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  • Janet

    Hi all, I just wanted to let everyone know that our Janet is back home in California and doing much better. She said the trip home from NY wasn't much fun, but we could've guessed that, right??

    She is very appreciative of everyone's messages and concern.
    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

  • #2
    Thanks, Singer!

    I had been feeling concerned and just sent her a pm about half an hour ago... Glad to hear she's doing ok.
    71 and plugging along... but having some problems
    2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
    5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
    Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

    Corrected to 15°
    CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
    10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

    Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

    Comment


    • #3
      Janet's recovery

      [FONT=Arial]
      Hi everyone,
      Thanks for all the positive thoughts.
      Just briefly, Dr. B obtained a very good correction, but I've had some complications post-op. Pneumonia (sp?) on days 2 thru 7, spent in intensive care; I couldn't figure out how to use patient-controlled anesthesia device -what do they expect from patient who was hallucinating the entire time? Mostly indifferent nursing staff in ICU. Once moved to regular room, was doing OK, even eating real food.

      Since my transfer to rehab (at NYU - do NOT go there - more later) I've been throwing up or had dry heaves almost every day, thus hard to consume enough protein and I've lost muscle strenth. I have visiting nurse, home health care, PT coming in - I just need to get past the nausea. I've been home for 4 weeks.

      Today is my 1st day on the computer. Gotta go now - I'm really tired.
      As of 12/25/07, age 62, 100* thoracic kyphosis, 73* L1-S1 lordosis, 37*/25* compensatory S-curve scoliosis. On 12/26/07, Dr. Boachie @ HSS NYC did 11 hours ant. & post. procedures, fused T2-L2, kyphosis now 57*, scoli 10*. Regained 2 1/4 inches in height!! Improving every day.

      Comment


      • #4
        Janet--it's wonderful to hear from you. I'm so sorry you are still having nausea problems--that's a REALLY long time to have to deal with that! Hopefully you'll get past that soon and be able to get the nutrients you need to gain back your strength.

        Rest up and post every now and then, so we know what's happening. I'll sure keep praying for you. What a time you've been through!
        71 and plugging along... but having some problems
        2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
        5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
        Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

        Corrected to 15°
        CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
        10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

        Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

        Comment


        • #5
          Janet, the fact that your nausea has lasted this long is really concerning. Has your family doc thoroughly checked you out?

          Please feel better soon!!
          Chris
          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


          • #6
            I’ve been wondering how you are doing, Janet. Sorry to hear about your problems with nausea. I have very low drug tolerance (throw up on Tylenol with codeine) so I’ll probably have the same reaction. Happy to hear though that your cosmesis is superb. I sincerely hope and pray you begin to feel chipper real soon.

            Chris

            Comment


            • #7
              i hope and pray that you get well soon, janet.

              Comment


              • #8
                Anyone experience this???

                Sorry if this sounds too gross, but, although the vomiting seems to have subsided, I am still producing a lot of white and bubbly saliva, which in turn makes me gag followed by dry heaves.

                Again, thank you all for your encouragement.
                As of 12/25/07, age 62, 100* thoracic kyphosis, 73* L1-S1 lordosis, 37*/25* compensatory S-curve scoliosis. On 12/26/07, Dr. Boachie @ HSS NYC did 11 hours ant. & post. procedures, fused T2-L2, kyphosis now 57*, scoli 10*. Regained 2 1/4 inches in height!! Improving every day.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hi Janet,

                  Glad to hear that you are home although it does not sound like you are very comfortable. The suggestions others have made to call your primary care md and possibly Dr. B's office sound like good ones. Try and make your calls today so you are not caught up in the weekend coverage web. Hope you get some relief soon.

                  Take care,
                  Linda W.
                  Linda
                  Two-stage A/P fusion T6-S1 with lumbar implants June 12 & June 27, 2007 at age 57
                  S curve 75+ degrees with kyphosis
                  Now 45 degrees and standing 3 inches taller!
                  Dr. Frank Rand, New England Baptist Hospital, Boston

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Janet
                    Sorry if this sounds too gross, but, although the vomiting seems to have subsided, I am still producing a lot of white and bubbly saliva, which in turn makes me gag followed by dry heaves.
                    I've come to discover that nothing, and I think I really mean NOTHING is too gross for this board - LOL. Unfortunately, this surgery can produce some pretty "non-dinner party appropriate" conversation.

                    (unless, of course, *we're* all having dinner ;-)

                    I think the advice to contact Boachie's office today (avoid the weekend on-call rigamarole at all costs - bleck!) is great. Perhaps something as simple as adding Phenergan to your meds could solve the problem.

