Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

7.5 year 'thumbs-up' report

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • 7.5 year 'thumbs-up' report

    I had a check-up yesterday with Dr. DeWald and he gave me an A-OK with everything. So my lower vertebrae are still looking really fine and everything else is too. It's always reassuring to hear good news. One does wonder about playing the odds, but so far, so good. (Big smile...) I always feel indebted to Dr. Hammerberg and his skill. Also got to fill out the SRS questionnaire. As always, feeling better all the time. So glad to have had the surgery!
    71 and plugging along... but having some problems
    2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
    5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
    Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

    Corrected to 15°
    CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
    10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

    Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

  • #2
    Congrats Susie, three quarters of a decade and going well. That's great news, reassuring, about your lower back. Glad to hear you're feeling better and better.

    I'm 5.5 years out and haven't seen my surgeon since my 12 month anniversary when he told me to walk every day and only to come back if there was a problem. So far, none. Still walking...!
    Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
    Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
    T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
    Osteotomies and Laminectomies
    Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by JenniferG View Post
      Congrats Susie, three quarters of a decade and going well. That's great news, reassuring, about your lower back. Glad to hear you're feeling better and better.

      I'm 5.5 years out and haven't seen my surgeon since my 12 month anniversary when he told me to walk every day and only to come back if there was a problem. So far, none. Still walking...!
      You ladies give me hope! Congratulations to both of you!

      Diane

      Comment


      • #4
        I agree with Diane - a great big congrats to both of you & thank you for a positive boost from your success stories!
        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


        • #5
          Me, three! Congratulations and thanks for keeping us updated. Its encouraging and nice to know youre both doing well. Very happy to hear! I'm fused to L4, also, and I'm glad to hear, Susie, that it's worked out for you thus far.
          Surgery Jan 6, 2014 at 38 yrs
          Posterior Fusion T10-L4, osteotomy 1 lev.
          Pre op-Thoracolumbar Curve-50 degrees

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks, ladies, for your replies. I am sure that both Jennifer and I are glad to be of encouragement. 3/4 of a decade was a nice way to phrase it, Jennifer. (smile). On with life! I have two wonderful grandchildren to visit tomorrow afternoon and again for two days next week! Hooray!. Isn't life grand?!
            71 and plugging along... but having some problems
            2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
            5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
            Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

            Corrected to 15°
            CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
            10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

            Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

            Comment


            • #7
              Congrats, Susie! You were always an encouragement for me.
              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


              • #8
                Susie

                Time is flying, and its good to hear that you are fine.....I have always enjoyed reading your posts.

                Pretty soon we will all be 10 years post and hanging in there. Our own long term study you might say and its been pretty good!

                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


                • #9
                  Congratulations, Susie and Jennifer. I am happy that you are both doing well. Also, thanks for being a support to many on this forum.
                  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


                  • #10
                    So happy for you Susan. Nice to know that all is going so well.
                    T10-pelvis fusion 12/08
                    C5,6,7 fusion 9/10
                    T2--T10 fusion 2/11
                    C 4-5 fusion 11/14
                    Right scapulectomy 6/15
                    Right pectoralis major muscle transfer to scapula
                    To replace the action of Serratus Anterior muscle 3/16
                    Broken neck 9/28/2018
                    Emergency surgery posterior fusion C4- T3
                    Repeated 11/2018 because rods pulled apart added T2 fusion
                    Removal of partial right thoracic hardware 1/2020
                    Removal and replacement of C4-T10 hardware with C7 and T 1
                    Osteotomy

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Glad that you are doing so well

                      Melissa
                      Melissa

                      Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

                      April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Oh Susie! so glad to hear that your lumbar area is holding up. that's wonderful to hear! thanks for posting, always neat to hear good news! xxx Jamie in TX
                        57 years old.
                        thoracic curve 68 degrees
                        lumbar-sacral curve +/- 41 degrees
                        Cspine C3- C7 fusion Nov. 2011 <done! success!!>, then scoli surgery T2- L4 or maybe to sacrum.
                        Discogram/ myelogram pending. Surgery to be scheduled, maybe fall 2015. <scared but I know this is not going to get better>
                        THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR SHARING EXPERIENCES AND KNOWLEDGE!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Thanks everyone-- you are all dears. And yes, I am doing fine with my spine. Hooray! However (aren't there always those!) I will keep you posted on my new developments. I saw my scoli doc on a Thursday and the following Monday went to see my NEW neurologist about my migraines. I went armed with ALL I had to show him of "the big picture" that might possibly influence them, including pics of my spine x-rays (before and after) and since he is a neurologist, I brought along the now ancient info (late 1990s, she passed in 2001) of my mother's Charcot Marie Tooth syndrome genetic mapping. She thought that proved it was non-hereditary because it ruled out the usual forms and was trying to assure me. Well, my migraine appt. went quickly from that to CMT and Rohrer was correct, in that he said there is no CMT that is not hereditary. I had told R that I had high arches and hammer toes, which are symptoms and I had already explained that I knew they were so I had always wondered. I have mentioned this to doctors in the past but they didn't pick up on it. Anyway, he was pointing out neuropathies in my feet and other places and some reflex and weakness problems. He also explained that with genetic diseases people often don't realize the problems unless they are debilitating because they are so gradual. I will liken it to the frog in the pot of water that is gradually being warmed up until he is cooked. He said people who get a disease later in life realize it because it happens at once and life changes, but something like this is (or can be) so gradual it is not noticed as it is occurring. Between the two problems (migraine and CMT) I am now scheduled for a brain MRI, bloodwork that entails so much more than the normal you usually get, and then EMGs on all four extremities. Boy, do they charge a lot for these tests. I am so glad I met my deductible with my cataract surgeries! We have the high deductible, so now we are down to the 20% instead of the 100% of the negotiated rate. Whew! I will know more after my appt. Nov. 10. Apparently I have significant loss of muscle in my feet behind my toes and a little drop foot and some other things he noted just from the initial appt. Nothing like Rohrer. But it was a surprise! I am taking it quite well, just another fork in the road has appeared to travel, just concerned for my children and grandchildren at this point.
                          Last edited by Susie*Bee; 10-17-2014, 09:27 AM.
                          71 and plugging along... but having some problems
                          2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
                          5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
                          Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

                          Corrected to 15°
                          CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
                          10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

                          Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Please keep us in the loop about what happens.

                            Melissa
                            Melissa

                            Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

                            April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Melissa - I sure will. I don't have a follow-up with the neurologist until Nov. 10, so I won't really know anything more until then. As I said, I'm not going to sweat it. There is nothing you can do about it anyway. It reminds me of Robert Frost's poem The Road Not Taken -- this is just a different road than the one I thought I was on. Surprise! And I am laughing about it so it is fine. Life is full of unexpected happenings, and my faith is strong.
                              71 and plugging along... but having some problems
                              2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
                              5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
                              Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

                              Corrected to 15°
                              CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
                              10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

                              Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X