I Did It! Yay!

[itsjustme]

Wow, I finally did it! I bent over and touched my hands flat on the floor. I know that for those who haven't had the surgery, you're probably laughing, but for those of you who have, I'm sure you can understand the happiness! It felt so good to be able to bend. However, I did have a little bit of a problem getting up. Take care everyone! ~Shelley

[SpineWhine]

I am SOOOOOOOOO jealous! (Congrats, btw!)

[Shari]

Hi Shelley,

I'm jealous too!!! I'm happy when I can cut my toenails, and that's from a seated position. You go girl.

From one of the older broads,
Shari

[Curvy Corky]

Congratulations Shelley! This is quite a milestone for you.

I have a few questions about bending. I just had surgery last month and had been wondering when I'd be able to start bending even just a little.

Is this the first time you tried or had you been bending a little at a time before? If so how soon after surgery were your first able to bend over?

I thought Shari's post was funny about the toe nails. I've been having major issues with my toe nails and also just little hang nails that I can't clip and are bothersome. I have my husband do it and he freaks me out cause he doesn't know the first thing about pedicures! Thankfully my mom is taking me next week for a mani/pedi, I can't wait!!!

[crookedspine]

Ok. You have one more jealous person. I still use my cane to pick up my pants when I drop them! (I've gotten quite good at that!) I'm very happy for you---way to go! Linda

[itsjustme]

Congratulations Shelley! This is quite a milestone for you.

I have a few questions about bending. I just had surgery last month and had been wondering when I'd be able to start bending even just a little.

Is this the first time you tried or had you been bending a little at a time before? If so how soon after surgery were your first able to bend over?

I thought Shari's post was funny about the toe nails. I've been having major issues with my toe nails and also just little hang nails that I can't clip and are bothersome. I have my husband do it and he freaks me out cause he doesn't know the first thing about pedicures! Thankfully my mom is taking me next week for a mani/pedi, I can't wait!!!

Thank you all so much. I have been trying to bend every now and again since I was 3 or 4months post op. My doctor said to at least try and see what I could do, because he didn't want me to stiffen up. However, actually bending down fully was a first for me. I didn't realize I had done it until I was on the floor! Then I just stayed there and yelled for my husband to come and look! Granted he wasn't as enthused as I was. (He thought I had hurt myself) It feels so GREAT! I understand how you all feel about the toenail situation. My mom helped me out when she was here after I had my surgery, but after she left, my manicurist/pedicurist/eyebrow waxer, Vivi saved me! She's the best in the business I think! Have fun getting your mani/pedi. Try and go to a place that has the massaging chairs. It feels so nice! I just can't wait until I can touch my chin to my chest. I'm still working hard on that one. ~Shelley

And on another note, don't feel too bad about the cain, it will get better, I promise. I had to use my grabber for a while to pick my pants up (being military it was hard as hades to lace and tie my own boots and even blouse my pants. I would even carry it in the car with me when my wallet would fall down on the floorboard right before I came through the gate to get on base. (not too easy to do in a compact car with how long it is though) :lol: Take care everyone and be safe. (especially those of who who live up in the north east right now., I recommend those anti slip shoe covers from QVC, those helped me out alot today, stay warm and stay safe.)

[Shari]

To Curvy Shelly

Hi Shelly,

I was in the turtle shell brace for 4 1/2 months. I was not allowed to twist or bend the whole time. I also had to wear the bone stimulator 24/7 the whole time I was in that contraption. Once I got it off, I was allowed to gradually start bending at the waist and twisting my torso. Are you in a brace?

Regarding picking things up that I drop; since I've been a young child I have always picked things up with my toes, I didn't realize at the time I was preparing myself for this surgery. I also had a grabber, they're great too, but I didn't have to go looking for my feet when I dropped something.

I have a great brace story if anyone wants to hear it,
Shari

[itsjustme]

Hi Shelly,

I was in the turtle shell brace for 4 1/2 months. I was not allowed to twist or bend the whole time. I also had to wear the bone stimulator 24/7 the whole time I was in that contraption. Once I got it off, I was allowed to gradually start bending at the waist and twisting my torso. Are you in a brace?

Regarding picking things up that I drop; since I've been a young child I have always picked things up with my toes, I didn't realize at the time I was preparing myself for this surgery. I also had a grabber, there great too, but I didn't have to go looking for my feet when I dropped something.

I have a great brace story if anyone wants to hear it,
Shari

wow! My surgeon refused to brace me. He didn't want my muscles to atrophy. I thought I was the only one who picks stuff up with my toes. My husband laughs everytime I do it. He tells me I have monkey feet because he can't do it.. (lol) Well, it would be kinda hard to grab stuff that you dropped on the floorboard when you're driving a stick-shift vehicle. Regardless if one would have shoes on or not. Let's hear the brace story! ~Shelley

[Shari]

Hi Shelley,

I'll try to make this short. Someone came in a couple of days after my 1st surgery to take the measurements for my brace, while I was laying on my back, then asked me what my bra size was. I recieved it a couple of days after my second surgery, and my husband was shown how to put it on me.

On May 30th, at 7:30am, I was released from the hospital, but was told to wait until someone came to see if it fit properly. By 1:30pm, I had waited long enough, I just wanted out of there and we had a 3 hour drive home.

I don't know if this applies to everyone, but from my waist to my feet was very swollen from all the fluids that had been pumped into me during the previous 2 weeks. When I got home and looked at myself in the mirror, I knew exactly what the female offspring of the "Pillsbury Dough Girl" and the "Michelin Man", would look like.

After a couple of days, I knew I had made a huge mistake by not waiting to see if it fit right. When I sat down, the bottom would cut into my swollen thighs, and the top would dig into my armpits. And the person that decides the position of the breasts on the brace, has to be a man. Mine were not in the same place as the ones on the brace. I don't think my boobs have been 6 inches below my chin, since I was in my 20's, if ever!!!

Needless to say, I was extremely uncomfortable. And I had seen a picture of Kat in her brace, on her blog. So I called my Dr. and told him what I wanted to do. He said okay, as long as I didn't ruin the integrity of the brace. So my husband studied the picture of Kat's brace, then started cutting on mine.
There were some rough edges, but what relief I had.

However, at my following Dr.'s visit, the person that had to fix it was not real happy with my boob job!!! :

Sorry I rambled,
Shari