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Hi Everyone! Checking in one last time before my two day surgery! EEKKK!

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  • #16
    Hi Texas Mom,

    I was just thinking of you and hope you are doing good in your recovery.

    Melisse
    Melisse
    Age: 42: with 42* Lumbar, 32* Thoracic.
    Diagnosed with Adolescent Scoliosis @ 12 y.o. Thoracolumbar curve was around 28*
    Wore Boston Brace 2 -3 yrs

    Comment


    • #17
      Hi Melisse!

      Originally posted by Kay1974 View Post
      Hi Texas Mom,

      I was just thinking of you and hope you are doing good in your recovery.

      Melisse
      Hi Melisse,

      You may be in surgery or past it by now. I want you to know that I am praying for you and have been doing so.

      I am doing fairly well and will post a long message about my surgeries and recovery in a day or two. I hope and pray that everything on your end will be fixed in perfect fashion.

      Big Hugs to you!
      TX Mom - Sheryl

      Comment


      • #18
        Originally posted by TXMom View Post

        I am doing fairly well and will post a long message about my surgeries and recovery in a day or two.
        Ohhh.....Sheryl, some time has passed, looking forward to it. Glad things are well with you!

        I had major amounts of dental pain this week and have a whole new respect for dental pain. Periodontists can be a painful bunch, and it seems that most of my medical experiences usually involve a hammer and a chisel...only this time in the mouth. Mandibular tori removal without anesthesia for pain intensity...... ranks extremely high on the pain list. Its always something new.

        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


        • #19
          Hi Everyone! It's post surgery me!

          Hi Folks,

          Well, I've been needing to write this post for months now. I actually had a very nice long post ready to go and my iPad ate it. I gave up and put it off some more.

          My recovery has been reasonably good. I was fused from T10-Sacrum. On March 21, I had the surgeries to install the cages. That was about 3 1/2 hours long. I don't remember much between then and the next surgery date on March 23, which was the big one and all the fusions took place. I have Cobalt Chrome rods and am secured to the sacrum. That surgery was a bit over 8 hours, from what I remember hearing. I was in the Neuro ICU for two days and that was actually the worst part. Since I was on my tummy for so long, the tubing in my mouth caused some cuts and soreness on my right cheek of my face. My husband said that I was so puffy from the steroids during surgery that I was unrecognizable. I did not like the nurses in the ICU unit and I remember being so very hot, temperature wise and way too wrapped up in blankets. How funny and odd to remember that stuff while being so incredibly drugged up. My husband took care of the nursing issue for me. LOL

          I don't remember much from the first week. The second week (of 15 days) my dear husband brought me much tastier food from the cafeteria downstairs and twice went out for my favorite Chicken Piccata. LOL I got addicted to oranges because I needed the fruit (and fiber, LOL) and they just tasted so good. The funniest things we do! I actually did so well in the hospital with my walking and step climbing and other PT that I had to slow down or the insurance company wouldn't allow me to go to the in-house rehab. I was able to leave the hospital after only three days rehab, which was part of my 15 days in the hospital. I was the happiest of folks to get back home!

          My first month went pretty well other than being terrified of breaking or bending something and getting in and out of bed. I actually did laundry about three days after coming home. My husband did the cooking and of course most everything else. I had my grabbers to help and they were invaluable.

          During the second month home, I became fairly depressed and that lasted a whole month. I hadn't expected the recovery to be so very difficult. It's been seven months now and it still somewhat surprises me. I didn't want to post here when I was so down. One thing that my husband and I would do that really helped me was that he had put out several bird feeders in our back yard. I would sit out there and watch the birds come in and leave for nearly an hour and a half sometimes. It was so restful. I had help in my home for the housekeeping aspect and that was and is a huge blessing.

          I developed an ulcer from the meds in and after the hospital and just now have mostly healed from that. It was so difficult being nauseated most all the time. I also still have sciatic pain and that has been so disappointing. The doctor told me that for most folks, the sciatic pain goes away within three months. Mine is still pretty bad and I don't have one day without it. I am going to have him check me for "Piriformus Syndrome". I don't know if any of you experience muscle knots, but I still have a lot of random acute muscle spasms from thighs to toes. If you have experienced this, please let me know how you remedied it.

          We actually went on a vacation two weeks ago and that was great. Lots of walking in the sand in Florida and little shopping excursions and visiting family too. It was very nice to get away.

          My next visit to my surgeon is in about two weeks. Hopefully, I have continued to fuse. I do still have back pain around my waistline area and also on the right side. To this day, I really can't sleep on my sides. Go figure.

          I will get my surgery records out and write down for everyone, what the surgeon actually did, in medical terms. I appreciate everything thinking of me and for your prayers too.

          I hope that Chet and Melisse are doing well. Has anyone heard from them lately?

