Susan's surgery at UCSF with Dr. Hu on 19 and 22 March, 2013

[golfnut]

We are just recovering from a huge snow storm and severely cold temperatures in Illinois and are watching a PGA golf tournament in Hawaii on a course that we played several years ago. We want to be there now! I don't know about the flippers, but I think even getting up and down on a towel now at 3 years post op would not be the most graceful move by me. I still do a modified log roll when getting down on an exercise mat at the Y. Enjoy the warm sunshine.

[titaniumed]

Susan

The fins are tough, try the ski boots some time, its an exercise in patience.

On my trip to Panama, I dropped my fins TWICE in the deep ocean! The captain free dove down around 60 feet each time to retrieve them with no mask and no fins....(working for that tip money). Funny because there “are” large sharks down there, but we are not on their dinner menu.

The fins and the ski boots are just an example of how we adapt.....you figure out how to do your best and accept it.

Where are you snorkeling exactly? See anything neat? Many times you can hear whales or dolphins clicking underwater.

Aloha!

Ed

[susancook]

Ed, not too much neat stuff yet. I found that I could get on my L fin pretty easily, but the R one was a challenge. I suppose that I could just wear one fin, but might swim in a circle.

I found that I finally got the R fin on sitting in 1 foot of water and reaching around to the back. Not easy and not pretty.

Getting on and off the mat stretched on the sand was really ugly. Looked kind of like a whale flop. I need suggestions there.

Susan

Last time that I went scuba diving, I finally climbed up the ladder with the weight belt on (I borrowed the weight belt from the dive company). I was one of the last divers to come in. The dive master released my weight belt to help me climb up and he lost control of it and down it went! He turned to me and said, "That will be our secret".

[susancook]

We are just recovering from a huge snow storm and severely cold temperatures in Illinois and are watching a PGA golf tournament in Hawaii on a course that we played several years ago. We want to be there now! I don't know about the flippers, but I think even getting up and down on a towel now at 3 years post op would not be the most graceful move by me. I still do a modified log roll when getting down on an exercise mat at the Y. Enjoy the warm sunshine.

Aloha! I'll have a Mai tai for you! How do you get down on the mat? I log roll all the time getting in and out of bed. I have tried other ways and it hurts! Once I got down on the mat, I rolled, but getting down was ugly.
Susan

[golfnut]

Aloha! I hope you enjoyed that Mai Tai thinking of me in the Midwest with snow still on the ground. But, hey, it's going to be 50 tomorrow and we will feel like it's a heat wave compared to what we've had and finally get rid of the snow.

To get to my exercise mat: (I just got on the floor to actually see how I do it. ) I squat down on one knee and then the other and then get on all fours. I turn to my right hip and right elbow/forearm simultaneously and then lower to my to my entire right side. From the right side, simply roll to your back. Repeat in reverse to get back up. I actually do it without thinking now and can do it fairly smoothly.
Have fun for the remainder of your time in Hawaii! I'll have a glass of wine tonight and only dream about being back in Hawaii having a delicious Mai Tai.

[susancook]

Surgery for ALIF incisional hernia

Went to the General Surgeon again and he ordered a CT, which I had done this afternoon. He answered all of my questions. He plans to put in a mesh for reinforcement. He said that depending on what the CT shows, that I could have the surgery in a couple of weeks. That would be great for me as I have L sided pain when I exercise. I joined the gym at Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU). They have lots of equipment, a lap pool, warm water therapy pool and lots of classes. A personal trainer gave me an assessment and showed me how to use the equipment. He was younger than my son and had an awesome body!

I am at 10.5 months postop spinal fusion and feel pretty good. I do take Tramadol, Lyrica, Zanaflex, and Ibuprofen and have very little discomfort. I do feel like I have a board stapled to my butt that is trying to push me forward.Dr. Hu thought that the sensation was due to tight screws in the pelvis. I also have the same sensation in the thoracic area, but not as strong.

I have no regrets about having the spinal surgery. Whenever I stand in line, I get a recall of times when I had to sit down in line or lie down because of back pain. I am amazed at how long I can stand now without pain.

