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1st Scoliosis Surgery at age 63

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  • #16
    Originally posted by Scared View Post
    This is the 1st time I have ever made a post of any kind. I have been living with chronic back pain for 30 years. I 1st was diagnosed with Degenerative Disc Disease aka Arthritis of Lumbar spine. But as my pain (& spine got progressively worse found myself in a pain Mgt center aka prison for people with chronic pain. About 7 years ago I kept complaining that I had problems with my posture & then I felt increased pain + a hardness in my thoracic spine. I was told “it’s those tight muscles” ��. Since they apparently were going to let me rot there , I did extensive research & found 1 of the best Scoliosis doctors in USA- Dr Gupta & got an appt w/ him 12/17. I use to be 5’9 but when they measured me I was 5’4 1/2 in tall! At that time I was told I was on too much methadone to control post operative pain & was not physically fit but would eventually require surgery. Now off opioid & going thru grueling PT to prepare for my upcoming appt w/ Dr Gupta in 1/20. I have been reading the threads posted & it has increased my FEARS. At age 63 & live alone w/ no family, I am sooo scared not only re: surgery but the recovery. My pain threshold is low & my on-going pain level is 8/10 spiking regularly to 9/10. I don’t have my paperwork in front of me from my 1st appt w/ Dr G but I believe my curvature was at a 30 degree angle I 2017. I had a MRI done on full spine in 3/19 & my spine is a mess w/ bulging discs in thoracic, Scoliosis now curving in opposite direction in Lumbar, fused vertebrae, etc. I feel like I have no choice but to have the surgery but now am having 2nd thoughts. But can’t keep my house clean, do ADLs, not able to walk my dog (just potty trips in yard), etc. I have a Masters degree in social work but now only source of income is disability + am a recluse as I’ not able to do much. I would greatly appreciate any thoughts or words of wisdom to help me.
    Hi, Scared. I am about the same age as you and had spinal fusion surgery last spring. It is rough and I felt the hospital did not quite prepare me for what to expect. Not for the kind of pain I would feel post-surgery (and for how long), nor my physical limitations. Or maybe I just didn't listen well. The pain is unpredictable, it varies with the patient. But the physical limitations may be more similar.

    I have had to wear a brace for months. The brace is to prevent me from twisting, which is not allowed, as it works against the fusion while the spine is trying to heal and form new bone and nerves. I have a belt I have to wear 3 hours each day to help rebuild the bone. It bombards my spine with electromagnetic forces. I also take lots of vitamin D for my bones.

    Because I can't twist, I can't pick up anything off the ground, give myself a pedicure, tie my shoes. I have a hard time getting dressed, particularly getting pants on and off. There are devices to help you. A dressing stick to help with clothing. A grabber or reacher to pick up things off the ground without bending down (avoid ones with suction cups, they fall off and then the whole thing falls apart). An elevated toilet seat with arms so you don't have to make the effort to sit so low. I had rails and a seat put in my shower.

    They tell you you'll be able to drive in 6 weeks after surgery, but that didn't happen for me. After lumbar surgery my right leg was very stiff and immovable at first. I finally drove after 4 months. Because I couldn't drive I got groceries delivered. Many big supermarkets will do this, though it costs more. For other stuff, become an Amazon Prime member, get free deliveries in a day or two, and Amazon carries almost everything.

    It's hard to be alone. I recommend keeping in daily (at least) touch with friends. Maybe get a medical alert monitoring system so that you can call for help at the touch of a button if you should fall (my biggest fear). It's almost impossible to bathe yourself at first, you need help. You could hire a visiting aide for that. You will not be able to care for your home very well. Maybe hire a reliable housekeeper, get references. Eventually you work out efficient ways to do things and can be more on your own. As you improve you will be able to do more for yourself.

    I wish you well.
    Last edited by Tina_R; 10-18-2019, 10:56 AM.

    Comment


    • #17
      Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
      For adults over 50, our decisions are mostly about pain....if we didn't have MAJOR pain, we wouldn't need surgery.

