Thanks to the help from everyone who responded to my initial post: I have selected a doctor/surgeon whom I think I want to do my surgery. He is Dr. Edward (II) in Baltimore at Mercy Hospital. My first appointment is June 10.
In the meantime, using original spine doctor's prescription, I went to Physical Therapy for the first time. I learned A LOT!
I learned the muscles on the concave part of my back have grown short and will represent a challenge to the surgeon when he is trying to reattach them to my spine. Somehow that description invoked the image of the surgeon placing one foot on my back during surgery and pulling back with all his might to stretch those short muscles to make them stretch. It's neither a pretty thought or sight :-)
SOOOO, the PT spent time working on stretching those short muscles (as well as the one muscle I hurt a few months ago) and gave me exercises to stretch those short muscles. She even used some electrodes...that was a weird feeling. I guess if you get your short muscles lengthened before surgery, it will relieve some of the discomfort after the surgery.
Also, she suggested buying a incentive spirometer to start building up my lung capacity. I know I will have to use one after the surgery, but pre-surgery use is good too. It provides a method to measure how much better your lung capacity is getting as you practice.
Well, that's all I know for now. I have made the first appointment: a first step.
I think I have added a signature to my posts which has a website which shows the xrays of my very crooked spine. Let's see if that works.
Anyway, thank you to everyone for your support in making the first step!
In the meantime, using original spine doctor's prescription, I went to Physical Therapy for the first time. I learned A LOT!
I learned the muscles on the concave part of my back have grown short and will represent a challenge to the surgeon when he is trying to reattach them to my spine. Somehow that description invoked the image of the surgeon placing one foot on my back during surgery and pulling back with all his might to stretch those short muscles to make them stretch. It's neither a pretty thought or sight :-)
SOOOO, the PT spent time working on stretching those short muscles (as well as the one muscle I hurt a few months ago) and gave me exercises to stretch those short muscles. She even used some electrodes...that was a weird feeling. I guess if you get your short muscles lengthened before surgery, it will relieve some of the discomfort after the surgery.
Also, she suggested buying a incentive spirometer to start building up my lung capacity. I know I will have to use one after the surgery, but pre-surgery use is good too. It provides a method to measure how much better your lung capacity is getting as you practice.
Well, that's all I know for now. I have made the first appointment: a first step.
I think I have added a signature to my posts which has a website which shows the xrays of my very crooked spine. Let's see if that works.
Anyway, thank you to everyone for your support in making the first step!
Comment