About my mom...

[jgbphoto]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to posting. Hope this is how to do it.
My mom is going to have major spinal fusion, bracing, everything, on Thursday August 31st. These forums have been a great support, so I just wanted to put out the word...think good thoughts for Betty Newton and her surgeon, Dr. Serena Hu. And bless you all. My mom is 73!

Laura Brittain

[abhbarry]

We will think about her! Blessings.

[bbest]

Best of luck to your mom. Please report back and let us know how she is doing.

[Shari]

Hi Laura,

You and your mother will be in my prayers also.

Shari

[jgbphoto]

Thanks guys for your support.
I will post later after the surgery. Hopefully it will be nothing but good news.

Take care,
Laura

[crookedspine]

The prayers are going out in Texas! (and Wisconsin, and.....) Let us know!

[makaylasmom]

Please let us know how your mom is doing. Prayers and Hugs to you both!!

[macky]

Lots of caring thoughts and prayers for your mum Laura. From Australia.

Macky

[jgbphoto]

Hi guys, hope you're well.

Mom's surgery went well and was only 4 and a half hours long. They made the internal brace for her and did the fusion. She'll wait a year or so before perhaps removing the rib hump. She did well before, during and now, one week post op.

I started two threads a week ago. So here's a duplicate of what I've been writing in the family section of the forums. From now on, maybe I'll just post here.

I told Mom about people's prayers and good thoughts when I was in the hospital the past few days. She smiled. She's drifting in and out of that necessary dance with pain killers. She has good nurses, great doctors, and does her Physical Therapy daily. It's been a week since the operation and she is slowly recovering, but without any complications. The doctors say she is doing fine and can possibly come home to San Diego in about a week. We'll see. She's still too weak to move. When she does it will probably be by ambulance.

It's been a little bit surprising to me to see how long she's in bed, unable to function. That's because of the highly-necessary meds. But she does eat a little, comb her hair, sit up with help...

I'm writing down this experience in the hope that it will encourage and help educate others. I figure if my little old 73-year old mommy can do this, it may be a flag of hope for someone else. Seems like this surgery is often covered by insurance and government programs, so...
But her scoliosis was so severe it would have killed her eventually.
We'll see if this helps her lungs. She looks taller.

Above all, my mom hasn't shown any fear. So that's good. She is good and dopey right now, though!

Thanks for listening!

Take care, all,
Enjoy your days.
Laura

[JamieAnn]

Thanks for the update and positive note about surgery. I am happy to hear your mother is pulling through very well! :)

What is an internal brace? I haven't heard of that term before..

Keep your head up,
Jamie

[makaylasmom]

Thanks for letting us know how she is doing! :)

[Shari]

Hi Laura,

It's great to hear that your Mom is doing well!!! :) She's one tough woman that is in my thoughts and prayers.

Shari

[jgbphoto]

Hi,
Jamie asked what an "internal brace" was. The surgeon said they would create internal bracing with hardware. I think it's the rods, screws, and maybe some wires. I guess I need to find out a little bit more about it!

Take care,
Laura

[bbest]

Your mom is an inspiration to others in her age group.

I figure if my little old 73-year old mommy can do this, it may be a flag of hope for someone else.
Little old 73 year old my foot...your mom doesn't sound like any 73 year old I've ever known...she rocks! She is also very lucky to have such a loving and caring daughter. I wish her all the best for a speedy and successful recovery.

[macky]

Laura, believe you me ,your mums story will definately encourage and inspire others, she is such a wonder.

Totally unbelievable, have loved reading how she is going and boy have I prayed for her!! Wow what a special lady.

Macky xx(for your mum)

[jgbphoto]

Hi,
Mom's physical therapy is coming along. She walked to the nurse's station and back. She doesn't appreciate hospital food. Apparently she is coming home via ambulance today or tomorrow. Then she'll stay in an acute rehab facility.

The pain medicine and anesthesia have taken a while to work out of her body, so she has had some goofy moments. But she is definitely sounding way better than three days ago.

Getting her well is all I can think about.

Bye,
Laura

[Cakedec]

Dear Laura,

So glad to hear that your Mom continues to progress well with her recovery.
She is so lucky to have a loving daughter like you to look after her. I think about her sometimes when lying in bed at night and say a prayer for her. She is inspiring to me when I feel like my own surgery recovery is going slowly (7 weeks).

Let us know how she does through rehab and when she comes home.

Deb

[Shari]

Hi Laura,

I often wonder, who has the more difficult task during the recovery process. The patient or the attending loved one???

Just trying to let you know, that our thoughts are with you as well as your incredibly strong Mom!!! It must run in the family!!! :)

Shari

[jgbphoto]

Hi,
My mom made the journey from SF to San Diego on Monday in an ambulance. Dad was on board. Eleven hours and they had to trade ambulances because the brakes went bad on the first. They were also detoured just north of LA because of a grass fire blocking the main highway. So, a long trip was longer. Mom had to be strapped to the gurney because of liability, but they made it! Now she's in our home town and Dad can visit her and still go to work. She's 45 minutes from my home in a rehab hospital, where she's working on walking and recuperating.

