Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Done! (forever I hope)

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Done! (forever I hope)

    IMG952944-1.jpg

    On May 23rd I went in for my revision surgery. All went well. The old hardware was removed, I got shiny new iliac screws, was fixed at L5-S1 and surgeon went to T3 to correct the scoliosis and kyphosis that had begun from the top of my old hardware. I can say I pretty much can't stop looking in mirrors! I am STRAIGHT UP!!

    My neighbors and friends stop and literally gasp when they see me (awesome), which pretty much speaks to how bad I was before. I've seen 4 people do a reenactment of my prior body shape and I was a little sad to see I resembled Quasimodo without the arm swing!

    There were complications; an allergic reaction from the anesthesia and the dilaudid/Norco drip that was started just prior to waking me up that proved to pretty much give me the psychotic trip of a lifetime (seriously, I could write a book about my split personalities) which lasted a week or so. They called it severe post-anesthesia delirium. I called it one crazy trip! At one point I demanded my daughter stand up and take of photo of Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi who had entered my hospital room, along with James Blake. (Tennis players for you non-tennis types). It was one wild ride. For that reason, the rehab hospital was a time I'll be happy to forget - Due to my multiple personalties (I was Sean Bean of the TV series "Legends" in one) I had to be taken off all pain meds. Anybody ever white knuckle it after that type of surgery? I do not recommend it! I was finally able to get a script for Nucynta (which I really don't recommend either) but at least there was small relief in that. Also, because I was assigned to a brain damage ward, I didn't get any spine help so getting in and out of bed was horrific. If I hadn't watched youtube video's prior on log rolling, I would have really been out of luck.

    I utterly hate how slow my life has become and desperate miss my independence and also hate my brace. I don't remember quite hating all those things after the first surgery so it's a tough time right now. No more dishwasher. Rearrange my house for a life of reaching for things right in front of me. You know the drill. But then I just shuffle my way over to a mirror and remember Quasimodo. And the bathroom thing is NO fun.

    A few questions: has anyone ever been on Nucynta? Thoughts? I rate it as a 4/5 on a scale of 10 for pain relief, but it's all I have. Also not really happy with the harshness that's been displayed by both my surgeon and pain management doctor on the delirium post surgery. Hey - dudes - I didn't pick my meds so why am I to blame and subsequently suffer for this? Get a grip. As grateful as I am to my surgeon, I got pretty much ignored post surgery and in office with all direction being given to my daughter instead of me (duh, I'm standing right here - can I see my X-rays?). Second - I look about 4 mos pregnant. Surgeon decided I had a touch of flat back and corrected the lumbar lordosis. I'm thinking this is a permanent problem after doing some research on the net. Thoughts on that? One other thing - it feels as if my entire back is one large pulled muscle, with the subsequent burn afterward. I think it's due to either the reshaping of my kyphosis/scoliosis and my muscles screaming about the rearrangement; or pulling myself out of bed incorrectly for 2 weeks. I'm 35 days out of surgery and still have pain that makes me gasp.

    In spite of that I did chose the right surgeon - talk about excellence. Even my scar is perfectly straight down my back. He did everything himself start to finish for 13 hours and only took two breaks during that time. I'm amazed, truly. And very, very grateful.

    I hope you all are doing well and as always I thank you for such great advice and encouragement. Onward and UP-ward
    Last edited by Chihuahua Mama; 08-22-2016, 07:37 PM.
    Susan
    XLIF/Posterior Surgery 6/16/08. Fused T10-L5 in CA by Dr. Michael Kropf (don't go there unless it's simple, I hear he's at Cedar's now). Very deformed, had revision w/5 PSO's, rods from T-3 to sacrum including iliac screws, all posterior, 5/23/16 with Dr. Purnendu Gupta of Chicago.


    Owner of Chachi the Chihuahua, So Cal born and bred, now a resident of 'Chicagoland' Illinois. Uh, dislike it here....thank God there was ONE excellent spine surgeon in this area.

  • #2
    Whew! Susan, sounds like you are doing well at 35 days.....Congratulations!

    We need pictures!....x-rays, and of the tennis ICONS. Stefi is considered the best female player ever by many..... Tennis is such a BRUTAL sport, for scolis. I used to play, and it used to kill me.

    Hang in there

    Ed
    49 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

    Comment


    • #3
      IMG952944-1.jpg

      Thanks Ed! Here ya go.....
      Last edited by Chihuahua Mama; 08-22-2016, 07:39 PM.
      Susan
      XLIF/Posterior Surgery 6/16/08. Fused T10-L5 in CA by Dr. Michael Kropf (don't go there unless it's simple, I hear he's at Cedar's now). Very deformed, had revision w/5 PSO's, rods from T-3 to sacrum including iliac screws, all posterior, 5/23/16 with Dr. Purnendu Gupta of Chicago.


      Owner of Chachi the Chihuahua, So Cal born and bred, now a resident of 'Chicagoland' Illinois. Uh, dislike it here....thank God there was ONE excellent spine surgeon in this area.

      Comment


      • #4
        Glad that you had the surgery

        sorry that you are in Chicago
        Melissa

        Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

        April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

        Comment


        • #5
          Help with uploading photo

          Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
          Whew! Susan, sounds like you are doing well at 35 days.....Congratulations!

          We need pictures!....x-rays, and of the tennis ICONS. Stefi is considered the best female player ever by many..... Tennis is such a BRUTAL sport, for scolis. I used to play, and it used to kill me.

          Hang in there

          Ed
          Thanks to Linda's sticky, I was able to post my before and after's in that thread. Now that I don't look like Quasimodo, I actually have a figure
          Last edited by Chihuahua Mama; 08-22-2016, 07:30 PM.
          Susan
          XLIF/Posterior Surgery 6/16/08. Fused T10-L5 in CA by Dr. Michael Kropf (don't go there unless it's simple, I hear he's at Cedar's now). Very deformed, had revision w/5 PSO's, rods from T-3 to sacrum including iliac screws, all posterior, 5/23/16 with Dr. Purnendu Gupta of Chicago.


          Owner of Chachi the Chihuahua, So Cal born and bred, now a resident of 'Chicagoland' Illinois. Uh, dislike it here....thank God there was ONE excellent spine surgeon in this area.

          Comment

          Working...
          X