Update

[Jenlw]

I had surgery on Monday.
It took about 4 1/2 hours to remove all of the hardware and to refuse L3 L4. I will add pictures when I feel better.
The first day went well, Tuesday I had some pretty bad pain, and Wednesday I ended up throwing up from pain meds. MAN do you use your back muscles to throw up. I am home now recovering...feels great to get puppy kisses an lay in my own bed.

[augemac]

Take care and rest plenty. Glad to hear that you are doing great and I enjoy puppy kisses also. It is always surprising what muscles we use with our back. Rest and hope to hear more good news.:)

[JenniferG]

Wow! Home already!

I hurt reading your MAN do you use your back muscles to throw up. Ouch! But it sounds like you're doing very well. Take care and keep up with the updates.

[discombobulated]

Wow..how fantastic that you're home already - it really is the best place for healing. I'm so glad to hear the op went well, though those med side-effects can be Evil for sure! Usually the major causes are the strong opioids, some of which you might still be on. If you are & are still having probs with nausea/vomiting on the usual anti-emetics (metoclopramide/Maxolon is most commonly used here) - try requesting ondansetron (one trade name is Zofran) which is often very effective.

Best of luck for a smooth rest-of-recovery. Take care & enjoy those puppy kisses :)

[Susie*Bee]

Jen-- yes, it's wonderful to hear from you! Thank you for thinking of us all and letting us know. Hope and pray your recovery is pretty smooth and quick... and no more throwing up problems! Rest up and take care of yourself. Hugs, Susie

[debbei]

Awh, puppy kisses are magical and fix all kinds of pain, don't they?

I'm sorry you had problems with the pain meds making you get sick. That was one of my biggest fears post surgery, but thank goodness it never happened to me.

Take good care of yourself and post an update when you can!

[Qikdraw]

Awh, puppy kisses are magical and fix all kinds of pain, don't they?

Puppies do have magical powers! :)

Jen,

As others have already said its good you are back home. I hope you can get on some medication that works better for you. Throwing up is never fun.

Keep those puppies close! :)

Brad

[amme]

Hope and pray you'll be much better from now on.:)

[scolimich]

Hi Jenlw,

I had sent some PM's to you a few months ago. I'm glad you are through the surgery and on the road to recovery!

I am having my rods removed 3 weeks from today....so I'm waiting to be in your shoes.

I will be praying for your recovery.

Question for you: Did you have to have any rods/metal put back in to fuse those lumbar areas???

Scolimich

[Jenlw]

Michelle,

I did respond to your PM, but I will respond here as well to inform other in case they have questions. I did have an area fused that didn't fuse the first time, so yes, new additional metal was added to my back, but not near as much as what was there before.

[Jenlw]

Here are some pictures. I have the albums unlisted, so if it doesn't let you see them let me know and I will make them public.

This is what was taken out of me...
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fS3nN7zSvXBMkngYIMjVMw?authkey=pnaYr9YEejc

This is what was added...
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/H4dFOGnP53AK-7ttjspDLw?authkey=pnaYr9YEejc

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Q8y0OKQUPL-qGqUctUoySQ?authkey=pnaYr9YEejc

I was glad they made the incision on the existing scar, don't need two of these!
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/o0qg4koFlCd2tGnOj8NlRA?authkey=pnaYr9YEejc

[loves to skate]

It works just great and you look just great. What a nice straight back and neat incision.

[discombobulated]

Looks great! Are you managing the pain a bit better a few days on?

And now - for the strange question (which, yes, I will ask my surgeon, but I'm curious now!)....Were you allowed to keep your old hardware?? :D I know it's probably something akin to the 10 yr old boy keeping his appendix in a jar for 20 yrs - but I'd LOVE to keep these suckers that are coming out! :p I know it wasn't a problem with some hip metalworks over the years - so it shouldn't be different with spinal gear, right? I'd love to keep my biomodel as well, but since the hospital paid for it, I think it will stay with them for teaching/whatever purposes [or maybe a trophy of sorts in my surgeon's office?! :D ].

Yep, you just found the weirdest one on NSF.


Keep healing well. Take care :)

[augemac]

Discombobulated,

When I had my surgery to remove my hardware I was able to keep my hardware. Which was really cool!! It is sealed in a hazard bag. It was cut into 4" pieces to fit. I would surely ask.:D

[discombobulated]

LOL, great to hear - thanks Auge.

My paediatric orthopaedic surgeon (who put in & took out about 5 sets of pins/plates from a hip over the years) always handed me my gear in a little baggie or bottle automatically after surgery. I had him well trained, LOL! :D

[Susie*Bee]

Thanks for sharing the pics, Jen. You are looking great! Keep us posted on how you are doing-- and how long before you'll be back to going dancing again. You are so young that it probably won't be toooo long. :cool:

[Jenlw]

Discombobulated - One of the first questions I asked was if I could keep the metal. He said it isn't that strange of a question to ask. So the picture you see is from my kitchen table! The hardware is all mine! But I did pay for it, well my parents did :P

Thanks loves to skate and Susie*Bee. I am feeling pretty well for being 2 1/2 weeks out, so hopefully "good as new" comes quickly!!

[felix999]

Hi,

Just have a quick question. Did they break down your original fusion and re-straighten? cause in your xrays you have a 52 degree curve but there is no way you have that now. Looks great.

Amanda

[augemac]

I had him well trained, LOL! :D


Discombobulated,

That is real funny!!:D Hope you can train and get this Dr to give you something!!

[Jenlw]

Amanda,

I got this straight the first time around :) This time they just removed hardware and fixed one spot that didn't fuse.

[discombobulated]

Hope you can train and get this Dr to give you something!!

I hope so, too! :D I just have to *remember* to ask. There are so many things I'm meaning to ask my anaesthetist & surgeon, I hope I don't forget this one!

Jen - they looked like some interesting metalwork. Glad you got to keep them :D Are you gonna frame them?? LOL!

[Jenlw]

Sorry I haven't been on in awhile! I have a lot of catching up to do!!!

Here I am 2 months after surgery and I have to say I feel great!
I pretty much went off of pain meds 2 weeks after surgery.
I was out of work for 4 weeks then part time until the end of the year.
The best part of recovery was getting engaged!!!
I guess seeing someone at their worst really shows you how much you love them!!
The exercises the PT gave me have really helped.
My worst fear was going through the surgery and then finding out it didn't help with the pain, but I don;t think that will be the case!!
I still have some pain when I move the wrong way, but I think that is all surgery pain. SO lets hope April 11th, 2009 I will be able to dance the night away with my new hubby and not feel any pain!
Doc says I am doing amazingly well, and also added that us scoliosis patients always seem to deal with things much better ;)
I will admit, seeing the xray without the metal felt strange, like a something was missing, but I think it was all worth it!

[Susie*Bee]

I'm so excited for you and your upcoming wedding plans! And especially that you are doing so well from your surgery too! I'll be looking forward to seeing a wedding pic hopefully sometime in May! Thanks for thinking of us and letting us know the BIG news! Hugs, Susie

[discombobulated]

Ooh, a huge congrats! :D And thanks for sharing the news!

I'm so glad the op ws successful. I know the feeling of just "waiting around" to see if it's been successful to fix the pain, etc. - but it sure sounds like you're doing great, so *all fingers crossed*.

Here's to a happy, healthy 2009 for you & the fiance :)

[Jenlw]

Thank you both!!

I will definitely post pictures!!