Ta-daaaaah! After x-rays ...

[Neesasmum]

Hi Pam

Your post-op x-rays are excellent! Well done! Great to hear your stories on your recovery journey!

Anne

[lisanicole]

Bath time!

Pam,

Yay for baths! I remember when I finally took my first bath after surgery... it was HEAVEN! I don't really post that much, but I have been reading your posts and even showed some of my family your powerpoint pictures of your surgery (I never had any pictures taken during or after my surgery and I really regret it!) I did get my xrays though, which I love looking at. Thanks so much for posting those, this forum is such a blessing. And by you sharing your experience I'm sure it has helped so many people.

Anyways just thought I'd throw in some minimal advice - when I took my first bath it was very awkward getting in and out of the tub, be careful (especially since you'll probably be exhausted afterwards!) I'm sure I don't even have to say any of that.. but just incase! ALSO I took a pillow in with me to have something to lean against. My back was so tender/bruised/weird feeling that leaning against the bare tub was really uncomfortable. But I remember sitting in the tub just crying from satisfaction at how great sitting in a hot bath felt. Savour it!

Congratulations on everything Pam, I don't even know you but I'm very proud of you!

[Suzy]

Awesome x-ray's Pam!
I am a bit jealous at the quality of them, mine are never that clear.

I have learned not to read ANY post of yours while eating or drinking and advise others to do the same!! I was so happy to read you are driving now, I figured it was about time. (The freedom is so wonderful after being stuck at home.) I want to mention you might want to drive around speed bumps for a bit as they are not your friend at this point in recovery.

Dr. Hanson is quite the guy. I LOVE the fact that he took the time to have your surgery documented. Did you ask him to do it for you? It really was done well. It doesn't matter how many times I see the surgery on film or a movie of it, it still amazes me. We are VERY lucky to have it available. Keep up the great recovery!

[betsy]

Congrats, Pam, on that straight back! That's amazing. It sounds like you're doing really good. I sure hope I can live up to that. You don't talk much about pain. How is it now? Also did all your pre-surgery preparations pay off? Did you need anything you didn't do? What kind of chair do you sit in while not in bed? I'm using your lists to get ready!

Betsy

[txmarinemom]

Dr. Hanson is quite the guy. I LOVE the fact that he took the time to have your surgery documented. Did you ask him to do it for you?

Yeah, I'm pretty fond of him - and thankful every day for his surgical talent!

I actually initially asked if he would film the surgery. Unfortunately (I thought at the time), Methodist Hospital is not set up for filming in OR's (it's my understanding they're planning to redo some or all to change that).

Right after he told me he couldn't film, he offered to take still shots and create the .ppt, which I think turned out FAR better. It would have been a bit more difficult to snag frames out of a moving film and get the clarity of what he provided.

Regards,
Pam

[txmarinemom]

Congrats, Pam, on that straight back! That's amazing. It sounds like you're doing really good. I sure hope I can live up to that. You don't talk much about pain. How is it now? Also did all your pre-surgery preparations pay off? Did you need anything you didn't do? What kind of chair do you sit in while not in bed? I'm using your lists to get ready!

Thanks ;-). I read it before my surgery, and after training for this 5K, I can't repeat enough ... walking after surgery is THE best thing you can do!

The pain is minimal now (except for the first 30 min or so of the day until meds/coffee take effect), although I'm still on pain meds. As long as they're allowing me to return to activity (and no, I don't mean mask the pain while I overdo), and sleep (and lmao ... I just looked at the time - it's 2:45 a.m., but I took a nap this afternoon after my doctor's appt. I was tuckered out! This isn't normal anymore.), I'm in no rush to get off them just so I can say "I was off by _______ weeks post-op. It's just not a big deal to me.

I'm on nothing stronger (in fact, nothing nearly as strong) than I was during 4 years of pain mgmt. The time between doses is longer than it was when I came home, so eventually I'll just transition to Advil if I need anything.

Yes, the pre-surgery prep paid off, and I way overprepped - LOL. I also decided against a tub seat and bathtub rail: My tub is deep enough the rail would have actually been TOO high, and (stop laughing) I used my kitchen folding step stool as a tub seat. Tres redneck, but very effective. You can certainly break the bank buying a bunch of medical equipment you'll only use a short while - if at all. I did find the handheld shower I installed to be *invaluable*.

