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Hi to all my old friends from '08, Chihuahua Mama needs revision surgery

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  • #31
    Originally posted by loves to skate View Post
    Hi Susan,
    I have been away from the forum for several months because I found it was taking up too much of my time. I remember you well and I am so sorry that you have to have a revision. My heart goes out to you. I believe you will be in excellent hands with Dr. Gupta. I heard him speak in Massachusetts several years ago and I was extremely impressed with him. If I lived in the Chicago area, he would definitely be on my list.
    My comment on gait. Actually I think my gait improved after my surgery because I was finally balanced. Before my surgery, one hip was higher than the other and I was listing to the right. Everyone is different and I think you should cross that off your list of things to worry about.

    Sally! Hi, I'm so glad you chose to write, thank you. The comment about hearing Dr. Gupta speak was especially reassuring and I am slowly becoming more positive - mostly thanks to this forum (surprise - who did I lean on before?)

    Although I did write after my 08 surgery, other things became more important and I stopped visiting. I'm not going to do that this time. I've had too much support and know a little more than the average bear about scoliosis, so I'm going to try and help others too.

    Again, so great to hear from you and I have not heard one single iota of negative in regard to Dr. Gupta so I'm very happy about my choice. My gait will be my gait and there's not much I can do about it so I can't worry about things I have no control over. Was very glad Linda Racine was so honest with me - that helped a bunch.

    Blessings and Merry Christmas. Be well!!

    Susan
    Susan
    XLIF/Posterior Surgery 6/16/08. Fused T10-L5 in CA by Dr. Michael Kropf (don't go there unless it's simple, I hear he's at Cedar's now). Very deformed, had revision w/5 PSO's, rods from T-3 to sacrum including iliac screws, all posterior, 5/23/16 with Dr. Purnendu Gupta of Chicago.


    Owner of Chachi the Chihuahua, So Cal born and bred, now a resident of 'Chicagoland' Illinois. Uh, dislike it here....thank God there was ONE excellent spine surgeon in this area.

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    • #32
      Originally posted by Tableone View Post
      Hello and so sorry to hear that you have to have such a massive revision operation. I wasn't here in 2008, so I'm not quite clear on the details. You had surgery in 2008 and now all the instrumentation has to be taken out and your old fusion broken up? What exactly did the first surgeon do wrong? Was it just the levels of fusion that were wrong or the way he corrected it? Or something else? BTW, thanks for sharing his name so we can avoid him. Again, I am so sorry that you are going through this.
      Thanks Tableone.

      First, the bad disc has be removed, that space filled in (I suppose a cage of some sort) then the illiac screws placed for fusion to the pelvis. Then the old instrumentation would be removed, osteotomies performed where dr. determines necessary (not sure how many, frankly I hope enough so I gain an inch or two in height) then new rods and pedicle screws to T3. I was told it would be a 10+ hour surgery, 2 days in ICU, a week in a bed, then up to the 'rehab' floor for two weeks so I can learn how to do things again - like the logroll into bed - or as Ed put it, a one and a half twist with a swan dive I suspect I'll be in the hospital 3.5 weeks at least.

      I don't know what went 'wrong' except my choice of surgeon. One did tell me to fuse to the sacrum but I was afraid of those illiac screws. (He was so right, Robt. Pashman at Cedars is a great surgeon). I will say the surgeon I chose SHOULD HAVE KNOWN that last disc couldn't last long - it was bearing to much wear and tear. Then the scoli decided to creep up from T10 to almost my neck. That couldn't have been forseen, but to answer your question, I should not have been left with only one disc to support all that hardware and work of moving my body.

      I'm not looking forward to the first month of doing so many things differently; that's the worst part. I have no fear of the surgery simply because of my surgeon. It's all my work I'm afraid of!!
      Susan
      XLIF/Posterior Surgery 6/16/08. Fused T10-L5 in CA by Dr. Michael Kropf (don't go there unless it's simple, I hear he's at Cedar's now). Very deformed, had revision w/5 PSO's, rods from T-3 to sacrum including iliac screws, all posterior, 5/23/16 with Dr. Purnendu Gupta of Chicago.


      Owner of Chachi the Chihuahua, So Cal born and bred, now a resident of 'Chicagoland' Illinois. Uh, dislike it here....thank God there was ONE excellent spine surgeon in this area.

      Comment

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