Surgery Details

[Jill K]

dapsbounce8-
I heard on another thread that your doctor Dr. Sarwark and you got your surgery done at Chidrens Memorial. That EXACTLY whats going to happen to me. Dr. Sarwark is my doctor, and i am getting my surgery done at Childrens. I got the tour of childrens a few weeks ago and i am getting my surgery in June. Anyways i thought that was a cool sort of coincidence. Talk to you later.

[dapsbounce8]

Paulasue:
I was not in the ICU, but the situation was basically the same. There are constantly bells ringing and beeps going off. Plus, nurses came in every two hours to roll me, even at night. My parents were there 24/7, but they took turns doing days. Being in there all week will totally drive you insane, mainly because of the sleep deprivation.

Jill K:
Thats so amazing that we are having such similar surgeries. If you mentioned Charlotte to Dr. Sawark he would recognize the name because he has been treating me for years and my surgery was quite recent. Our procedures will probably be really similar so let me know if you have any questions. The staff is so nice - you'll hate them for making you move around, but love them later. Who was your tour guide/ child life specialist? Mine was Angie - she was like a best friend throughout the process.

Good luck everyone!

[Jill K]

My child life specialist was (at least for pre-op) i think Laura, but i'll get back to you on my answer because i am not sure. she was also very nice and said that she might be/might not be the one taking care of me. did you have to get a lung collapsed during surgery because i dont, will there be a difference pain wise between our two surgeries? my physical therapist at pre-op i dont remember her name but she was about 5' 4" and had sort of long brown hair. she, too, was nice. you know the room where you go before surgery, the room with all the beds divided by curtains. After surgery you know the other room like that, well when you first wake up there are your parents there (because i dont think they are) if they arent there who is there and will they call my parents in? Thanks for anwering this and reading this.

[Peggy]

Hi PaulaSue,
Were there shower facilities available at the hospital for parents?
Thanks.

[paulasue2]

Hi, Peggy,

Yes, the ICU area had showers for family members, but my husband relieved me at noon-time for a couple of hours when I would go home, shower, change clothes and LIE DOWN for a couple of hours each day (those recliners were OK, but not horizontal!), so I never used the hospital shower. Once she moved out of ICU, she was in a private room with full bath, but again, I went home at noon every day. The hospital was great at making us feel welcome - coffee, juice, fresh bagels and muffins each morning, pillows, blankets, Child Life included family members in its activities, nurses always asked me if there was anything I needed, etc.

Charlotte - You are right about the regular rooms not being much better than ICU in terms of noise, etc. I think we managed to get about 3-4 hours sleep at a stretch by the end. There was, however, a solid door that could be closed against the light - her ICU room was separated from the nurses station - and a WHOLE LOT of brights lights! - by a glass wall. Yes, I was certifiably "loopy" from sleep deprivation by the time we came home!!!

Paula

[dapsbounce8]

Jill:
I did not have a lung collapsed during surgery - at least it was never mentioned to me.

I think what you are talking about is the wake up room, where you are taken after surgery to, obviously, wake up. I think they told me that they bring parents in there as soon as you awake. I know that when I opened my eyes, my parents we definately there, though I don't know where I was. Don't worry, you'll be so out of it that you won't know left from right.

I don't know what the pain difference will be between us. Are you having ribs removed? Do you have a double curve requiring upper and lower fusion? What are the degrees of your curves? All of my info is in my "signature" below my messages. If you have larger degrees or a double curve (I only had one that needed fusion) your surgery will be more painful. On the other hand, if you are not having ribs removed, your surgery will be less painful.

Peggy:
Paulasue is right that the hospital really tries to make you comfortable. In my room, there was a chair that pulled out into a fully horizontal bed. Parents aren't allowed to use the patient's bathroom, but there were bathrooms with showers for parents down the hall. There was also a breakfast cart that pulled up every morning. This was good news for my parents because we live an hour away (when the traffic is good), so they couldn't be going from the hospital to the house like Paulasue could.

Good luck everyone!!!

