December Surgeries: Recovery Thread!

[Geish]

Thanks Susie*Bee! I will be taking it pretty easy for a few days.

Renee~ she is 15 and plays for Big Bear High School. They just finished a 2 weekend tournament in Rialto. Yesterday was the first day of league play and she was in Desert Mirage...a 3 1/2 hr drive each way! She is a freshman and is on the JV squad playing 3rd and left field.

[flowerpower]

Alicia,

Did you daughter play rec ball also? I think we played Big Bear at a tournament in Rancho Cucamonga last summer & I think we saw them at a Las Vegas Tournament over Thanksgiving weekend. Just funny to think our paths may have crossed at some point (or will)

Renee

[Geish]

Actually she injured her knee during rec ball last spring and didn't play most of the season. She did go to the UK and Ireland last summer on crutches though! She is a People to People Student Ambassador. This year she is headed to Japan.

[flowerpower]

Wow, what an awesome opportunity!! My older son had an invitation to be a Student Ambassador in 2005/2006 when he was on a bowling team. Unfortunately it was right after his surgery so he wasn't able to attend. He still gets an occasional invite but he's not involved in sports anymore. I'll bet Ireland was beautiful. She must be excited about Japan...how wonderful to see the world at such a young age

Renee

[Geish]

So I had my latest check up yesterday. I believe it was 16-17 weeks post op. The appointment went well once my Dr got to the office, he was stuck behind a traffic accident. My new xrays looked great and he thought that the fusion was at about 80% and should be complete by 6 months post op. I was still not cleared to be out of the brace but I am supposed to wean myself out of it over the next few weeks. Just a precaution but I was hoping to be able to throw it away. I will post the xrays when I download them off of the camera.

Dr Ganocy said that when he looks at the screws in my pelvis he see no haloing (little shadows that show that things have come loose or the fusion hasn't taken) and that was where he thought he might see some. Actually there are no halos anywhere (definitely not above my head either!). I was cleared to start at the gym, no PT since for some crazy reason he thinks I was fit and active before so just get my butt back in the gym instead. I was cleared to do any leg work I want and have an email in to him to clarify which weight machines I can use for my upper body. No crunches EVER (darn) but and can do any ab work that involves bringing my knees up to my torso without bending my back.

The full count on the hardware is 2 22 inch titanium rods, 12 pedicle screws and 8 hooks plus assorted cross pieces for stability. I was given a card to laminate to carry with me when I travel. Hopefully it helps, I will let you know in November when I go to Maui for Thanksgiving.

I was told that at 6 months I am cleared to return to any activity that doesn't involve bending or twisting my back. I don't return to the Dr for 4-8 months, my call on when I want to see him again. Probably close to the year mark for me unless there is a problem. I am guessing that at a year I will be cleared for rollercoasters but will double check before I take the plunge.
Hope everyone is doing well. Stay strong!
Alicia

[Pooka1]

Geish, that sounds like a great appointment on all counts.

I didn't realize fusions can be complete by 6 months.

That's wonderful.

It is so interesting to read the recovery trajectories from everyone. I appreciate that folks write it all down like that.

sharon

[Geish]

Dr Ganocy used bone from my spine as well as BMP and I think that had a lot to do with it, but really I have no idea. I do know that at about 4 weeks or so post op I "felt" more solid in my back. I can't really describe the sensation, just that it didn't feel like it did before surgery but heavier. All of a sudden it felt like my back was better protected and a lot less fragile. I don't know if that makes sense. I have never had a broken bones so I have no idea if it is the same kind of feeling.

[skoshi314]

I was still not cleared to be out of the brace but I am supposed to wean myself out of it over the next few weeks. Just a precaution but I was hoping to be able to throw it away.
Alicia

Hey Alicia!
That's fantastic! Ah, I'm so looking forward to being in your shoes! That just seems like at long time from now though.

Alicia, I think you are one of the few adults I've heard about that's been required to wear a brace post-op so you will probably be my go-to-girl for brace questions (among a thousand other questions as well). My doc will require me to wear one for about 3 months. How much longer does your doc want you to wear it? That's one of the many things I'm not looking forward to so any info you would be willing to share would be great.

Again, I'm thrilled things are going so well for you. Congratulations!

[txmarinemom]

Dr Ganocy used bone from my spine as well as BMP and I think that had a lot to do with it, but really I have no idea.

Yep, it does, Geish ... use of rhBMP-2 can cut fusion time by almost 3/4 in some cases

Hanson used a combo of BMP and allograft on me (you can see in my surgical photos where they lay the BMP soaked sponges between the rods before packing the rest of the graft).

Regards,
Pam

(and that's too funny Ganocy remembers a wet-behind-the-ears Hanson ... they all know each other in some way - LOL!)

[Geish]

I was told I needed to wear it because my fusion is so long. 15 vertebrae is huge! Anyway I have to wear it for a few more weeks but not full time, he said I can start weaning myself off of it. I know the muscles well be tired now that they have to start supporting themselves so I expect to nap more. If I had had my appt in 2 more weeks instead of yesterday he probably would have said throw it away. Since I am not quite at the 4 month mark he is being careful. I will wear it off and on for the next 4 weeks just to be safe.

He did say that the fusion should be about done, however he also said that they can never be sure that it took fully. He said that people have had the hardware removed a few years done the road only to find that part of the fusion collapsed. He doesn't recommend removing hardware unless there is a real problem with it for just this reason.

[trulyaries]

I do know that at about 4 weeks or so post op I "felt" more solid in my back.

Funny - that's exactly how I have been describing my back since my last anterior surgery - it feels solid. My doc used BMP this time and I'm also wearing a brace after both of my most recent surgeries. I'm at about the 7-week mark, and will save my recovery post until my 3-month checkup. Glad to hear you're doing so well.

[Susie*Bee]

brace...

I wore one for 4-5 months post-op-- for 4 months when sitting, standing, walking-- so basically all the time except when lying down. Then they had me wean off from wearing it-- 4 hours off/day the first week, then 8 hours, 12 hours, then totally. I usually broke up the time out of it into shorter increments to make it easier--like half the amount at a time. Even so, my back REALLY got tired and occasionally I had to put my brace on for a little relief in the evening-- or go lie down for awhile. I took an afternoon nap back then, so that helped some. Of course, now I can't imagine wearing it. Geish--mine was 15 vertebrae also. Glad to hear you are doing so well!!!

[skoshi314]

Brace

Ok, well apparently I wasn't paying attention! I don't know why I'm dreading it so much, it sounds like it's a good thing. I appreciate your input, ladies.

[Singer]

Way to go, Geish! And just to add my two cents to the brace issue, I actually brought mine along to the hairdresser's today (even though I officially weaned out of it at 4 months), because I need to wear it when I lean back in the chair for a shampoo. I think it has to do with my being so short. Also, sometimes I put the brace on to cook and/or clean up dinner if my back is especially sore.

[Susie*Bee]

Singer-- I used to wear mine too, to get my hair done, but my neck still ached afterward... and sometimes I would get kind of wet too. I now take two bed pillows with me to sit on, they give me added height. I've threatened to come in my pj's too, and carry a teddy... Anyway, I think my back feels solid enough now, but I just don't have the height to sit back in that chair at the sink. Oh well. It's that time again tomorrow. I'll see how I do. I may have to go gray one of these days!