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  • #16
    Originally posted by naptown78 View Post
    I don't understand mean nurses either! I'm a NICE nurse ;-)
    With all the hospitals that I have been in, I have never had a mean nurse

    In fact, I am now friends with one of my rehab nurses
    Melissa

    Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

    April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

    Comment


    • #17
      It was the other way around with me. Once they removed the straps, ole Frankenstein got pretty exited. The guys up in ICU relayed the info down to the ortho wing.....”Its alive!” lol

      Guys don’t like guys fiddling with their hoses.......Unless, well, you know what I’m saying.

      I had no problems with any female nurses.....they were great.

      (smiley face)
      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


      • #18
        I am so happy for you!! It's about time you had some good news. Now you can relax a little and enjoy life!
        __________________________________________
        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


        • #19
          Originally posted by rohrer01 View Post
          How long were you in there? It makes me a little scared to go back, just in case they want to do surgery. I've never had mean nurses for any hospital stay. I hear stories and it scares me. My scoli is stil progressing, as of the imaging studies done last March. I've tried everything to get my pain under control. NOTHING helps the neck pain, and it turns into migraines. Anyway, back to you. Did they replace all of the hardware? I believe your surgeon is new there, or at least new since I went there. I wasn't crazy about Dr. Perra's bedside manner, that's why I asked you. I'm kind of afraid to go back to him, since he seemed so disinterested in me as a person. I don't know if they assign people to different surgeons based on what needs to be done or not, but it sounds like your guy is really good for revisions. I'm not sure who to see there. My doctor here acted like Perra was surgery happy, but that's not the impression he (Perra) gave me at all. Again, sorry for all the questions. I'm sure you can't answer them all. I'm really glad to see you back on the forum!

          I was there for only 5 days, which seemed REALLY short, and to be honest I felt like maybe I should have stayed longer. I don't believe Dr T is new, but I am not sure when he started there. I've seen him for about a year now. He actually asks about things in my personal life each time I see him, and remembers details that I didn't think he would.
          They replaced the rods, but the screws were fine, so they left them. I would just see if you could get a second opinion in the same practice? They might be able to recommend the doctor best suited for your situation.

          The one thing that helped me with the nurses post op (and they were REALLY REALLY REALLY bad... I mean, out and out uncaring, rude, and in one specific incident, kind of dangerous) was to bring my photography portfolio with me. I know it sounds REALLY dumb, but if they asked me what I did for work I would show them, it seemed to make a difference and they started seeing me as a person instead of just a body in a bed. There were two really great nurses, and I am thankful for that. Also, there is a holistic healing program that I would recommend. Having all the allergies I do my pain management was pretty awful, so this wonderful godsend of a woman would bring in oils and rub my feet or just discuss things to calm me down, I appreciated it to no end.
          25 years old
          double 70+ degree curves before surgery
          Anterior on 11/11/08
          Posterior on 12/2/08 with titanium rods
          nearly perfect correction
          fused t-10 to pelvis
          with a hemi-vertebral osteotomy at L4

          Broke right rod at L4-L5 on 06/26/09
          Broke left rod on 10/24/09
          Revision surgery on 11/5/09 with vitallium rods
          Broke both rods again

          Had posterior than anterior revisions on 03/11 at the Twin Cities Spine Center
          Declared "FUSED" on 12/6/11

          Comment


          • #20
            OH MY!! I am scared!

