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5 weeks post-op and first check-up

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  • 5 weeks post-op and first check-up

    Hi all,

    Wow, I first posted at 3 weeks and I have to say there is a substantial mark of improvement from then to now. I slept through my pain med dose at 3am and woke at 5:15 and felt OK. I had anxiety about the trip out today, but it went really well. It took 3 hours total but I took my max dose of pain meds before I left and brought an ice pack and pillow. The nurse called me early to say their scoli x-Ray machine had broken and I would need to go get my x-Ray at another location prior to seeing my surgeon. A bit of a hassle, but I did fine. It was really great to see my surgeon. He is very pleased with how my back looks. He measured my new curves as 16 degrees and 12 degrees. Amazing. He used a new type of titanium rod that he said is stronger. He also used some kind of bracket to keep my neck from bending forward as I get older. I do have hook that is kinda protruding at the top of the incision and is a tender bump. He said I need to fuse but he could go back in at a year and clip it down. No thanks! A bump is fine with me. I am sooooo done with surgery, especially with this eye thing. I will try to figure out how to get my x-ray posted. He is very concerned about my eye/vision complication and wants to hear what the opthamologist says on August 8th. He said I was not laying on my face during surgery as I was in a traction device that held on the sides of my head. He wants me to try to start cutting out one pain pill a day. I will see him in 2 months.

    A good day!
    Jana
    Diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis at age 11
    Dr. Edgar Dawson of UCLA
    Braced and "stopped" below 50 degrees
    Age 25: 47 degrees, 48 degrees
    Age 38 (3 babies later): 60 degrees, 63 degrees and 2.5 inches shorter
    Age 41: 64 degrees, 70 degrees
    Dr. Gregory Mundis Jr. of Scripps Hospital, La Jolla CA
    June 2015-ALIF on L5-S1 for a slipped and degenerated disk
    June 14, 2016-T4-L4 spinal fusion with instrumentation
    Post-surgery: 16 degrees, 12 degrees and 2 inches taller

  • #2
    Glad to hear that things are going okay

    Melissa
    Melissa

    Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

    April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by Jjohnsonphd View Post
      Hi all,

      Wow, I first posted at 3 weeks and I have to say there is a substantial mark of improvement from then to now. I slept through my pain med dose at 3am and woke at 5:15 and felt OK. I had anxiety about the trip out today, but it went really well. It took 3 hours total but I took my max dose of pain meds before I left and brought an ice pack and pillow. The nurse called me early to say their scoli x-Ray machine had broken and I would need to go get my x-Ray at another location prior to seeing my surgeon. A bit of a hassle, but I did fine. It was really great to see my surgeon. He is very pleased with how my back looks. He measured my new curves as 16 degrees and 12 degrees. Amazing. He used a new type of titanium rod that he said is stronger. He also used some kind of bracket to keep my neck from bending forward as I get older. I do have hook that is kinda protruding at the top of the incision and is a tender bump. He said I need to fuse but he could go back in at a year and clip it down. No thanks! A bump is fine with me. I am sooooo done with surgery, especially with this eye thing. I will try to figure out how to get my x-ray posted. He is very concerned about my eye/vision complication and wants to hear what the opthamologist says on August 8th. He said I was not laying on my face during surgery as I was in a traction device that held on the sides of my head. He wants me to try to start cutting out one pain pill a day. I will see him in 2 months.

      A good day!
      Jana
      Sounds great Jana. So glad to hear that you're feeling a lot better. That 6 week mark is definitely a big mile marker!

      --Linda
      Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
      Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

      Comment


      • #4
        Very good news Jana...At 6 weeks we are ready to jump out of the nest, and start flapping our wings....

        If you look into eye problems after spine surgeries, they will essentially say they are not quite sure, but some blame can lean in the direction of infarction.....or nerve stroke. Infarction is one of the bad words that means blood flow is reduced or cut off. (There was a patient here that had a spinal cord infarction years ago.....) Everyone is worried about nerves (in relation to pain) in scoliosis surgery and blood is equally or more important. We go in on long surgeries and our blood pressure drops and we lose blood. Another reason for staged surgeries. Nerves need blood also....and they also recover in time. Walking is a good thing because it distributes blood and nutrients. Think healing!

        I was warned and signed paperwork relating to blindness. Once again, (posting in general) surgery is never something one should jump into without being informed.

        I would rather be posting photos of large bunnies.....but I wanted you to know about this I can post links if you want

        BTW, you got a good correction!

        Hang in there

        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


        • #5
          So glad you are doing well and I hope the eyesight problem works out to be temporary. Keep up the good work and it is work!
          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


          • #6
            Jana,

            So great to hear that you are feeling better and on the mend and that your curve correction was so great. Please keep the group up to speed on your eye issues.

            Onward and upward!

            Misty

            Comment


            • #7
              Thanks for all the well wishes!

              Yes Ed, I would love to see any links you have. I have not had much luck finding anything myself. What you say about the infarction makes sense, but how does it happen? What causes the restriction in blood flow? I have so many questions about this and not many answers.

              I am still slow and tired. My dr said I should really see a difference in how I feel at 3 months. I am ready for 6 weeks to be here. This recovery is really hard, can I just say that!

              Best,
              Jana
              Diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis at age 11
              Dr. Edgar Dawson of UCLA
              Braced and "stopped" below 50 degrees
              Age 25: 47 degrees, 48 degrees
              Age 38 (3 babies later): 60 degrees, 63 degrees and 2.5 inches shorter
              Age 41: 64 degrees, 70 degrees
              Dr. Gregory Mundis Jr. of Scripps Hospital, La Jolla CA
              June 2015-ALIF on L5-S1 for a slipped and degenerated disk
              June 14, 2016-T4-L4 spinal fusion with instrumentation
              Post-surgery: 16 degrees, 12 degrees and 2 inches taller

              Comment


              • #8
                Yes you are correct it is a hard ,long, difficult process to recover from this surgery. Slowly forward with lots of up and downs. It is difficult without any problems but there is almost no one that gets by without something. Hopefully it is all smooth from here. Please let us know what the doctor says about your eyes.
                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


                • #9
                  Jana

                  Here is some reading material....Once again, self diagnosis is fruitless, but this info will give you a head start....

                  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3270594/
                  AION
                  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anteri...tic_neuropathy
                  POVL Postoperative vision loss
                  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3275941/

                  http://journals.lww.com/spinejournal...gery__A.9.aspx

                  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
                    Hi Jana. I'm glad to hear you are feeling better and that you had a good, positive post-op check up. Hang in there! I do hope the vision problem gets better.

                    Kathy
                    Decompression surgery L4/L5
                    April 3, 2015
                    Twin Cities Spine Center - Dr. Joseph Perra
                    Fused from T11 - Sacrum anterior/posterior
                    June 24, 2016 - 55 years old at surgery
                    Twin Cities Spine Center - Dr. Joseph Perra
                    Before Surgery: 42 degrees lumbar, 28 degrees thoracic
                    After Surgery: 10 degrees lumbar, ?? Thoracic
                    2 inches taller

                    Comment

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