Tamena's Surgery 10-22

[titaniumed]

Tamena

If you are getting 8 hours of sleep, you are doing great! And not surprised that you hurt after you get up. You have been run over by a bulldozer. Its going to hurt. It will get better.

Sigh... when my surgeon told me that it was not going to feel like a got hit by a truck, that it was going to feel like I was hit by a train and hit with every axle, he was right. I was only getting 1 hour or 2 hours of sleep if I was lucky, and was up pretty much all of the time for the 1st 6 weeks. I lost 40# in 40 days and turned grey. They ground out a great deal of bone from my degenerated lumbar levels from the front. It was a heavy duty procedure called partial corpectomy from L1-L5. I have 2 1/2 inches of peek plastic spacers in my back. The screws in my back and pelvis was my second surgery. The guys from work came with a new computer and set it up. Yeah, right. I told them that I couldn’t sit, and was taking 100mg of Percs. “What do you want me to do, drug infused calculations?” That was comical....it wasn’t going to happen. My mind was jacked.....it was a bit much.

But, you know I made it, and it was strange in the fact that my healing came in steps. At 6 weeks, suddenly it felt like I had improved around 20% in one bump. At 4 months, I was sitting here at my desk, posting here, and realized that I had no pain. I couldn’t believe it was something I had to get used to since I had battled scoliosis for decades in major pain. That of course, was great but, I had more pain, on and off. A see-saw recovery, but with more good days than bad as time passed.

I will never forget my recovery, especially those first few weeks. It was a tough time, but I always knew that it was going to take a long time, and always looked forward as if it was a calendar reset. I never thought to myself, “I shouldn’t have done this”. Not even once. Its all about healing and positive thoughts....thinking ahead about your successful recovery, it will come in time.

For pain, I took many hot hot baths....this really worked well for the bone and nerve pain. Ask your surgeon and make sure your incisions are looking ok, you don’t want an incisional infection. Those are no fun.

I had all sorts of people coming to my house in my recovery. I just left the door unlocked, and they would come in....maybe I was laying down and would emit a groan, and they would come back to see if I was ok. It was never really ok, but what could they do? Not much for pain, but they could go and get me a bottle of Magnesium Citrate so I could break up the dam once again. I also used pedialyte to restore electrolytes after purging. It would bring my battery back up from 1 volt to 12 volts.

Sleep is important but I was warned not to stay in bed. Do frequent short outdoor walks every day, drink plenty of water, and breathe deep. Eat yogurt. Watch constipation. Do whatever you can not to get constipated.....!!!!!

Soon you will be past the hard part....and time,even though its going slowly right now, will pass quickly, and you too will look back and think, “I did that”.....with tears and a smile.

Hang in there

Ed

[tae_tap]

Ed, thanks you made me cry! You hit every nail on the head to the magnesium citrate (which I have already had to use.) I am cutting my narcotics back to one every 6 hours this week and half next week then hopefully they will be gone all together. My big mental problem is I tried a proceedure that. Has not been done to a double curve, but I fit works oh the difference it could make for many scoliosis patients. I really was not concerned with obtaining height, but wanted pain gone. We took three vertebreas from the lower structural curve, removed the disks and facet joints and did a bone on bone fusion. We were able to rotate the twist from there and the hope is the bottom curve become straight and aligned as normal and pain to ease. I can tell you that I have not had tension in my shoulders and have not had a headache since coming off the anistesia, which for me is a miracle because I got headaches daily. I think where the rib was removed and mu lungs hurting from collapsing is the majority of my pain right now. My incision looks amazing, in fact the approach surgeon did such a good job I don't think I am going to end up with much of a scar. I think my big fear is, what if this does not work and I end up starting over from the beginning and fusing it all. I hope I made the right decision, because it not only will help me but could help many others.

Thanks for the encouragement, sometimes our family and friends don't truly understand what is going through our minds and bodies, so that's why this website is so important. Those like us know how to,help on the emotional side.

Thanks again,
Tamena

[Irina]

Hi Tamena,

I know, it's easier said than done, but try not to look back and question your decision. It must be really hard to not think about it (and I would be questioning myself just like you), but it is done now. Your doctor will not do bone-on-bone procedure if he didn't think it will be successful. It will be.

It is wonderful that you don't have headaches and scars look nice. After some time you'd look back and be so proud of yourself and the fact that you helped other people.

[tae_tap]

Thanks Irina! I also didn't think how hard it would be going from 2 oxy every 4 hours to 1 every 6. All I want to do is sleep now. I think I have been awake 30 minutes today and feel like I am not giving my children the attention they deserve, but that could be the Valium talking/ crying. Was it hard for those of you with kids? I feel awful, my oldest son got a solo in a music performance and I missed it. My oldest daughter was the only freshman to be selected to perform to or row night and I'm missing it and I missed my 4 year olds first wrestling practice which broke my heart. I feel like I'm letting my family down and maybe I should've put this off until they were older or gone from home. Sorry for ranting, I know it's the drugs, but I really am feeling like the worst parent today!

Tamena

[Irina]

Tamena,

You're a great parent! The worst parent would not even bother thinking about all the events she missed with her children. You'll have many more functions to attend with your family. You did your surgery now so that you can be strong and healthy for your children. It's easier to go thru it now, while you're young and you will recoperate faster. Your family loves you and they understand that you need time to heal.