          Hugs,
          Sheryl (TX Mom)

          Comment


          • #20
            Hi Ed, How is your dental pain?

            Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
            Ohhh.....Sheryl, some time has passed, looking forward to it. Glad things are well with you!

            I had major amounts of dental pain this week and have a whole new respect for dental pain. Periodontists can be a painful bunch, and it seems that most of my medical experiences usually involve a hammer and a chisel...only this time in the mouth. Mandibular tori removal without anesthesia for pain intensity...... ranks extremely high on the pain list. Its always something new.

            Ed
            Hi Ed,

            How is your dental pain? Gone I hope. What happened? I was so sorry to hear about this. You have been a super cheerleader for me and I was disappointed that you didn't feel well.

            Sheryl

            Comment


            • #21
              Sheryl

              The bone spurs stopped.....The last one was around 2 months ago, and then my dental status returned to normal. That tooth pull was a year ago and I have read that dental spurs can take up to 2 years to eventually push out. This happens from the remodeling process in the mandible.

              I have 2 herniation's in my neck that have been a challenge.....numb fingers and my elbow feels like I wailed it on a door jam for 4 months now. Its always something.

              We have winter storms headed our way out here on the Pacific coast that I am not looking forward to. Last winter was hard for me. Many of us have the bear traps or tightening in the upper thoracic when fused up high. Its not really painful, but its tiring.....

              Glad to see you are doing well, 7 months now! It brings back memories of our recoveries of years past.....

              I actually set my surgery dates on 10/31/07....10 years ago. Its been a long road.....

              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


              • #22
                Hi Sheryl,

                So great to hear your update. It sounds like you are headed in the right direction with recovery and healing. So nice also that you have such a supportive husband to help you also. It sounds like you are remembering to stop and enjoy the little things such as watching your birds in your yard. Depression can set in so easily in our minds especially as we battle a major back deformity. I have my days where I don't want to walk or stretch and have to make myself to keep my anxiety and depression at bay. Its just good for the mind and soul to be thankful for the little things in life.

                I am plugging away currently and have not had any treatment for my scoliosis. I do have pain everyday in my lower back and legs but its manageable for now.

                Hugs to you.

                Melisse
                Melisse
                Age: 42: with 42* Lumbar, 32* Thoracic.
                Diagnosed with Adolescent Scoliosis @ 12 y.o. Thoracolumbar curve was around 28*
                Wore Boston Brace 2 -3 yrs

                Comment


                • #23
                  Hi, Sheryl. It sounds like you are doing quite well in your recovery! Congrats!!

                  I am also fused from T10 - Sacrum. I also had anterior/posterior, but mine was done all in one surgery. My surgery was June 24, 2016, so I am 17 months post. I am doing well - but I feel like some of your comments did hit home with me.

                  My bad sciatica was gone right after surgery, but I did have some lingering pain - and it would come and go..... for quite awhile, I felt like it was there more than it wasn't..... I don't remember having the BAD sciatica that went from my low back all the way to my toes, but I felt like I DID have pain from my low back (mine was on my left side), over my hip and down my thigh for quite some time. It wasn't that pain that "knocked me to the ground", but it was fairly intense, very annoying, and it scared me. But, as time went by, it did seem to get better.

                  I didn't really do anything to make it better, it just took time. I also wondered if I had "Piriformus Syndrome" although I figured it was unlikely. I was faithful with my PT exercises for strengthening my core - I figured if my core was strong it would support my spine and maybe the spine muscles would "get a break."

                  Having said that, I FINALLY feel like I have crossed that hurdle. For the past month or so, I actually feel like that nagging pain has subsided - so that would be about 16 months post op for me. I'm not saying I was in horrible pain all that time, but it did affect things like sitting for long periods of time (which affects life for travel, socializing, etc).

                  I still have issues with sleeping on my sides. I don't know if that will ever change. I am better now that I was several months ago, but I still can't get comfortable for long periods on my side. I don't know if it's due to where my fusion stops or what.....

                  At my 1-year mark, I figured i was as good as I was going to get. But, I can honestly say that I have noticed more improvements in the last 5 months. They are more subtle, but they are still there.

                  When they say 1 - 2 years (for my age range anyway) - they mean it!! Like Ed says, there is "fine tuning" in year 2!!

                  Hang in there! It does get better! I do think it is worth asking your doctor about your continued sciatica - I can't hurt to see what he says.

                  Kathy
                  Decompression surgery L4/L5
                  April 3, 2015
                  Twin Cities Spine Center - Dr. Joseph Perra
                  Fused from T11 - Sacrum anterior/posterior
                  June 24, 2016 - 55 years old at surgery
                  Twin Cities Spine Center - Dr. Joseph Perra
                  Before Surgery: 42 degrees lumbar, 28 degrees thoracic
                  After Surgery: 10 degrees lumbar, ?? Thoracic
                  2 inches taller

                  Comment

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