Peggy's Daughter?

[MaryK]

Paulasue,

It takes about 2 to 3 months for the trauma of surgery and the change to lessen a bit. For those 1st months your terrified to do anything. I was told just how easy it is to be paralyzed so I was extra, extra careful. After these 1st months you start forgetting to be so careful. The pain lessens and you find yourself doing something without thinking and it doesn't hurt! You also start getting used to your new center of balance. Once all that starts happening you see the changes that everyone else has already seen! For me it was the fact I could sit back in a chair. I also found that getting out of bed was easier. All those, 'the way I look' issues suddenly seem changed. You put on an outfit that didn't look right before and suddenly it looks great on you! When you bump your head on the car as you get in for the billionth time you admit that your taller too. And if she was like me, terrified about paralysis, you realize that you've made it this far without a problem and maybe you don't have to worry as much. My mom really drummed it into my head the risk of being paralyzed. You know the worries, what if the doc slips in surgery? What if the rod moves? What if I forget and twist and something ,moves? My mom talked about those worries alot. So it's possible (probable) that your dughter isn't as "obsessed" with it as I was. But those are the big changes that I remember most!

[phaden]

Paralysis post-sugery?

MaryK:

Can you elaborate on the risk of paralysis from incautious movement post-surgically? This is the first we have heard of such a thing.

[paulasue2]

Hi, MaryK

Thank you for your response. I am happy to hear that these things are positive. I was worried that she might start focusing on things lost rather than gained (the fact that she has to keep her incision out of the sun all summer is getting a lot of attention around here, for example). I had never heard about any problems with paralysis from incautious moving - our Dr. is concerned with making sure the fusion heals as fast and strong as possible - and the big three - "bending, lifting, twisting," can have a deleterious impact on that.

[MaryK]

I believe that the paralysis issue was more my mom panicing then anything else. She was terrified that the rods, which are held on by special clamps, would move and injure the spinal cord. It was all she could think about! To this day she's still panicy about it, and I'm 28 now! She made sure that I knew that she was worried about the rods moving. The 1st few weeks I was terrified to do anything that would move my back at all. I know now that that was her own fears taking over, but it effected me very badly. At 13 it's easy to obsess about the worst ideas. Between my mom's inability to talk about anything else and my internalizing it I had caused a lot of emotional issues. Those unreasonable fears also kept me from "pushing" myself back to normal activity. I'm hoping that knowing what I was thinking at that age after surgery will give you a heads up on what could be going on in your daughters heads. Getting them to talk about there feelings is as important as recovering physically. I know this from experience.

[MaryK]

I just reread my last post. I didn'y mean to scare you! I just wanted to let you know how drastic the emotional upheaval can be. It's hard to deal with major surgery and being caustious afterwords.

Paulasue, let your daughter know it's worth forgoing the tanning this summer. Getting a sunburn on that scare is painful! I burned mine a few yrs after surgery and it hurt, so doing it earlier is defianetaly worth avoiding! Remind her tat by being smart now she can relax later on. One summer of being caustous is better tan every single summer! Just remember that sunscreen is your friend!

[Peggy]

MaryK, I am thinking like your mom right now! Not saying anything of my fears to my daughter though, just reinforcing the fact that she can't bend, lift or twist. I'm sure you are right that it takes a long time to get back to your old self. Patience and caution are in order. I'm sorry your recovery was hampered by extra fears but thanks for the imput on emotional issues.

[MaryK]

I'm glad that my experiences can help others understand what they are going through! Any hardship I had is worth it if I can help someone else because of it.

