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My Turnaround Day!

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  • My Turnaround Day!

    I've heard from a large number of people that have had this surgery that at some point several weeks after surgery, they woke up one morning and everything had 'turned around'. They felt so much better, their mental state was 100% better and they knew at that point they were past the worst.

    Well, Saturday morning was my turnaround day. I woke up feeling completely different. I didn't feel the need to drag myself to the bathroom, take my pain meds and drag myself back to bed for about 30 minutes to give the meds time to work just so I could get up out of bed for the day. I was excited to get up and face the day. It's so hard to explain. It was like some kind of healing fairy had come during the night and made everything better. And Sunday was the same and so is today!

    I can't even begin to tell you all how excited I am. For the first time, I'm not questioning myself for my decision. And since you all have been kind enough to help me through the tough times, I wanted to share this wonderful news with you!

    Now, my question is has anyone else here experienced this kind of change this quickly? Am I crazy? Probably, but as long as I feel this good, I'm happy being crazy!
    Becky, 46 years old
    Diagnosed at 13 with mild scoliosis
    Ignored until 448/07
    Left thoracic 49* T5-T11
    Right thorocolumbar 60* T11-L4
    Surgery Monday, June 9, 2008 Oklahoma Spine Hospital
    Fused T-10 to L-5
    14 titanium pedicle screws
    Corrected to approx. 10* YEA!!!
    Email

  • #2
    Hooray for you!

    YAY Becky! I'm really excited for you! Mine was really gradual though, so I didn't have a noticeable day like that. (But maybe it was the fuzzy thinking that masked it. ) Thanks for sharing!!!
    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

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    • #3
      Great news!! May you continue to have many more wonderful days to come. I am glad the worst is behind you. Sounds like a reason to celebrate!!
      __________________________________________
      Debbe - 50 yrs old

      Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
      Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

      Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
      Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
      Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

      Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
      Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Becky! I'm so glad to hear you are feeling better. My turn around was about 5 1/2 weeks post-op and it's only been getting better (unless I overdo it) everyday.

        Shell
        Chemist, 30

        1998- 18 degrees
        2003- 33 degrees
        2005- 37 degrees
        2006- 44 degrees
        May 2007- 47 degrees
        December 2007 - 50 degrees X-ray

        Surgery May 27, 2008
        Fused T1 to L2
        Curve corrected to 15 degrees X-ray

        Comment


        • #5
          Thank you, Susie Bee, debbei and Shell! I didn't say anything until today because I wanted to be sure. The change was so drastic that I needed a couple more good days before I'd really believe it.

          Shell, I'm so happy to hear you're feeling better too. I know I'll have to be even more careful now to not overdo. It would be really easy to just keep going and going (like the Energizer Bunny) and then pay the price the next day!
          Becky, 46 years old
          Diagnosed at 13 with mild scoliosis
          Ignored until 448/07
          Left thoracic 49* T5-T11
          Right thorocolumbar 60* T11-L4
          Surgery Monday, June 9, 2008 Oklahoma Spine Hospital
          Fused T-10 to L-5
          14 titanium pedicle screws
          Corrected to approx. 10* YEA!!!
          Email

          Comment


          • #6
            Hi Becky,

            I just wanted to say that I am very happy for you!!

            You sound so excited (understandably so) - it must be great to finally start to feel significantly better. I'm sure your post will be encouraging to those folks who are still waiting for that "turnaround day".
            mariaf305@yahoo.com
            Mom to David, age 17, braced June 2000 to March 2004
            Vertebral Body Stapling 3/10/04 for 40 degree curve (currently mid 20's)

            https://www.facebook.com/groups/ScoliosisTethering/

            http://pediatricspinefoundation.org/

            Comment


            • #7
              The same thing happened to me. It was tough for the first 4 weeks, then it seemed like there was a 20% improvment overnight. 4 weeks after that, another 20% improvment, and so on. Graduated tiers of improvment.

              After one gets run over by the "freight train" of scoliosis surgery, the improvments are a very welcome thing. You sometimes feel good enough to go and do the impossible and you need to "test" things out carefully otherwise you will pay for it the next few days.

              I noticed a large improvment at 90 days post. Now I would say Im about 70% back to normal and I get the feeling that the final 30% will go at a slower rate. Im sure this will be confirmed by some of the people that are farther along.

              I am still having the "bear traps" at a 2 level up high especially after sitting at the computer for long periods. I usually can walk them out.

              Ed
              Last edited by titaniumed; 07-21-2008, 02:49 PM.
              49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
              Pre surgery curves T70,L70
              ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
              Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

              Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

              My x-rays
              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

              Comment


              • #8
                Thats awesome Becky! I'm really happy to hear you and Shell are doing great! Keep up the good work!

                Brad
                Surgeries July 26th & August 3rd 1983 (12 years old)
                Still have 57 degree curve
                2 Harrington rods
                Luque method used
                Dr David Bradford
                Twin Cities Scoliosis Center
                Preop xray (with brace on)
                Postop xray

                Comment


                • #9
                  Thanks!

                  Thanks everyone for your responses and encouragement. Yes, mariaf, I am very excited! For the first time in, well, years I feel excited about waking up and facing the day. I don't lie in bed and wonder what level my pain will be today like I've done for as long as I can remember.

                  I was thinking about this change yesterday, trying to define this new 'free' feeling I have and I realized that for years, I would mentally plan almost every movement I made just to avoid as much pain as I could. I wasn't doing it consciously, but I did it. And I also realized how very exhausting that is, both mentally and physically. I'm still very careful, of course, to protect my new back but just getting up out of a chair isn't a planned activity anymore!

                  Thank you again, mariaf, Ed and Brad for your kind words. Now, I'm off to conquer the world!
                  Becky, 46 years old
                  Diagnosed at 13 with mild scoliosis
                  Ignored until 448/07
                  Left thoracic 49* T5-T11
                  Right thorocolumbar 60* T11-L4
                  Surgery Monday, June 9, 2008 Oklahoma Spine Hospital
                  Fused T-10 to L-5
                  14 titanium pedicle screws
                  Corrected to approx. 10* YEA!!!
                  Email

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Fantastic, Becky! (it used to irritate the hell out of me when people would say it to *me*, but don't overdo it - LOL ... :-)

                    I'm soooooooooo glad you're over the worst of it!!!

                    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


                    • #11
                      Becky, it's very exciting to hear about your great turn around! I totally understand your wanting to wait a few days to make sure the new feeling is real! I've had a few days since my 7/3 surgery that I thought were really good, and was very encouraged, only to crash the next day...and that roller coaster is hard to deal with. So happy to hear you are off the roller coaster and I hope it just gets better every day for you.

                      Cheers,

                      Lisa
                      Lisa, Portland, OR
                      49 y.o.
                      46 degree curve L1-L5, mild T curve
                      L5-S1 healthy, thankfully
                      Lumbar stenosis, osteoarthritis, lumbosacral sponsylosis
                      T11-L5 fusion 7/3/08

                      Comment

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