      Ed
      Titaniumed, Your point about pain is well taken. It sounds like Scared is feeling major pain. Pain reaching level 9/10 is a good reason to get surgery.

      It isn't always about pain. My pain wasn't that great. For me it was about:

      1) Dysfunction. Scoliosis was affecting my ability to get around. It was stretching muscles on one side in the hip area so that walking 1/4 mile felt like walking 10 miles on that one side.

      2) Deformity. My curve was large and increasing. No one could know when that would end. I saw an older person with a horribly deformed spine, she could not be upright and look people in the eye. That made up my mind for me. I feared becoming that person.

      Comment


      • #18
        Tina

        I see you are a solo. There are not too many of us around here... It takes a lot of strength to do what you are doing.

        What levels did you have fused? Was this from the back only, or did they go in from the front or side?

        Welcome to the forum!

        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
          Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
          Tina

          I see you are a solo. There are not too many of us around here... It takes a lot of strength to do what you are doing.

          What levels did you have fused? Was this from the back only, or did they go in from the front or side?

          Welcome to the forum!

          Ed
          Hi, Ed. Thanks you for the welcome. I don't know what you mean by a "solo".

          I had Th9 through L5 done. They went in from my back. I wasn't aware there would ever be a need to do anything else. Why do they need to go in from the front or side sometimes? Everybody's case is so different, isn't it?

          I have to have most of my thorax done soon since I'm "adding on".

          The anesthesiologist said I was brave and it was good to take a risk and get to a better place. I didn't see it that I was brave, I was just more afraid of not doing it and having consequences in the coming years when I would be too old to do much about it. I should have had surgery sooner when the curve was smaller, it reached 60 degrees. But my medical people, even at the so-called "spine center", take an "avoid surgery" stance. That is not always the correct thing to do. I'm kind of ticked off at them to not at least mention surgery as an option. They should have been monitoring the size of my curve over time. I went outside them to find a surgeon.
          Last edited by Tina_R; 10-20-2019, 10:24 AM.

          Comment


          • #20
            Originally posted by Tina_R View Post
            Hi, Ed. Thanks you for the welcome. I don't know what you mean by a "solo".

            I had Th9 through L5 done. They went in from my back. I wasn't aware there would ever be a need to do anything else. Why do they need to go in from the front or side sometimes? Everybody's case is so different, isn't it?

            I have to have most of my thorax done soon since I'm "adding on".

            The anesthesiologist said I was brave and it was good to take a risk and get to a better place. I didn't see it that I was brave, I was just more afraid of not doing it and having consequences in the coming years when I would be too old to do much about it. I should have had surgery sooner when the curve was smaller, it reached 60 degrees. But my medical people, even at the so-called "spine center", take an "avoid surgery" stance. That is not always the correct thing to do. I'm kind of ticked off at them to not at least mention surgery as an option. They should have been monitoring the size of my curve over time. I went outside them to find a surgeon.
            I see....

            Solo being doing a recovery alone. I did mine alone....wasn't that fun? You brain races a mile a minute....you cant sleep or get comfortable. I paced for days, lost 40# in 40 days, and turned grey. My ex-wife flew in, I answered the door, and replied "You came back to finish me off" LMAO with a loving hug which hurt like you wouldn't believe. You don't hug full fusion spine patients, you just don't. It would be a good idea to get a large shirt that says "No hugs please". Just blow me kisses! Ha ha (scoliosis forum humor)

            Scoliosis is so complicated and we are all so different. Surgeons will choose a course of treatment and surgical attacks, entering the body from different areas which are thought about very carefully.... There are pros and cons to each method. The recent posts that Linda and Sharon have posted are spot on you might review those. I cant get into it unless I write a book.