She's fully responsive now. Still feeling a lot of pain, she takes vicodin every 5 hours. She looks good. She's gotten taller through the torso, although I haven't heard anything about inches gained or whether the surgery will help her get off the oxygen she's been on twenty four hours a day for two years.

My feeling is that this will be a long journey for her and our family. She plans to teach gardening again in a year. By then she'll be 74. She has strong goals!

Hope everyone who reads this is fine, hanging in there, enjoying life.
I pray for all of you. Thanks for the support.

By the way, if it were me, I'd have the surgery when I was younger. But the progress in the technology has improved so much, maybe it's ok that she waited until now. I have to tell you, she had the most severe scoliosis I've ever seen.

Laura

[macky]

Laura and your family,
I just want you to know how very pleased I am that you dear mum is home at last. It has been a long battle for you all hasnt it. You are all in my prayers and also the prayers of my friends, I too think of you all every night, and others on here that are facing operations and all.
Now that your mum has been straightened I do so hope that it will have given her lungs more room ,as she wont have them squashed any more, and by doing so you will find that she wont need her oxygen any more. That is my most asked prayer for her.
Golly out and about teaching gardening, bless her, she will too Laura, nothing will keep her down she has such a fantastic attitude to life. How lucky you are all to have such a loving family.
Thank you for saying that it would have been easier to have had the operation younger. I think in fact I know your mothers experience will be a tribute to others who are contemplating their own lives with the operation.,
I do love to hear how she is doing, thankyou

Bless you all Macky. xx(for your mum)

[makaylasmom]

I'm so glad to hear of her progress. She is truly an inspiration to me and others on here I know. May God bless you and your family!

Angela :)

[Cakedec]

So glad to hear that your mother is in the rehab hospital and recovering well. Sounds like she'll be in her home again before you know it.

Wish that I was close enough to take her gardening classes!

Deb

8 wks post-op
from posterior surgery 7/24/06
T70,L76
30 degrees correction

[Shari]

Hi Laura,

Just wanted to send your mother and her loving family, all my best too!!! She is TRULY amazing and an inspiration to all of us. :)

Thank you for keeping us informed of her progress!!!

Shari

[jgbphoto]

Hi guys, Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement!
Hope you're well.

Mom's doing great in physical therapy. She walks from her room to the therapy room, does her exercises, and walks back, all with a walker. It's amazing how the body will bounce back.

One thing we talked about today is how much it helped that she was basically healthy going into the surgery. Slower, with reduced breathing capacity, but basically in good health. She and Dad think that's what's helped her recover so well. Age doesn't seem to be as much of a factor so far. Of course, her bones are brittle, so that's the down side of aging.

Lots of people on the forum mention how much fear and anxiety they have before surgery. I asked Mom and Dad about that. Mom says that she thinks if she hadn't had such confidence in her surgeon it might have made her more nervous. She says it was a lot of hard work going up to SF to do the preops and operation, but it was worth it.

She's looking so good. I think she has more energy than before the surgery. She used to take three naps before lunch and today, none! Her color is better than pre-surgery. I just can't write how grateful I am. She really thought she was just going to die of copd. That stands for some obstructive lung disease. I know those prayers for her lungs are really helping.

Thanks for being there, it has helped to be able to write about these things.

Take care,
Laura

[Singer]

Hi Laura,

Your updates about your mom are a joy to read. I'm so happy she's doing well. You're such a good daughter!!

All best,
Chris

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Laura---you are a great daughter! All my best to your mom! Ly :)

[makaylasmom]

I'm so thrilled to hear that your mom is doing so great! What an inspiration!!! :)

[zarafa]

I have been a member of this board for over a year and have not read about a 73 year old having surgery until now. I just had my 74th birthday and am most interested in learning about your mom. My curves are severe and causing more problems with each passing year. May I ask if your mother's surgery was extensive? Was it posterior only? In what city was the surgery done? Thank you for getting involved with this board.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
double curve....85 and 87 degrees...no surgeries...relatively normal life until very recently.

[jgbphoto]

Hi,
Good morning, afternoon, evening!

I was asked Mom's particulars by Zarafa. Mom went to the UCSF Medical Center and was evaluated and operated on by Dr. Serena Hu. She's very nice, very caring, highly competent (to say the least), and I got the impression right away that she works on a large number of people who have scoliosis. She was able to immediately look at Mom and decide on what could be done, what not to do. Mom adored her.

I think we could have found a surgeon in LA, but the spine center at UCSF does so many scoliosis surgeries! The friend who had hers done there first says they do it over, and over, and over. They are set up for the preops and recovery very efficiently. The travel part can be a pain, but we learned to grin through security and order in-flight oxygen, and she was brought home by ambulance. It's also possible to go home by plane, but not at the stage Mom was at when she came home. It was worthwhile finding the best place to do it, even out of town. Plus, there's so much to do in SF.

Her surgery was 4 and a half hours long, all done posteriorly. At Mom's age, with her reduced lung capacity, they didn't want to subject her to a very long surgery. Still, she had screws and rods put in from her neck to the top of her low back. And of course she had the bone fusing. I'll find out the exact vertebrae and curvatures sometime from her doctor. She had a double "S" curve. The rib hump was left for a possible future operation.

