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  • #61
    Originally posted by Confusedmom View Post
    Hi All,

    I had to do about six loads of laundry today, and it got me thinking about appliances. I have a front-loader washer and dryer without the pedestal bases. Will I need to get new machines and/or bases? I will have help for 3 months, but I will be fused to sacrum, so...

    Also, when were the rest of you able to load the bottom rack of the dishwasher?

    And finally, for those of you who travelled for surgery, what did you do about the raised toilet seat and hand-held shower in the hotel? I guess I could take the seat I bought for home with me. Not sure about the shower though. I know I'm not supposed to get the incision wet for two weeks.

    Thanks,
    Evelyn
    Hi...

    I was able to do laundry and load and unload the dishwasher right away, by using my grabbers. It takes more time, but it's not like you'll be in any hurry anyway. The only thing that was difficult, was silverware. I learned to use my grabber to remove the silverware basket, load it up at countertop, then put it back using the grabber.

    While a raised toilet seat is convenient, it's not essential, especially if you have a walker or someone to help you on and off. You might want to try to find an "accessible" hotel room.

    --Linda

    Regards,
    Linda
    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

    Comment


    • #62
      I used my grabber to get clothes out of the dryer. Pedestals are nice if you can afford them. I could not.
      I sat on a chair to empty the dishwasher. I put them on the counter, then stood up to put them in the cupboards.
      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


      • #63
        Necessity is definitely the mother of invention.
        Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
        Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

        Comment


        • #64
          Hi Evelyn!
          Wow! You're surgery is coming up fast...
          I know you will do just great! As far as the raised toilet seat...you won't need that. At least I didn't need anything like that.
          I have a standard top loader washing machine and front loading dryer. With the washing machine I sometimes have a hard time reaching the stuff in the bottom of the machine but I just throw my leg back and get down in there! With the dryer I mostly have to squat down because I like to protect my back from bending. A grabber is a good idea to keep in the laundry area but most times it isn't where I need it to be. I actually didn't buy a grabber until my 3rd surgery so I lived without one for a long time. Like Linda said, you just figure things out as you go along! Call me if you need anything at all ;-)
          May 2008 Fusion T4 - S1, Pre-op Curves T45, L70 (age 48). Unsuccessful surgery.

          March 18, 2010 (age 50). Revision with L3 Osteotomy, Replacement of hardware T11 - S1 , addition of bilateral pelvic fixation. Correction of sagittal imbalance and kyphosis.

          January 24, 2012 (age 52) Revision to repair pseudoarthrosis and 2 broken rods at L3/L4.

          Comment


          • #65
            Last Week Pre-Op!

            Hi All,

            I thought I'd give you all a little update. This is mostly for the "pre-surgery" group, to let you know what I'm doing to prepare. Also it will help me get organized, I think!

            Today (done): Phone calls to good friends r.e. surgery, grocery shopping for week, hosted book club at my house, exercise walk 45 min. Plus ran kids around per normal. Ordered foam topper for bed (thank you, Ed!).

            Tuesday: Cleaning out guest room closet for my mom who will be living here 3 months. Wrapping up business on neighborhood board. Callling insurance company (again). They still haven't given clearance!!!! Go through mail/pay bills before I leave for St. Louis. Step class, hopefully.

            Weds: Talk to Dr. Lenke's nurse to make sure insurance is on track. Organize laundry room for all the visitors/helpers who will be at my house. Buy more soft pillows. Send out schedule to whole family of who is where while I'm in St. Louis. Cycling class.

            Thurs: Put items at counter height or above in kitchen. Install raised toilet seat. Prepare forms for my daughter's kindergarten registration shortly after I get back. (Sad face.) Send out contact list for neighbors/helpers while I'm away. Step class.

            Fri.: Put items in closet & bathroom at waist height. Prepare email distribution list for mom/hubby to let everyone know how surgery goes. Personal trainer. Laundry.

            Sat.: Final calls to family who will be helping. Final packing. "Date night" with hubby.

            Sun.: Lunch with in-laws. Spend day with kids.

            Mon.: Headed to the Parkway Hotel!

            I'll still be checking in with you all every day, of course. Calms my nerves.

            Thanks again, everyone, for listening and all the well-wishes.

            Best,
            Evelyn
            age 48
            80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
            Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
            Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
            Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
            Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

            Comment


            • #66
              Originally posted by Confusedmom View Post
              Tuesday: Cleaning out guest room closet for my mom who will be living here 3 months.
              I like your plan except for having your mother live in the guest room closet. :-)

              Good luck!
              Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

              No island of sanity.

              Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
              Answer: Medicine


              "We are all African."

