April, May, June 2008 surgeries

[trishthedish]

You guys are awesome!

Yes, my new little buddy Dilaudid mixes up the keys for me-over to the right one and down one row. But thanks for caring enough to mention follow-ups from us all. I ended up with a posterior fusion from T2 to L2 with 3 wedge osteotomies at the apex of the curve. All in all, a correction from 74 degrees down to 30 degrees, I was told. I also ended up with right and left chest tubes, as the doc felt the rib deformity needed to be sculpted a bit. All this contributed to pain that was just incredible in my opinion, till about the 2nd post op day when I woke all locked in a fetal position and unresponsive to my name or to threats to tell The Great One (Dr. Shelokov) that I was being uncooperative and refusing my therapy. So after 2 ultrasounds and 2 CTS, it was determined that my gall bladder had stopped functioning due to the stress of the surgery, and was now inflamed and would have to come out. So after another trip to the OR I again awoke with 5 little stab wounds to my already puffy belly, and a fever that had dropped 2 degrees already. So that's about it; nothing much more to tell, except that I got discharged from Baylor Plano and never did go to Rehab. I imagine that for my 2 weeks check up, I should get rehab instructions to go along with it. What fun-can't wait to see what happens next, lol!

[Wishing]

I finally added my surgery date to the calendar. Thank you Susie Bee for the instructions. You are always so very helpful. My surgery is June 16th in St.Louis with Dr. Lenke. Posterior revision T1-L4 with apical VCR at T-7 for T97, L70.

Tricia: Congratulations on your surgery and hope the rest of your recovery goes well. At least you don't have to worry about another gallbladder attack ever. Do keep us informed of your progress. Good luck to you.

[Susie*Bee]

Sheesh...

I've been "away" for a couple of days, and there are way too many posts to read. I've got my work cut out for me! I took my laptop, but forgot the charger, so I only checked a little bit... and didn't post till now. I think I'm caught up on the calendar, so if you see something's not there that should be, please let me know! Or if any of you surgery gals and guys want something changed or added...

Good to hear from you, Trish. So sorry about the gallbladder problem. As if you didn't have enough problems!

Briarrose-- (and probably all the rest of you on this calendar list!) of course you're scared. We all (who are on the "other side") have been quaking in those very same shoes prior to our surgeries too... It goes with the territory. At least I don't think I'm the only one who felt that way!!! It's that very tenuous balance that moves between excitement and sheer trepidation, verging on insanity -- as in "what was I thinking of?!" "I musta been crazy to think I could do this!" and so on. You can add your own expletives, as desired. If you're like me, you think you've got these feelings mastered, periodically, but it's such a fleeting thing. Kind of like me trying to keep my balance on this balance thing you step onto at PT-- especially one-legged... and then with my eyes shut! For Pete's sake! I think I've got it mastered-- but the feeling of success only lasts about half a second. Then I have to grab the bars so I don't fall... You just have to remind yourself of all the positives that come with the surgery. And that very soon now you'll be one of us, moving on, going through recovery, with the surgery behind you. Yay! Then you'll be getting better and better too.

[TnGirl07]

thank you so much for doing that. its so thoughtful of you! good luck to everyone having surgeries coming up! We will all Recover together!! big hugs and prayers to all of you!

[Wishing]

Correction

Please note, I edited my previous post to put the correct fusion levels that are planned for my upcoming surgery. It is T1-L4 not L5 as I had indicated. I feel very blessed that I can have this surgery. I have a case of the butterflies, but I do know I have a very skilled, experienced and confident surgeon. I thank all who have told of their pre-surgery emotional experience and to know that these feelings are to be expected.

[CHRIS WBS]

Tricia,

I just saw your before and after pics in your blog. TERRIFIC! Wishing you all the best for a smooth recovery.

Chris

[Ginger W.]

WOW! I now feel like I'm really a part of this exclusive club, because I got named on Susie's list! I appreciate seeing the surgeries in list format as well as seeing the calendar. With Susie's excellent directions, I was able (after two attempts) to add my surgery below BriarRose and Angela who both have the same date.

It was amazing to read about Trish's (Trishthedish) challenging recovery with gallbladder surgery thrown in for "dessert". Trish, the before and after photos on your blog were fabulous.

[Susie*Bee]

and another one too...

Hey guys, it's not "my" list-- it's "our" list! I'm just helping by posting it. It makes it easy to see, at a glance...

iluvmath! (THANKS for gently correcting my mistake about you being a "her" and not a "he"-- sorry!!!!) is having her surgery May 21, so I'll add her to our really full list. She just turned 20 (on Monday!) and is a college student... this is a revision surgery-- she is having her old hardware removed (it broke because of non-fusion in some area(s?). They will re-fuse the part that didn't fuse and put new instrumentation/rods in.

If being on the "list" helped you feel important, Ginger, then so be it! You ARE important! And everyone on here is too! In all my life, I only "know" one person (other than myself) who has scoli, plus "know of" one teenager who wears a brace. So you guys are my connection/family of the scoli world. You make me realize there are so many of us-- but we are spread out, so our talking and getting to know one another, our sharing of so many things-- concerns, our fears, our struggles, our victories and successes, are all "voiced" here, in written word. The forum is really fabulous because it provides us with that capability. Otherwise, the scoli world is a pretty lonely place. Even if/when others try, they just cannot fully understand us... It's too bad I didn't know about it till 5 months after my surgery, but I got through it ok. But it is just great to be able to share, be encouraged, and try to help others now. So THANKS, everyone, for being such amazing scoli sisses and bros! You are too cool!