            One of the locals out here had a PJK years ago, that's proximal junctional kyphosis where you fall forward off the top of the fusion mass. Pretty much same levels as you. She was in incredible pain, lost all hope, and had the extension done up to T2 and had that problem sorted out. My surgeon did that one. He said that one was easy.
            http://jss.amegroups.com/article/view/3809/html

            Some surgeons like to keep fusions low in the thoracic. Its less surgery, and I also think they try to avoid all the paraspinal muscle stripping that happens resulting in what I call the bear traps. Bear traps grip and hold prey, so this feeling of gripping in the thoracic is quite common with full fusion scoliosis patients.

            Read my posts.....I hope some of the jokes are entertaining. If one doesn't laugh, they don't understand what we go through and that's ok. Its important to laugh a lot. Really important....

            I heard the words "Why did you wait so long" several times from my surgeon. Its not wise to ignore scoliosis. Years ago, many of us did just that, and are showing up here.

            Do you have your next revision surgery scheduled? Have you addressed your L5-S1 at this stage with your surgeon? I would ask about this.

            Where are you doing these surgeries?

            Tina, You should start your own thread as you and Nancy have completely different cases. I would put it in the revision section.

            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


            • #21
              Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
              I see....

              Solo being doing a recovery alone. I did mine alone....wasn't that fun? You brain races a mile a minute....you cant sleep or get comfortable. I paced for days, lost 40# in 40 days, and turned grey. My ex-wife flew in, I answered the door, and replied "You came back to finish me off" LMAO with a loving hug which hurt like you wouldn't believe. You don't hug full fusion spine patients, you just don't. It would be a good idea to get a large shirt that says "No hugs please". Just blow me kisses! Ha ha (scoliosis forum humor)

              Scoliosis is so complicated and we are all so different. Surgeons will choose a course of treatment and surgical attacks, entering the body from different areas which are thought about very carefully.... There are pros and cons to each method. The recent posts that Linda and Sharon have posted are spot on you might review those. I cant get into it unless I write a book.

              One of the locals out here had a PJK years ago, that's proximal junctional kyphosis where you fall forward off the top of the fusion mass. Pretty much same levels as you. She was in incredible pain, lost all hope, and had the extension done up to T2 and had that problem sorted out. My surgeon did that one. He said that one was easy.
              http://jss.amegroups.com/article/view/3809/html

              Some surgeons like to keep fusions low in the thoracic. Its less surgery, and I also think they try to avoid all the paraspinal muscle stripping that happens resulting in what I call the bear traps. Bear traps grip and hold prey, so this feeling of gripping in the thoracic is quite common with full fusion scoliosis patients.

              Read my posts.....I hope some of the jokes are entertaining. If one doesn't laugh, they don't understand what we go through and that's ok. Its important to laugh a lot. Really important....

              I heard the words "Why did you wait so long" several times from my surgeon. Its not wise to ignore scoliosis. Years ago, many of us did just that, and are showing up here.

              Do you have your next revision surgery scheduled? Have you addressed your L5-S1 at this stage with your surgeon? I would ask about this.

              Where are you doing these surgeries?

              Tina, You should start your own thread as you and Nancy have completely different cases. I would put it in the revision section.

              Ed
              No, I'm not doing my recovery alone, Ed. The thing I have in common with Nancy is that we are both having first time surgery at about the same age. I can't imagine having to do this recovery alone. It's bad enough as it is, it's hard on the caregiver, too. Mine is not in great shape, either, and has to do twice as much around the house as well as help me out.

              That's a funny about your ex-wife trying to kill you with hugs. My husband has come close with me, too.

              I haven't been researching all this as long as you and I don't understand everything you are talking about. Why, please, do you ask, "Have you addressed your L5-S1 at this stage with your surgeon?" Is there another complication I need to worry about? I thought they don't want to fuse the sacrum. I was told when I asked "What else could go wrong?", that my cervical area could start curving next. I think it will, I'm afraid. I'm getting neck pain I never had before. It seems like with back surgery people either recover with one surgery, or they go through many, just from what I hear. Is it possible to finally be out of the woods or is one always expecting that something else could go wrong and need revision?

