19 Year Old Male. Scoliosis Progressing.

[JDM555]

Wow! i am so impressed...really! and so fast! that is an amazingly quick recovery! congratulations...i am so glad that you have no pain to speak of! you must be really healthy, cause i bet you set a record for people who had this surgery under the age of 20!!! even considering your youth, i think your healing process is remarkable!

may you enjoy many many years with your new improved back!
do you think that you will set off the metal detectors at the airport?

jess

Yeah, my back is sometimes stiff, but that is normal. Walking is fine, I walk a lot on campus and seems to be ok. Healthy? Nooo lol. I have a lot of medical/health problems besides scoliosis, I think being young, going to the gym, and having a very good surgeon is the cause of my quick recovery. My surgeon is known for "extremely fast recovering patients" from what I was told by the head nurse at Stanford.

I talked to a couple of friends with this surgery and I definitely recovered faster than them, but I'm positive there are other teenagers who recovered quicker than me. I'm just glad the surgery is over and the worst has passed, I just want to return to the gym, I feel so lazy and tired sitting on the computer and in class and not working out and getting in shape. I lost 15-20lbs and I look horrible lol.


My back looks a LOT better than when I got home. All the dead skin peeled off and it's a nice clean line now, it will still get better and better over the years though. I just need to gain weight!

[RitaR]

How soon after your surgery were you on the computer? I hope to be doing some transcription postop if I can. Will probab ly help offset some of the bills that will be coming in =- at least help with.

[JDM555]

How soon after your surgery were you on the computer? I hope to be doing some transcription postop if I can. Will probab ly help offset some of the bills that will be coming in =- at least help with.

Well, on the internet/email/texts/aim/msn was all done through my iPhone the day...of surgery lol. Like 3 hours after I got out I already posted on here and saw all my guests and etc. etc.

The actual computer at home, from day 2 or day 3 of returning from the hospital. It wasn't that comfortable though sitting in the chair with a pillow behind my back. Now I can sit for hours and not be in pain.
John

[RitaR]

What degree was your curve? I'm at 90 deg at least...was 80 something degrees last Jul and I know it's worse now.

[JDM555]

What degree was your curve? I'm at 90 deg at least...was 80 something degrees last Jul and I know it's worse now.

I was 53* by Sept. 09, and I had surgery late Dec. so I'm guessing 55* and corrected to 15*.

[naptown78]

Airport

Jess- to answer your question about setting off alarms at the airport, I have flown several times since my fusion and I set off the alarm every time I walk through!
John, congrats on your lightning fast recovery!!! You are right about getting dr approval before taking any aspirin or Advil or Aleve. My surgeon specifically said none of that for 3 months after surgery because they inhibit fusion. Ed makes a good point. You aren't fused yet and you may be feeling so good that you may forget to follow your weight restrictions and bending and twisting restrictions. All the walking you are doing is so good for you. I don't envy you having to sit in those hard classroom chairs. Don't you wish you could stash a pillow in each classroom? I am very glad you are doing so well John :-))

[Radiogirl]

Hey John! WOW! That is such an awesome update!!!! YEA! I remember when you were still in the hospital in lots of pain! Wow..good job! Post some pictures of your new back so we can see what the scar looks like now and to see how straight it is.

Laura

[JenniferG]

Kristy, I flew in August and I did set off the alarms but it turned out to be my watch, not my fancy new spine!

[JDM555]

Thank you everyone! I am glad I am recovering and I hope the next 4-5 months fly by. I want to return to the gym very badly and get back in shape.

As far as setting off alarms, I keep hearing about people setting them off, what do you have to do to let them understand you have stainless steel in you. With security and all that nonsense, would I need like proof from a doctor or something or can I just lift my shirt and show my scar lol?

[naptown78]

Airport alarms

Its definitely my hardware that sets off the alarms. Doesn't matter if you have proof. They just pull you aside, and either pat you down (very gently), or wave a hand wand over you. The hand wand would go crazy all along my spine, lol!! I always tell them before I walk through that I am going to set off the alarms and why. You might want to allow for extra time if this is the case for you.

[Radiogirl]

John - When did your dr say you could start working out again? That's gonna drive me crazy, too!

[JDM555]

Its definitely my hardware that sets off the alarms. Doesn't matter if you have proof. They just pull you aside, and either pat you down (very gently), or wave a hand wand over you. The hand wand would go crazy all along my spine, lol!! I always tell them before I walk through that I am going to set off the alarms and why. You might want to allow for extra time if this is the case for you.

Oh really? I just hope most security workers are open-minded and don't think I have a bomb inside of me or something stupid like that and have me on the side for half an hour. I will show x-rays through my phone, my scar, and they can use the wand. That is going to be interesting though, haha.
John

John - When did your dr say you could start working out again? That's gonna drive me crazy, too!

Well, my doctor said I can return to gym and do very light weights at 6 months and return to actual lifting at 1 year. I can't wait till summer.

[sccrm08]

My cousin works for security at the airport. They don't care about your x-rays or a note from the Dr. anyone can come up with those. She told me to let them no before I go through so they only make me go through once then I am pulled aside they ask where the medal implants are and use the wand. Any where the wand goes off they ask if they could hurt me if they pat it down lightly. It has never been a problem getting through, but it does take time. They move at a pace of there own and I have been held up once for about an hour waiting for a female to pat me down then they decide they wanted to check my things for bomb resadue. I asked if this was because the alarm went off they said no I was just the random person that happened to be picked.

[jrnyc]

well...i've got a sister in law who had knee replacement..she sets off the alarms in airports...she has a card from her doctor with an explanation & with x rays on it...also her knee looks a little nasty & like it was cut up! she has had no problem with them believing her...took her 5 extra minutes the last time she flew just for them to take a look...and move her on...

those knee & hip replacements are becoming more & more common, i guess...so i guess airports are getting a little used to this kind of stuff, anyway!

jess

[mbeckoff]

As someone who has not had her surgery yet, I have a question about flying.

How comfortable is it?

Now that you have to remain in your seat for a longer period of time, it that going to be painful?

just some more questions in my mind

Thanks for all of your great answers

Melissa