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Almost 6 Months post revision!! Woohoo!

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  • Almost 6 Months post revision!! Woohoo!

    So, I know that this isn't the revision forum, but I have lots of buddies that are in here, and no-one seems to look in the revision section! Lucky people!

    I had my revision surgery in December, and I'm nearly 6 months post op now. I would like to report, that I am doing great! I have really had some big ups and downs in my recovery, and have found it a very emotional journey. I have found out the hard way who my friends are, but have also had support from unusual places even if at times I couldn't appreciate it fully.

    Rehabilitation wise, I'm doing great! Yesterday was a milestone because I put on a pair of fins and swam 500m freestyle in the pool, and did another 500m or so just kickboarding. Previously I had just been doing aquajogging, but feeling a bit like it wasn't enough. I also last week did 30min cardio on the treadmill (walking) and cross trainer (broken up between the two). The meany gym instructor saw me in the gym and weighed me, and noticed that I had put on 3kg since I joined the gym, and measured my tummy and said 'now I know where all your weight went on!!!" AND, he knew I had recently had surgery etc... it just shows the difference between intellectual understanding of something, and real understanding. I have been doing really well with diet, but without the exercise and being mainly sedentary, the weight is slow to come off. I'm also doing pilates on the reformer, I have one at home and am enjoying the workout that I can get from that.

    I'm secretly glad it's winter here now, I was inside all summer, and had to listen to people say "it's been the best summer ever". It was weather wise, I could tell from my lounge room looking out the window! Next summer will be my best summer ever, I'm going to be spending as much of it as I can outdoors!

    I'm busy working on my university work, I have a doctoral thesis that I'm 6 months behind on. Luckily I have had a very supportive university that continued to pay my scholarship while I was in hospital and recovering at home. Without them, we would have been in huge trouble as my partner took weeks off work to look after me.

    I'm really proud of how I am doing, and what I have been through. I am working really hard to build my strength up, and really feel like I've been given a new chance. The best news is, even though I have pain it is mild and I seldom take anything. My pain is WAY less than before my surgery. I really believe that it will get better, and even if it doesn't I will still be doing better than before.
    1994 curve at age 13, 70 degrees, untreated
    2000 Anterior fusion with instrumentation T9-L2, corrected to 36 degrees, 14 degree angle between fused and un-fused thoracic spine.
    2007 26 degrees junctional scoliosis
    Revision surgery, 6th December 2007 T4 to L3, Posterior approach.
    msandham.blogspot.com

  • #2
    Congratulations on your revision and recovery. That sounds wonderful.

    Great about your school giving you the time to have this procedure and recover. I'm not so sure my school would have done that but maybe.

    I took seven years to get my doctorate w/ no Master's en route. Even with your surgery, I'll bet you get yours in less time than I took without surgery. Staying in grad school seemed easier than working.

    May as I ask what field you are in? I'm a biogeochemist.

    ETA: I just checked your blog... Clinical Psych. My best friend from junior high got her doctorate in clinical psych. Here in the states, I understand it is the most competitive grad program within psych.

    So can I ask what your dissertation topic is in lieu of my first question?

    Again, congratulations.

    Best regards,
    sharon
    Last edited by Pooka1; 04-27-2008, 08:12 AM.
    Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

    No island of sanity.

    Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
    Answer: Medicine


    "We are all African."

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks! My topic is... the development of a psychometric tool to assess anxiety in older adults. So basically, I'm making a questionnaire but I have to make sure that it's measuring what it supposed to, covering all the necissary questions, and does so reliably, so I do all that with statistics. We have a similar thing here where it's highly competitive to get into the clinical psychology program, something like 150 applicants for 6 places. Needless to say we're all a highly competitive bunch!

      It's a really tight schedule, and I hope that I can catch up without having to push out my hand in date too far. It would be an awesome thing to not have to stay on longer and to instead graduate with my peers!
      1994 curve at age 13, 70 degrees, untreated
      2000 Anterior fusion with instrumentation T9-L2, corrected to 36 degrees, 14 degree angle between fused and un-fused thoracic spine.
      2007 26 degrees junctional scoliosis
      Revision surgery, 6th December 2007 T4 to L3, Posterior approach.
      msandham.blogspot.com

      Comment


      • #4
        Woohoo is right!!!

        Yay, nz!!! I can hardly believe how quickly the time has gone... it was just a couple months ago, I was thinking... I've counted twice now just to make sure, but you're coming up on 5 months, not 6. Unless I'm doing something wrong (entirely possible!) It's super that you're feeling so good, though!

        I can't believe what the gym guy did. I KNOW he wouldn't dare pull something like that with someone like me. Or he'd get clobbered for sure! Do you think he really was giving you a bad time, or was it his way of flirting or something? Regardless, don't worry about it. You have been doing great-- and working very hard to get in shape.

        I hope your winter is a good one-- and I think your attitude about NEXT summer is super. It was great to read your update, so be sure to keep us posted on things-- how the thesis work is going-- and mostly about how the "nz" work is going... You're a great person who has a wonderful attitude and a really good work ethic. You have been so supportive of other young gals near your age. I am so proud of you! Good job, nz!
        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
          I totally counted wrong! I thought time had gone fast! I was counting december as my surgery was early dec.
          There's no I would be interested in anyone who flirts whilst holding a tapemeasure! Oh no! How would he like it? ;-)
          Thanks for your kind words
          I still plan to start a scoliosis website in NZ as a reference point for people here, it's hard to know who are the best people to go to for services like PT, but I think that's probably the same everywhere. I'm sick of explaining to people what scoliosis is, they just don't really get it!
          1994 curve at age 13, 70 degrees, untreated
          2000 Anterior fusion with instrumentation T9-L2, corrected to 36 degrees, 14 degree angle between fused and un-fused thoracic spine.
          2007 26 degrees junctional scoliosis
          Revision surgery, 6th December 2007 T4 to L3, Posterior approach.
          msandham.blogspot.com

          Comment

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