              My second surgery is in just a few weeks. I really haven't had much discussion with my surgeon. Not this time, not the first time. I know, I should ask for more face time. I would appreciate any advice as to what to ask him.
              Last edited by Tina_R; 10-20-2019, 05:43 PM.

              Comment


              • #22
                Originally posted by Tina_R View Post
                I haven't been researching all this as long as you and I don't understand everything you are talking about. Why, please, do you ask, "Have you addressed your L5-S1 at this stage with your surgeon?" Is there another complication I need to worry about? I thought they don't want to fuse the sacrum. I was told when I asked "What else could go wrong?", that my cervical area could start curving next. I think it will, I'm afraid. I'm getting neck pain I never had before. It seems like with back surgery people either recover with one surgery, or they go through many, just from what I hear. Is it possible to finally be out of the woods or is one always expecting that something else could go wrong and need revision?

                My second surgery is in just a few weeks. I really haven't had much discussion with my surgeon. Not this time, not the first time. I know, I should ask for more face time. I would appreciate any advice as to what to ask him.
                Any levels adjacent to the fusion mass is subject to extra wear.....Having your L5-S1 unfused under your fusion mass "can" lead to issues in the future. Sometimes they will leave levels un-fused and see how things go, and if it doesn't work out, that can lead to more surgery. Its also the hardest level to fuse and they do this from the front and the back. Please understand that less surgery means lower complication risk that's why they do this. Usually on elder folks they don't like doing massive surgeries and try to keep the procedures smaller if possible.

                (ASD) or Adjacent Segment Disease is something we have to deal with as scoliosis patients. My T1-T2 above my fusion mass is marginally ok.....its been over 11 years since I was fused. Linda posted about ASD the other day. For fusion patients its a need to know subject.
                https://boneandspine.com/adjacent-segment-disease/

                I have neck herniations at C5-6, C6-7 in my neck with no scoliosis. This has nothing to do with scoliosis or my fusion mass, and more about degeneration.....You know you have it when your thumb, index and middle finger go numb. Neck disorders are identifiable by hand and arm pain and numbness. Ring and pinky symptoms are the next 2 levels lower. C8-T1

                You should be communicating with your surgeon. The best way to do this is to e-mail his nurse, assistant, or (PA) Physician Assistant. Ask for an e-mail address and only ask one or two questions at a time. Questions are easy and answers are difficult if not impossible. Do not write a book, these people are busy.

                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


                • #23
                  Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
                  Any levels adjacent to the fusion mass is subject to extra wear.....Having your L5-S1 unfused under your fusion mass "can" lead to issues in the future. Sometimes they will leave levels un-fused and see how things go, and if it doesn't work out, that can lead to more surgery. Its also the hardest level to fuse and they do this from the front and the back. Please understand that less surgery means lower complication risk that's why they do this. Usually on elder folks they don't like doing massive surgeries and try to keep the procedures smaller if possible.

                  (ASD) or Adjacent Segment Disease is something we have to deal with as scoliosis patients. My T1-T2 above my fusion mass is marginally ok.....its been over 11 years since I was fused. Linda posted about ASD the other day. For fusion patients its a need to know subject.
                  https://boneandspine.com/adjacent-segment-disease/

                  I have neck herniations at C5-6, C6-7 in my neck with no scoliosis. This has nothing to do with scoliosis or my fusion mass, and more about degeneration.....You know you have it when your thumb, index and middle finger go numb. Neck disorders are identifiable by hand and arm pain and numbness. Ring and pinky symptoms are the next 2 levels lower. C8-T1

                  You should be communicating with your surgeon. The best way to do this is to e-mail his nurse, assistant, or (PA) Physician Assistant. Ask for an e-mail address and only ask one or two questions at a time. Questions are easy and answers are difficult if not impossible. Do not write a book, these people are busy.

                  Ed
                  Ed, this is all of interest.

