my heart goes out to you
Susan,
We have spoken before. Maybe my story will help you. My lumbar curve is 80 degrees. I have lost 1 inch in height this year alone. My predicament is that I am not in alot of pain, but when it comes, watch out. Over the past few years I have had different issues with pain in my left leg and most of the pain has gone away with physical therapy, but I noticed that my curve was getting worse.
So off to a doctor in Boston I went. My doctor told me it was my decision whether to have the surgery, which he said he could correct about 50 percent. he also informed me that if I do not have the surgery, there is a good chance that by the time I am in my 70's I will have so much leg pain that I may be bedridden. No that's not for me. I have two very small grandchildren I want to play with and watch grow up.
Even though in my mind I knew that surgery was the right thing to do, I was still ambivalent. Then I talked to someone who had the surgery when she was around 62 (I'll be close to 63). She is now around 70 and wall papers, gardens and plays with her grandchildren. Now I go to my lawyer to be sure that all my legal papers are in order (just being overly cautious). She said to me, get the surgery before it's too late. Her aunt waited until she was in so much pain that she couldn't stand it, but it was too late and the doctors could not do anything for her.
That was the final straw for me to be sure that even though I won't be able to bend and twist I need to have the surgery. What still concerns me is, yes, how will I do everything. My ride to work is well over an hour and I sit at a desk all day. How will I turn to get a piece of paper or a pencil. How do I file papers in the drawer that it hurts to bend over now. Well, the answer is, you'll figure that out when the time comes.
I'm still very nervous about the surgery and start to shake while writing this, just thinking about the surgery date that is coming up shortly, but this is the hand that was dealt me and I must move on. Petrified I am to say the least, but I just keep in mind that I don't want to be in bed for the rest of my life.
I have your e-mail address. If you would like, I will send you the journal the 70 year old woman sent to me. It helped me make up my mind.
Libby
Susan,
We have spoken before. Maybe my story will help you. My lumbar curve is 80 degrees. I have lost 1 inch in height this year alone. My predicament is that I am not in alot of pain, but when it comes, watch out. Over the past few years I have had different issues with pain in my left leg and most of the pain has gone away with physical therapy, but I noticed that my curve was getting worse.
So off to a doctor in Boston I went. My doctor told me it was my decision whether to have the surgery, which he said he could correct about 50 percent. he also informed me that if I do not have the surgery, there is a good chance that by the time I am in my 70's I will have so much leg pain that I may be bedridden. No that's not for me. I have two very small grandchildren I want to play with and watch grow up.
Even though in my mind I knew that surgery was the right thing to do, I was still ambivalent. Then I talked to someone who had the surgery when she was around 62 (I'll be close to 63). She is now around 70 and wall papers, gardens and plays with her grandchildren. Now I go to my lawyer to be sure that all my legal papers are in order (just being overly cautious). She said to me, get the surgery before it's too late. Her aunt waited until she was in so much pain that she couldn't stand it, but it was too late and the doctors could not do anything for her.
That was the final straw for me to be sure that even though I won't be able to bend and twist I need to have the surgery. What still concerns me is, yes, how will I do everything. My ride to work is well over an hour and I sit at a desk all day. How will I turn to get a piece of paper or a pencil. How do I file papers in the drawer that it hurts to bend over now. Well, the answer is, you'll figure that out when the time comes.
I'm still very nervous about the surgery and start to shake while writing this, just thinking about the surgery date that is coming up shortly, but this is the hand that was dealt me and I must move on. Petrified I am to say the least, but I just keep in mind that I don't want to be in bed for the rest of my life.
I have your e-mail address. If you would like, I will send you the journal the 70 year old woman sent to me. It helped me make up my mind.
Libby
Comment