Weight Limits At 1 Year Post-op

[KRIS ATKINSON]

This may be an issue I need to discuss with the doctor, but I thought I'd see what others have experienced. Erica will be 1 year post-op this July. She plans to attend a mission trip as she did last year (before her surgery), in Puerto Rico. She will need to carry her own luggage, they say. I noticed last year someone went on the trip with the requirement at the last minute that others had to carry her luggage due to her back problems, so I don't know if rules have changed or if they didn't remember this situation when they asked me to get certification from her doctor for this. She will also be working as an assistant bible school teacher with underpriveleged Spanish speaking children, where there may be quite a bit of disease exposure. I have to get the doctor's ok for lifting and exposure to disease in this uncleanly situation. Erica went last year and bonded well with some of the spanish teenage assistant bible teachers who she worked with. Yesterday, she pulled up the back of my van to get a coke out of the back, but experienced some strain when she tried to pull the door back down. As usual, she didn't want to tell me about the physical feeling, but just stopped pulling when she had a problem. I shut it for her and realized how she is still recovering. I wonder if this summer's trip will be too much for her afterall, since she couldn't handle that strain. Last summer she wore her brace full-time when she went and also worked with others to carry tables from one location to another. Any ideas? I wonder if it takes more than 1 year to get more of the muscle issues resolved. Maybe we need to postpone the trip for one more year? She had thoracoplasty, posterior, and anterior something like T2-L2 done last July. Kris

[nicoles mom]

KRIS
HI MY NICOLE IS ALMOST ONE YEAR WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE DOCTOR ON FRI THE 3RD. RIGHT NOW SHE IS ONLY ALLOWED TO CARRY 10 o/o OF HER BODY WEIGHT. SHES 92 POUNDS SO 9 LBS IS HER LIMIT. HER FUSION IS T-4 TO L-1 HAD A POSTERIOR WITH THORACOPLASTY. SHE WEARS A BOSTON BRACE STILL TO HOLD HER LUMBAR. I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAYS. DOES SHE GO TO PT. MY NICOLE GOES TWICE A WEEK THEY WORK WITH HER WITH HER BRACE ON AND OFF. SHES STILL GOES TO PT BECAUSE SHE WEARING A BRACE 20 HRS ADAY. SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR HER MAYBE SHE COULD STILL GO AND PULL HER WEIGHT IN OTHER WAYS.
THERESA

[cloggerx3]

Hi!

wow. that sounds really cool to go on a mission trip like that. i would defintely let her go. if she thinks she can do it, then she can, i think. like i know my limitations, and like i have to have extra books and all that stuff at school so i dont have to carry them into my book bag. i would talk to the person in charge of the trip and hopefully they will assist her with her needs.

[Gail]

Hi Kris,

I don't lift anymore than 5 lbs. I had rather be cautious than to ever have to go through the surgery again. Anything more than that is a strain for me anyway. I'm 104 lbs.

By the way Kris...I grew up near your hometown and have a sister living in your town...and family just a town over. There is not many NC people on the message boards...I wonder why that is?

Kindest Regards,
Gail

[Laura P]

Kris,

Jamie also is scheduled to go on a mission trip this July. We go to Baja mexico and she works with the children and hopes to help with translation this year. We go as a family so we will be with her. We all have beds and her doctor okd it. But, we will help with luggage. It is such an amazing experience and this will be Jamie's 4th year and her sisters first. Her daddy and I have been several times. It is a family mission trip so I have had to wait until her sister was old enough so we could all go. So yea this year we all four get to go. Jamie planned her surgery around this so it wouldn't interfere. So barring no problems we will be going in July. This will be about 7 months post op for Jamie. I know it is harder since you will not be with her. I can't imagine. Even though these kids do great I would just talk with the person in charge and make sure they know everything. Erika will be fine but if your like me you just want reassurance. Most people are more then happy to help out if the need arises. I know Erika wants to go back and see her buddies as Jamie can't wait. I would ok it with her doctor and then talk with the one in charge and I am sure she will be fine. Will keep in prayers that everything will be fine and she can go. It is such a life changing experience.

Laura P

[jc3]

my daughter is 16 months post op and is only allowed to carry 15 pounds. I thought by now it would have been more, but that's what the dr. said.
Good luck

[ProudParents]

I would say whatever the doctor recommended or she feels comfortable lifting, whichever is less. Lisa's doctor allowed her to lift 25 pounds at six weeks postop but we certainly didn't let her lift that much. The luggage with wheels can make it so much easier.

[nicoles mom]

Kris
Went For Nicole 1 Year Check Up She Allowed To Carry 10 Pounds.
Theresa

[KRIS ATKINSON]

Thanks for all your replies. I finally got hold of the associate pastor/director of youth ministries at the church who accompanied Erica last year and will go again this year. Basically, there are 3 adults who are in charge of the mission trip, etc. The other 2 are concerned about Erica's condition post-surgery. As I discussed with him, we can probably have others carry her luggage for her, but depending on the activities they do, she may have difficulty. He asked if she can carry food/drinks to kids, etc. I see no problem with that. A problem could occur depending on the physical activities. For instance, if they decide to do a group activity that is too strenuous, she would have to obstain. I suggested she could observe and help kids on bathroom runs, etc., during any sport activities that were too active, like soccer or basketball. He said he and I and the 2 other adults can meet this Sunday or sometime after church and discuss our concerns. The adult who actually raised the concern to me about carrying her luggage was the one who learned how to change Erica's bandages with me and then drove us home from Shriners last summer. So, she has seen the actual wounds to a certain extent. Thanks for telling me not to expect suddenly that she can lift alot after a year, guys. This way I'm not so shocked at her July checkup if the doctor says 15 pounds. She is currently at 10-15 pounds, but she said lifting 1 high school textbook even puts a strain on her still. Obviously, we have a way to go before lifting alot. Maybe she will always have to be careful about lifting. Her poor husband some day!!! Thanks again. Kris

[KRIS ATKINSON]

Bookbag/504 Plan At 1 Year Post-op

It occurred to me that if the weight limit for some is not much over 15 pounds at 1 year post-op, how are the kids off the 504 plan then? Isn't a book-bag way over 15 pounds? Kris

[pat]

504 plan

My daughter's 17 months post-op, and she's still on a 504, and probably will be as she goes on to high school (this september). This was at the advice of her doctor, school principal and us (her parents). Why take them off?

[KRIS ATKINSON]

My daughter will take PE next year, but do you mean she still needs that extra set of books? Thanks, Kris

[Jacque's Mom]

Extra Set of Books

Kris,
My daughter had an extra set of books in grammer schrool and right through high school. She never had the surgery or was braced was just monitored by her doctor. Her ortho gave her a note every Sept. and the school would give her the extra set. We were not in the 504 plan. It really is best for them to have that second set at home since, as you know, those backpacks are so heavy.
LYNN

[nicoles mom]

Kris
My Nicole is 1 year post op and still in a brace to hold her lumbar which is holding at 30. The doctor wants her to wear her brace until her risser is a 4 she is at 1. So of course she will still be a 504 kid next year. But if she wasn't in the brace I would keep her on the 504 plan. She'll be in high school next year. Are doctor doesn't want her to do contact sports so she will be taking an adapter gym class next year. Also gives her the freedom of not having to worry about the having a second set of books. Going to the nurse or whatever else she may need.
Theresa