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  • 24 Hours and Counting

    Hi Everybody,
    I have 24 hours to go before my surgery! I feel like my back and I have been struggling with this scoliosis thing off and on for 55 years and I am more than ready to do something about it!
    I plan to do everything I am told to do in the hospital but I am apprehensive about going home--starting with the ride home. I've been noticing the bumpy roads latey. Some of the bumps hurt my back now and I can't imagine what it will be like after surgery. I am also not looking forward to needing so much help once I get home. I keep telling myself how lucky I am that my children are grown (four married boys--six grand kids and another coming in Oct) and that my husband and I are retired--a big plus from what I have been reading.
    I want to thank you all for your advise and espically "Dr. Rand's girls"--they have been just wonderful to me.
    To be honest I am looking for good thought and prayers to come my way tomorrow morning. There are so many kind and caring people on this forum.
    Thank you all,
    Kathy
    Diagnosed age 10. No treatment
    Thoracic curve:?
    Lumbar curve: 50 degrees with rotation
    Surgery Sept.16,2009
    Fusion T-11 to pelvis
    Dr. Frank Rand
    New England Baptist Hospital

  • #2
    You have my prayers!! I am 3 weeks out, today, from my surgery. I had an hour ride home, with lots of bumpy and "under construction" roads. The pillows made it doable, plus I loaded up on my prn pain meds about an hour before leaving the hosp.

    Good luck and God bless!!
    Fused T-3 to L-3, Aug 25
    Hardware removal surgery, Nov 2, 2010
    Fused T-10 to L-2, osteotomy, Feb 22, 2011

    Comment


    • #3
      I had 1 1/2 hr ride home. We took the middle seats out of the van and I crawled in and onto the back bench seat. I laid on my back in my brace with the seat belt around me and my legs bent. It was pretty comfortable. The first ride sitting in the front seat several days later killed me. So if you have access to a van, I'd suggest it.

      Added: I left the hospital after 5 days.
      Last edited by johnsonbunch; 09-15-2009, 02:24 PM.
      Sandy

      Thoracic curve was 55 degrees, now 30
      Lumbar curve was 68 degrees, now 26
      Rib rotation was 17 degrees, now 0
      Degenerated discs and sacral arthritic spurs, plus significant spondylosis
      Fused 8/13/09 at age 43 from T-9 to pelvis with iliac screws anchoring hardware to the pelvis, plus osteomies by Drs. Anthony Moreno and Geoff Cronen, Tampa, FL

      Comment


      • #4
        I had a 7 hour ride home divided up over 2 days with frequent stops. Lots of pillows and front seat flat. It was probably my 16th day when we left since I was also in rehab for 8 days. It took a while to get things adjusted and a few stops; thought we'd never get out of the city let alone home. I was on lots of meds still so slept most of the time after that. Hopefully, after surgery, your pt people will talk about in home nurses and p.t. people to check on you. I found that very helpful and hadn't known about it until afterwards. Very best of luck to you, Kathy. I know you'll do fine; it just takes time! Janet
        Janet

        61 years old--57 for surgery

        Diagnosed in 1965 at age of 13--no brace
        Thoracic Curve: 96 degrees to 35 degrees
        Lumbar Curve: 63 degrees to 5 degrees
        Surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis--March 30, 2009
        T-2 to Pelvis, and hopefully all posterior procedure.

        All was posterior along with 2 cages and 6 osteotomies.

        Comment


        • #5
          Hi Kathy, My prayers will be with you for a successful surgery and speedy healing! You should think about your ride home, hopefully not too far from the hospital. Mine also was not pleasant, my husband was acting like I was having a baby, he was so nervous he got lost kind of coming home. My ride home was in a ford pick-up truck, the really big one, needed a step stool to get in (which thank god they thought to bring). I sat in the front passenger seat with the seat reclined all the way down. It was so good to get out of that truck and into my bed, it was like heaven. Also, I was given pain medication about an hour before I left the hospital, so that helped a bit.
          Dolores A
          June 4, 2009 Anterior L3 - S1
          June 8, 2009 Posterior T4 - Pelvis
          Mark Agulnick, MD FAAOS
          NY Spine & Scoliosis Center

          Comment


          • #6
            Good Luck and my prayers are with you. Its been 7 years since my surgery's and I feel that I am still recovering.