                  Why did you put "can" in quotes in the first paragraph? Because it's more a certainty over a lifetime than a possibility?

                  As for communicating with my surgeon, I trust his skills, but he's not as communicative as I'd like him to be. He has a spokeswoman who is nice enough and easier to talk to, but I don't have an email address for either of them, it was never offered. I agree that email is better than phone calls. It's always there to look at later.

                  The neck thing is interesting. I just had day surgery for numbness in my ring and pinky finger. Not thought to be related to scoliosis. The culprit, as shown by an EMG test that a neurologist did, was my elbow, where a nerve was being pinched, not my neck. They did take an MRI of my neck and found arthritis, but not on the side of the affected hand. Surgeon did something called an ulnar nerve release, to clear out whatever in the elbow was pinching the nerve. Ring finger got better the second day, pinky is not better after 10 days. Surgeon says it can take quite a while to get totally better. I still worry that it might be partly the neck. And when I get my bandages off in two days I hope this day surgery is healing well and not going to get in the way of my big fusion surgery.

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    I used "Can" in parenthesis influencing the probability that it can happen. There is going to be a probability on everything we do. Percentages of risk. It can be a few years or never happen. We have seen fusion extensions around here and its good to be aware....I don't know the stats on this. I suppose I could look them up but in seniors, its logical that the probability is going to be higher. Put it this way, if you were walking on an icy sidewalk, I would write it the same way. You "can" fall emphasizing the probability. How often do people fall on ice?

                    I guess I could have worded it differently. Internet communication is not easy....there is nothing like face to face interaction. I write a lot of fast posts....some never get posted because I change my mind. I type fast and I am going blind. I also speed read a lot of material. Its the only way to get a grasp on the whole package.

                    Surgeons and doctors are medically trained. Many of the times, they can be short with us, with single word answers. It depends on if they think you have a grasp and at least know some of the material. It also depends on if they think you will get scared. Scoliosis surgery is invasive, let face it, its scary. If they come out and say this is going to happen or that is going to happen, they could run off a patient. My surgeon after 2-1/2 years of talks told me specifically and guaranteed me 100% that something was going to go wrong and that my situation was extremely serious. He knew I could handle it only when I told him that I could hang no matter what happens. We do a full commitment with our surgeries. There is no divorcing scoliosis. When we commit, we commit for life. We take what we can get, and do the best with what we have.

                    As a patient you have to ask. As a patient you have to learn. Its our disease. I am an idiopathic so its been a lot of years now. I was a Luque wire candidate in 1975. Harrington rods did not fuse to the pelvis. Also surgeon's DO NOT like fusing kids to the pelvis. Many thoracic fusions on teens down to T12 or high lumbar straighten up lumbar curves. Non structural lumbar curves. S curves of any magnitude have both curves structural. Determined by bender x-rays.

                    Peripheral nerves heal. (Most of the time) We had a 3rd cranial infarction here where the patients eyelids would not open and after 110 days she suddenly could open them. I told her that things will get better, installing faith to combat depression when things go wrong. You have to believe in healing. You just have to. Sometimes we need a lot of time for nerves to heal as they can be really stubborn and hurt like the dickens. When something like this happens, answers are limited because they might not know. Infarction is lack of blood supply. Our blood pressure drops when we go under, this can limit blood flow, and scoliosis patients are usually concerned with being paralyzed which is rare. There are other things that happen that surgeons can not explain. That's why you can't be too quick to assign blame if something goes wrong.

                    I have had a lot of serious disease in my family. Incurable disease....we are the lucky ones. I am still here, its just downright incredible!

                    I am also amazed I didn't kill myself skiing. I skied hard on the edge of death most of the time.(Big mountain style, with big airs) I am an old skier, started in 1962, that's how I ended up in Tahoe. I didn't crash much but when I did, they were nuts and I usually broke things. I did my scoliosis surgeries with a broken arm and shoulder from a ski crash around 12 days before my spine surgeries. I had so much back pain, I never did anything about the arm and shoulder, it didn't matter. I shattered my humeral head like glass so there was nothing they could do. I made it on ESPN for my skiing on an invite since I was not on the pro circuit which is a rare thing. That was cool.

