Hi everyone-
I had my first appointment today with Dr. Boachie. My appointment was originally scheduled for December but they moved it up to today. I was shocked to see that in 2004 my thoracic curve was 48 degrees and my lumbar curve was 42 degrees and today, only five years later, my thoracic curve measured 55 degrees and my lumbar curve measured 58 degrees!!! I have had 2 kids since then so I guess that's why my curve progressed so much! I was contemplating surgery a few months ago but after meeting with Dr. Boachie today and seeing these x-rays I feel like I have no choice but to get the surgery. I am only 31 years old and am in alot of pain and can't see living like this for the rest of my life. I am absolutely terrified of the surgery, and am starting to have alot of anxiety about it. Dr. Boachie seemed so calm, cool and collected though in going through the details. It seems to me that my surgery is like a piece of cake to him since he's done so many. He seems very knowledgeable so that made me feel alot better. He said the surgery would only be 3 1/2 - 4 hours and it would be a posterior fusion. It would be from T4-L3. The one thing I am confused about is that he is not including L4 in the fusion because that is the vertebrae that has alot of degenerative changes in it, and he said you want to stop at a vertebrae that is normal (which is my L3). This way I will also get to maintain alot of my mobility and flexibility. The thing that confuses me is that I read a previous post from Jimbo that said his surgeon is including his L4 in his fusion because the disc is bad and his surgeon said he has to include it. That's kind of the opposite of what my dr. is telling me. Does anyone know anything about this?
Anyway, I am booking my surgery for June 2010. I know it is still 7 months away, but then my son is out of school and I don't have to worry about driving him back and forth to school and my daughter will be 3years old. Right now she is 2 1/2 and she still wants to be picked up all the time. She is still very dependent on me to do everything. I will use this extra time to exercise and get in shape.
Just thought I'd say I am sooo thankful for this website as for the past few months I have been reading your posts everyday and have gained the courage to book my appointment with Dr. Boachie and go through with this surgery. Don't think I would have ever have made this decision without reading your stories!
JenM
I had my first appointment today with Dr. Boachie. My appointment was originally scheduled for December but they moved it up to today. I was shocked to see that in 2004 my thoracic curve was 48 degrees and my lumbar curve was 42 degrees and today, only five years later, my thoracic curve measured 55 degrees and my lumbar curve measured 58 degrees!!! I have had 2 kids since then so I guess that's why my curve progressed so much! I was contemplating surgery a few months ago but after meeting with Dr. Boachie today and seeing these x-rays I feel like I have no choice but to get the surgery. I am only 31 years old and am in alot of pain and can't see living like this for the rest of my life. I am absolutely terrified of the surgery, and am starting to have alot of anxiety about it. Dr. Boachie seemed so calm, cool and collected though in going through the details. It seems to me that my surgery is like a piece of cake to him since he's done so many. He seems very knowledgeable so that made me feel alot better. He said the surgery would only be 3 1/2 - 4 hours and it would be a posterior fusion. It would be from T4-L3. The one thing I am confused about is that he is not including L4 in the fusion because that is the vertebrae that has alot of degenerative changes in it, and he said you want to stop at a vertebrae that is normal (which is my L3). This way I will also get to maintain alot of my mobility and flexibility. The thing that confuses me is that I read a previous post from Jimbo that said his surgeon is including his L4 in his fusion because the disc is bad and his surgeon said he has to include it. That's kind of the opposite of what my dr. is telling me. Does anyone know anything about this?
Anyway, I am booking my surgery for June 2010. I know it is still 7 months away, but then my son is out of school and I don't have to worry about driving him back and forth to school and my daughter will be 3years old. Right now she is 2 1/2 and she still wants to be picked up all the time. She is still very dependent on me to do everything. I will use this extra time to exercise and get in shape.
Just thought I'd say I am sooo thankful for this website as for the past few months I have been reading your posts everyday and have gained the courage to book my appointment with Dr. Boachie and go through with this surgery. Don't think I would have ever have made this decision without reading your stories!
JenM
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