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Survived the monster surgery!

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  • Survived the monster surgery!

    Hi there. Just wanted to let you know that i have survived the enormous surgery (3 surgeries, really) to straighten my scoliosis.
    The first surgery was on Oct. 7 fusing my thoracic area.... 5 incisions one right under each other in my right ribs, deflating the lung, etc to reach the front portion of the spine in that area. Bone marrow harvested from the iliac crest.
    Second surgery was Oct. 10. Anterior lumbar... 10 inch vertical incision from above my navel down to pubic bone.. more bone marrow harvested from the other iliac crest. this incision was about 7 inches long..
    Third surgery was Oct. 13, Posterior.... This incision was huge.. stretching from just below my shoulders all the way down to my bottom...I was not expecting this one to be so big... i thought just the lumbar area would be worked on posteriorly, but apparently all from thoracic to sacrum were worked on at that time...and bone marrow harvested yet again from iliac crest....
    I wound up with 10 incisions all together, looked like a giant zipper in my back with metal staples all the way down ... hubby lost count in the 70's...lol.. The nurses in the hospital would be a bit pushy wanting me to get up and walk and go to the restroom on my own, etc. ( which i did as i was told )... but after they learned the extent of the surgeries, would come back to my room and apologize saying they didnt realize what i'd been thru.
    I dont have much appetite, and hubby says he thinks i've lost at least 30 lbs... wish i could keep it off for good... have been thru some depression, but i know that's to be expected too...Gradually easing off the pain-killers and muscle relaxants now.
    Some days i get so frustrated that i'm not making the progress i would like to, but then i read this forum and realize that patience is half the battle....
    Thanks for the support and valuable information that i've always found here. Great to be back...

  • #2
    Oh my gosh Joann!!!! Congratulations!! Wow, and to think I thought I'd been through a lot.... First of all, I have to say that you sound great... you radiate positiveness, and I really admire you for that... Only a person with enormous courage and strength could bounce back with that attitude after going through such ordeals... I applaud you, and can only keep wishing you the best... good luck with everything, really....

    Monie
    27 Years Old
    Pre Surgery: 76 and 68 degrees
    Post Surgery: 15 degrees
    www.bentoutofshape.blogspot.com

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    • #3
      Hi Joann...

      Congratulations! Hope you heal quickly.

      Are you sure bone MARROW was harvested? I've never heard of that. As far as I know, it's morsalized bone that is used for fusion.

      Regards,
      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

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      • #4
        Hi JoAnn,

        You have certainly went through a lot. You win the "Scoliosis Fusion Patient of the Month" award!

        May God heal your body completely and quickly. You are in my prayers!

        Kindest Regards,
        Gail

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        • #5
          JoAnn5

          Wishing you a very speedy and successful recovery! As a woman in my 50s possibly facing surgery in the near future for a 74 degree thoracolumbar curve, I would be interested in hearing more about your decision to have surgery. Where was your curvature located in your spine and to what degree? Had you had any previous surgeries?

          Look forward to hearing from you.

          Chris

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          • #6
            Hi again and thanks for the good wishes.. Sorry i had not replied before now, but some days i just dont feel like sitting at the computer for very long.

            Linda, the dr. explained to me that he cut a 'window' in the hard bone of the iliac crest, lifted it, and then scooped out the soft bone tissue underneath to do the fusions, then replaced the window in the bone.... rather than the usual method of grinding up the bone to use.... its supposed to be more successful and less disfiguring i guess.... i dont know if its morsalized or what...lol... since i had so much done, i'll bet my bone looks like a sun room with all the windows..lol.

            Thanks monie and gail for the prayers and well wishes... Sometimes i wonder now if i would have done it, if i had known what the recovery would be like.... but i'm sure in a few more weeks i'll be so thankful that i did. Already i can tell that the constaint pain, burning, and discomfort i'd lived with for so long is gone. Right now its replaced by the pain of recovering from the surgery, but i know that's only temporary.

            Chris, i'm 53 and had 3 curves in my thoracic and lumbar areas.. the worst of which was 55 degrees. The thing that convinced me to have the surgery was that i already had herniated discs in the curves and that was likely to worsen with the degeneration of the discs due to my age (post-menopause)and beginnings of osteoporosis already. Things would only get worse if i didnt do the surgery now. I'm not sure the amount of correction that was achieved, yet. My 6 wks. appointment is Tuesday. He will do x-rays then. Even if the correction is not 100%, at least the deterioration is stopped and i wont have to have more surgery in the future.

            I'll let you know what i find out on Tuesday... Thanks again..

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