Trying to locate "my" doctor

[golfnut]

Lordswild,
Please email me and I can go into as much detail as you would like. I would also be happy to talk to you on the phone. My email address is pottoff@htc.net
I'll look forward to hearing from you.

[lordswild]

Has anyone had surgery or seen Drs.Vincent Arlet or Craig Brigham or Bruce Darden? I am not eliminating Dr. Lenke but want to cover my bases...my family is not happy that I am planning to have surgery so far away...

I will appreciate any and all input--thank you

[LindaRacine]

Has anyone had surgery or seen Drs.Vincent Arlet or Craig Brigham or Bruce Darden? I am not eliminating Dr. Lenke but want to cover my bases...my family is not happy that I am planning to have surgery so far away...

I will appreciate any and all input--thank you

A little closer to home, Khaled Kebiash at Johns Hopkins has an excellent reputation.

[lordswild]

Linda, thank you once again...should I assume that you would choose this doctor over Arlet? Arlet is actually in Virginia...

I first heard of Brigham on the old MIT site from a woman in Charlotte who had had surgery with Chewning and Brigham...

[LindaRacine]

Linda, thank you once again...should I assume that you would choose this doctor over Arlet? Arlet is actually in Virginia...

I first heard of Brigham on the old MIT site from a woman in Charlotte who had had surgery with Chewning and Brigham...

Yes, but only because I don't know of any of Artlet's patients.

[lordswild]

Linda (and, certainly, any one else who will contribute...)

I could not find much information on Kebiash and no one else has responded concerning him or Arlet--How can I locate information other than putting his name in the search thing b/c all I get is his JH page and is there any way the people you know would talk to me concerning Kebiash and surgery with him? What about Arlet? How could I locate any one who has had surgery with him? Who did you have your first surgery with? Thanks...

[lordswild]

I will appreciate any and all post surgical survival tips--can I do this living alone? How does one not bend for one year? Is there a brace to make sure the surgery is not damaged? Is there a lifting limit? (After abdominal surgery, I was limited to five pounds.) Thank you.

[lordswild]

I am very, very worried that I will have a problem with air flight such as some super aggressive TSA agent damaging my newly surgered back? How can that be prevented? I will be alone on this journey going and coming...

[LindaRacine]

Hi...

There are several people on [URL="http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Flatback_Revised/"]THIS/URL] YahooGroups list who have had revision surgery by Dr. Kabaish. I don't know about finding patients of Arlet's, other than doing a Google search and/or asking his office for some referrals.

In response to your other questions, I think you can definitely do it alone, though traveling by plane alone, right after surgery, would definitely be stressful. I live alone, and recovered from surgery without any real difficulty. You don't have to go an entire year without bending. Every doctor has different limitations, but I think most allow at least some amount of bending at 3 months. You'll find that you can do just about anything with the help of a grabber. I think most surgeons put a lifting limit of ~10 pounds, at least for 3 months. Also, many surgeons put patients in postop TLSO braces for 3-6 months.

-Linda

[Marina63]

I am very, very worried that I will have a problem with air flight such as some super aggressive TSA agent damaging my newly surgered back? How can that be prevented? I will be alone on this journey going and coming...

You can request special assistance, free of charge, from the airlines. They will treat you very well and very gently.

[lordswild]

Thank you, thank you for the advice and correction of "rules"--feeling better. Please keep it coming...

Have neglected to state that somewhere along the line, someone was not correct: my lumbar curve is 70 and my (shock--another one) thoracic curve is 34--I was told one over 80--so alot of good news.

And also last week, Dr. Lenke's office called and told me that I had been accepted. Pre op June 20, 2:00.

Boy, a little pain med and a whole lot of stress will mess your mind up--I jumped a whole step from applying to aftermath--left out the middle...

[loves to skate]

Good for you. June 20th will be here before you know it.
Stay strong, Sally

[Confusedmom]

You were asking about correction. My bending films were not good, and Dr Lenke told me 50%. But it turned he reduced my curves from 80/40 to 16/0(negligible). I think many surgeons say 50% so you won't get your hopes up, but often do better than that.

As far as post-op, Dr Lenke generally does not brace his patients. You may get more rehab and OT if you live alone. Personally, I would beg a friend or family member to stay with me for a few weeks, or I would go to their house. I'm sure it can be done alone, but I think I would have been lonely, scared and depressed. Even a couple weeks of company could make a big difference.

Best wishes to you!
Evelyn