Susan

[golfnut]

Susan,
Your posts always bring a smile to my face. I'm thinking about the guy younger than your son!
I had a feeling of a 2 by 4 across my back around my shoulder blades if I leaned back on a chair that wasn't padded or tried to do exercises on my back on a mat at the Y. After a couple of years, it finally feels almost normal. I still have some numb areas which I don't worry about. After 13 months of waiting for surgery and 3 years after surgery, I FINALLY don't think about my back every waking moment. However, the times that I am asked about it or think about it are extremely jubilant times. I feel great, look so much younger, and feel like it was one of the best decisions of my life. Keep posting. You are an amazing person in so many ways and will be a big support for others.

[susancook]

Karen, you made my day! I posted on my Facebook when I lost my car in the parking lot today. I went to a big store across from the place that I had my CT scan done. I had never shopped in the store before. As I sat by the exit on the bench while 2 teenagers that worked for security looked in the lot for my car (that was after "Hannah", another teen and I had gone over a section of the parking lot 3 times where I was SURE that I had parked my car), I felt like a little old lady in time out on the bench.

Your post is reassuring to me and I appreciate that I just need to be patient....patience, Susan, patience, Susan.....and give it time. I think that if the scar was on my front from under my neck to my pelvic bone, I would be amazed on a daily basis that I could even get out of bed! But the scar is hidden on my back and it takes a lot of effort to see it. I haven't looked at it for at least a month. Occasionally, to amuse myself, I view You Tube videos of the surgery to get a perspective on the enormity of the surgery!

I am SO pleased that the surgeon tentatively said that I could have surgery in a couple of weeks, pending what he sees on the CT. I am tired of looking like I am ready to deliver my menopausal baby! I am also in pain at the afternoon and evening and when i exercise. My daughter-in-law said that she figured that my recovery would be similar to that of a woman who had a Caesarean. I laughed and said that my recovery would be SO much easier compared to a woman who had a Caesarean birth as after my surgery, I won't have to breastfeed or change diapers!

Thanks again for your encouragement. It means the world to me. Susan

And Karen, the trainer was an awesome hunk! I am way too old to keep such a young testosterone laden lad happy ;+{

[leahdragonfly]

Hi Susan,

Your recent posts (and Karen, you too) brought a big smile to my face!! You have come so incredibly far since your surgery, and I know things will continue to get better over the next year with your back. Great that you can get get rid of that pesky menopausal baby soon--score that you don't have to do newborn care after that surgery! You are so funny. And imagining you at the amazing OHSU gym eyeing your young hunky trainer is hilarious! Your sense of humor is great for all of us here, and I'm sure helpful to those who are earlier in recovery.

Thanks for taking the time to share.

[susancook]

Thanks, Gayle for your encouragement. The training facility at OHSU is totally awesome. Unfortunately, 95% of people are slender/muscular and younger. When I walked 2.1 miles on the treadmill the other day, I was so proud of myself in spite of the fact that EVERYONE else, about 12 people were all running on their treadmills. The men in their shorts and tank tops are great views. Ahhhhhh. Like i tell my husband when he makes a comment about an attractive woman, you can look all you want, you just can't touch! I have been married for almost 42 years and Mark doesn't read the forum, so like Jimmie Carter, I can have lust in my heart. OK, nobody email my Mark!

The warm water pool is great for walking and exercising and the huge hot tub is marvelous! Sorry that you don't live closer. We now have a small duplex about 8 minutes from OHSU (just on the other side of the Ross Island bridge), so if you ever need a place to stay, let us know. It is 2 bedroom, 1 bath. Don't hesitate to let me know when you will be in Portland.

When I read the postings of others that said that they progressively improved, even after one year, I had my doubts. The changes are slow and subtle over time.

So, my next challenge is to get the hernia repaired and have the fix work the first time (Linda, I know, I can hope, right?). Subsequent repairs have diminishing returns. Unlike many times in the past, I will be a very compliant patient on hernia repair activities. I already dread the pain.

Someday, we will get together for that lunch that I promised you!

