jc3, How did Nicholes post op go???
Did he change any restrictions?
kay

[jc3]

kay
i can't believe that Ste got in another accident! I hope she is okay. You must be freaking out!!! After reading your posts i am so happy that my nicole doesn't drive yet. That would just be another thing to worry about and like i said in NY they can't drive until 17, 16 with a permit. That is very scary, thankfully she is okay, but i'm sure you are a wreck. Maybe she'll think twice who she gets in the car with now??
I didn't go to dr. yet, thursday is our appointment. I told nicole to make a list of questions on things she wants to do, but doesn't know if she can or when she can.
i'll let you know how it goes
jennifer

[had2maby3]

i had the surgey last year and i rode in a car if you have a truck try that cause it helps cause you dont feel as many bumps and also pillows put one on her back and behind her head and under her arms it will take the pressure off her spine a little and i would suggest wat ever kind of music she likes let her listen to it that will take her mind off the pain of her back and for the beach have a cover up cause then people wont ask so much and if you dont have a cover up wear LOTS of sunscreen
kayley

[sweetiepie3]

I also agree that Pillows are the way to go!!! I had the surgery almost 2 years ago. I was really held up for about 4 weeks before I could even think of the beach!!! If your daughter is feeling up to it and the doctor says its ok then she should go and have a nice time. You might also want to ask your doctor about sun exposure to the scar before you go to the beach!!!! :cool: