One year on...

[mouna]

I had my surgery one year ago today. I just saw my surgeon. He's very happy, and so am I ...
It was a long year, that now, looking back, I see passed in the blink of an eye!
Rhythmed by check ups at 3/6/9 months - fast progress at the beginning, wondering when I'd be back to 'normal' and coming to the conclusion that, for me, there is no going 'back to normal'...This is the new normal, and I'm thankful for it.
I'll be 49 (omg) on saturday, and am looking forward to starting my next half century with this new bod!
I feel I still tire more quickly, but in fact it depends on what I'm doing. I can walk endlessly, whereas before the op, I would ache and have to stop. I have still to find the perfect chair (I'm fused T3 - L5). No PAIN. Discomfort when it's cold and damp. I know the 'bear claw' feeling.
Still making progress . Bending from the waist to about 60° and this seems to
be improving every day. I now practise tai chi and swim.
I gained 5 cms in height and kept it. Now, will I where those new heels I bought to go out for dinner tonight? In fact, I don't need them anymore...
Good luck to all of you

[txmarinemom]

I had my surgery one year ago today. I just saw my surgeon. He's very happy, and so am I ...
It was a long year, that now, looking back, I see passed in the blink of an eye!
Rhythmed by check ups at 3/6/9 months - fast progress at the beginning, wondering when I'd be back to 'normal' and coming to the conclusion that, for me, there is no going 'back to normal'...This is the new normal, and I'm thankful for it.
I'll be 49 (omg) on saturday, and am looking forward to starting my next half century with this new bod!
I feel I still tire more quickly, but in fact it depends on what I'm doing. I can walk endlessly, whereas before the op, I would ache and have to stop. I have still to find the perfect chair (I'm fused T3 - L5). No PAIN. Discomfort when it's cold and damp. I know the 'bear claw' feeling.
Still making progress . Bending from the waist to about 60° and this seems to
be improving every day. I now practise tai chi and swim.
I gained 5 cms in height and kept it. Now, will I where those new heels I bought to go out for dinner tonight? In fact, I don't need them anymore...
Good luck to all of you

Mouna, first off, let me send a resounding (albeit early) "HaPpY bIRtHdAy!!!

(If you attempt to follow my stream of consciousness for any amount of time, you'll not only marvel I remember my kids' birthdays, you'll marvel I remember I *have* kids - LOL. Thank heavens ADHD's familial ... it's far less traumatic for them that way ;-).

I LOVE reading stories post-op accts of "no pain"! How severe was it prior to correction?

My surgery was just last week (Feb 5th, 2008). Although I felt like a herd of angry elves (in teeny, lil', POINTY elvin boots) had thoroughly worked over my rib cages (not to mention the general stiffness and stretched feeling in the lumbar area), I immediately took a deep breath, paused, exhaled, and laughed (in a manner I'm certain could be interpreted as maniacal) as I realized ...

"OMG. For the first moment I can recall in at least 30 years, the masochistic juveniles playing tug-o-war with my thoracic spine have called a brief truce ..."

To my continued amazement (all day long , still ... at Day 10 post-op), this pain hasn't returned. I know it's too early to definitively declare the pain from cervical compensatories (3mm protrusions at C5/C6 and C6/C7) gone ... but I've yet to feel them *either*.

Maybe the surgery did remedy my original pain (and I so adore reading stories like yours where that happens).

The pessimist in me says "Hell, yeah, I can cure your hangnail pain ... by dropping a weight on your foot ...".

I'm trying to drop the "half empty" outlook, anyway; pessimism is SO 2007 .

Regards,
Pam

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Hi Mouna-it is good to hear from you & that you made the 1 year mark of recovery! I do agree with you that there is no back to 'normal', it is a new normal! How true! & wear your heels out anyway when you get the chance! --Lynne
ps. Pam-keep your positive outlook and good luck in your recovery!


48 yrs old/fused T11-L5-2006

[Susie*Bee]

Hooray!

Mouna--thanks so much for posting your successes! One year is truly something to celebrate! Yours is such an encouraging post-- and yet reminds me at the same time that we will always have our challenges to meet. There's a book out there somewhere with a title like "normal's just a setting on your dryer..." Everyone has their own peculiar challenges, and one of ours is living with fused spines and all that encompasses... But at 9.5 months I feel very positive about how I feel and how far I've come. I just know I have a "ways to go" still. I don't know how long that will take and whether or not I will need revision surgery at some time, but I do know that whatever crosses my path, it will be something do-able-- because I see the strength and patience and hopefulness of so many who have progressed ahead of me.

I hope you can go celebrate both your anniversary and your birthday. You're an inspiration!

[mariaf]

There's a book out there somewhere with a title like "normal's just a setting on your dryer..."

I love it!!

Explains a lot - LOL!

[mouna]

Happy Valentine's...

Tx - my pre-op pain was not severe but my curve was - and was progressing. Each to their own!

Lynne- I've got those heels on...

SBee - love that book title...

Happy valentine's ...