Tamena was up walking twice today and pain is better controlled!
Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
Tamena's Surgery 10-22
Collapse
X
-
age 48
80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.
-
Tamena is home! She has been walking quite a bit. The first night home was rough, but she got through. She has a big scar on the side of her abdomen where they removed a rib. Overall, sounds like she's doing well.
Evelynage 48
80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.
Comment
-
Evelyn,
Thanks for being such a good "scoli sister" to everyone and keeping us updated. We really do care about each other.Karen
Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
Rib Hump-GONE!
Age-60 at the time of surgery
Now 66
Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
Retired Kdgn. Teacher
See photobucket link for:
Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/
Comment
-
Thanks, Karen.
My pleasure. I'm checking on them every day, anyway.
Best,
Evelynage 48
80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.
Comment
-
Hey guys! Thanks for praying, keep it up. Evelyn, thanks for the help with updates. I am home and it has been rough,but I'm making it through. I'm not ready to enter the 90 year old walker race anytime soon. I find myself crying all the time, out of shampoo, the water works flow. I know my husband probably feels like he's in the twilight zone because the only time he's seen me cry is the loss of a loved one.
I decided to change my surgery right before going in. I did a bone on bone fusion to part of the bottom curve and straightend it, the lower part should move on its own. The top curve never caused me any pain so if this works I will retain all range of motion. In the hospital I had an epidural catherdur which made me feel like wonder woman, in fact I walked almost 200 feet with it in. I felt little pain until the two chest tubes and the epidural came out then I wondered what the heck I got myself into, lol.
The doctor originally wanted me in the hospital 10-14 days but I was determined to make it out in 7, which I now regret. I think pain management might have been better if I had not rushed things, but that's a lesson learned for them rest of you. Take your time.
The surgery went tremendous until the heart/lung surgeon went to close and nicked my diaphragm which caused my lung to collapse, the reason for two chest tubes. The majority of my pain is coming from the rib they removed, the inability to breathe without my rib cage feeling like its going to explode and a spot on my hip which feels like a piece is missing. But I tell myself that pain is temporary and I will be winning the walker race in no time!
Again, thanks for the prayers and concerns!
Love in Christ,
TamensDiagnosed at age 12 with a double major curve
Braced till age 15
SSBOB T12-L2 Anterior age 34. (October 22,2012) Dr. Robert Gaines Jr. ( Columbia, MO)
Revision Surgery T2-Sacrum with Pelvic Fixation Prosterior age 35 (November 13,2013) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)
Revision Surgery L4/L5 due to BMP Complication age 36 (November 20,2014) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, Mo)
Revision Surgery due to broken rod scheduled for October 19, 2016 with Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)
Comment
-
Oooh, ouch! That hurt to read.
But you're home and every day brings you closer to healing. I've read that rib pain is the worst, but it too, will heal.
I also had epidurals (2) which I woke up with. They were there for three days. That's some very powerful stuff they use! "Premium drugs" my surgeon called them. I expected pain within minutes of removal, but it was a day and a half later that I felt any pain.
Keep that goal in mind...a life without pain.Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
Osteotomies and Laminectomies
Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free
Comment
-
Okay guys, I slept through my midnight pills, but at 4:30 I feel like I have been hit by a Mac truck! Isit better to sleep or set an alarm to keep the meds schedule?
TamenaDiagnosed at age 12 with a double major curve
Braced till age 15
SSBOB T12-L2 Anterior age 34. (October 22,2012) Dr. Robert Gaines Jr. ( Columbia, MO)
Revision Surgery T2-Sacrum with Pelvic Fixation Prosterior age 35 (November 13,2013) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)
Revision Surgery L4/L5 due to BMP Complication age 36 (November 20,2014) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, Mo)
Revision Surgery due to broken rod scheduled for October 19, 2016 with Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)
Comment
-
Tamena
I also ran home too early, and that’s rough.
This is a time that you have to be tough and always remember that things will get better in time. Do the best you can.
I don’t really know how to answer your question since sleeping is so hard. I would say sleep when you can get it, then take meds when you wake up. I could barely sleep at all after I came home that’s why I say this. Sleep is important.
Hang in there
Ed49 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
-
I would try to schedule it so I took meds right when I went to sleep, then I could get 6-8 hours before I needed meds again. I would set my alarm 30 min before I had to get out of bed in the morning and take meds so they had time to kick in before I had to get up. Good luck--this phase will pass soon!
Evelynage 48
80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.
Comment
-
Ed & Evelyn,
I know sleep is important especially when it seems like I'm only getting it at night. I don't know a polite way to tell people not to stop by for a few weeks especially since they are bringing food, but I am up all day visiting. I fall asleep at 8:00 when I take my bed medS and sleep till 4:30-5:00, but when I wake I am in excruciating pain. It's not even my back that hurts. It's my side, where I'm assuming the rib is missing and my left leg is so tender. Oping it passes quickly. Thanks for responding earlier, I'm so emotional att his stage.
TamenaDiagnosed at age 12 with a double major curve
Braced till age 15
SSBOB T12-L2 Anterior age 34. (October 22,2012) Dr. Robert Gaines Jr. ( Columbia, MO)
Revision Surgery T2-Sacrum with Pelvic Fixation Prosterior age 35 (November 13,2013) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)
Revision Surgery L4/L5 due to BMP Complication age 36 (November 20,2014) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, Mo)
Revision Surgery due to broken rod scheduled for October 19, 2016 with Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)
Comment
-
Tamena--just lost a similar reply to you somewhere in cyber-space.
I know exactly what you mean about visits from kind people who bring food, but stay too long. Been there, done that. Someone must be co-ordinating the visits, so you don't have seven days of food all arriving on Monday. Can you contact this person, and let him or her know that you are grateful for the food, but you simply aren't ready for visits yet? If you don't know who is co-ordinating, speak to whomever seems sensitive to your needs. (I always welcomed "Anything I can do for you before I leave?") If it's through church, any person who knows you well could pass on the word.
You can emphasize that you are sleeping irregularly, you have to nap when your body is ready, and you never know when that will be. Or that some days you are grateful for company, but other days, you are just too tired. Or that you like company, but need to stick to a 10-minute limit. Think to yourself, "What would be my ideal vision of a team of food-bearing visitors," and try to get that message out. Also, of course, what you need will be different at different stages in your recovery.
Take care, and don't be afraid to advocate for yourself.
With prayers and blessings, Aunt M.
Comment
Comment