Take care, Susan

[susancook]

Hernia déjà vu

Dr. Jamison, general surgeon, called with the CT results. He said that the hernia is quite large, "but nothing that I didn't expect. I should have no problem repairing it". I asked him if the hernia included omentum or intestines and he said, "omentum, intestines, and A little bit of your stomach". What? Gross. Just mainline the morphine, here I come!!!!
Susan
Out of the blue....I am on the committee of a doctoral student at Case Western. After taking 3 years to finish her dissertation, she send me an email yesterday: "how about we fly to Cleveland for my defense in a couple of weeks?" Sounds like a good reason to postpone my hernia repair ;+}

Went to Goodwill to buy some clothes as my menopausal baby has drastically changed my shape! There were some really stylin' clothes there today! I did not lose the weight that the surgeon wanted. Interesting that he never mentioned it at the appointment. I weigh the same, just look pregnant. Maybe that will get me a better seat on the bus? So, if you see the headlines on the Enquirer as you try to checkout with your groceries, "menopausal spinal fused woman delivers 10 lb baby", look for my name! Now, wouldn't that surprise the surgeon!

[susancook]

Incisional Hernia surgery scheduled for Tuesday, 18 March

So, folks, get out your prayer beads and start praying for my menopausal baby. I am scheduled for Tuesday 18 March......it just hit me, that is one day less than a year from the date of my spinal fusion! I was wondering what I was going to do to celebrate my 1 year anniversary and now I know! Bummer of a way to celebrate.

I will be very happy to get rid of the bulge in my lower left quadrant! My clothes do not fit and I refuse to buy big pants and shirts, except my exquisite findings at Goodwill! I sure hope that Providence Hospital in Portland has some good drugs like UCSF. My spinal surgery was a major life transformation, this surgery is an inconvenience. I will stay in the hospital 1-2 nights, depending on pain control. Sounds delightful!

Like I said, find those prayer beads! Susan

[Irina]

Good luck, Susan! Your voice mail is full - I called yesterday, but it wouldn't let me leave a message.

[titaniumed]

Susan

This repair is a necessary thing....

I met with a person last week and could see that he had some major work done.....a 50 yr old non-scoli but had many levels done in his lumbar with an anterior surgery. He is walking around with a hernia and of course this sticks out like a sore thumb......And he wont get it fixed. It seems like a shame to go through what we go through, and not finish the job....

I can spot em a mile away in 3 seconds....all these non-scoli spine patients who have 3 levels fused here, and 4 levels there by non-scoli orthos and end up total train wrecks....He is leaning way over and walks with a cane. I didn’t think he was overly happy about his situation...maybe this says something about full fusions, and perhaps the complications involved with anterior surgeries...

Soon you will be all fixed up....

Ed

[susancook]

Susan

This repair is a necessary thing....

I met with a person last week and could see that he had some major work done.....a 50 yr old non-scoli but had many levels done in his lumbar with an anterior surgery. He is walking around with a hernia and of course this sticks out like a sore thumb......And he wont get it fixed. It seems like a shame to go through what we go through, and not finish the job....

I can spot em a mile away in 3 seconds....all these non-scoli spine patients who have 3 levels fused here, and 4 levels there by non-scoli orthos and end up total train wrecks....He is leaning way over and walks with a cane. I didn’t think he was overly happy about his situation...maybe this says something about full fusions, and perhaps the complications involved with anterior surgeries...

Soon you will be all fixed up....

Ed

Ed, my hernia does not stick out "like a sore thumb" but more like a menopausal pregnancy or Weight Watchers gone bad!

I agree with you about the problem of surgeons, ortho or neuro who just want to do 2 or 3 levels at a time for folks that have a more extensive problem. My first problem was my L4 stenosis and R butt pain. At that time, I thought that my L4 was my major problem. I saw a neurosurgeon that does minimally invasive surgery that I really liked him and he sad that he would do a 2 level fuse w/ the L4 repair. Fortunately, I did not rush into surgery with him, because further radiological studies and time showed me that the entire house of cards was going to collapse! So, if I had surgery with him, I would still need to have the full meal deal with Dr. Hu.

Yes, soon I will be on the way to my "final" recovery or stumbling block. In the scheme of things, an incisional hernia is a small price to pay. "Just when I thought that I was on my way to recovering", it's a bummer that I need to go through this. Whine, whine, whine. When the hernia first appeared, I sent a message to Dr. Hu about my hernia and she responded that puffiness in the lower abdomen is normal. Ha! I couldn't wait to show her the puffiness along the entire ALIF incision.

OK, time to stop whining. Susan