            Hi fiercelikeatiger, I am a patient of Dr. Perra. I saw him last Sept. for the first time. My old surgeon referred me to him. Funny , cause I had looked at the Drs. credentials at Twin City Spine Center, and was very impressed with Dr. Transfeldt. But when I was referred to Perra, I said OK. And then I went to him and after all kinds of tests(this was my third attempt at saggital imbalance) he put me on Forteo(bone building drug) for 6 mo., and sent me home.(8 hr. drive) That was three mo. ago. I am deteriorating terrible. And I have taken the Forteo 3 months. I had to go to my old surgeon for an emergency surgery,(he live here) as an old rod popped through my skin, from me being bent so far over and bent down in front. My previous surgeon wrote him a note about my condition. I can hardly eat as it comes back up from my ribs pushing on my stomach. I am so bent over, breathing is hard and my ribs are crushing my hip& pelvic bone. I am using a walker , but it is hard . I have talked to his nurse--but ofcourse never to him. I know I have to have stronger bones to have the surgery , but this is horrible. His nurse gets a bit snippy about it. But finially she told me to get a bone scan and see what it says. My first one I took to him was good. But he did a "cat scan" and saw some small little fractures in my lower spine. So now they are going to use a bone scan to decide? I don't get it.
            Now I am wondering if my first INSTINCTS were right about Dr. Transfeldt. And I want to know where the supervisor of nursing was when you were in the hospital?? I would never put up with that. Did you have an advocate with you?(friend, hubby or someone?) No one should EVER have a mean nurse!! I have had lazy nurses or close to crabby nurses, but not mean. I have a friend that had surgery and had terrible pain afterwards, as they had removed a tumor from her sinuses. The night nurse told her to just suck it up and take deep breaths. Well, the supervisor was contacted by my friends mother, and things got done. They took care of her pain, and the nurse had to take a leave of absence for a while. The one that told her to take a deep breath. My friend told the supervisor she felt bad about getting the nurse in trouble. But the supervisor told her it would make her a better nurse. So don't ever put up with that kind of treatment . I won't. My husband is my advocate.
            Anyway, I am so glad that after all is said and done, you are doing great. I sooo want the same results. But now I am having second thoughts about Perra. Anyone have any input? Fierce, just keep getting better. And congrats on a successful outcome. Sincerely,boomer
            Linda Brozik~~60 yrs. old at time of Lenke's first surgery. 62 now!
            Surgery 2006 L3/4 L4/5 double fusion/ instumentation/ With 2 cages
            This started adult onset scoliosis
            July 1st, 2010/ surgery ~~fused T10 to pelvis (long rods/ screws)
            Oct.20th 2010, extended rods to T4 / did osteotomy at L3
            Oct. 29th 2012 Dr. Lenke St. Louis Mo. T4 to sacrum osteotomy anterior cage L3/4 titanium rods
            May 30th 2013 revision
            May 8th cervicle surgery 2016
            May 31st Dr. Gupta revision 2017

            Comment


            • #21
              Sorry I spelled your ID name wrong. " fierceliketiger"~~~
              Linda Brozik~~60 yrs. old at time of Lenke's first surgery. 62 now!
              Surgery 2006 L3/4 L4/5 double fusion/ instumentation/ With 2 cages
              This started adult onset scoliosis
              July 1st, 2010/ surgery ~~fused T10 to pelvis (long rods/ screws)
              Oct.20th 2010, extended rods to T4 / did osteotomy at L3
              Oct. 29th 2012 Dr. Lenke St. Louis Mo. T4 to sacrum osteotomy anterior cage L3/4 titanium rods
              May 30th 2013 revision
              May 8th cervicle surgery 2016
              May 31st Dr. Gupta revision 2017

              Comment


              • #22
                Linda...

                You should ask your local surgeon about the possibility of using a TLSO brace, at least part-time, until you're ready for surgery. Since you're unable to hold yourself upright, it might be appropriate.

                --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


                • #23
                  Babyboomer16,
                  When I was a patient of Dr. Perra, he did seem far removed from my suffering. I had such a terrible migraine one of the times that I saw him I could barely manage to focus enough to talk to him. I asked him what to do for pain, since my scoli had progressed since I was a kid and I was going through a bad time with pain. He told me to take tylenol. That was not helpful. Other than that he was very thorough. I don't think I would fear his abilities as a surgeon, but you certainly have a right to switch doctors within the network up there. The nurse that he had was the worst, though. I don't know if she is the same one he has now or not. But because of my migraine I couldn't think to ask him the questions that I wanted to ask while I was there. At that time he wanted to wait until 50* to do surgery and it seemed like nothing but a numbers game (and still does with my current doc). But my question was "IF" I had surgery, would it reduce the strain on my neck and help with my headaches. This horrible woman actually YELLED at me and said, "He's NOT going to do surgery on you!" and hung up on me. I wasn't trying to get him to do surgery at that time as I knew I wasn't a candidate and quite frankly scared out of my witts about the idea. But I wanted to know for future reference if my headaches would be helped by having the surgery,.... eventually. I never got an answer to that question, but got yelled at for asking. That was my last contact with that office.

                  On the flip side, several years later when I saw Dr. Tribus in Madison, he said that he does surgeries for pain and it was basically up to me when I wanted it (although that's not what he's saying now). He started describing the procedure and what he would do and I stopped him in his tracks and said, "No, I don't want surgery."

                  The head of neurosciences at the hospital closer to home reviewed my x-rays and confirmed that he felt that the configuration of my spine was causing my headaches. He said, "I bet you get a lot of headaches, don't you?" So it took about 10 years to get an answer to a simple question.

                  So with everything that has happened over the years, I was considering trying to get back up to the Cities for a second opinion, but I would not personally choose Perra simply because of his bedside manner and his extremely rude nurse. I can't speak for his abilities as a surgeon. I'm sure he's a fine surgeon and I know he comes highly recommended by other doctors, so that should at least put your mind at ease. Sorry for the long story.

