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One month post-op

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  • One month post-op

    As tentatively promised to Holly, I wanted to post my progress at one month post-op --

    Progress has tapered off a bit, as I was hitting the "major" milestones the first month. I am at work 5-6 hours per day now, and feeling good. Yesterday I even shopped for 10 minutes after work, and bought my first post-op shirt! It is still so strange to try on a top and not have it hang crookedly on me. I do still have a slight rib hump by my right shoulder blade, but without the added curvature it is not noticeable to the "average" eye.

    My energy level has certainly increased over the last week. Though, I am surprised because sleep is still an issue for me. The first 3-4 hours I am able to sleep pretty solidly, but after that I am struggling to find a place/position to sleep comfortably. I've tried my pillow-top mattress, the floor with blankets for padding, the couch, and a futon. Then yesterday, I bought a memory foam mattress topper. None of those effectively ease the pain I'm feeling in my lower back. The only thing that seems to help is to get up and walk around for atleast half an hour, and by then, it's difficult to get back to sleep. I am going to purchase a heating pad today to see if that might help.

    Pain meds are a thing of the past, as of yesterday! No noticeable difference yet. Still have the same achy muscle pains and numbness around incision, though incision itself sometimes burns a little.

    As a side note.....I visited a family friend in the hospital yesterday, and boy did those IV's and nose tubes bring back memories! I have to say, though, that my hospital experience was great; it was not nearly as frightening as I anticipated.
    Last edited by geo; 09-13-2007, 04:21 PM. Reason: Pain meds edit
    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
    Hi Geo,

    Wow, what a wonderful recovery!!! I am so happy for you and I hope you know how strong you are and how important your post is to those that are thinking about having it done.

    Keep us informed, and I love your attitude!!!

    Shari

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    • #3
      Geo,
      Thanks for the post--I hang on every one! I'm sorry that you can't find lasting comfort at night. Particularly surprised at the failure of the memory foam. I hope the heating pad works out. Have you considered those heat wraps that you can wear? They work really well--nice long heat and not uncomfortable. You could sleep with one of those on. And you said you don't notice a difference since getting off the pain pills. You mean, you have the same amount of pain now that you did when you were on them? That doesn't seem right. Were they not working anymore?

      I was pleased to hear you say that your experience in the hospital wasn't as bad as you thought it would be. I have more hope.

      Aw, the first shirt buying! I've created a section in my closet of things that I must try on as soon as I'm able to after the surgery. It's one of the experiences I'm most looking forward to in all this.

      Are there pictures we can see yet?
      Age 33
      40 degree diagnosed 1993; 70ish degree 2007
      Fusion to T9 to L5 October 3, 2007 with Dr. Kurt Von Rueden
      Corrected to 8 degrees

      Comment


      • #4
        Geo, that's amazing!!!
        I'm so happy that you are doing so well! Back to work and off pain meds already.... WOW!
        Keep up your strength and continued excellent recovery.

        Lesly

        PS- I now realize how slow I was to recover.... I guess it's true that everyone is different, but I am so happy to hear about your progress!

        Comment


        • #5
          I tried the heating pad last night, but just before using it I read on the package that you shouldn't lay on top of the pad, or use it while sleeping, so then I was totally paranoid since I had planned to do both of those! I had noticed the wrap around pads when buying the heating pad, and I will go back to the store to get one, maybe even tonight. Last night I attempted putting the memory foam on top of my couch, which did work well for the first few hours. I even remember having dreams, which is the first in a long while. But, still woke up at some point with lower back pain.

          I am wondering now if it was too soon to come back to work for this many hours a day - I try to get up and move around, and am able to lay down for 15 mins. every 2 hours. I brought a second pillow to work today, so now have one underneath me and behind my back. I am going to keep trying things until something works!!

          As for the pain meds, I had weaned down to 1 Vicodin every 6 hours. I ran out of those, and took 1 Darvocet every 6 hours for a couple of days. I didn't notice a difference between the Vicodin and Darvocet, so decided to see how it would feel to just go without any narcotic. I haven't noticed a difference at all, and the pain that I've been having after sleep began before I came off pain killers. I may try an extra strength Tylonel before sleep tonight. (As you can tell, I am becoming obsessed with finding a way to sleep soundly!)

          The hospital experience was made great by the nurses (AWESOME, every one of them), and by morphine and oxy I do remember things even from the first day, but the lingering anesthesia and painkillers really do make stuff seem not such a big deal. My biggest struggle was fighting nausea the first few days, even though they were giving me anti-nausea medicine. But the more I sat myself up, the less it affected me.

          Pictures - I will try to post some right now. I have an MRI taken back in February pre-op, and then a couple of x-rays immediately post-op.
          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

          Comment


          • #6
            that's awesome !!!

            Wow, geo what a beautiful ,straight spine you have ! your doctor did a great job, i know he's proud, too- I hope you post some actual pictures, too, as you have had an amazing recovery. As for the sleep, i gave up awhile back and started taking Ambien CR- This has helped tremendously, as did not taking naps during the day. I guard my sleep carefully, as if gives me the total relief from everything, and I need that to cope. Have you considered a muscle relaxant? High five, Geo! Lisa
            Lisa age 47
            T curve 69 degrees
            L curve 40 degrees more or less - compensatory
            fused to from T-3 to sacrum
            anterior and posterior surgeries completed June 1, 2007
            pushing hard in recovery !!

            Comment


            • #7
              Hi Geo,

              That looks like a great correction. I'm so happy for you and I hope you're felling as well as can be at this point in your recovery!!!

              Way to go,
              Shari

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