            God Bless and I hope you have a speedy recovery.
            Last edited by cudacrazy72; 09-15-2009, 04:47 PM.
            Anterior/Posterior fusion from T3 - Sacrum 15 levels total in Nov 2002.

            80 degree Scoliosis curve rotated.

            80 degree Kyphosis curve.

            Dr. Fred Sweet, Rockford Spine Center, Rockford Illinois.

            Comment


            • #7
              Hi Kathy,
              Everyone has given you good advice about the ride home. My ride was about one hour and there were plenty of potholes in December. I reclined in the passenger seat of an Avalon. I don't remember too much about it thanks to the medication. You are and will be in my prayers tomorrow.
              Sally
              Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
              Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
              Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
              Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
              New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
              Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

              "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

              Comment


              • #8
                I only had maybe a 15 - 30 minute ride home and it was no fun. The Nurses wanted to get the Ambulance to take me home. Since it wasn't that far my wife just wanted me to ride in the car.
                Anterior/Posterior fusion from T3 - Sacrum 15 levels total in Nov 2002.

                80 degree Scoliosis curve rotated.

                80 degree Kyphosis curve.

                Dr. Fred Sweet, Rockford Spine Center, Rockford Illinois.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Thinking of you Kathy! You're almost there.

                  I didn't come home until day 19 so my 1.5 hour trip was fine but my partner brought plenty of soft pillows and we laid the seat back in the Honda Accord. The relief to be out of hospital and heading home, made everything else seem bearable.
                  Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
                  Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
                  T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
                  Osteotomies and Laminectomies
                  Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Hope you have a swift recovery and great correction.
                    45L/40T
                    Surgery 25/1/2010
                    Australia

                    Knowthyself

                    Scoliosis Corrected 25/1/2010 by Dr Angus Gray, Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Sydney. Fused T3-L4.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Good luck Kathy, I will be looking for an update from you!

                      On my ride home (1.5 hrs), I had a pillow under me, and a pillow behind my back. I held onto the door on my right side and my husband's arm on my self so that I could 'brace myself' when there were bumps. A friend picked me up in his cadillac because he had the smoothest riding car of anyone we knew. Make sure you take your meds RIGHT before you leave the hospital.
                      __________________________________________
                      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


                      • #12
                        Hi Kathy
                        those good thoughts & prayers you want for tomorrow will be coming to you from many people...i will say a prayer tonite for your successful surgery, a smooth ride home, & positive healing with no surprises...many prayers from many others will follow!

                        you have made the right decision...now it is in the hands of your higher power & your doctors....

                        best of luck...
                        jess

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Thank you all so very much for sharing your experiences and for your kind words and prayers---I know they will help.
                          Kathy
                          Diagnosed age 10. No treatment
                          Thoracic curve:?
                          Lumbar curve: 50 degrees with rotation
                          Surgery Sept.16,2009
                          Fusion T-11 to pelvis
                          Dr. Frank Rand
                          New England Baptist Hospital

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Kathy

                            You will do just fine. Medical technology has come a long way over the years!
                            Just remember, your in good hands.

                            Ed
                            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


                            • #15
                              Wishing you the very best. I'm a little bit behind on posts as I am only 10 days post-op. You had your surgery yesterday and I'm thinking you are on heavy meds right now to make you comfortable. The worst is over, but I'll keep you in my prayers.

                              Hoping to hear from you as soon as possible when you get home.
                              ValleyGirl - age 54

                              Diagnosed @ age 11
                              Milwaukee brace 1967-1971 -- hated it!
                              Never rechecked since 1971 until "tweaked" something in lower back in July 2008.
                              Now curve is T38*, L53*
                              Surgery scheduled for 9/8/09


                              Fused T10 - S1 on 9/8/09

                              Comment

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