                  Fierce,
                  I knew about the mean nurse in the office, but hospital nurses shouldn't be mean. Were they withholding pain management and being rough with you? You don't have to answer that if you don't want to. I would certainly make a complaint to Abbot-Northwestern though. It was nice that they had people come in to massage your feet and stuff since you couldn't have so much pain meds. I can't even imagine not being able to take any of the pain meds without allergic reactions. I'm highly allergic to dilaudid, so I understand how aweful it is when they give you that stuff. I had I.V. dilaudid after another surgery of mine and I just wanted to tear my skin off! I also turned bright red. They couldn't pump the benadryl in fast enough. It was horrible and I really feel for you. Hopefully this is it for surgery for the rest of your life! Now you can get on with life with your husband. I'm so happy that it is finally all behind you. (((HUGS)))
                  Be happy!
                  We don't know what tomorrow brings,
                  but we are alive today!

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Originally posted by LindaRacine View Post
                    Linda...

                    You should ask your local surgeon about the possibility of using a TLSO brace, at least part-time, until you're ready for surgery. Since you're unable to hold yourself upright, it might be appropriate.

                    --Linda
                    I am certainly going to ask about the brace. I understand what Dr. Perra is trying to do by using this drug to srengthen my bones. But mean time things are getting progressivley worse.
                    And my previous surgeon was shocked to see me in such terrible shape. He is the one that had to cut part of a rod off that was protruding through my skin last month. He doesn't have the ability or experience to do this kind of surery. He was just a stand in guy for my other two surgeries. . But he is the surgeon that referred me to the Surgeon that(Dr. Haft) did the last two that have resulted in this mess. So then referred me to Dr. Perra at TCSC. If this makes any sense~~~
                    Thanks for the advise!
                    Best wishes to you in 2012!
                    Linda
                    Linda Brozik~~60 yrs. old at time of Lenke's first surgery. 62 now!
                    Surgery 2006 L3/4 L4/5 double fusion/ instumentation/ With 2 cages
                    This started adult onset scoliosis
                    July 1st, 2010/ surgery ~~fused T10 to pelvis (long rods/ screws)
                    Oct.20th 2010, extended rods to T4 / did osteotomy at L3
                    Oct. 29th 2012 Dr. Lenke St. Louis Mo. T4 to sacrum osteotomy anterior cage L3/4 titanium rods
                    May 30th 2013 revision
                    May 8th cervicle surgery 2016
                    May 31st Dr. Gupta revision 2017

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Sorry all, wasn't ignoring anyone! I had family here until this morning!

                      I honestly loved Dr T. He was amazing. It could be that I had an extremely bad experience with my previous surgeon, so the bar was set lower...but somehow I doubt that. Getting in to see him for the follow up appointment in December was rough, he was booked really solidly, and I was having some problems until a week or two before, but he was amazing up to and through the surgery. He got to the bottom of things quickly, and because I live several hours from him, pulled some strings to get the tests I needed done ASAP so I didn't have to make further trips!

                      Babyboomer16,
                      I am so sorry you are having so many problems with your back, it sounds horrendous! I think the TLSO might help quite a bit, though I am by no means a medical expert! I've had several of them now, and they did help sometimes.


