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  • I'm Home finally

    Hi everyone im finally back home, 9 days in hospital, i dont know weather anyone can advise me i have had a CT scan and everything is ok, but the only pain i have at the mo is a stabbing pain in my right shoulder blade when i move my arm sometimes, its not all the time mainly when im lying down, i know my shoulder blade was out of place and now its back so its probably just that.

    Anyway my surgeon was very nice i have Mr. Khan and Mr. Hutton int here and someone else i think a learner who watched. my surgeon Mr' Khan has told me to be careful for at least a year cause he has never known anyone with such small bones and i have 5mm screws in about 3-4mm of bone so they aint holiding onto a lot and could come out if i bend wrong or lift something heavy.
    i have a nurse coming round on Tuesday so will tell her about the pain, other then that i feel great and my body looks a lot better hada bit of the rib pain still but that has gone which is great...next test when i can do it is walking long ways that use to kill after about 30mins, but wont try walking far for a few months dont want to do anything wrong with what he has told me.

    my worst fear didnt come true although they did for a min think i was paralised cause i couldnt feel or move my legs, i cant remember that high on pain killers but after an hour or two i was ok and wiggling my toes. and they put pumps on my ankles to stop blood clots and asked if i could feel then squeezing my ankles and i could and then the surgeon asked a nurse, to run her hand up my leg to make sure i had feeling all up my legs, which i did.

    I cant remember much about the recovery and intensive care and the first day on the ward i lost i think 3 days but then i was ok apprantly day after the op i did stand up although only for a sec cause i went dizzy, and then on the 3rd day i walked up and down the ward, apprantly...... and then after that i was up and about more and more they couldnt keep me down

    im getting on well at home my mum has adjusted things for me so i can get around only thing i ahve trouble with is getting comfy in bed cause i like lying on my sides and i cant course it hurts, i ahve lots of pillows but still cant find a confy position, what do you guys do??? lay flat or have pillows aroound you.

    Oh and my curve went from 70 to less then 10

    Angela
    xxx
    Angela, 25 England.
    75 curve top of spine, and getting worse slowly.
    Surgery on 21st May 2008. T3-L4
    Op went well 20ish degree curve now.
    May need op in 18 months to remove rods due to pain, but might calm down when bone graft has healed, less pain now, just some shoulder blade pain, and a cold spot in middle right of back.

  • #2
    Anglea,
    Welcome home! You got a fabulous correction, YEA!
    I too wanted to lay on my side and yes, it is a bit tough at first. Try to do it for short times here and there and you will be able to stay on your side longer as time goes on. Put a pillow between your knees, this will take some stress off your back. As for laying on my back I found that having the pillows in a gradual slope worked best. Hope this helps. Remember one day at a time.... We are cheering for you!

    Comment


    • #3
      Yay, Angela!

      As Suzy said, great correction .

      I, too, had a hard time lying on my side - and for shorter periods (even now - 17, or is it 18 (?) weeks post-op) it's okay, but it gets uncomfortable overnight.

      I've always been a stomach sleeper, and thank goodness I can do THAT again.

      Hang in there ... it sounds like you're on the road to recovery!

      Regards,
      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


      • #4
        Welcome home! The worst part is now behind you. Yes, getting comfortable is difficult for a while, but it will get better. Take it easy. You can do it!

        Best,
        Anya
        "You must be the change you want to see in the world."

        Previously 55 degree thoracolumbar curve
        Surgery June 5, 2007 - Dr. Clifford Tribus, University of Wisconsin Hospital
        19 degrees post-op!

        http://abhbarry.blogspot.com

        Comment


        • #5
          Angela - Congratulations on your successful surgery and homecoming! You achieved a wonderful correction and I'm very , very happy for you.

          Keep us informed of your progress and GREAT JOB!
          Susan
          XLIF/Posterior Surgery 6/16/08. Fused T10-L5 in CA by Dr. Michael Kropf (don't go there unless it's simple, I hear he's at Cedar's now). Very deformed, had revision w/5 PSO's, rods from T-3 to sacrum including iliac screws, all posterior, 5/23/16 with Dr. Purnendu Gupta of Chicago.


          Owner of Chachi the Chihuahua, So Cal born and bred, now a resident of 'Chicagoland' Illinois. Uh, dislike it here....thank God there was ONE excellent spine surgeon in this area.

          Comment


          • #6
            thanks everyone my mum done my pillows last night and for the first time in two weeks i had a full nights sleep just woke up stiff which i can deal with, so from now on my mum is doing my pillows.

            I will post a pic of before and after when i can get a pic of my back without the dressing on i dont know when that will be is it 6 weeks it has to be covered for?

            If i cant sleep on my side then i aint to bothered now that i know i can get comfy on my back thanks to my mum, it took a few times before we found the poistion i was comfy in.

            Angela
            xx
            Angela, 25 England.
            75 curve top of spine, and getting worse slowly.
            Surgery on 21st May 2008. T3-L4
            Op went well 20ish degree curve now.
            May need op in 18 months to remove rods due to pain, but might calm down when bone graft has healed, less pain now, just some shoulder blade pain, and a cold spot in middle right of back.

            Comment


            • #7
              Hi Angela,

              It is wonderful to hear from you and to hear about your very successful surgery and great correction. You must be thrilled. The ability of surgeons to treat scoliosis has improved significantly since I was young. It sounds like to maybe had a right thoracic curve. If that is so, then your right shoulder blade was probably moved, adjusted and the back muscles on the right side may have been cut or manipulated which probably creates the soreness you are feeling. If this is so, then it will heal gradually. I had surgery many years ago and this was the case. Keep us informed on your progress. Take Care.

              Comment


              • #8
                That's super!

                Angela-- it is great to hear from you again! It sounds like you are making progress with getting more comfy. Your Mum sounds like a wonderful pillow arranger!

                I hope you are feeling a little stronger too. Are you up to making your own cup of tea yet? Does your neighbor check on you?

                I think the doctors are all different on how long bandages stay on... I just had steri-strips on when I left the hospital, and they gradually fell off. They removed the stragglers at my 3 week check-up.

                Sending big hugs your way! Susie
                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


                • #9
                  Congratulations on your successful surgery, Angela! Welcome back home. I'm so glad you found comfort with your pillows. Everyone is so different, it's rather a 'trial and error' method to find the best position. Will be looking forward to reading of your recovery!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    thanks everyone, my pillows are done the same each night but i have better nights and worse nights, but that was expected, i am allowed to take the dressing off on saturday and then let the air get to it, and i can wash it but no rubbing and no soap just water over it and then very gentle dap it dry, of course my mum would have to do that.

                    I have been able to make my own cups of tea, our kettle is quite heavy so i dont fill it much and use both hands to lift it instead of one.
                    And i was very pleased with myself yesterday i mangered to get up and down our stairs all on my own. had someone behind me but not holding onto anyone just the railing

                    Anyway talk soon and thanks for all the support here before and after the op.

                    Angela
                    xx
                    Angela, 25 England.
                    75 curve top of spine, and getting worse slowly.
                    Surgery on 21st May 2008. T3-L4
                    Op went well 20ish degree curve now.
                    May need op in 18 months to remove rods due to pain, but might calm down when bone graft has healed, less pain now, just some shoulder blade pain, and a cold spot in middle right of back.

                    Comment

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