Surgery with Dr. Lenke

[Irina]

Hi Doreen,

Sorry for a silly question - so bending is allowed for you already? I read that people can bend and get close to the floor, but wondered if they are just testing waters and risking to break their rods or it's doctor's approved. How did it feel when you tried to reach to the toilet seat?

It would be wonderful if someone could tell what they could and couldn't to do at 1, 3, 6, 12 months post op...

[titaniumed]

It would be wonderful if someone could tell what they could and couldn't to do at 1, 3, 6, 12 months post op...

Here you go
http://www.scoliosislinks.com/PostSurgActivities.htm
Ed

[scooter950]

great resource

Thx for sharing, TiEd, I hadn't seen this website before-

[Marina63]

Yes, thanks Ed! That's very interesting. I've broken a few of those rules. Oh well.

[Irina]

Thanks, Ed! That is helpful.

[titaniumed]

Thank Linda Racine. Its her site....which she has worked very hard on over the years.

For those that need questions answered, I would highly recommend going through her site.

Read all of it. There will be a test on Monday. (smiley face)

http://www.scoliosislinks.com/

I’ve broken some rules also.....like lifting an “extremely” heavy television set yesterday. It was over 100#, and my fingers turned blue. Probably not the best way to tell if you are fused, but I would say its an acid test. Consider it a study. (the hard way, of course!)

Beast of burden
Ed

[Doreen1]

Ed and sacrum fused folks. How far can u bend and how long did it take u to get to current bending point?

[loves to skate]

I missed a couple of days so the topic of airport security is probably dead, but I have been through airport security many times and have never set off any alarms and I have been through a body scanner with all the stainless screws and rods and titanium cages showing and they never batted an eyelash. You just ran into an uneducated TSA agent. That's what is wrong with the TSA.
My two cents worth.
Sally

[Doreen1]

Hi Doreen,

Sorry for a silly question - so bending is allowed for you already? I read that people can bend and get close to the floor, but wondered if they are just testing waters and risking to break their rods or it's doctor's approved. How did it feel when you tried to reach to the toilet seat?

It would be wonderful if someone could tell what they could and couldn't to do at 1, 3, 6, 12 months post op...

When I tried bending to lift the seat lid, I didn't get very far before I just stopped. It felt odd but didn't hurt. I imagine things will be tight for a while since I've not tried bending for 6 months.

Warmly,
Doreen

[titaniumed]

Ed and sacrum fused folks. How far can u bend and how long did it take u to get to current bending point?

Since I had extensive low end work done, and having a broken shoulder, I didn’t bend over too far for a long time....I had a tough recovery for the first 3 months, and at 8 months finally had my shoulder repaired. I then started physical therapy at 8 months....At 6 months, I was released to do more, but was scared. After 5 months of PT, I went skiing and was putting my ski boots on. That was March 2009, see my Park City, Utah thread.

I can get my fingertips around 4 inches off the floor. If I stretch my legs which I don’t do as much as I did years ago, I could probably make the floor.....(I used to palm the floor-pre surgery)

I would just go a little farther each day. The tightness takes a long time to get stretched out. It took me around 2 years total. 2 years for “full” recovery.

I don’t squat for the dishwasher anymore, I bend over now. After surgery, I would drop plates, and silverware into the dishwasher, then squat to organize all the items before starting the machine.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Long fusions require a long recovery in 50 year olds. We constantly see people that are on some sort of time schedule for some reason or another, and it truly is best to expect this healing process to take a long time. 1-2 years. During this period, we really need to be resting and healing.

I hope future patients realize this. They need to plan accordingly.

Ed

[JenniferG]

Ed and sacrum fused folks. How far can u bend and how long did it take u to get to current bending point?

I can pick something small off the floor, as in, swoop down, grab it then up again. But bending down and holding that position is not so easy. For example, scrubbing something off the floor. For that I will kneel. I can't remember when I started bending as normal, but I do remember that at around 7 months, I pulled out about 90 potted plants and repotted them with new potting mix which took me about 2-3 hours a day for about a week. This involved a lot of bending and lifting about 5-6 kg per pot. I didn't have a skerrick of pain, it felt fine, but I left the big pots for my daughter to do.

Scrubbing the bath, the shower recess, the wall-oven, they are the hardest jobs because it means bending and scrubbing (holding the position) but they are doable. The other day my partner was pulling the trailer round to the back yard, full of stones, and he asked me to push from behind. That involved bending and pushing. I was useless! That's the first thing I've found I can't do.

[mabeckoff]

I can pick something small off the floor, as in, swoop down, grab it then up again. But bending down and holding that position is not so easy. For example, scrubbing something off the floor. For that I will kneel. I can't remember when I started bending as normal, but I do remember that at around 7 months, I pulled out about 90 potted plants and repotted them with new potting mix which took me about 2-3 hours a day for about a week. This involved a lot of bending and lifting about 5-6 kg per pot. I didn't have a skerrick of pain, it felt fine, but I left the big pots for my daughter to do.

Scrubbing the bath, the shower recess, the wall-oven, they are the hardest jobs because it means bending and scrubbing (holding the position) but they are doable. The other day my partner was pulling the trailer round to the back yard, full of stones, and he asked me to push from behind. That involved bending and pushing. I was useless! That's the first thing I've found I can't do.

Wow I am impressed

[JenniferG]

Wow I am impressed

<smiley face>

I have been very lucky. First time in my life I've actually felt lucky and I have it in bucketloads. It could have gone the other way. Wish I could spread it around.

[Doreen1]

I can pick something small off the floor, as in, swoop down, grab it then up again. But bending down and holding that position is not so easy. For example, scrubbing something off the floor. For that I will kneel. I can't remember when I started bending as normal, but I do remember that at around 7 months, I pulled out about 90 potted plants and repotted them with new potting mix which took me about 2-3 hours a day for about a week. This involved a lot of bending and lifting about 5-6 kg per pot. I didn't have a skerrick of pain, it felt fine, but I left the big pots for my daughter to do.

Scrubbing the bath, the shower recess, the wall-oven, they are the hardest jobs because it means bending and scrubbing (holding the position) but they are doable. The other day my partner was pulling the trailer round to the back yard, full of stones, and he asked me to push from behind. That involved bending and pushing. I was useless! That's the first thing I've found I can't do.

When you say "swoop down" are you talking about squatting down or bending at your waist? Thanks for share your great info!

Warmly,
Doreen

[JenniferG]

Doreen, I bend from my hips. I also bend my knees a little at the same time, which lowers me that little bit more. I had to do it just now, to find out for myself because I do it without thinking.