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Peggy's Scoliosis Surgery: the journey begins on 10/27!

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  • Same thing happened to me, but in decreasing pain of the repair of hernia from the ALIF incision. Keep the area clean. My doctor put a patch over it and that decreased the pain.

    You will get better, you will have less pain.

    Things that might help you feel better [aside from good pain management]:
    - Music
    - Getting outside
    - shower
    - Pet
    - Movie DVD
    - Your favorite food

    Here is hoping that things are controlled better soon!
    Gentle hug, Susan......still arollin' along in my red wheelchair
    Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis

    2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
    2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
    2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
    2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
    2018: Removal L4,5 screw
    2021: Removal T1 screw & rod

    Comment


    • Hoping i can go home today. Very hard to write and can!t get comfortable anywhere 0
      Ff
      C
      Before 39* lumbar at age 18, progressed to 74* lumbar and 22* thoracic age 55
      ALIF Jan 13, 2015, PLIF Jan 15, 2015 with Dr William Stevens, Honor Health
      Fused T-7 to S-1 with pelvic fixation

      After 38* lumbar

      Xrays
      Before: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...7&d=1414268930

      After: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...6&d=1424894360

      Comment


      • Originally posted by Lizardacres View Post
        Hoping i can go home today. Very hard to write and can!t get comfortable anywhere 0
        Ff
        C
        Liz, I hope you're pain is under control today. I wasn't prepared for how much my entire body hurt and how difficult it was to move - like dead weight. It gets better. The first 6 weeks are very slow. Hang in there! Sending prayers for healing!
        Peg
        61 yrs old
        75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
        T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
        Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!

        Comment


        • Butt burn update

          Originally posted by jackieg412 View Post
          Hi Peggy, I too burned .myself with a blister a bout that size . Be very careful with the burn area. Keep it covered and have someone watch it. Mine got infected and I had to have emergency treatment. It involved special dressings to pull the infection out.I did not know that I had burned myself until the blister broke and my shirt kept getting caught. BE Careful .you don need an infection so close to surgery.
          My family dr didn't want to see me - just told me to continue with neosporin & change bandage. It's been a week & I went to my Derm. It's a 2nd degree burn. I have antibiotics to take & 2 ointments along with a follow-up appointment in a week. No infection - just trying to prevent one. No pain, but if I wasn't numb, it would be awful! What a dumb thing to be dealing with!
          Peg
          61 yrs old
          75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
          T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
          Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!

          Comment


          • Originally posted by PeggyS View Post
            My family dr didn't want to see me - just told me to continue with neosporin & change bandage. It's been a week & I went to my Derm. It's a 2nd degree burn. I have antibiotics to take & 2 ointments along with a follow-up appointment in a week. No infection - just trying to prevent one. No pain, but if I wasn't numb, it would be awful! What a dumb thing to be dealing with!
            Shame on your family doctor! Call me dumb with you! I did not know that I had burned myself until 2 days after it happened. I was dressing in my brother's bathroom and I looked in the mirror and saw 2 big blister on my numb lower abdomen! Was I surprised!

            Glad that you are in the healing phase. Susan
            Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis

            2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
            2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
            2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
            2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
            2018: Removal L4,5 screw
            2021: Removal T1 screw & rod

            Comment


            • Peggy I am glad there isn't an infection. Keep treating it. I was told when I did it that it would heal slowly in around a four week period of time.when I called my primary care doctor, mine was already infected. I told them that. They said the next appointment available was in two weeks. I went to quick care. Mine required what they said was a wet to dry dressing. It pulled the infection out. It worked. Can you just imagine what waiting. Two weeks would have caused. Even in the medical field, there is little understanding of what a fused spine means. My favorite fight is with a mammogram. Since my cervical is also fused I can not get it out of the way of the machine. There isn't any turning further.It might rip a breast off!
              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

              Comment


              • Originally posted by PeggyS View Post
                My family dr didn't want to see me - just told me to continue with neosporin & change bandage. It's been a week & I went to my Derm. It's a 2nd degree burn. I have antibiotics to take & 2 ointments along with a follow-up appointment in a week. No infection - just trying to prevent one. No pain, but if I wasn't numb, it would be awful! What a dumb thing to be dealing with!
                Hi, Peggy!

