T4-S1 with pelvic fixation - I'd like to be able to tie my own shoes!

[titaniumed]

Ed, Thank you!! pictures were very helpful. Note that I am jealous of your flexibility

Me? I never ever thought I would hear these words......Wow, I’m blown away! LOL

Ahhh, the test of all tests.....

My surgeries were extremely painful and had a lot of bone ground out in ALIF partial corpectomy procedures on all my lumbar levels. All the end plates were shot from DDD. Anyway, after all that, I walked on eggshells for a really long time and was also worried. My surgeon told me that I was fused at 6 months but I was still worried. At 10 months in the Redwoods National Park of Northern California, I tripped over a 3 ft rock in the campground at 10PM in the dark and did a hard face plant. I thought that was it. What a slam! My shins were bleeding, but I got up and things were fine with the spine.....That’s when I knew, that’s how I found out I was good to go. The test of all tests. I have also had a few low speed ski crashes that scared the heck out of me, and now I have permission to lift 100#. I have lifted around 80#......yes, I would say I’m fused. I resumed snow skiing at 14 months....

I also had a broken shoulder at that time from a ski crash 10 days before my scoliosis surgeries, and my gall bladder was acting up so that had a tendency to slow things down. I eventually had to have it yanked since they found these 30mm golf balls in there.....It is a rare scoliosis surgery complication per Dr Moe’s handbook, I believe written by Dr Hu around 30 years ago.

Another thing to consider is that IF something were to happen, these surgeons don’t like going back in until a year is up. I thought I had an incisional hernia and was sent over to my vascular surgeon and he told me that there was no way he was going back in so soon...

My surgeon did have to order me to go skiing after a year. Doctors orders you know? LOL No velocity, of course....and well....no more jumps.

But I’m glad that I took it easy, especially for the first 6 months.....

I have to add that when I did my shoulder surgery PT at 8 months, the arm bike was very helpful in “toughening” up the paraspinal’s that run over the screw heads and rods in the thoracic spine. This 4” wide area is a delicate area in all of us that have full fusions, we get this gripping feeling which I call the “bear traps” that happens mostly upon approaching storms. I think it’s a low pressure thing, nerve cell expansion theory.....Usually during winter storms so cold affects it. The strange feelings of muscle imbalance in this area we do have to get used to and the arm bike helps.

Ed

[mkatz]

Me? I never ever thought I would hear these words......Wow, I’m blown away! LOL

Ahhh, the test of all tests.....

My surgeries were extremely painful and had a lot of bone ground out in ALIF partial corpectomy procedures on all my lumbar levels. All the end plates were shot from DDD. Anyway, after all that, I walked on eggshells for a really long time and was also worried. My surgeon told me that I was fused at 6 months but I was still worried. At 10 months in the Redwoods National Park of Northern California, I tripped over a 3 ft rock in the campground at 10PM in the dark and did a hard face plant. I thought that was it. What a slam! My shins were bleeding, but I got up and things were fine with the spine.....That’s when I knew, that’s how I found out I was good to go. a we do have to get used to and the arm bike helps.

Ed

So, you're advising me to wait another 3 1/2 months and then deliberately fall? Sounds like a good idea (?) that would measurably Improve my confidence... if I were able to get up and hike home after the event.

Seriously, your comment/posts I appreciate. Surprisingly, to me, (as I do not participate in many forums) I've found reassurance in reading threads in the forum. Actually I have pretty high expectations for a successful outcome, but must still heed Susan's advice that "something always goes wrong". I must also keep in mind the fact that as we age we tend to grow less flexible (mentally as well as physically).

Thanks, again, Ed et al

[Lizardacres]

Ed, I too have found your pics inspiring, but what I really want to know is how you put on underwear post surgery without bending or breaking any rules. I was thinking about that when getting dressed today. Pictures for this are optional.

[titaniumed]

I've found reassurance in reading threads in the forum. Actually I have pretty high expectations for a successful outcome, but must still heed Susan's advice that "something always goes wrong".

