Surgery with Dr. Lenke

[Confusedmom]

What about step aerobics? Not expecting miracles here, but will I be able to go back to class after a year or two? Or is the risk of falling still too great?

Thanks,
Evelyn

[golfnut]

I think they are about 3 1/2-4 inches, so not really high, but comfortable enough that I have danced in them.

[Doreen1]

I think they are about 3 1/2-4 inches, so not really high, but comfortable enough that I have danced in them.

Good grief, woman! You're able to dance in high heels? I need to stay away from 4 inch heels now that I'm 5'10" again... don't want to be an amazon. Perhaps I'll start wearing my heels when I walk through the house to get used to them. LOL! That will be a sight.

Warmly,
Doreen

[Doreen1]

Xray Feedback

Dr. Lenke's office called today and said my recent xrays look good. Yippee!! I asked if there will be any restrictions flying to France at the end of this year and I was given the green light to go. We booked an apartment in Paris; SO excited!

Warmly,
Doreen

[Doreen1]

Of All the Places in the World to Land...

Why did a bee decide to land on my back? My daughter and I walked out of a store and were getting into our car when Lizzie yelled, "Mom! There's a bee on your back!" Instinctively I start shaking my shirt but then realize it has a large cowel neck and a thought ran through my mind: What if I shake the bee into my shirt? So I stop shaking my shirt and told Lizzie to get it off. She said, "Let me find something to hit it." Another thought runs throw my mind: Will she really smack my back with something? Fortunately, Lizzie took, whatever it was that she grabbed, and nudged it under the bee and it flew off. We can laugh about it now but we were freaked out for a few moments.

Warmly,
Doreen

[JenniferG]

Dr. Lenke's office called today and said my recent xrays look good. Yippee!! I asked if there will be any restrictions flying to France at the end of this year and I was given the green light to go. We booked an apartment in Paris; SO excited!

Warmly,
Doreen

What a thrill - An apartment in Paris!

Glad the bee didn't take offense to being moved on Doreen!

[rohrer01]

Doreen,
Sounds like things are looking up for you, except the bee incident! I'm scared of bees. I think I'm allergic, but not sure, so I try like mad to avoid them. Oh, and I garden. LOL

[Doreen1]

Cleared to Walk Inclines

Dr. Lenke's office called back last night to answer a few more questions. Kelly said I'm allowed to walk inclines but to take it easy because it will hurt. I walked to the top of our street this afternoon and WOWZA! I'm hurting, it really wiped me out. My original plan was to walk to the top of my street once a day for a week or so and then extend the walk, but now I'm rethinking that idea. We'll see how I feel tomorrow because I wasn't expecting to feel this bad.

Kelly said the longest screws in my sacrum measure about 2 - 2.25 inches long.

We booked our flights for Paris today. We'll spend Christmas and New Years there. :-D

Warmly,
Doreen

[Doreen1]

I Confess

I over did it today. Since rain is in the forecast for tomorrow
I decided to walk th hill to the top my street today
because it was warm and sunny today. The
problem started when I went to the grocery shortly
after the walk and as the cart became full with groceries it
was hard to push. I didnt realize this until I was almost done
shopping and asked Lizzie to push the cart.

We weren't out of the store when the pelvic pain kicked in.
As soon as we got home I went straight to bed to stretch
out. I'm feeling better so I'm definitely not walking incline
tomorrow.

Warmly
Doreen

[Marina63]

What about step aerobics? Not expecting miracles here, but will I be able to go back to class after a year or two? Or is the risk of falling still too great?

Thanks,
Evelyn

Evelyn, I am 48 and eight months post op. I started doing step aerobics again about a month ago. No problems!!

[Doreen1]

Released for PT Exercises!

Dr. Lenke's physical therapist mailed me a handful of exercises I'm allowed to do (I'm 15 weeks post op today). I'm SO excited to do something other than walking! Today I did the following exercises lying on my bed using 5# dumbbells:
x2 sets of x10 reps presses
x2 sets of x5 reps flys (I was a little nervous about these but they didn't hurt)
x2 sets of x10 reps tricep curls

I also did bicep curls while sitting at the corner of my bed x2 sets of x10 reps.

I took a couple of days off from walking to the top of my street since last Thur and walked it yesterday. When I was done, I laid down for a little bit and had no pain in my pelvic area whatsoever. I plan to walk the hill on Wed.

Lenke's therapist also approved me to do small lunges which I will do tomorrow.

My plan is to walk the hill every 3 days (eventually lengthen the distance beyond my street), alternate upper body and lower body workouts every other day, continue with my 3 - 4 miles daily walking throughout the day/night at home and Sunday is rest day. That is my theory of balancing the walking and workouts so let's see how it unfolds this week. :-)

I'm starting to realize that walking and standing are more comfortable than sitting for a long period.

Warmly,
Doreen

[golfnut]

You are doing so well. It is exciting to be allowed to do some new exercises. Keep up the good work.

[Doreen1]

Silly Question

For those of you fused to sacrum, have you been able to sit/lay on a lounge chair while on holiday near a beach/pool?

Warmly,
Doreen

[Doodles]

Doreen--
Beach/lounge chairs are quite a trick. Be very careful getting on it so you don't end up on cement--chair and all. Once I get in position it feels fine on my back. I still can't do stomach sleeping on the bed but I have managed for short stints to lie on stomach with face basically flat, with a towel to pad it some, looking through slats at my book. Again be sure you are balanced getting in and out. Each year it has gotten a bit easier. Janet

[golfnut]

I didn't have a problem with a louge chair that had an adjustable back, but I was over a year post-op. I didn't attempt to lay on my stomach.