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The first February surgeries are here!

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  • #76
    Welcome home! So happy to hear you are doing better this time around.
    Geish
    47 years old, dx at 13
    +30* to the right, +60* to the left, +30* to the right
    Surgery 12-13-07 - fusion from T4 to sacrum.


    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...tachmentid=267 Pre surgery
    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...tachmentid=268 Post surgery
    http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/DSC01091.jpg Xray from the side
    http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...1089-1-1-1.jpg Xray from the back

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    • #77
      Welcome home! We're certainly glad to have you back where you belong!
      Becky, 46 years old
      Diagnosed at 13 with mild scoliosis
      Ignored until 448/07
      Left thoracic 49* T5-T11
      Right thorocolumbar 60* T11-L4
      Surgery Monday, June 9, 2008 Oklahoma Spine Hospital
      Fused T-10 to L-5
      14 titanium pedicle screws
      Corrected to approx. 10* YEA!!!
      Email

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      • #78
        Welcome home trulyaries! Sending lots of healing vibes your way!
        Anne
        Mum to Annessa, age 15
        53 degree thoracic curve down to 10 degrees.
        Date of surgery: 7th Feb 2008
        Edinburgh, Sick Kids
        Fused T4 - L1

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        • #79
          Trulyaries, it will be so good to hear from you more once you are up to it. This is the hard part, coming out of the fog. The fatigue DOES eventually go away, but it takes awhile! Glad you are home.
          31 year old female
          55* (day of surgery) thoracic curve w/compensatory lumbar
          T4-T12 on Aug 15, 2007

          MRI, pre-surgery
          Xray, 3 mos. post-op
          Machu Picchu, 8 mos. post-op

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          • #80
            Welcome home Trulyaries. Hoping your recovery is a smooth one this time!
            mariaf305@yahoo.com
            Mom to David, age 17, braced June 2000 to March 2004
            Vertebral Body Stapling 3/10/04 for 40 degree curve (currently mid 20's)

            https://www.facebook.com/groups/ScoliosisTethering/

            http://pediatricspinefoundation.org/

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            • #81
              Okay, I'm a little more wide awake today. Last night, for the first time in ALL of my surgeries, I slept right through my PDA alarm which wakes me to take my meds! I haven't noticed any effects yet from missing that dose. I must have been VERY tired or the drugs are REALLY good. I'm on Vistaril (?), Valium, Tylenol, a stool softener, and some meds I was on before, including Gabapentin. The valium isn't making me quite so loopy yet, so I'm not amusing as I thought I would be.

              As far as the surgery, Doc ended up doing what he said he would do: Discectomy at L5-S1 with BMP reinforcement of the fusion, and a plate attached to L5-S1. So far, I'm standing up straight - woo-hoo!

              I must tell you a story about my niece (I just love her so much). We had a total laugh attack in the pre-surgical room. My surgery was delayed because they had an emergency surgery in my OR so we had a lot of time to sit around and talk. She was telling me all the things I did with my previous surgeries that I did but don't remember. It's quite amazing and a bit frightening that so many things are gone from my memory. Well, I recently did all my estate planning and named her as my executor and patient advocate. So I accused her: YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE ME CRAZY SO YOU CAN DECLARE ME INCOMPETENT AND TAKE ALL MY MONEY! We laughed so hard I think the hospital staff thought we WERE crazy. We also play the game of keeping track of how many times people come in and ask me the same questions: "5" - "check" then laugh. Another funny thing: the surgical nurse came in blabbering that in the OR we would be a family and we would all bond with each other! So I looked at my niece and said, "... And then we'll all sing Kumbaya!" Nobody laughed but us. Yeah, they thought were crazy, but you can't say I was nervous before my surgery!

              And for Pam's little survey, I was out cold from the pre-anesthetic before I left the pre-op room. Drugs have an easy time with me. Post-op I did have some nausea, sleeplessness, and one neighbor who kept her TV on all night but slept hard, snoring and snorting with sleep apnea.

              My biggest gripe - I think I should re-design hospital rooms - was this: Every time someone came in - doctors, nurses, assistants, food service - they would move something out of my reach, whether the TV, the call button, the bed tray, or something on the tray. They run out so fast I wouldn't remember to have them put everything back. I told the assistants I could save like 50% of their calls if the room was designed properly. If I had known that would happen, I would have taken one of my grabbers with me!

              Seriously, as I said, I have a lot invested in this surgery and I'm determined to do everything by the book so I can feel secure that I didn't do anything to jeopardize the fusion. Please keep your fingers crossed and your prayers said that this one does the trick. I don't think I can go through this anymore.

              Thought for the day for all of you: Healing takes courage and we all have courage, even if we have to dig to find it.
              FeliciaFeliciaFelicia
              10/24/00 posterior fusion T4-L4 at age 57
              8/5/05 posterior surgery for spinal stenosis at L4-L5; laminectomy and fusion
              5/14/07 posterior revision with fusion to sacrum
              2/11/08 anterior discectomy L5-S1, and reinforcement of fusion with plate attached to L5-S1
              3/9/2011 and 3/11/2011 revision surgery with Dr. Lenke, St. Louis - complete revision and fusion with instrumentation from T1 to sacrum, one lumbar osteotomy.

              Comment


              • #82
                You're great!

                Trulyaries--it was so good to get a long, newsy update from you! And good to see your sense of humor is still intact!!! You and your niece must be quite a duo...

                Keep up the good work-- which really means taking good care of yourself. And it sounds like that is definitely what your plan is. I myself undoubtedly err on the cautious side of the pendulum, but would rather do that than something that would jeopardize the fusion too. Although I have a feeling that if something goes wrong with me, it will regardless. You've already done enough of that, so this time it should be "good to go"... all you need to do is heal and take it easy for awhile... ok, and build up your strength, and so on and so on...

                And "yes"-- I've got my fingers and toes crossed for you--and have you in my prayers. Take care!
                71 and plugging along... but having some problems
                2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
                5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
                Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

                Corrected to 15°
                CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
                10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

                Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

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                • #83
                  Thanks Susie. And belated thanks to all of you for those lovely "welcome back" notes. You are all great!
                  FeliciaFeliciaFelicia
                  10/24/00 posterior fusion T4-L4 at age 57
                  8/5/05 posterior surgery for spinal stenosis at L4-L5; laminectomy and fusion
                  5/14/07 posterior revision with fusion to sacrum
                  2/11/08 anterior discectomy L5-S1, and reinforcement of fusion with plate attached to L5-S1
                  3/9/2011 and 3/11/2011 revision surgery with Dr. Lenke, St. Louis - complete revision and fusion with instrumentation from T1 to sacrum, one lumbar osteotomy.

                  Comment

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