Newly fused!

[fierceliketiger]

Hi all,
I just thought I would introduce myself. My name is Sara, I am 23 years old, and I just had a two part fusion. The first part was on November 11th, and it was the anterior portion. The second was December 2nd, the posterior part. I am now fused from the pelvis (my sacrum was too deformed to fuse to) to t-10. I am finally starting to feel human again!

Anyhow, that is all. Glad to find so much information and so many people in one place! Its amazing.

[Geish]

Welcome to the Board Sara! Congratulations on a successful fusion. Stay strong and keep on healing!

[laurieg6]

Congratulations for making it through two difficult, but from the sound of it, successful surgeries. I hope you continue to have a speedy recovery and keep feeling better and better.

[trishthedish]

Wow, you have really been through it! Glad you're on the other side, and welcome to the board. Lots of good info and nice folks here. =)

[pmsmom]

Ditto to what's already been said!

Hope you have a speedy recovery!

Please share your story when you are able.

Take care,
Marian

[WNCmom]

My 13 yo son was fused on November 13. How are you feeling at almost 3 weeks post op?

[fierceliketiger]

WNCmom, thank you for asking! I am doing pretty well. Unfortunately we had some major issues with my brace...they fit it wrong...I'm 23 and they made it for (in their words) "an 80 year old" and I can guess you can see chest-wise what the problem would be. In an attempt to fix it they cut the sides off and lost all the thoracic support. After fighting for 3 weeks the doctor finally approved a remake to be done on monday and delivered on Wednesday. The whole mess has slowed down progress a lot since I cant really walk. But, it should get better!
Thanks for the kind comments everyone!!!

[crystalalice88]

Sara,

My name is Crystal and I am 20 years old. I am facing a fusion from my thoracic region to my sacrum also and I was wondering what it would be like afterwards. Please let me know how you are mobility wise after you start healing. Any info would be really helpful!

Glad you are doing well!!

[fierceliketiger]

Crystal,
Sorry that I didn't reply sooner! I had a strange recovery, since my brace didn't fit at all, and it took 2 weeks for a new one to get approved and made.
At first, truthfully, you question why in the world you would ever subject yourself to so much pain. Everything hurts. And then one day you wake up and feel slightly better, and then it gets even better.
I almost feel normal-ish again at 4 weeks. I still hurt sometimes, but I rarely take pain meds, and I actually made a sandwich the day before last! I know its something small, but you really do learn to appreciate the small little triumphs every day.

One of the things that I think helped me, is that my surgeon told me that I would need to walk ten to 15 miles per day after surgery to keep the blood flowing and to help with healing. So, before my first surgery, I started walking and got up to 10 miles per day. After the first one, I got up to 5 before the 2nd (3 weeks later), and now I am up to 5 again. I think that the walking probably helped my heart rate, and I think I am doing better than expected. I attribute it to that.

I used a "normal" toilet instead of a riser for the first time 3 days ago. One of the things that I find the MOST frustrating is that you can't reach your nether-regions. One of the therapists in the hospital gave me a contraption called a "boomerang" that helps with wiping after the bathroom, etc. I don't know if anyone else has had this problem, but I have purposefully skipped my period for the last month (with pills) because I can't reach to put a tampax in or anything (sorry if its tmi...I know I wish somebody would have told me).

My surgeon told us I would need to have someone around for at least 2 months to help me with things. My mom was supposed to stay with me. However, she went to visit her boyfriend and got strep throat, bronchitis, and an ear infection all at once. So, I had to stay by myself after the first week home. My fiance really made things easy by prepping my food for me and setting out my pills for me in little dosage cups. So, truthfully, after the first week home, I could stay by myself and do reasonably well. Granted, if I dropped something un-reachable with the grabber, then I had to wait until someone got home, but I think it was actually empowering to stay alone.

Well, I hope that answered some questions for you. if you have any questions, feel free to message me! When is your surgery?