Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Travelling after surgery

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Travelling after surgery

    I wanted to put a thread out there about travelling after this surgery, because it was definitely a concern of mine before making the decision to have the surgery.

    I live in Alaska, and travelled to Seattle, Washington for my instrumentation and fusion surgery.

    I travelled 2 1/2 weeks post-surgery. My itinerary was as follows:
    1 hour - travel to SeaTac airport
    2 hours - wait to board airplane
    3 1/2 hours - taxi and flight
    2 1/2 hours - drive from airport to home

    The flight itself was not terrible, but I was not very comfortable. I did purchase a seat in first class, which I now believe is the best option - there was plenty of room to prop myself up with pillows, and I also purchased a chair wedge. I ended up with motion sickness, which may or may not have been a partial result of my pain meds. I was nauseous the last hour or so of the flight, and the entire drive home (my dad had to stop at the side of the highway twice, and throwing up is not easy after this surgery!)

    If I were to do it over again, I would have stayed in a hotel in Anchorage, and saved the drive home for the next morning. I think it was pretty poor planning to try to do this entire trip in one day so soon after surgery.
    31 year old female
    55* (day of surgery) thoracic curve w/compensatory lumbar
    T4-T12 on Aug 15, 2007

    MRI, pre-surgery
    Xray, 3 mos. post-op
    Machu Picchu, 8 mos. post-op

  • #2
    You are one tough cookie!
    Chris
    A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
    Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
    Post-op curve: 12 degrees
    Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

    Comment


    • #3
      WoW! Things can only get better for you!

      My 15 min. drive home on bumpy city streets was a killer. Funny story - when I got in the front seat of our mini van the angle of the seat was not comfortable, so I thought I would recline it a little. Next thing you know, I was fully reclined and couldn't move! My husband had to get out and reposition the seat, I never got it to a comfortable position. I finally said, just drive!

      Best of luck as you continue recover! It does get better.

      Kari

      3 1/2 months post-op

      Comment


      • #4
        wow! You are a tough cookie!!! I found it rough just riding thru the streets of NYC in the ambulance that was taking me to the NJ Rehab....I prayed we would'nt hit so many pot holes!!!! It took about 2 hours in rush hour traffic(ouchie!!!)
        I'll never forget keeping my fingers crossed that we woud get thru the Lincoln tunnel as fast as possible...lots of traffic...Ly

        Comment


        • #5
          Wow Geo

          I wouldn't have been up to all that in one day after my surgery! Probably the hotel stay would have been better. But if you are like me, all you could think about was just getting back home, the sooner the better. Glad your surgery is over and hoping your recovery will go well.

          Deb
          age 48
          posterior surgery 7/24/06
          T5-L5
          for s curve t72, L77
          50% correction
          DON'T WAIT TO GET STRAIGHT!!!

          Comment


          • #6
            Bless your heart!!! I don't see how u did it!!!

            I live 2 hrs away from my hospital.... After the last surgery, i had to stop at my daughter's house (about 10-12 miles from the hospital) I couldn't bear the pain of the trip.

            After this next surgery, i'm gonna tell them i want to SLEEP for 2 hours... I don't want to know ANYthing until i pull into my driveway!!

            Comment

            Working...
            X