I have been home from the hospital since day 5 post-op. MY surgical experience was amazing and I felt I was so prepared for it after spending so much time here on the forum. All the information that I absorbed from all of your posts coupled with the encouragement given to me when I posted questions left me heading into the operating room totally relaxed. I know I will never be able to thank you all for what you have done for me to make my experience simply awesome. I do hope to be able to pay it back here on the forum. You are an absolutely amazing group of people.
I’m still a bit foggy from the meds, but in the hopes that this may help someone else in their battle with scoliosis and recognizing that everyone’s actual experience is different, I’ll try to relay what the past 10 days have been like for me.
I was scheduled for a large fusion…T5 to S1. I had many discussions with my surgeon about the length of the fusion and he was very well aware that if there was any way he could do less (2nd opinion wanted to do T10 to S1), I would be very happy. But I definitely left it up to him and counted on his expertise. The first time I saw him in the OR before the surgery, he came over to me and asked how I was doing and all that stuff. Then he says, he has spent the weekend reviewing my MRI, CT scan and x-rays and decided he could probably do a good fusion and get good correction by just doing T10 to S1! I couldn’t believe it. Did he really just say that or was I dreaming? At that point, I didn't want to know. Lights out!
The next thing I remember was that I was in the PACU waiting for a room. Then they put me into my room and that’s when my hubby showed up. He seemed so abnormally happy……He was ecstatic as he told me the surgeon was thrilled with my outcome. He told me about only going to T10, gaining at least 1 to 1½ inches in height, and that I had more flexibility than he had expected. I was very groggy but that was my surgery day. Phew
The next couple of days are very blurry due to the meds. For me, though, they were pretty good. I was given my brace and started walking on day 1 post-op using a walker. Day 3 we did stairs and physical therapy was done with me. Occupational therapy came in on day 2 & 3 and I had drainage tubes taken out on day 4. Then on day 5, they discharge me. Everything was happening so fast. But I felt great. I had pain, but it was very manageable.
When you say everyday you feel a little better, I never expected that to be the case in the first 5 days post-op but it was for me. Regaining strength has occurred so quickly. Yeah, I’m still weak in the legs, especially in the early morning, but it gets much better as the day moves on. I think I could probably give up the walker all together today, but it’s a good reminder for me to walk “tall” and to “straighten up” so I think I'll keep using it a bit.
Mostly I feel pain when I overdo it. I’m allowed to sit 30 -40 minutes at a time and this is something I try to adhere to. If I sit too long, that’s when the pain sets in.
All in all, I am doing and feeling great. No complaints at all – just surprised at how well I feel and how easily I am adapting to my new limitations.
I’ll try to keep posting on my progress as things move along.
To those of you with up-coming surgeries planned...Hang in there. It does get better.
I’m still a bit foggy from the meds, but in the hopes that this may help someone else in their battle with scoliosis and recognizing that everyone’s actual experience is different, I’ll try to relay what the past 10 days have been like for me.
I was scheduled for a large fusion…T5 to S1. I had many discussions with my surgeon about the length of the fusion and he was very well aware that if there was any way he could do less (2nd opinion wanted to do T10 to S1), I would be very happy. But I definitely left it up to him and counted on his expertise. The first time I saw him in the OR before the surgery, he came over to me and asked how I was doing and all that stuff. Then he says, he has spent the weekend reviewing my MRI, CT scan and x-rays and decided he could probably do a good fusion and get good correction by just doing T10 to S1! I couldn’t believe it. Did he really just say that or was I dreaming? At that point, I didn't want to know. Lights out!
The next thing I remember was that I was in the PACU waiting for a room. Then they put me into my room and that’s when my hubby showed up. He seemed so abnormally happy……He was ecstatic as he told me the surgeon was thrilled with my outcome. He told me about only going to T10, gaining at least 1 to 1½ inches in height, and that I had more flexibility than he had expected. I was very groggy but that was my surgery day. Phew
The next couple of days are very blurry due to the meds. For me, though, they were pretty good. I was given my brace and started walking on day 1 post-op using a walker. Day 3 we did stairs and physical therapy was done with me. Occupational therapy came in on day 2 & 3 and I had drainage tubes taken out on day 4. Then on day 5, they discharge me. Everything was happening so fast. But I felt great. I had pain, but it was very manageable.
When you say everyday you feel a little better, I never expected that to be the case in the first 5 days post-op but it was for me. Regaining strength has occurred so quickly. Yeah, I’m still weak in the legs, especially in the early morning, but it gets much better as the day moves on. I think I could probably give up the walker all together today, but it’s a good reminder for me to walk “tall” and to “straighten up” so I think I'll keep using it a bit.
Mostly I feel pain when I overdo it. I’m allowed to sit 30 -40 minutes at a time and this is something I try to adhere to. If I sit too long, that’s when the pain sets in.
All in all, I am doing and feeling great. No complaints at all – just surprised at how well I feel and how easily I am adapting to my new limitations.
I’ll try to keep posting on my progress as things move along.
To those of you with up-coming surgeries planned...Hang in there. It does get better.
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