Four week Check Up

[tulsamom]

Hi,
We went to Shelby's 4 week check up Tuesday. Her doctor still has her fairly restricted. He does not want her in a car unless absolutely necessary (we had to make an absolutely necessary trip to the mall after her appt). He does not want her going to her friends houses, he would rather them come to her. He does not want her going to the pool for fear of her slipping or getting pushed in. Walking is all the excercise she can do for the next couple of months. Is this pretty normal or is he being way conservative? I just wondered what other kids who are 4 weeks or more post op heard from their doctors. I appreciate his conservativeness (is that a word?) but I also feel like she would benefit from doing some little things that will make her feel normal again. Any advice is welcome.

Kathy
Daughter Shelby (Almost 13)
Before 44T 64L Now 10T 10L
Posterior Fusion T4 to L4
June 19, 2006

[Carmell]

Hi Kathy,

I'm guessing that Shelby's doc doesn't want to risk anything that will damage the fusion or prevent the fusion from becoming solid. Any wrong movement or jarring could potentially damage that fusion material. Being in public and in a bouncy car are just two things that are potentially risky.

I wonder if the doc would be willing to negotiate wearing a post-op brace as protection. Maybe, if she promises to be good, he would allow her to be more active if she wore a brace as protection. This may be wishful thinking.

There are lots of things she can do to feel "back to normal"... it just may take some creativity to come up with things. Maybe her friends can help her come up with a list of things they can do together.

In this case, I think being very conservative is a good thing. A few months of her life seems like forever right now, but if her surgery heals correctly, she'll have a life-time of good health! That's the goal, right? Right. Good luck.

[flowerpower]

I agree with Carmell, it is still a little soon to do more than walking, especially with such a long fusion. At 3 mos. post-op my son was allowed to start riding a bike, swimming and light jogging. At 6 mos. he can do alot more. It really is a short period of time, better to be safe than sorry, I say Good luck to you -

Renee

[lindsay]

my doctor has all his patients into pool p.t. two weeks post op. then at four weeks post op. starts land p.t.

my doctor said i could do anything i wanted, it would help me heal faster, getting up and around. so i've been going shopping with my mom, going over to friends houses, i've actually driven a little, and going to the pool. i've done a little freestlye in the pool also. im on a year around swim team so i'll go back to that in september, just no flip turns for a while. as of right now i barely spend any time in bed over the course of the day. i do get tired after a few hours and i sit on the couch for a bit. my doctor never said i wasnt allowed to do anything. he encourages me to get in the pool and stretch and try to swim. he said theres no way i could 'hurt' my fussion, its just myself thats holding me back. im scared of moving too fast or too hard, but i've been doing better.

i would say that if shelbly wanted to, you could try going to the pool, it just depends on how well she's feeling, everyone's different. try going to a pool and wading in the shallow end. i love being in the pool b/c it lets me move so much more than when im on land. of course my mom is standing right by, but she just wants me to be safe. good luck!!

Lindsay
4 weeks, 4 days post-op.

[tulsamom]

Hi Lindsay,
This is Shelby's mom. I wonder if the difference in our doctor's advice is the difference in yours and Shelbys curves. Was yours a thoracic curve of 43? Shelby had a thoracic curve of 44 AND a lumbar curve of 64. Her fusion is probably much longer than yours. I think I read somewhere that when you had both you had to be more careful. She is actually going places...to the mall and to other doctor's visits. Alot of her friends live here in our neighborhood so she goes to their houses.

Renee and Carmell: Thanks for the replies. Renee, I know Joe and Shelby have the exact vertebrae fused so I enjoy getting advice from you.

Kathy

[lindsay]

yeah, shelby's fussion is probably longer than mine, my curve was 43. my doctor said he had to fuse 10 vertebre. i think it's great that she's getting out. i know it makes me feel better.