              Comment


              • #67
                Originally posted by Pooka1 View Post
                I like your plan except for having your mother live in the guest room closet. :-)

                Good luck!
                If you don't treat her well, she might not stay
                Melissa

                Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

                April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

                Comment


                • #68
                  insurance

                  Hi Evelyn,
                  Good luck! I'm a month after you. When did you first contact the insurance company?
                  Betsy age 55
                  Atlanta
                  Milwaukee brace 1966-1972
                  Surgery April 17, 2012
                  fuse T4-sacrum & osteotomy

                  Comment


                  • #69
                    Evelyn--
                    You are one organized lady! I think you are going to do just fine. The Parkway was a very good and helpful place to stay. We were always very pleased with it. Good luck this week as you get physically and mentally prepared. Staying busy is probably the best bet! 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


                    • #70
                      Okay, small rant here. My insurance company STILL has not approved surgery! I have had this scheduled over a year. I know that Dr. Lenke's office sent all the requests by Feb. 1. They have since responded to two rounds of questions. Then we get a third round of questions today that says (direct quote):

                      1. What is/are the name/s of the planned procedure/s? Please indicate the level/s of the spine involved for each procedure. (Well, duh, they've done that three times.)

                      2. Does the patient have severe degenerative scoliosis as manifested by the following:
                      a. Progression of deformity to greater than 50 degrees with loss of function?
                      b. Persistent significant radicular pain or weakness unresponsive to nonoperative therapy?
                      c. Persistent neurogenic claudication unresponsive to nonoperative therapy?

                      3. Kindly submit clinical documentation that would support the requested procedure.
                      (Umm, xrays showing an 80-degree curve don't count? How about when you come those to the 55-degree curve in 2005?)

                      End of letter.

                      Seriously? I have been to seven spine surgeons -- all SRS members -- all except one of whom said I need surgery. The one who didn't said "wait until the curve is in the 70s." Well, now it's in the 80s.

                      Do you think the insurance company is going to deny this? It's true I don't have "loss of function" or "persistent significant radicular pain". Don't know what neurogenic claudication is. I thought the standard was documented progression above 50 degrees?

                      Ugh. Please tell me I have not come this far just to get insurance denial.
                      age 48
                      80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
                      Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
                      Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
                      Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
                      Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

                      Comment


                      • #71
                        Hi...

                        Insurance companies are definitely playing hardball these days. Just so you know, the insurance company rarely sees much of your medical record, so it's safe to assume they haven't seen your x-rays. I'm guessing that your insurance company is just making things difficult to see if they can reduce the number of surgery reimbursements they're having to make. I can't imagine they won't approve you. In the meantime, I bet it's pretty stressful. My own surgery wasn't approved until 3 days prior to the big day. I tried to remain calm about it, though it wasn't always easy.

                        Hang in there.

                        Regards,
                        Linda
                        Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                        ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                        Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                        Comment


                        • #72
                          The countdown

                          Evelyn,
                          After reading your posts I swear we must be twins! I have wondered about my frontload washer and dryer. We did not purchase the pedestals and now I wish I had. I still have 7 months to go until my surgery and I am starting to prepare. I can tell you are well on your way to a sucessful recovery. I am sure insurance will approve, but man what a pain to have to deal with that now.
                          Best,
                          Heidi
                          Scheduled for surgery with Dr. Lenke Oct. 2012
                          53*T 71*L
                          Surgery 10/05/2012 T4-pelvis
                          Correction: looks perfect! Will find out how perfect at future appointments

                          Comment


                          • #73
                            Hi All,

                            Well, I got word Friday that the insurance has given medical clearance for surgery. There is still some paperwork to be finalized, which I hope happens before my central line on Tuesday.

                            Warning to all Lenke/Bridwell patients, I had to make a LOT of phone calls to both their office and the insurance company to get this through. My surgery has been scheduled over a year, but they don't process the insurance request until after your pre-op visit. I would start calling your insurance co. at least 2 weeks before your surgery to make sure your insurance is approved. Having to deal with this during the week before surgery has not been fun. It has taken several hours that I really needed to spend packing, etc.

                            Anyway, at this point it looks like it will clear. So, it's off to St. Louis on Monday! Central line on Tuesday, surgery Wednesday.

                            Thanks everyone for your pre-op support! I am looking forward to being on "the other side"! This spring I'm all about the Kelly Clarkson song: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stand at little taller...." Here's to standing taller!

                            ,
                            Evelyn
                            age 48
                            80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
                            Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
                            Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
                            Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
                            Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

                            Comment


                            • #74
                              I wish you all the best and hope all goes well!

                              Rohrer01
                              Be happy!
                              We don't know what tomorrow brings,
                              but we are alive today!

                              Comment


                              • #75
                                Very glad to hear your insurance fiasco is fixed. All the very best Evelyn! Look forward to hearing from you on "the other side." You'll do great!
                                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

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