                I'm sorry it has been so long since I posted, but I've been thinking about you tons and praying! I'm so happy you went to your dermatologist - can't believe your family doc didn't want to see you after all that surgery!

                Hope you're well - will post more later.

                Love and hugs,
                Fifa

                Comment


                • Flying to St. Louis!

                  My 3 month + 1 week check up is this afternoon. I'm expecting a good report!
                  Peg
                  61 yrs old
                  75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
                  T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
                  Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!

                  Comment


                  • Yea! All the hardware is where it's supposed to be! My weird sensations/odd pains/twinges are all normal - I thought so, but it's reassuring to have confirmation.
                    Peg
                    61 yrs old
                    75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
                    T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
                    Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!

                    Comment


                    • Peggy....i am so sorry your family doctor
                      was so ignorant and useless for help...i hope from now on that
                      healing is steady, smooth and uneventful....
                      and i hope, after you are healed and have some energy, you might
                      be able to find a new, more useful and helpful family doctor.

                      jackie412....can they be satisfied with ultra sound for the mammogram...
                      ????? sounds as if they should accept alternative approach due to
                      special situation that your spine presents to them...????

                      jess...and Sparky

                      Comment


                      • Thanks Jess for bringing that up. I will approach that question to the Dr. It does seem that we will have to use an alternate method. I am almost 3 months from the last cervical surgery so it will be soon that we will try.
                        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

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by PeggyS View Post
                          Yea! All the hardware is where it's supposed to be! My weird sensations/odd pains/twinges are all normal - I thought so, but it's reassuring to have confirmation.
                          Congrats on a good checkup! The healing process seems so slow, it's good to have confirmation you have been doing all the right things to help it along.
                          Before 39* lumbar at age 18, progressed to 74* lumbar and 22* thoracic age 55
                          ALIF Jan 13, 2015, PLIF Jan 15, 2015 with Dr William Stevens, Honor Health
                          Fused T-7 to S-1 with pelvic fixation

                          After 38* lumbar

                          Xrays
                          Before: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...7&d=1414268930

                          After: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...6&d=1424894360

                          Comment


                          • Peggy,
                            Congratulations on a good checkup! It is reassuring to have your surgeon look at your X-rays and confirm that everything is as it should be. It is hard to believe that strange aches, pains, numbness, tingling, etc. is all normal. Best of luck during the rest of 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/

                            Comment


                            • Afterwards, I thought it was odd that my surgeon didn't ask me to stand or walk & he didn't look at my incision site. I guess it IS all about the hardware! I do have permission to use the treadmill & recumbent bike in PT. I'm up to walking a mile on an indoor track.
                              Peg
                              61 yrs old
                              75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
                              T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
                              Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted by PeggyS View Post
                                Afterwards, I thought it was odd that my surgeon didn't ask me to stand or walk & he didn't look at my incision site. I guess it IS all about the hardware! I do have permission to use the treadmill & recumbent bike in PT. I'm up to walking a mile on an indoor track.
                                Hi, Peggy!

                                Glad to hear everything is in place! (smiley) Sorry I haven't posted for so long - I'm battling fatigue and depression. I had put off my checkup with Megan, and when we went to see her last month, it turns out that a LOT of things I thought were okay to do were NOT okay. That started (or continued) the depression for me. I'm scheduled to see Dr. B the first week of March. I'm not looking forward to it, but truly, I'm not really looking forward to anything at this point.

                                Since I haven't posted in my own thread for some time, I will do that now.

                                Can't even imagine navigating airports and planes, plus Barnes is such a HUGE place. We're seeing Dr. B in Chesterfield. It is a little bit shorter of a drive for us plus less walking. I'm forced to use a wheelchair at Barnes...it is just too much walking for me at this stage. Tomorrow is three months. I can't believe it - seems like I've spent my entire life in this bed!!!

                                Glad you are doing well. Has your burn healed by now? I did the same thing years ago (burned butt). Our heating pad was very old and didn't have an "automatic off" feature like they do now. It's easy to burn, especially when you're numb. Hope you tossed it and got a new one!

                                Take care - praying for you and thinking of you every day!

                                Love and hugs,
                                Fifa

                                Comment

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