had my 6 month postop visit in st. louis; as i was told beforehand, i saw one of the fellows (Dr Rahman), will see Dr Lenke at 1 yr f/u; xrays were taken and showed good healing with resolution of curves; i have no pain; my energy level has very slowly improved as has my balance; the weakness in my left quad is gone and i climb stairs without reaching for a railing or tiring; lower back still a little numb; foot drop almost resolved; biggest negative is the loss of flexibility: can put on my socks but it's at the end of my stretch, have to fold my legs under me to clip my toenails; about to test it all in a few wks when my wife and i take a 10 day trip to the Galapagos Islands which will involve a lot of hiking
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6 months postop
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6 months postop
junosand
59 yo recently retired otolaryngologist (ENT surgeon)
schedule oct 2010 for T11 - sacrum fusion, all posterior approach with pedicle screws, steels rods, revision decompression left L3-4, right L4-5 & L5-S1, transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion L3-4 L4-5 L5-S1
with titanium cages
Dr Lenke, WashU/Barnes/Jewish St. LouisTags: None
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What a good report!! It sounds like a great trip. . .and I'll be interested to here how it all went, when you return. A trip w/significant hiking involved. . .you're braver than I am (but I'm pretty un-brave). Have a wonderful time!Fused T-3 to L-3, Aug 25
Hardware removal surgery, Nov 2, 2010
Fused T-10 to L-2, osteotomy, Feb 22, 2011
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I am glad you had a good 6 month report. I had been wondering how you were doing since we haven't heard from you lately. Have you started physical therapy?Karen
Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
Rib Hump-GONE!
Age-60 at the time of surgery
Now 66
Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
Retired Kdgn. Teacher
See photobucket link for:
Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/
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Congrats Junosand. Enjoy your trip. I hiked up and down mountains on Tioman Island (off the East Coast of Malaysia) with a backpack, right on 6 months post-op, snorkled as well, and it was fine.
It sounds like some minor problems are fixing themselves and I have every reason to believe they will improve much more in the next six months. I thought I was as good as it got at 6 months, but at 12 months I was much better, most particularly, my flexibility. Then at 2 years, my flexibility was even better. It's all looking rosy for you now!Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
Osteotomies and Laminectomies
Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free
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Good report.
It took me 2 years to get over the fatigue at age 51. I was 90% at 12 months, and another year for the last 10%. Using these figures, you still have plenty of improvement coming.
The Galapagos islands is every divers dream..... I have been all over South America on many trips through the 60s and 70s, but we never made it to the Galapagos. Should be an outstanding trip.....
Have fun, careful walking on the lava.
Ed49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
Pre surgery curves T70,L70
ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada
Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=
My x-rays
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258
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Another great report. I'd say you are doing fantastically for 6 months. Enjoy your hiking vacation but plan some rest too. JanetJanet
61 years old--57 for surgery
Diagnosed in 1965 at age of 13--no brace
Thoracic Curve: 96 degrees to 35 degrees
Lumbar Curve: 63 degrees to 5 degrees
Surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis--March 30, 2009
T-2 to Pelvis, and hopefully all posterior procedure.
All was posterior along with 2 cages and 6 osteotomies.
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Junosand,
Congratulations on a successful recovery. It takes older folks a lot longer to gain our stamina back. Mine took three years to return. Have a wonderful trip, but try not to over do.
SallyDiagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/
"In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.
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Glad to hear you're doing well! And BTW, took your advice and scheduled with Dr. Lenke myself.
,
Evelynage 48
80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.
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glad to hear it, ConfusedMom; at least for me, dr lenke does not recommend formal PT after you return home; at the 6 week followup, he told me i could workout on my own with no restrictions other than to use general good judgment and not overdo it
thanks for all the replies; it's particularly encouraging to hear that many continue to improve up to 2-3 yrs postop; one can always hopejunosand
59 yo recently retired otolaryngologist (ENT surgeon)
schedule oct 2010 for T11 - sacrum fusion, all posterior approach with pedicle screws, steels rods, revision decompression left L3-4, right L4-5 & L5-S1, transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion L3-4 L4-5 L5-S1
with titanium cages
Dr Lenke, WashU/Barnes/Jewish St. Louis
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glad to hear you're doing so well! getting away from the house after months of being stuck there lifted my spirits. we went down to west palm last week, and just being somewhere else was amazing.
hope you have a great trip!!!!Rebecca
Age: 28
Dx w/ scoli @ age 12 S curves T-40* L-42*
wore night bending brace as teenager
Curves changed to 50's plus or minus
herniated disc L2-3, Discectomy October 2007
fusion L2-3 November 2008
Revision L2-3 Fusion, Removal of hardware August 2009
Curves measuring 52 T&L September 2010
Fused T4-L4, all posterior December 27th 2010
gained almost two inches in height
Before and After Exterior
Before and After X-rays
My blog: http://herscoliosisjourney.blogspot.com/
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