When not in bed (but I have it set up where I can raise the head of my mattress with a remore controlled air bladder), or out running around, I just sit in my desk chair. Nothing more than a leather executive type chair you can find at Office Depot. I had it prior to surgery.

I'll work on revising "the list" and posting. Looking back, I had FAR too many to-do's that didn't mean squat, but I had to be really, really, really sure I covered the bases without someone else here.

That, and it kept me busy - and focused on something other than worrying. When you have entries on your to-do list like "Have Courtney remind me to put body jewelry back in" it's time to put down the damn list and back away - LOL!

Regards,
Pam

[Carmell]

Hi Pam,

I think its fairly safe to say that there are MANY members of this forum (including me) who read your threads/posts and smile, but never actually post to tell you we appreciate your candidness and ability to paint such a picture with words. Thanks for taking us all along on your journey through this pre- and post-surgical experience.

One comment... please check with your surgeon before taking too much Advil or anything with ibuprofen or aspirin. Some surgeons believe this may contribute to pseudoarthrosis (failed fusion). You don't want to risk anything like failed fusion until you've been given the all clear from the doc, knowing your fusion is solidly in place. Just be careful please.

[Singer]

Looks like a great correction -- congratulations!

[txmarinemom]

One comment... please check with your surgeon before taking too much Advil or anything with ibuprofen or aspirin. Some surgeons believe this may contribute to pseudoarthrosis (failed fusion). You don't want to risk anything like failed fusion until you've been given the all clear from the doc, knowing your fusion is solidly in place. Just be careful please.

Thanks for the heads up, Carmell ... I had no idea!

[Susie*Bee]

Pam--my understanding that it's all NSAIDs... It was my 6 month check-up before I could start taking my arthritis medicine again (Diclofenac/Voltaren)...

[lisanicole]

Voltaren...

Pam--my understanding that it's all NSAIDs... It was my 6 month check-up before I could start taking my arthritis medicine again (Diclofenac/Voltaren)...

Hi Susie*Bee!

Sorry to "eavesdrop" on your post to Pam, but I saw that you have arthritis and you take voltaren. I have mild arthritis that came after my surgery.. and my specialist has prescribed me voltaren. It doesn't bother me on a daily basis but I'll have "flare ups" usually when the weather changes, or if I've over exerted myself. My question is - how often do you taken voltaren? I only take it when I have a flare up, because it really seems to knock me out. Does it have that affect on you? I've never met someone taking the same meds... that's why I ask! Thanks for any info you have.

take care!

[rosie1108]

Same here

I just wanted to note that I too was told no NSAIDS for 6 months. I can take up to 4g of acetaminophen, but no other OTC pain meds as many are thought to interfere with bone growth.

[mariaf]

Hi Pam,

One comment... please check with your surgeon before taking too much Advil or anything with ibuprofen or aspirin. Some surgeons believe this may contribute to pseudoarthrosis (failed fusion). You don't want to risk anything like failed fusion until you've been given the all clear from the doc, knowing your fusion is solidly in place. Just be careful please.

OK, I can't recall what over the counter med it was, but I remember one mom telling me that Dr. D'Andrea had a cow when she found out about SOMETHING the mom gave the kid for pain. I"m gonna e-mail the mom right now - but I bet it's in this same family of meds - because she said D'Andrea mentioned it contributing to failed fusion. Fortunately, the kid did fine but that stuck in my head.

I'll report back.

[MATJESNIC]

Maria,

It was Advil. Dr. D'Andrea went nuts when she found out that the patient was taking it. But some doctors believe that the good outweighs the bad. Tylenol doesn't seem to work on the pain as well as Advil so they let their patients take it. Nicole was told to take Tylenol and we actually stopped Advil about a month before surgery and haven't had any since.

[Susie*Bee]

lisanicole...

I've had arthritis for several years now-- and it bothers me if I'm not taking it on a regular basis. I take two 75.mg tablets daily. It mostly controls the aches, but not always. I took Vioxx for several years and then another one that was "in the news" after that too, then tried one other before settling on voltaren.

Speaking of ibuprofen, advil, etc.,-- when I got some fairly severe headaches a few times during the first few months of my recovery (and was still taking Norco, which has some tylenol in it), my scoli nurse said I could take Excedrin for the headache. You're not supposed to take very much tylenol, so I couldn't take any extra for the headache.