Boy, she looks better than ever. The color is now in her face, whereas when we wheeled her into the airport before the operation, her face was drained, she was tired all the time, and she looked in pain.

She showed off how she can stand up out of a chair by herself yesterday.
She's still a bit goofy on the meds.

Going from the hospital to an acute rehab hospital has made all the difference in making sure she's cared for correctly. She goes home in 4 days and we've hired part time nursing.

I think she's truly going to be in much better shape than before, as her bones strenghten and grab onto the hardware. Lots of methods for that, and we're following all of them.

Take care,
Laura

[Linda G]

I can't tell you how much your posts about your mother's journey has helped me. I am having fusion surgery in Dec. At age 63 I have been very concerned. Your mother's story has been quite an inspiration of courage and faith. I thank God she is doing so well. Please tell her she has become my hero- :D Linda G.

[zarafa]

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your reply to my questions. I have been feeling particularly low because my lung crowding is causing me a cough and more fatigue. It gives me a great deal of encouragement to hear that your mother has received so much relief from her 4and a half hour surgery. I had been told that it was a two day process whan you have a double curve. At my age, nobody was encouraging me to do it. I believe your mother's doctor used the latest state-of-the art technology to do what she did and by doing it posteriorly,saved your mom a great deal of healing time. Please know that I have put her in my heart and pray for her to recover and teach gardening again. I hope that you will have the time to keep posting her progress as you can. You are a wonderful daughter!

[jgbphoto]

Hello,
I'm glad writing about Mom's recovery is inspiring somebody. It looks like hard work. I would not underestimate how much work this is. It looks tough. But Mom's tough too. So we'll make it.

Zarafa, it sounds like you're going through the problems with your lungs that Mom had/has. I hope this surgery will help that problem. That's the goal. Meanwhile, hang in there!

Linda,
it sounds like you're a young 63. Don't worry about the surgery. If you need to do it, do it. I'd like to say it'll be ok, and it probably will, but there can be some complications that make the recovery drag out. Those aren't the kind of thing to worry about though. Just remember, age isn't the main factor. I have a friend who did it at 63 and she is teaching, starting a non-profit, and folk dancing now, two years later.

And definitely check out the UCSF spine clinic on the UCSF website. I guess I'm a non-paid advertiser for them. They were great. If you have to do something like this, you might as well go to the best doctors.

OK, now that I've given unwanted adice, take it or leave it. And remember, as someone else on the forum says, "I am not a doctor and will never give medical advice." Good line. I'm just offering my opinion based on my mom's experience.

Peace, and be well,
Laura

[jgbphoto]

Hi,
I just wanted to post that Mom's doing well with recovery. It's been four weeks since surgery. She's not on the meds anymore, just tylenol. She was in a rehab hospital for a week where they sometimes didn't seem to follow her doctor's orders...they gave her Motrin, for example, which the doctor said is bad for the fusion. But she's home now, had her final physical therapy appointment, and seems to have pretty good energy. For someone who's 73, I think she's done remarkably. I'd definitely still be reaching for the Vicodin.

Well, that World War 2 generation is really a strong one, not that we all aren't in our own way.

Haven't seen the positive results of the opertion yet, just know that she's made it through the worst of the recovery. She did say that one of her old pains is gone, she thinks. And I think she has more energy than before. Her lungs were really squeezed.

Thank goodness for the David Wolpert book and these forums.

Take care,
Laura

[Singer]

Thanks for the new update, Laura. Your mother is something else !!! You're so right about that WWII generation -- I think the Depression made them tough too. It's incredibly cheering to hear how well your mom is doing. Sometimes I feel old (at 51) til I think of your mom. If she can do it, I guess I can too.... ;) !

All best,
Chris

[makaylasmom]

I continue to be so amazed with your mom's progress. What a tough lady!!! Please tell her that we are thinking of her and she is doing so great!! :)

[Shari]

Hi Laura,

I think of my surgery, and it makes me truly amazed at your mother!!! :) She not only has a wonderful daughter, she has an amazing inner strenght, that you have obviously inherited.

Please let her know how much we all admire her courage an spirit!!! I also want to express how much we respect your love and dedication to your mother!!!

Just the thought of that kind of love and devotion brings tears to my eyes!!!

Nothing else too say but all the best, and I can hardly see the keyboard right now!!!

Shari

[jgbphoto]

Thanks guys, for writing back. It really lifts me up to hear your comments. I'm getting past a lifelong phobia of freeway driving to go be with her. I don't feel like I can be there enough, because I have to go home in the early afternoon and pick up my son (7th grade), then my daughter (15). It's a half hour Southern California (trafficky) drive each way. Tomorrow we will do showering and hair washing and all that good stuff. It is good to be able to hang out with her. We've had more time to bond lately than in the past 30 years.

She says she'll go back to teaching in January. So much for retirement.

I'm amazed at how much doctors are able to do these days. I believe in natural remedies for everything possible, but when something more serious is needed, bring in the big guns! (i.e. the best that western medicine has to offer.)

Peace,
Laura