I was guaranteed 100% that something would go wrong.....which was the way my surgeon conveyed the complexity of my situation. He told me that “it would help”, which in the end helped with my decision.....anything was better than the agony I was going through. I was also told I could go blind. Anyway, most of us do well, we just have to have that positive attitude and if things get a little rough, we cant quit.

Confidence is built up slowly in time. My second year of my recovery was a hard year for me with skiing. My skiing muscles were extremely weak, and couldn’t handle the G forces....If it wasn’t for my skiing buddies not accepting any excuses for not skiing, I might have quit. They would come over here and bang on my door in the morning. All half my age, I guess I was their skiing mentor.... It was really something when they actually waited for me at the bottom at the lift line and helped put my ski boots on. I cant ski like I used to and I have accepted it......I guess you have to slowdown at some point.

Its great to have a Doctor posting here, I am glad that you appreciate my testimonials, they are an accurate account of my scoliosis recovery and experience. Its something that is of value for the scoliosis community....

Don’t be a stranger....

Liz
To answer your question about underwear, here is my video response for the evening. We all remember Bill Clinton answer the “Boxer or brief’s” question in 92. He he
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/13328...s-briefs.jhtml

Select loose fitting clothing, larger sizes, elastic waistbands and you wont have to bend at all.

Ed

[mkatz]

Ed, I too have found your pics inspiring, but what I really want to know is how you put on underwear post surgery without bending or breaking any rules. I was thinking about that when getting dressed today. Pictures for this are optional.

also, for underwear (for your lower half)... use a "grabber". I found, and still find, this one to be very helpful: Ettore 49016 Grip 'n Grab Reach Tool, 16-Inch, purchased through amazon.com. Also helpful, at least initially, is the longer version of this grabber.

[Irina]

Liz,

They will teach you in a hospital how to put underwear, pants and socks on. You will be using a grabber and a sock aid. They will give you these tools in the hospital, but you can look up sock aid on Amazon if you are curious what it is.

[LindaRacine]

Hi Irina...

Unfortunately, insurance companies are no longer paying for the grabbers and dressing aids, so I think most hospitals have stopped providing them.

--Linda

[susancook]

also, for underwear (for your lower half)... use a "grabber". I found, and still find, this one to be very helpful: Ettore 49016 Grip 'n Grab Reach Tool, 16-Inch, purchased through amazon.com. Also helpful, at least initially, is the longer version of this grabber.

Mark, so kindly brought one of these grabbers to me as a gift in the rehab hospital. I really like it and recommend it. Thanks Mark! Susan

[mkatz]

Mark, so kindly brought one of these grabbers to me as a gift in the rehab hospital. I really like it and recommend it. Thanks Mark! Susan

I just wish you did not need it.

[susancook]

I just wish you did not need it.

Having to use a grabber is so-so-so minor compared to the rest of problems that I face. I hope to recycle it to someone else in the future. Your visit at rehab was so awesome for me. You are such an inspiration for me and keep up the great work on getting back to enjoying your retirement.
Susan.....enjoying margaritas south of the border

[Lizardacres]

Susan, I am so glad you are taking a much needed vacation and enjoying yourself; you sound so relaxed!

Those grabbers look nice - I'm going to order one, thanks for the recommendation. Also, a Gerontology acquaintance told me to go to the Active Forever website to pick up any dressing tools I needed. They have a 7-piece Hip Kit which includes all the gadgets mentioned above plus four pairs of elastic shoelaces for only $32.99. The grabber they include probably isn't as nice as the one listed above but I figure I'll need more than one. They look they can also double as a cat torture device so I will need to keep them away from my husband.

[Lizardacres]

Also, I wanted to mention my favorite stretching exercise for the back of the legs. Find a long belt, a karate belt is perfect. Lie on your back on your yoga mat and with one knee bent, lift it toward your chest so you can grab your foot with the looped belt. Hold one end of the belt in each hand. Now slowly straighten out your leg, while pulling your leg into as vertical a position as you can manage. The height is not important, everybody is different. Push your straight leg on the ground into the mat while using the belt to pull your other leg into a more vertical position. Since you are lying down, you don't need to be worried about bending your back.