                    When I got home from my spine surgeries, one nurse asked me how I got out of the hospital. She told me "You are beat" I told her "Thanks for the vote of confidence" ha ha

                    Athletes and recovery go together....Like a boxer, you beat on the body, your going to recover. The doctors were amazed at my healing capacity. They stated it in the hospitals reports. Its my mentality. Things go wrong, you do your recovery and you get through it. Part of the sport I guess. Athlete mentality? I guess so.

                    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


                    • #25
                      Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
                      IHarrington rods did not fuse to the pelvis.
                      Only people who have long fusions AND S-I joint fusion are actually fused to the pelvis. I know of only 1 or 2 people who have had that done. Some patients with Harrington rods, had them all the way to the sacrum.

                      --Linda
                      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


                      • #26
                        Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
                        I used "Can" in parenthesis influencing the probability that it can happen. There is going to be a probability on everything we do. Percentages of risk. It can be a few years or never happen. We have seen fusion extensions around here and its good to be aware....I don't know the stats on this. I suppose I could look them up but in seniors, its logical that the probability is going to be higher. Put it this way, if you were walking on an icy sidewalk, I would write it the same way. You "can" fall emphasizing the probability. How often do people fall on ice?

                        I guess I could have worded it differently. Internet communication is not easy....there is nothing like face to face interaction. I write a lot of fast posts....some never get posted because I change my mind. I type fast and I am going blind. I also speed read a lot of material. Its the only way to get a grasp on the whole package.

                        Surgeons and doctors are medically trained. Many of the times, they can be short with us, with single word answers. It depends on if they think you have a grasp and at least know some of the material. It also depends on if they think you will get scared. Scoliosis surgery is invasive, let face it, its scary. If they come out and say this is going to happen or that is going to happen, they could run off a patient. My surgeon after 2-1/2 years of talks told me specifically and guaranteed me 100% that something was going to go wrong and that my situation was extremely serious. He knew I could handle it only when I told him that I could hang no matter what happens. We do a full commitment with our surgeries. There is no divorcing scoliosis. When we commit, we commit for life. We take what we can get, and do the best with what we have.

                        As a patient you have to ask. As a patient you have to learn. Its our disease. I am an idiopathic so its been a lot of years now. I was a Luque wire candidate in 1975. Harrington rods did not fuse to the pelvis. Also surgeon's DO NOT like fusing kids to the pelvis. Many thoracic fusions on teens down to T12 or high lumbar straighten up lumbar curves. Non structural lumbar curves. S curves of any magnitude have both curves structural. Determined by bender x-rays.

                        Peripheral nerves heal. (Most of the time) We had a 3rd cranial infarction here where the patients eyelids would not open and after 110 days she suddenly could open them. I told her that things will get better, installing faith to combat depression when things go wrong. You have to believe in healing. You just have to. Sometimes we need a lot of time for nerves to heal as they can be really stubborn and hurt like the dickens. When something like this happens, answers are limited because they might not know. Infarction is lack of blood supply. Our blood pressure drops when we go under, this can limit blood flow, and scoliosis patients are usually concerned with being paralyzed which is rare. There are other things that happen that surgeons can not explain. That's why you can't be too quick to assign blame if something goes wrong.

                        I have had a lot of serious disease in my family. Incurable disease....we are the lucky ones. I am still here, its just downright incredible!

                        I am also amazed I didn't kill myself skiing. I skied hard on the edge of death most of the time.(Big mountain style, with big airs) I am an old skier, started in 1962, that's how I ended up in Tahoe. I didn't crash much but when I did, they were nuts and I usually broke things. I did my scoliosis surgeries with a broken arm and shoulder from a ski crash around 12 days before my spine surgeries. I had so much back pain, I never did anything about the arm and shoulder, it didn't matter. I shattered my humeral head like glass so there was nothing they could do. I made it on ESPN for my skiing on an invite since I was not on the pro circuit which is a rare thing. That was cool.