I am sending you warm and gentle hugs and hope that you keep improving every day.

[Confusedmom]

Tamena,

I have a 6 & 9 year old, and I did feel like I was missing things for a couple of months--spring break, Easter, camp out, baseball games, etc. But before long I could attend events again, and they hardly remember that I missed anything. Think of what a better mom you will be when you're recovered and you don't have to worry about back pain all the time! Your kids will also learn some important lessons from you about taking care of yourself and health and persevering through difficult times. They will be fine. Now is the time to focus on you!

Evelyn

[hasteffen]

Tamena-
I feel the same way about my children. Everything Evelyn said is true. This will also teach your children patience and compassion. They see what your going through and even if they can't verbalize it they understand. Last night my 4 year old filled my water glass and brought me my walker without being asked! It filled my heart with so much joy... but when I fell the other day my 10 year old didn't even look away from the TV... I was like can you go get Daddy I cant get up?!?! It's hard to believe these 2 children are being raised in the same house by the same parents!
You will be up and about before you know it. I really think that going from 2 oxy every 4 hours to one every 6 is too drastic. Like I said try going down to one every four hours for a week then go to one every 6 and so forth.
You can do it. I know this is hard. It is the hardest thing I have done in my life by far, but I am starting to feel normal again and you are just a couple of weeks behind me. Hang in there
Best,
Heidi

[tae_tap]

Thanks guys! Missing those first are sad but theft won't be the last. I am going off Percocet to Norco, maybe that might help with the never stopping crying. I went and voted, which was tough waiting in an hour line, but felt it was important. Thank you everyone for encouragement.
Tamena

[Irina]

Thanks guys! Missing those first are sad but theft won't be the last. I am going off Percocet to Norco, maybe that might help with the never stopping crying. I went and voted, which was tough waiting in an hour line, but felt it was important. Thank you everyone for encouragement.
Tamena

Wow, Tamena! You are not only a good mother, but a good citizen. That is so impressive that you voted! Really, I can't even imaging thinking about it so soon after the surgery. I do it by mail - don't want to stay in that line and my husband is always on my case so that I won't forget to vote. You're doing great and is an inspiration for many of us.

[Emma Plum]

Tamena, no matter how rocky and uneven things seem to you, I think you are improving by leaps and bounds. You really sound stronger in your posts, as if you are getting your life back.

Aunt M.

[tae_tap]

Aunt M,

Thank you! I am certainly in a lot of pain, but I refuse pain to dictate and run my life. I am taking myself off the narcotics early because I come from a family of addicts and refuse to risk that aspect showing its ugly face in my life. I grow stronger everyday and will be blessed if this bone on bone procedure works. Not only excited for me, but many other scoliosis. Patients that could rid the pain and keep all motion to live a normal life. So updates and pictures will come in the next few weeks. Thanks for the support and prayers, keep them coming for I believe that is where my healing is coming from.
TAMENA

[tae_tap]

How many of you have experienced abdomen pain after surgery?

Tamena

[Confusedmom]

Tamena,

I think most of us experienced abdominal pain from constipation from the pain meds. Make sure that's under control. I was taking 4 senna, Colace and Miralax everyday, eating prunes and drinking prune juice!

Can you explain your surgery a bit more? I've never heard of what you're talking about. I thought bone on bone still resulted in fusion? Don't you have instrumentation? How do they stabilize the spine? So many questions. Feel free to answer whenever you feel up to it--no rush. Just curious, really.

Hope your stomach feels better soon!!

Evelyn

[tae_tap]

Evelyn,

I have a double curve and have had it since I was 12. The structural curve was in the bottom, so basically what we have done is taken 3 vertebraes at the peak of the structural curve, removed the disks and the facet joints and yes there are two screws in each vertebra and there is a rod on both sides which aided in rotating the bottom curve and allining the spine. The theory is that the top curve which was a compensatory curve will slowly fall into place as well. We will now the week after thanksgiving if it is working. But the good thing is that the three bones will fuse to become one solid and I will retain all my range of motion and be out of pain.

My abdomen feels as if it has been stretched not due to constipation. I take Colace, miralax, mylanta, and pantoprazole for my stomach and have been eating prunes, but once had to drink magnesium citritrate (which was horrible!) I took myself off Percocet and lowered down to Norco, but am now taking myself off the Norco. I am going to start cutting my pills in half every six hours next week and hopefully by Friday only take Tylenol for pain. I am taking Diazapam which seems to,help,with muscle spasms and gabapentin, which I'm not sure if I should wean myself off that. I just don't want to become reliant upon medicine. I pushed through the pain prior to surgery, so I feel I should be able to push through now.

If you have any questions feel free to,ask. I will post pictures after my appointment after thanksgiving when we take the updated and we shall see how it all worked.

Tamena

[titaniumed]

Tamena

When you go back in, see if you can get digital x-rays burned to disc. Would sure like to check out your hardware.....Digitals are nice since you can zoom in for a closer look. Get both the “full” coronal and sagittal views.

I’m wondering how things look from the side since your discs were removed and no spacers were used.....??? Does the removal of the facet joints maintain the proper angle in the side view ?

I have had the stomach “eruptions”....(smiley face) Sometimes we have to use the “Richter” scale for these events. You know its bad if the clothes are swinging in your closet. (smiley face)

Ed