                      The mean office nurse was with my previous surgeon. She was AWFUL...*insert choice words here*. The pain management was going to be an issue at Abbott, just because of the allergies, so I don't blame them for that, in fact, if anything I felt extremely over-medicated. I couldn't take much in the way of pain meds so they put me on round the clock ativan, xanax, and one other that I can't remember at the moment (it'll come to me, I swear!), even when I didn't feel I needed them. Also benedryl to control the allergic reactions from what they HAD given me for pain, to be honest I don't remember a TON of things from the stay, I do remember having dilaudid a few times, but swelling up, having breathing problems and itching like crazy, they sent me home on oxycodone liquid , but I was itching and bright red from it, and the dosage was very small, so I ended up not taking it. Anyhow, the one major incident was about 8 hours post op. I was in a ton of pain, and whatever combination they had given me at that specific moment in time for pain meds hadn't triggered the allergies so much that it was intollerable with the benedryl, and I was overdue for the next dosage. The resident had just come in and spoke with me about my goals for the morning (sit up on the edge of the bed after my next dose of pain meds), and all was okay, albiet really uncomfortable. The nurse came in and said "Well, its time for you to get up and walk." I explained that I had just talked to the resident and my goal was to sit up this morning after I had the next dose of meds. She said she wasnted me to walk, and I told her I would be happy to, but that I would please like to have the pain meds first. She YELLED "SO YOU ARE SAYING YOU WON'T GET OUT OF BED UNTIL I GIVE YOU DRUGS?" and then said something about it being "drug seeking behavior" I was stunned. I remember sputtering "no...well...yes...but...no" and trying to process through my fuzzy head that she thought I was a drug addict when I had just had major surgery. She said "You can't get better if you don't get out of bed." I told her that I knew that, and that I would walk wherever she wanted me to, but that I was in a lot of pain and would appreciate the dose of pain meds before I did. ... at this point she grabbed my arm and starting trying to yank me out of bed forcefully, twisting me pretty badly saying that I was 'GETTING OUT OF BED NOW!'. I saw my husband get up like he was going to pull her off of me, and I yelled "NO!!" at her REALLY loudly, and she dropped my arm and walked out of the room. At this point I was sobbing, I was worried that she had just ripped open stitches or worse, and in a ton of pain. My husband went out of the room to find the head nurse/nurse manager and brought her into my room where I (and he, since I was not doing so well) explained what had happened. She said that our nurse was a great nurse and that she would never do anything like that, that sometimes you have "to be in a little bit of pain" to get better. She was also extremely condescending. We tried to tell her that we KNEW that, that I was not a first timer, that I would walk, that I had even walked 8-10 miles a day because my surgeon said to after my last surgeries because the surgeon said to....but that this was NOT okay. She was pretty unyielding. During this, Dr Transfeldt walked in and saw that there was an issue. He asked what was wrong and listened. Then it got pretty heated as he told off the nurse manager... listing several things 1.) He didn't spend 9 hours in surgery to have a nurse ruin it because she didn't know what was going on, 2.) pain meds 8 hours post op of a spinal fusion is not much to ask when they are already over an hour late, 3.) why would she pull someone out of bed with a spinal fusion?
                      The nurse manager ran off to talk to the nurse, and came back a few minutes later and said "She wants to apologize, she didn't read the chart, she thought by your age you would have had a much smaller procedure..." Dr Transfeldt said "Do not let her back in this room, her guilt is her problem."

                      Anyhow, she never did come back, and the care was not nearly so traumatic after that.
                      25 years old
                      double 70+ degree curves before surgery
                      Anterior on 11/11/08
                      Posterior on 12/2/08 with titanium rods
                      nearly perfect correction
                      fused t-10 to pelvis
                      with a hemi-vertebral osteotomy at L4

                      Broke right rod at L4-L5 on 06/26/09
                      Broke left rod on 10/24/09
                      Revision surgery on 11/5/09 with vitallium rods
                      Broke both rods again

                      Had posterior than anterior revisions on 03/11 at the Twin Cities Spine Center
                      Declared "FUSED" on 12/6/11

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        My rod broke on me too! I am going in for surgery on the 16th so 12 days ahhhh!! So its good to hear that is wasnt as bad as the first. I wish you the best and congrats!!

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Fierce--
                          That story about the nurse from hell just made me cringe. My gosh, how horrible. Was this with the last surgery? I was a little confused since at the beginning you said the mean nurse was from previous surgery. Dr. T. was in this story--you had a meaner one than this!?! Can't imagine. Sorry if I was reading too fast. Just can't believe a nurse would do that. Wow. I hope she is no longer a nurse. I had one really bad one that my husband reported but not this bad. 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


                          • #28
                            Fierceliketiger,

                            What a horrible story. That nurse should be fired and the word "lawsuit" mentioned where she could hear it. Being mean with words is one thing, but to not read your chart and being mean physically is another. Actually, you could have had her arrested for assault. I had a Physical Therapist bring me to tears and made sure she never entered my room again. She was very young and I hope she learned a lesson, but your story really takes the cake.

                            I am so glad you are finally fused and can go on with your life. You are a strong woman.

                            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


                            • #29
                              The story was from the most recent surgery. There was a "mean" nurse with my old surgeon's practice, but she was never physically mean, just kind of a controlling person who wouldn't listen to anything I had to say.

                              anabeller- I am so sorry to hear your rod broke! I hope that your surgery goes well!!
                              25 years old
                              double 70+ degree curves before surgery
                              Anterior on 11/11/08
                              Posterior on 12/2/08 with titanium rods
                              nearly perfect correction
                              fused t-10 to pelvis
                              with a hemi-vertebral osteotomy at L4

                              Broke right rod at L4-L5 on 06/26/09
                              Broke left rod on 10/24/09
                              Revision surgery on 11/5/09 with vitallium rods
                              Broke both rods again

                              Had posterior than anterior revisions on 03/11 at the Twin Cities Spine Center
                              Declared "FUSED" on 12/6/11

                              Comment

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