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  • #61
    Originally posted by Lizardacres View Post
    Today was my anterior fusion. I don' remember the surgeon speaking to my husband postoperative but I was told that my L5 was so mis-sharpen they could only use half a cage at one level but a full cage at the next level. The nurse said I'm not using much dilauded but I'm not having a lot of pain. The vascular surgeon said he wouldn't cut muscle, which seems kind of crazy. Sure wish I could eat and have a cup of coffee LOL
    I doubt any good vascular surgeons are cutting abdominal muscles for ALIFs. The muscles are split, which puts you at much lower risk of ending up with an incisional hernia.

    Happy healing.
    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


    • #62
      Good luck tomorrow! Will be thinking of you and sending healing thoughts your way. My turn is next Wednesday. We'll be healing together. Talk to you on the other side!
      T4-Sacrum fusion, with pelvic fixation in January 2015, Dr. Lonner in NYC
      10 osteotomies, rotation from 25 to 2
      Diagnosed at age 11 with double curve, 36 and 45 degrees, Braced for 2.5 years
      At time of surgery, curves were 45 and 65 degrees
      Chronic back pain, worsening, since age 11
      Tried every pain management procedure, acupuncture, chiropractor, physical therapy ever created
      Mom of 2 cuties!

      Comment


      • #63
        Originally posted by jrnyc View Post

        i am amazed you are able to post here...
        Me three...

        Liz, sounds pretty good so far.....your doing great!

        (Been trekking around the country of Colombia and trying to follow between spotty internet.)

        You guys hang in there....

        Ti-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


        • #64
          Sending prayers, Liz.
          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


          • #65

            Liz
            it is Thursday nite and i am hoping surgery went well
            and you are in the care of excellent nurses who are taking
            good care of you...
            thoughts and prayers that you feel better soon.

            jess...and Sparky

            Comment


            • #66
              I'm on the other side now and decided to come home instead of intensive inpt rehab. My husband has been my guardian angle and mother hen. I almost died in the hospital from narcotic OD. Had to have narcan twice which is so unimaginably unpleasant. He is keeping great records now. Too tired to write. Could NOT have done this wihtout hm
              Last edited by Lizardacres; 01-24-2015, 12:12 PM.
              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


              • #67
                So glad surgery is over - welcome to the other side! It sounds like your husband is taking good care of you. It sure must've been scary to over dose on narcotics, in the hospital!
                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


                • #68
                  How scary! There is no place like home, especially since you have a devoted husband to take care of you. Good 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/

                  Comment


                  • #69
                    Follow up appt showed a increase of 2.5" in height, that is taller than my height at maturity! I was really hoping for 2" but this is even better. I was really too out of it to ask coherent questions, so I would love to hear your best post op questions.

                    Liz
                    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


                    • #70
                      I think that my 10 day post op questions had to do with the dressing, keeping it clean, when to change, and so forth. I was taking hot soaks in a deep tub for pain, and then showering after using an antibacterial soap only. I didn’t use any other products. Keep wounds clean and keep an eye on them, this is muy importante. Ask about your incisions if in doubt.

                      I also switched from Oxycodone to Percoset at that time since Oxy wasn’t cutting the mustard. Perc is Oxy with Tylenol in it.

                      Mt staples also came out around the 2 or 3 week mark.....

                      Keep notes on meds, BM’s, food intake, sleep etc......

                      Hang in there Liz, your doing the hardest part right now....Do short walks often even if its only 50 feet.

                      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


                      • #71
                        Originally posted by Lizardacres View Post
                        Follow up appt showed a increase of 2.5" in height, that is taller than my height at maturity! I was really hoping for 2" but this is even better. I was really too out of it to ask coherent questions, so I would love to hear your best post op questions.

                        Liz
                        2.5" is great! You must have gotten a good correction, Liz. Congratulations on being on another side!
                        I am stronger than scoliosis, and won't let it rule my life!
                        45 years old - diagnosed at age 7
                        A/P surgery on March 5/7, 2013 - UCSF

                        Comment


                        • #72
                          Can't wait to get copies of my films to scrutinize and post here. According to my husband, my curve improved from about 70* to about 30* lumbar. I ended up needing only two units of blood which made me very happy. I'm finding it hard to do anything but sit straight up or lie on my side to watch tv - would appreciate any other suggestions!
                          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


                          • #73
                            Wow, Liz! Taller than ever - what a surprise! My surgery added about 2.5", too - I would've needed 5" to get back to my young adult height.

                            I'm SO impressed that you're posting! And that you can focus on watching a movie! It sounds like you're doing great!
                            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


                            • #74
                              Originally posted by Lizardacres View Post
                              Can't wait to get copies of my films to scrutinize and post here. According to my husband, my curve improved from about 70* to about 30* lumbar. I ended up needing only two units of blood which made me very happy. I'm finding it hard to do anything but sit straight up or lie on my side to watch tv - would appreciate any other suggestions!
                              Browse internet to check new clothes that will fit you right now, but don't buy anything untill you can think clearly :-) No shopping under influence, only window shopping.
                              I am stronger than scoliosis, and won't let it rule my life!
                              45 years old - diagnosed at age 7
                              A/P surgery on March 5/7, 2013 - UCSF

                              Comment


                              • #75
                                I love your thinking! All my life I've bought the loose shirts to hide my hump and uneven hips. Dresses never fit as I was too short waisted. You bet I'm planning to shop for some sexy new clothes. I'm surprisingly swollen around the middle right now. Not eating a lot but my skin is tight. Don't know if they fill you up with air during the alif but it's the least of my worries now.

                                Had the doc switch me off the Percocet yesterday to Vicodin as the hallucinations were driving me nuts. I am guessing the Vic is not as strong as I am really hurting this morning. I still also take OxyContin. It's hard to get the meds right.

                                My husband is super excited I have cut back on the stool softeners, I was so paranoid after Fifa's story about the 10# sack of potatoes that when I hadn't had a bm by discharge, I made it my mission to have one ASAP once home. A couple double doses of miralax, a ducolax suppossitory and a full bottle of mag citrate made him extremely glad I had stocked up on baby wipes. Oh, and I forgot the fleets enema. He had to put me on the shower chair, lol. I didn't mean to use everything but I kept adding stuff until things started to happen. I'm getting by well now with a double dose of miralax in am and two senna at night. He asked me to throw out the extra bottle of mag citrate, but I hid it just in case.
                                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

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