[iluvmath!]

Hey, just wanted to thank you for adding me to the list and thank everyone for all their support and prayers. I will definitely be thinking of and praying for everyone else on the list as well!!! I'm glad we can all be here to support each other.

Also, I'm a girl so not a "he" as you posted in your last message....lol...no worries though....just thought I'd let you know.

Thanks again!!!
--Katie

[Susie*Bee]

So sorry, Katie!

Dear iluvmath!-- Thanks for letting me know! I got it changed. I don't know why I thought you were a guy! But I've thought that for at least a couple months now. Remember back when I asked where you went to school and stuff like that? Oh well! And it's not because I'm sexist with the math thing either, because my youngest daughter is a math whiz -- majoring in it, a TA, goes to SAMSI workshops, etc. Anyway, my apologies for thinking that. And it's nice to see your "real" name. Definitely female!!!

[trishthedish]

Still here...

Susie*Bee, thanks so much for putting this thread together for periodic groups of surgeries. And thanks to those who've looked at my blog. I started it for my family mostly, because it's fun to freak them out with surgery pics, but us scoli folks aren't freaked by much at this point in our lives, are we?

Anyway, I have had a tired, sore day...just did too much I think. Next appt is at Dr. Shelokov's office in Plano on May 9, so we shall see.

God bless to all the surgeries in our little group. I always look forward to reading about everyone''s progress. Hang in there, you guys =) Better days are a-coming!

[Sharshe]

Hey All,
The other day my surgeries were re-scheduled to 5/16 and 5/23. Something about no OR available and no interns(figuring graduation maybe) . But I had P.A.T. today and have to go for a stress test, they found a heart murmur . Hopefully that won't throw a wrench in the works. The Dr. who was doing my medical clearance said many women have them but should still check it out because its such a huge surgery. I figure its best to make sure its nothing to worry too. Other than that all went well, only 2 more appointments down the city before the 1st big day. I can't wait!

[Susie*Bee]

Hey Sharon-- so sorry to hear about the delay-- and especially about the murmur. But you're right-- it's good to have it all checked out and have the A-OK before proceeding. I changed your dates in this thread. You'll have to do the official calendar ones though. I was thinking of you yesterday-- before you posted-- and was thinking "YIKES!--just one week away!" I'm sure you're wishing that were still the case-- you get to the point where you just want it over with. But it will be here soon, so enjoy your extra week.

It's funny, but I've sort of been reliving it all this week, because I'm almost to my one year anniversary-- May 4th. I keep thinking of how this or that was happening last year... May 2nd was my day off from work to do whatever I wanted-- I made cookies, cried a little, made sure everything was in order, etc. Then we headed up to Chicago on the 3rd... it's still so vivid in my mind.

One thing to all of you about to have your surgeries-- my husband took plenty of photos at the hospital so I could have them as memories. I've made a little scrapbook of my scoli journey... (you have to realize I'm NOT a scrapbook person!) He also kept a journal of what happened on what days, etc., and I've referred to it so much. Even when you THINK you are being clear-headed and lucid, you won't remember things very well... it will all be kind of hazy. Not a problem, in general, unless you WANT to recall things. We have a little notebook that has info from my appts., things leading up to the surgery, email and phone numbers, my other medications, and all that kind of stuff. It has been so useful. That is what he wrote my hospital journal in. I'm so glad we have things written down! Even if you don't have someone who can do it for you, you might still want to try yourself, with very basic things... Also, we kept track of all the meds I took, even till I stopped completely with pain meds. So I have a list of dosages and times for all of it. Probably never really need to know, but it seems like it's a good thing to have. Anyway, just thought I'd mention that in case someone wishes later on they had written things down...

PS--just thought I'd add my reasons for making the scrapbook--the obvious is to look back on this BIG event... for my own and family's enjoyment (definitely not the word to use!!!) But the other reason is because I thought, when I'm long gone, that it might be useful if scoli shows up down the line... my daughters don't have it, but that doesn't necessarily mean it won't get passed on... they can see exactly what my problems were and what surgery I had. I have photos of x-rays, diagnosis, etc., all mixed in with regular photos and info, in the scrapbook. More fun to read-- and much easier for someone later on to find --an album rather than just a file folder of boring stuff that would probably get tossed. My thought anyway.

[Sharshe]

Susie*Bee,
Yes, I just want the surgery over. Bring it on! But I'll have some running around time with my mom now. She'll still come in on Mother's Day and she'll be able to come with me for the stress test (I won't have to take the train into Philly by myself, I'm a bit of a chicken when it comes to things like that)
I'm not a scrape booker either but thats a neat idea. It might give me something to do. Since my normal gardening will be out of the question this summer it would be a good distraction.

[leahdragonfly]

how are you, Dalmatica?

I thought dalmatica was having anterior/posterior surgeries April 14th and 18th--how did everything go??

Gayle