                    Are you having any other signs of a potential med allergy (i.e., hives, itching, etc.)?

                    Hopefully they can eliminate, decrease, or add something to your cocktail to get you some relief over the weekend. I have my fingers crossed for you, Janet ... it's a truly awful feeling to have side effects on TOP of initial discomfort.

                    Keep us posted when you can.

                    Big (ok ... big GENTLE) hugs.

                    Pam
                    Fusion is NOT the end of the world.
                    AIDS Walk Houston 2008 5K @ 33 days post op!


                    41, dx'd JIS & Boston braced @ 10
                    Pre-op ±53°, Post-op < 20°
                    Fused 2/5/08, T4-L1 ... Darrell S. Hanson, Houston


                    VIEW MY X-RAYS
                    EMAIL ME

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Last time I talked to Janet -- maybe a week or so ago -- she said she was off all her pain meds(!!). So I just can't imagine what could be causing her weird symptoms.
                      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


                      • #12
                        [FONT=Arial] Thankfully I haven't thrown up for several days. I even ate macaroni & cheese! The big annoyance still is the foamy white saliva, which collects at the back of my throat and sometimes causes a gag reflex when I try to clear my throat. Dr.B's nurse said she never heard of such from other patients. I'm waiting to hear back from my PCP.

                        The visiting nurse / physical therapist process has been exasperating: no one seems to know what is going on; they fail to get pre-approvals from the ins. co., etc.

                        But one bit of really good news - I'm hiring a woman experienced in home care - hopefully daily for several hours per day.

                        Gotta go lie down - back is aching.
                        As of 12/25/07, age 62, 100* thoracic kyphosis, 73* L1-S1 lordosis, 37*/25* compensatory S-curve scoliosis. On 12/26/07, Dr. Boachie @ HSS NYC did 11 hours ant. & post. procedures, fused T2-L2, kyphosis now 57*, scoli 10*. Regained 2 1/4 inches in height!! Improving every day.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hooray for eating mac and cheese!!

                          Not to nag you Janet, but I do want to urge you to be assertive with your primary care doctor. My experience with home health care (when my mother-in-law lived with us and we had lots of visiting nurses coming in) is that they are okay at health maintenance but generally clueless when it comes to spotting and/or diagnosing problems.

                          Keep feeling better,
                          Chris
                          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


                          • #14
                            I may be mis-reading the last two posts, but there's a vast difference between visiting nurses and home health care. As most of you probably know, visiting nurses are there only for skilled med care such as injections, changing dressings, etc. Home health care aides don't do any of that, but they do clean house, fix meals, do laundry, etc., which is my idea of heaven! I have aides come a few days a week while I'm recuperating and it's worth every penny.

                            As far as Janet's saliva problem, it would seem her surgeon or PCP should arrange a consult with another doctor. Could it be a fungus? A virus? An infection? A gastro problem? At least two of those could be caused by some meds.

                            I'm just doing some brainstorming. I miss brainstorming with my creative teams back at work, so when I brainstorm now I just look in the mirror - makes me feel like I have some company. (Yes, i do answer myself!) Sorry, I'm feeling silly this morning!
                            FeliciaFeliciaFelicia
                            10/24/00 posterior fusion T4-L4 at age 57
                            8/5/05 posterior surgery for spinal stenosis at L4-L5; laminectomy and fusion
                            5/14/07 posterior revision with fusion to sacrum
                            2/11/08 anterior discectomy L5-S1, and reinforcement of fusion with plate attached to L5-S1
                            3/9/2011 and 3/11/2011 revision surgery with Dr. Lenke, St. Louis - complete revision and fusion with instrumentation from T1 to sacrum, one lumbar osteotomy.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Out West here (or at least where I live), my PCP can order a visiting nurse to take samples, draw blood, etc. I'm working on this. The home health care person only does the sponge baths - she is allotted 1 hour per visit which leaves no time for anything else. I have a housekeeper for general cleaning, laundry, etc. I also have someone to help me by running errands, getting the mail, etc.
                              I have never before been so dependent on others. I keep thinking of "The English Patient." This is all quite depressing. The good news is that I am getting stronger in terms of getting out of bed and walking around (using walker, of course).

                              Sorry if I sound very negative, but this is how it is for me right now.
                              As of 12/25/07, age 62, 100* thoracic kyphosis, 73* L1-S1 lordosis, 37*/25* compensatory S-curve scoliosis. On 12/26/07, Dr. Boachie @ HSS NYC did 11 hours ant. & post. procedures, fused T2-L2, kyphosis now 57*, scoli 10*. Regained 2 1/4 inches in height!! Improving every day.

                              Comment

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