Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Need Your Input Asap!!!

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Need Your Input Asap!!!

    My fusion (T3-L5) is 8 yoa and both of my TSRH rods are broken along with my fusion about 4 to 5" up from the bottom. I suffer from major sciatica in rt leg, left SI pain, and my ribs on my right side are now sitting down on top of my pelvis. My doctor has to fix it and use bone graft, etc....you all know the details but here is my dilemma: He told me it would be a 5-6 day stay in the hospital, two months of no driving, 3 months off work and here's the kicker, 5 to 6 months till I can pick up my baby who is now 16 months old. He can do it April 23rd but I told him that I would like to wait till fall because the baby will be closer to two and maybe won't require being carried so much. Should I wait, continue to eat Percosets and use my cane or do it now? What would you do???? The thought of not being able to carry her and being a giant pain in my husbands and mom's butt for three months makes me sick. I figured that this would just be a quick fixer-upper. Why is this procedure going to require a stay in the hospital and recovery that is as long as the giant first surgery was? Thank you, Krysi

  • #2
    Krysi,

    The surgery is still a long recovery because your bone and muscles still need to grow back together and become strong again. I was given the same story for my revision surgery and in my case the full recovery is still long but not as intense as the first surgery is. My surgery was on a Thursday morning and I ended up going home on Sunday morning. It just depends on how well you do in the hospital and how well you tolerate the surgery. Nobody can say definitly that the hospital stay will take this long and recovery this long. Each one is so different. You could be in and out of the hospital and recovery can just zip along or it can drag on for months. The surgery itself also can take a while because they have to cut through all of the bone fusion and usually the rod is encased in bone. My first revision surgery was only a year after my original surgery and I remember the doctor saying that there were bone chips flying everywhere trying to get to where they could do the osteotomy. I was able to do alot of things earlier after the revision surgery. I don't know what to tell you on when to do the surgery. Only you know how bad the pain is. You also have to think about how many pills are you taking also because they will restrict what you can safely do as well. I would hate to be doubling up on the meds and then try to drive the car to go to the store. No matter when you do the surgery you will still need help from your mom and husband. After my revision I was driving within a couple of weeks. You will still be able to hold and hug your daughter, you just need to do it in a sitting down position. Are you able to maybe put her in a mother's day out program or a half day of daycare to where she has kids to play with and to give you a little break for part of the day? Just some ideas to think about.
    Last edited by Theresa; 04-01-2007, 09:50 PM.
    Theresa

    April 8 & 12, 2004 - Anterior/Posterior surgery 15 hours & 7 hours
    Thorasic - 79 degree down to 22
    Lumbar - 44 degree down to 18
    Fused T2 to sacrum
    June 2, 2005 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @L3 7 hours
    MAY 21, 2007 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @ L2, extended the fusion to S2 and added pelvic instrumentation 9 hours

    FUSED T2 - SACRUM 2

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Krysi
      My gut feeling would be to get it over with. You will still need the same amount of help even when your baby is two maybe even more as she will be that much more into everything. It sounds like you are in a great deal of discomfort and you will not enjoy your daughter as much as when you are pain free. Could you find some neighbours, friends to help out a few hours a day or even a week? Llike Thersa said you will still be able to hold and hug her when sitting. Good luck with your decision and your surgery.
      mom of Patrick, age 15 at time of surgery
      diagnosed July 2006 curves T58 L 38

      Nov. 2006 curves T72 L38
      also lordoscoliosis

      feb.2007 curves T79 L43

      Surgery May 16 2007
      fused T4 to L1

      Comment


      • #4
        The longer you wait the more deconditioned you will become because of the pain. The curves may also increase giving you less of a correction.
        Original scoliosis surgery 1956 T-4 to L-2 ~100 degree thoracic (triple)curves at age 14. NO hardware-lost correction.
        Anterior/posterior revision T-4 to Sacrum in 2002, age 60, by Dr. Boachie-Adjei @Hospital for Special Surgery, NY = 50% correction

        Comment


        • #5
          Prepare before surgery.

          dalmatica

          Its a tough spot. So sorry to hear about it. It sounds like you have already made up you mind to have surgery soon.

          I was trying to think of who may be able to help you to set up your life to before surgery to make it easier for you and your child after surgery.

          1. Occupational therapist--might have some helpful/practical suggestions.
          2. Parenting class--to help you to redirect your child's attention so you don't have to pick her up as much.
          3. Practice now, not picking her up. Make a note of when it is unavoidable. Like getting into the car seat. I let my kids climb up on their own as soon as they were able to. Its takes a lot longer, but usually works. They feel like they accomplish something. Once my kids started walking, I would tell them that I couldn't pick them up. They get used to it eventually. Get a kid sized table for snacks and feeding when you are alone--instead of the highchair. My kid chairs will even hold an adult, so you can sit together--if its comfortable for you. Once you feel like it, you can play on the floor together. Remember, you can give a hand without actually picking him up.

          I'm not sure if any of this is useful.

          I decided to wait to have my surgery until my kids are older, but I am not as bad off as you. So maybe I am not the best person to respond to this, but I wanted to say something because I really empathize with your position.

          All the best. Let us know if you work something out.

          p

          Comment


          • #6
            Don't put it off

            Here is my feeling about your terrible predicament:
            1. Do it now before you do irreversible damage.
            2. Don't lift anything over 5 lb., INCLUDING YOUR LITTLE ONE!

            I know how much you need to be able to take care of baby, but you need to get help to come in to help, and you need to do this immediately. You don't want to be a complete cripple; watching your child growing up, do you?

            I am so sorry this has happened to you. It sounds like your doctor did not explain carefully enough to you just what you could an could not do after your first surgery. Either that, you didn't listen to him/her.

            I had a posterior thoracic fusion of T3 to T11 in December 2006. Two weeks ago I sat down too quickly on our sofa and knocked two screws loose. They are poking out, but have not broken the skin. I too may face more surgery where my doc would fuse the present fusion to the lumbar vertebrae. I know how hard it is to force yourself to be careful. You get to feeling good....and then in a careless moment all is lost and you have to begin again. For me, my doc wants to wait to see how much healing takes place and if I can stand the pain. I too am on Percocet.

            Keep your chin up and get that help you need.

            Comment


            • #7
              Henderr,

              I followed the doctor's orders to the "t" after surgery. No riding the horse for a year, wore my brace for three months, etc... I keep my weight down, I exercise four days a week (I am a clinical exercise physiologist in a hospital), I was a model patient in every way. I continued seeing him about once a year until 2003. His instructions where to do whatever I felt like and that I would know my limitations. I knew back in 03 that things were starting to go south but since nothing showed up on the x-ray at that time, he said everything was fine. I truly think that that was the time that the fusion started to break down. That is when I started the steriod injections in both my SI joints and epidurals and even had a caudal done just last fall. None of those ever helped longer than a day or two.

              Comment


              • #8
                Steroid Injections

                I wonder if the steroid injections could have caused some bone softening in your fusion? I seem to remember that steroids can cause osteoporosis. Could this explain the breaking down of the fusion? I truely believe that doctors don't always know everything and that one has to use one's own best judgement after hearing what the doc has to say. Second opinions are important too. I wish I had gotten one before I got my surgery in the first place. Well, anyway, I certainly wish you the best.

                Comment

                Working...
                X