                        When I got home from my spine surgeries, one nurse asked me how I got out of the hospital. She told me "You are beat" I told her "Thanks for the vote of confidence" ha ha

                        Athletes and recovery go together....Like a boxer, you beat on the body, your going to recover. The doctors were amazed at my healing capacity. They stated it in the hospitals reports. Its my mentality. Things go wrong, you do your recovery and you get through it. Part of the sport I guess. Athlete mentality? I guess so.

                        Ed
                        When I 1st saw Dr Gupta 12/17- 1 of the things he basically told me was “it’s all about your thinking “ - get it about having faith/positive attitude but it’s been a very difficult pain path some of us are on - my sister has a high pain tolerance but I don’t-/never had - learned that chronic pain can leave your brain with permanent damage re: pain receptors Nancy

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Originally posted by LindaRacine View Post
                          Only people who have long fusions AND S-I joint fusion are actually fused to the pelvis. I know of only 1 or 2 people who have had that done. Some patients with Harrington rods, had them all the way to the sacrum.

                          --Linda
                          By long fusion, do you mean people who have most of their spine done rather than just a few vertebrae?

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Originally posted by LindaRacine View Post
                            Only people who have long fusions AND S-I joint fusion are actually fused to the pelvis. I know of only 1 or 2 people who have had that done. Some patients with Harrington rods, had them all the way to the sacrum.
                            --Linda
                            Linda, I sure would like to see that x-ray. I am wondering how they managed to set the hooks in on the bottom. I guess they could have ground out a ledge in the bone.?? I also would like to see the bending work for the lumbar lordosis. I have not seen any huge bends in Harrington x-rays, usually they are set in straight.

                            Luque rods had that 90 degree bend in them.(See attachment below) They would drill a hole and simply insert the rod into that hole. It also addressed each level with lamina wires, where the Harrington usually did not. It was truly a bumper jack. Some surgeons had used wires with Harrington, but that was used as an adjunct...

                            There is a chapter in the Moe handbook written by Dr Hu on wire tying that is involved.(1981) I just couldn't believe how exacting the knot tying is. I don't know if she is using any wires for any orthopedic work, but if I needed wires, she would be the one. They will use wires on Jackie's scapula on her surgery coming up when she heals. I posted that surgical video on one of her threads a month or so ago.

                            Brad (Quickdraw) is the only Luque wire example I have seen here on this forum. That was Dr Bradford in 1983 at TCSC when he was 12. I don't forget x-rays like that, Dr Bradford saved his life. His before x-ray was extremely serious.

                            NOTE: For readers... They do not use these systems anymore (Maybe in India, for cost effectivness) Not.

                            Remember President Obama's comments on that years ago?

                            Ed
                            Attached Files
                            Last edited by titaniumed; 10-22-2019, 10:45 PM.
                            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


                            • #29
                              Originally posted by Tina_R View Post
                              By long fusion, do you mean people who have most of their spine done rather than just a few vertebrae?
                              Yes, that's correct.
                              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


                              • #30
                                Originally posted by Scared View Post
                                When I 1st saw Dr Gupta 12/17- 1 of the things he basically told me was “it’s all about your thinking “ - get it about having faith/positive attitude but it’s been a very difficult pain path some of us are on - my sister has a high pain tolerance but I don’t-/never had - learned that chronic pain can leave your brain with permanent damage re: pain receptors Nancy
                                Yes, correct, but up until you need surgery. Many of us capitulate at some point due to pain. Pain makes our decisions. You can have disability and a smaller amount of pain, and it wont be as critical as being in major pain. People that have no legs get around. People that have no arms pump gas without help. Some scoliosis patients beg for major surgery.

                                After you do surgery, you go back into healing mode. Think healing!

                                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

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