dorigirl update

[dorigirl]

Hello everyone. I am Dori’s brother-in-law. She wanted me to update all of you in regards to her post surgery condition. I am so very grateful to report that she made it thru surgery with flying colors yesterday. Her surgeon was able to achieve a very good correction – her curve is now less than 20 degrees. Her spirits were good just a few hours after surgery, already being her funny self with family members. The first words out of her mouth were, “my back hurts”. I wish I was there, but we felt the best thing I could do for her during this time was to make sure the kids were being cared for. I look forward to driving to Baltimore later this week to pick her up. Lastly, I would like to thank all of you for your support and guidance – I know that this forum means a lot to her.

George

[dawney]

Thank you for the update. I will be praying for a speedy recovery. O am glad to hear she got good correction.

[lelc2002@yahoo]

thkyou for the update....many prayers for a good recovery! Ly

[bbest]

Thank you so much for the update. Please let her know we are all thinking of her and wishing her well.

[BrianB]

Thanks for the post. I'm glad she's feeling better. Tell her that her little Baltimore buddy is cheering her on and wishing her all the best during her recovery!

Brian

[LEELEE85]

Thanks for her update. Wish her well for a speedy recovery. Can't wait too hear about it.

LeeLee

[dorigirl]

I got the latest news from my wife regarding Dori. The initial pain meds from the surgery have worn off and she is having a harder time managing the pain today. Her physician had to increase her dose this PM for whatever pain meds she is on. Is there a period when the pain is hardest to manage? When does the discomfort start to diminish? Other than the pain, her physician said that she is doing very well. They plan to have her start therapy tomorrow and the goal is for her to take her first steps.

George

[lelc2002@yahoo]

My pain was pretty controlled in the hospital since I was on morphine for a few days & then switched to percoset every 3 hrs & I'd get a shot(??? starts with a D) in between when I felt the pain was climbing up to a '10'-mostly at night..after 10 days in the hospital I went to Kessler Rehab where they started me on percoset but it was not enough & they then added more meds.. It probably depends on the surgery since my side incision was extremely long & tender along with a rib being taken out....week by week, the pain subsided...Ly
http://lynnebackattack.blogspot.com
fused T-11 to L-5/Dr. Boachie/Kim@HSS in NYCity
95 thorocolumbar curve reduced in the 50's

[dawney]

I am still in a considerable amount of discomfort. My body knows when the 4 hour mark is closing in. My wonderful boyfriend sets his alarm for 4 am to make sure my pain cycle stays on track.

[bbest]

In praise of Dilaudid

Lynne and others...

The one that starts with a D is Dilaudid. Truly a wonder drug.

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Ok...you're right....that truly did the trick for me! There were a couple of nights in the hospital that I buzzed them like a crazy woman for the dilaudid shot!!!! It took me from a 10 (pain level) down to 0 in a matter of seconds....Ly I remember now.....!!!

[LindaRacine]

Lynne and others...

The one that starts with a D is Dilaudid.

Or demerol.

[sweetness514]

Demerol or Dilaudid

OMG I hated it with a passion, it got me so dizzy, room was spinning real bad.

I prefer Oxycodone, or Codeine.

[Suzy]

Re:Your pain question....

Hi George,

Thank you for the up dates it means a lot to us all. Dori's Dr. upping the meds isn't really unusual. The Dr's. sometimes need to change around dosages and types of meds to get the best pain relief. As to when her discomfort will decrease, we are all so different in our pain tolerances and recovery time. Everyday will be a little bit better for her. The first few days are tough. I was better the last couple of days in the hosp. (I was in for 8)and then the first week I was home was the beginning of the daily "baby steps" of recovery. Make sure she knows we are cheering her on!

[dorigirl]

I wanted to share another update. Today started out pretty badly. First of all, she ran out of pain meds in the early hours of the morning and the RNs were not responding to her call button. Also, her hemoglobin was really low this morning. She ultimately got a total of 3 units of blood today. She is now on fentenol for pain. My wife told me that overall, she has gotten better as the day past. Dori was scheduled for PT today, but was postponed until tomorrow due to her condition. She told the physicians that she feels she won’t be up to it tomorrow – we shall see. I am happy that my wife (Dori’s identical twin sister) is by her side for encouragement. My hopes are that I can drive to Baltimore this weekend to pick them up. Any tips on driving the patient back home? I am a little concerned about being responsible for driving her home on a three hour trip – I hope to avoid any sudden movements with the car while on the road.

Thanks,
George