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Hope everything went smoothly and you are resting comfortably.
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
This is Angie's husband with a progress report on Angie since her Surgery.
Everything went exceeding well during a difficult surgery which lasted all of ten hours. She spent the next 40 hours after surgery in the ICU. The first 16 hours still hooked up to a breathing tube (no talking, but communicating by hand signals). Angie stayed in bed the 1st day after surgery, she was feeling good on the meds, mostly intravenous Tylenol and occasionally an oral pain killer. No solid foods into the second day. Before noon on the second day Angie walked a few steps with a wheeled walker and sat in a straight-back chair for an hour. Around 3 pm, the second day after surgery, she moved out of the ICU and to the Orthopedic Ward. The nurses say should be here for about five days of watchful relaxing and exercises. So far so good.
Thank you so much Angie's husband! That's wonderful news. Ten hours! That's one huge surgery. She's doing remarkably well. May her recovery continue smoothly and uneventfully. Great to get that news!
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
Thank you for the update! Hang in there, Angie. We are all thinking about you.
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
Thanks for this info. It sounds like Angie is doing well at this early stage! Keeping her in thoughts and prayers as she goes into recovery phase. All the best. 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.
Thank you for your kind replies. This is Angie's husband posting for her during her recovery from surgery, Sep. 24th. Angie started solid food today and had her longest walk (40 yards). She has been getting out of bed 2 or 3 time per day and is feeling better every day, even as they ease off the pain meds. Her back is looking great - she has grown 2 inches since Monday.
Thank you for your kind replies. This is Angie's husband posting for her during her recovery from surgery, Sep. 24th. Angie started solid food today and had her longest walk (40 yards). She has been getting out of bed 2 or 3 time per day and is feeling better every day, even as they ease off the pain meds. Her back is looking great - she has grown 2 inches since Monday.
Angie's doing so well - and easing off her pain meds so soon? <where's that bug-eyed smilie?>
How different she must look - straight and tall!
Keep up the good work, Angie!
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
Thank you for posting for Angie. It sounds like she is doing really well for her first few days. Tell her we are all rooting for a smooth recovery.
Karen
Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
Rib Hump-GONE!
Age-60 at the time of surgery
Now 66
Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
Retired Kdgn. Teacher
See photobucket link for:
Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right. http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/
T10-pelvis fusion 12/08
C5,6,7 fusion 9/10
T2--T10 fusion 2/11
C 4-5 fusion 11/14
Right scapulectomy 6/15
Right pectoralis major muscle transfer to scapula
To replace the action of Serratus Anterior muscle 3/16
Broken neck 9/28/2018
Emergency surgery posterior fusion C4- T3
Repeated 11/2018 because rods pulled apart added T2 fusion
Removal of partial right thoracic hardware 1/2020
Removal and replacement of C4-T10 hardware with C7 and T 1
Osteotomy
Thank you so much for your well wishes and prayers that got me through my surgery. I am thrilled with the results. I'm 2 inches taller and straight way beyond anything I ever hoped for! My surgery was longer than expected and Dr. Lenke had to use long screws because of my osteoporotic bones.
Here's a quick summary of my post-op recovery . . .
Week 1 post-op,
I was discharged after 1 week in the hospital. The doctors and nurses all said everything was going great in all respects and I did not qualify for any further special care or rehab. They seemed to believe we can now make it on our own without their full time help and any more training sessions. We hoped they must know what they are doing, they'd been right on everything else so far. We moved back into the Drury Hotel where we initially planned to stay another 4 or 5 days, practicing what we'd learned, before the long drive back to Florida.
Week 3 post-op,
We ended up staying 2 weeks at the Drury hotel because I didn't feel like I could sit for long enough in the car to make any headway on our trip home. I also had very little energy and appetite, and started to have a shooting pain from my hip to my knee especially when sitting. The doctor prescribed a steroid which alleviated some of the pain and certainly got me feeling well enough to get on the road. We finally left St. Louis driving slow and easy, about 4 hours per day with stops and walking every hour. When I got tired, we just pulled into the nearest Hotel or Motel and spent the night.
Week 4 post-op,
We arrived home on Oct 16th. All I could say was "there's no place like home, there's no place like home", just like Dorothy in the Wizard of OZ. Needless to say it was great to be home. I was doing well in all respects, and finally getting an appetite back, walking easier and starting to ease off all meds.
Week 6 post-op,
For the past 2 weeks, I've been walking regularly but have not wanted to be out of the house. I'm officially off all pain medication for a week now. The oxycodone did not suit me well because of the nausea and constipation and I was only taking 2.5mg every four hours since right after surgery. Boy, I'll tell you getting off that oxycodone was rough though, not because of the pain, but because of the withdrawal side effects (mostly headache and sweating during the night). I didn't feel good on oxycodone and I didn't feel good coming off of it. I've had very little pain since surgery but still have the mild shooting pain from my hip to my knee on my left side when sitting. The oxycodone never really helped with that pain anyway.
My daughter is visiting for a long weekend and she finally got me out and about, shopping for food and a bra that fits my new shape and out to my favorite restaurant. I'm curious to see how I'll feel after she leaves.
Love and hugs,
Angie
Surgery with Dr. Lenke on Sept. 24, 2012 – 74 years
Thoracic (66 degrees), Lumbar (66 Degrees),
Idiopathic Scoliosis, Kyphosis
Posterior Spinal Fusion T1/2 – Sacrum
Angie,
Thanks for your update. It sounds like you are doing really well for so early in your recovery. I can't imagine how you made it from St. Louis to Florida, even with stopping every 4 hours. I'm so thankful I had a 30 minute drive from Barnes to our house. Best of luck with your recovery.
Karen
Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
Rib Hump-GONE!
Age-60 at the time of surgery
Now 66
Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
Retired Kdgn. Teacher
See photobucket link for:
Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right. http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/
I was so anxious to hear drom you. I was tickled pink to hear how good you are doing. I am also an oldster, being 61, and having surgery in St. Louis on Dec 11. My husband and I have been flying back and forth from Harrisburg, Pa. to St. Louis for all my visits...I can't imagine driving home to Florida after your surgery. Please keep me updated. I am also being fused to the sacrum and worried about the pain but was elated to see you went shopping 6 weeks out. How is your sitting 2 months after surgery? I wish I would be recovering in the warm weather in Florida. Take care and keep us posted.
Blessings,
Patty
1963 Fusion T4-L2 for congenital scoliosis. It was a bone graft and not instrumentation
1989 to Present....Have had chronic pain. MRI's show severe neural foraminal stenosis L2-S1, rotational scoliosis lumbar spine over 40 degrees, compression of nerve roots L5-S1, Broad Based Herniations L4-L5, L5-S
Surgery scheduled with Dr. Bridwell on December 11, 2012
December 11, 2012 Had surgery with Dr. Bridwell. He fused L4-L5 with rods and screws.
1963 Fusion T4-L2 for congenital scoliosis. It was a bone graft and not instrumentation
1989 to Present....Have had chronic pain. MRI's show severe neural foraminal stenosis L2-S1, rotational scoliosis lumbar spine over 40 degrees, compression of nerve roots L5-S1, Broad Based Herniations L4-L5, L5-S
Surgery scheduled with Dr. Bridwell on December 11, 2012
December 11, 2012 Had surgery with Dr. Bridwell. He fused L4-L5 with rods and screws.
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