[Peggy]

Hi Paula,
I notice that my daughter has shorter strides also. She doesn't seem to relax when she walks. Walks stiff. Your surgeon seems more lenient than ours. She can't lift more than 8 lbs/ gallon of milk. He doesn't even want her squatting. Says she should wear the brace into the shower, take if off, and then put it back on to get out of the shower. And I think that I"M paraoid about her falling! She went for her first checkup yesterday. He said everything looked good. He is making us a cd of her surgery photos (spine exposed and all..). She doesn't want to see them at all but I figured I'd take it anyway. He showed us some on his digital camera screen immediately after the surgery. It was hard to see much because it was such a small screen and I could handle seeing them but I don't know about looking at them magnified like on a computer screen. Might not have the stomach for that. It was amazinig to see her spine like an S and then afterwards almost totally straight. It is 3 weeks postop tomorrow. Time is going fast. She still is resting alot but I see an improvement in mood and movement. She is down to one tylenol every 6 hrs. The trip to the doctor wore her out. We had to sit in straight hard chairs for over a half hour waiting for x-rays and then the trip itself takes 35 minutes one way. So it was her first big outing. Next week I hope to get her to the mall or to the bookstore at least. She sweats so bad in this brace. She had to have the air conditioning on in the car and it was only 50 out. Glad your daughter is doing so well. 5'7 and the runt...that is funny. We have no tall girls shops around here. I will have to shop onlline for pants. She is 5'10 now. Can't believe it.

[MaryK]

It's fantastic that your daughter is doing so well. She'll start walking more normal as more time goes by. Being straight is rather hard to get used to! It took me almost a full yr to go up stairs without looking like I was stomping! As far as the surgery photos, leave the cd where she can find it so if she wants to see them she can. My own opinon would be no way! Yuck! but then I don't have the stomache for that either.

[dapsbounce8]

Hi! I haven't been on the boards for a while...busy with school I guess.

Good news! I saw my doctor on May 4th and he said I can start to walk on horses again. He seemed very sure about the decision because I have healed so well and he knows I am very experienced with horses. But don't worry...I'll be very careful.

I was also approved for fast walking and slow jogging. I've really been trying to get back in shape, but I keep reminding myself to take it slow. Thank you all for your support.

[MaryK]

That's wonderful Charlotte! Taking getting in shape slowly is a good idea at anytime. The reason is that when you are out of shape it is easy to injure muscles. So go with the idea that if the muscle starts to hurt stop for a while. that way you never reinjure a muscle or joint and when you do get inshape it will be easier to maintain!!

[ellen]

peggy-hey! i had surgery last october 6th and i never had to wear a brace afterwords? why is that?! what does it do? also, i fell down the stairs like in march **carpet ones** but my back is fine, i think it is...i havnt had it Xrayed, because it doesnt hurt....i have an appt though this month....also does anyone know when you can ride rollercoasters again? jw my doctor said it was fine last week when my mom called but the nurse said it was a bad idea...so i just didnt ride any friday when i went to six flags...but i was just wondering if it would hurt or if anyone has had any experiances related to my situation or watever....you can email me at LilCutiPie_07@yahoo.com or just write back in here...THANK YOU!!

[dapsbounce8]

Pre-surgery, my doctor told me that there is a 1 out of 10 chance that I would have to wear a brace after my surgery. I think its just one of those things that depends on how the surgery goes.

As far as rollercoasters go, I was told that you should wait one year after surgery. I had a single fusion, so the restriction might be greater for someone with a double fusion.

I hope I've helped!!!

[ellen]

yes thank you charlotte!! i had a double fusion...i think lol all i kno is that i had 2 curves that were liek 51 and 27**i think thats it**its in my profile and that they took my rib and fused it with 4screws and a medal rod!! and its really cool, b.c i didnt kno my rib would grow back....its about to connect with tha other....hehe but yeah....thank you for tha quick response...i was also wondering about water rides...like slides....should i just stick with the ones where you are in an inner tube and ones that dont frop you frum tha slide into tha water...b.c would that hurt really bad or like screw up my back?! im goin to hurrican harbor**BIG water park in arlington,Tx on sunday and was just wondering....thank you.....my email is LilCutiPie_07@yahoo.com luv~ ellen
THANKS AGAIN!!!

[dapsbounce8]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you really shouldn't be on any amusment rides for at least a year. It might be okay to go on some VERY gentle ones, but, seriously, take it easy. If you aren't sure about a certain ride, don't go on it. But try to have some fun !

Good luck.