[Jill K]

I am not having a rib removed. My current degree of my curve is 42 or so. I only have one curve and it is in the upper right part of my back. how many days were you in the hospital for? when they had you walk, where did they have you walk to and from? did taking the cathadar and back drain hurt? thanks for answering my questions it really helps a lot! :')

[paulasue2]

Charlotte,

I was just curious - your "signature" has L2-T4 - is that the area that you had fused or the total area of the curvature (fused plus unfused area)? Thanks!

Paula

[dapsbounce8]

Jill K: Thats good news about your back - the fact that you aren't having any ribs removed and your curve is pretty low means you won't be in as much pain. I was in the hospital for six days. I walked around the orthapedic area I was in - its an oval shape that has rooms on all the sides and a nurses station in the center. At first I would only walk down the hall and back, then I walked halfway around and cut through the nurses station, and eventually I went all the way around. I also walked one flight of stairs near the end of my stay. Taking the back drain out didn't hurt at all. I don't even remember feeling it. Taking the cathedar out stung and burned a little bit, but not for long.

Paulasue: The L2 to T4 refers to the area of my spine that was fused. Its basically the top of my back down to the mid-bottom.

Good luck everyone.

[Jill K]

Thank you so much for preparing me even more for my surgery. You have helped me a lot, and i appreciate it. What other details can you share. How did the kids at your school treat you when you came back and right before sugery? Thanks for helping me and answering my questions.

[AngelP]

Jill,

Good luck, you'll do just great!

Angel

[AngelP]

Jill,
I had to donate 2 pints of blood and good thing I did as I needed both of them the day after my surgery. The process of giving blood wasn't really bad at all. The first time I was fine and wasn't even really tired. The 2nd time I donated was a week later and I was REALLY tired for at least a week after. You may want to take to the Blood Donation Center if they allow others to donate for you and if your insurance would cover it. We asked about others donating also, but they said the insurance wouldn't cover it if someone else donates and it would cost hundreds of dollars. Doesn't make sense to me but that is what I was told by more than one person.

Good luck, you'll do fine.

Angel

[paiger]

Some kids just said hi but most wrote me notes and gave me way to many hugs......ohh and ther was notes taped all over my locker when i got back. But after a week or so everything was normal again. But you should prepare to tell were you were and wat happened a billian times But it seemed lik i healed faster when i got back instead of bein home all the time...u now wat i mean!?!?!!
My curve were 57 or so on top b4 and 32 after
62 on bottom b4 and 26 after!!!

[paiger]

my sister pressed send..........................i wasnt finnished srry

thee only thing i remimer from recovery was when they slide a x-ray underneath me and i was crying for my mom right away!! it hurt pretty bad about a 10 but once i got pain meds it was only lik a 4 or so!!! And if ur in pain keep pressing the botton for pain controll!!I was pressing it so much that they gave me more and i felt a ton better.
once i was in a normal room well all the days kinda blend togather now but i remimber on the 3 day they made me sit up in a chair for a half hour and the 4 day i finally could eat soid food[even tho i didnt want to eat they made me and im glad they did]Also i had to get up to go to the bathroom [instead of a catheder]
And i had to go for my first walk but it didnt really work...sence i hadnt ate for a long time and i just recently did it upset my stomach so i thew up!. I had to start taking pain pill instead of an iv on the 5 day. I left onthe 6 morning and went back to scool 32 days after the day of surgery.
Dont freak out if you loose or gain any wieght... at first i was really bloated and looked pregnat then[gained 5lbs or 130 lbs.] Then after i was home for a couple days i was 117.[i originally was 125] I hope i havnt scared you i just wanted to be honest cuz sugar caoting it wont actually prepare you......Good Luck!!

[Jill K]

Thanks paiger and AngelP. You guys are really helping me to get ready for surgery. The only thing that sounds different for me is that i am getting my surgery (June 4) and i will recover over summer vacation. Do you think that if i have surgery on june 4, and my family reunion is july 28th or so, and the car trip is 3+ hours away...will i be up to it/feel ready? how much did you guys grow? Thanks for helping and reading my questions.