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

[Susie*Bee]

Susan-- I can't even imagine getting in and out of a Miata! I agree-- no more Miata. And yes, give yourself space (as in time) to heal more. I know you are anxious to get back to being active. Listen to your body. When it complains, then you are doing too much, so back off and take it slower. You'll get there. We do.

[susancook]

You're doing way more than I did at the same time. You're about 6 weeks post op, right? I was only leaving the house for my walk at 6 weeks so I'm in awe of what you're doing. Perhaps it's too much? I hope the sciatica is something simple like that, and easily fixed. I really hope that it resolves - it's the worst.

Thanks. I am impatient and am tired of restrictions. The sciatica continues and I will ask the physical therapist today about a shoe lift. I have a love/relationship with my brace. It is hot and restricting. Enough whining.......thanks for listening!
Susan

[tae_tap]

Thanks. I am impatient and am tired of restrictions. The sciatica continues and I will ask the physical therapist today about a shoe lift. I have a love/relationship with my brace. It is hot and restricting. Enough whining.......thanks for listening!
Susan

I agree! I hate my corset and love to forget to put it on while seeing patients, but then pay for it later that evening. Keep on keeping on and things will get better.

Tamena

[susancook]

3 month visit

I had my 3 month postop visit today. I flew to SF alone this time which is the first time that I have been in an airplane/security screening since surgery. My biggest fear was that some big TSA dude would go through my purse, pull out my metallic butt wiper tongs and announce to the awaiting crowd, "what is this?" Guess that they aren't weapons of mass destruction.

At the visit, the X-ray looked "good" so nothing is out of alignment. Dr. Hu freed me from brace wear by slightly more. I confessed that when I do not have the brace in that I occasionally bent over to pick something up. She said that was OK "once a month". Oooppppssss. Gayle admonished me in an earlier post to be more diligent, and while I took her advice to heart (I still cringe at the post about the "pop heard around the world", so I trust her advice), I obviously pressed the limit more than I should. Note: promise to yourself to NOT bend. Need more grabbers and less dignity.

The rest of the visit went as planned: do more physical therapy, plan on things getting better with time, eat good foods-walk or swim more-take calcium supplements.

Dr. Hu announced that she was leaving UCSF and then started to say that I could follow up with a provider here if I choose. She only got half way through her sentence, and I told her that she was stuck with me, and that I would follow her anywhere. I came all the way down to SF because I had total trust and confidence in her and that there was "No way that she could get rid of me now". I was personally hoping that she would go to the Bahamas, so I could have my appointments at a more exotic place. I suppose that Stanford is exotic and that mapquest would find it for me.

My next visit needs to be at UCSF as she said that she will be between practices, and "Cleaning house". I almost laughed at a woman who probably makes maybe $500,000 a year, probably doesn't clean her own house. Whatever.

I filled out the seemingly zillions of questions that are routine at the visit to track progress or lack thereof and to give some researcher material for a publication. The only one that struck me this time was, "How satisfied are you with your results?" I remember the conversations on Ed's thread recently concerning functioning and I responded"mostly satisfied". The truth is that if I am in the exact same shape at my 2 year visit, I will mark "completely satisfied". I am hoping for some improvement in the next year and 3/4, but if this is truly as good as it gets, then I am OK with that.

Still need help with reaching butt hygiene and putting on my right sock,
Susan

[JenniferG]

As good as it gets at three months? Hell no! I bet you're going to laugh at that idea in another three months then again at 12 months. You're still very early out Susan and have a lot of improving yet to go.

Many of us here had rapid improvement between 3 and 6 months. I know I did.

Glad to hear your appt. went so well.

[golfnut]

I would follow Dr. Lenke any place he would move, as well. When I heard he was offered as position out East, I figured we would just make it a vacation for my check-ups. I know that I have improved so much after 24 months and you are only three months. I am glad you got a good check up. Please don't attempt to bend for any reason. I had grabbers in every room of the house so that I wouldn't be tempted. Fusing is so important during the first six months. I remember various incidents during my first 6 months where I had to ask for help from total strangers-dropped my keys by the car at the grocery store, dropped a credit card on the floor when shopping, had loose coins rolling all over the floor at the grocery store, etc. I didn't even stoop down on one knee with my back straight to pick something up for probably 6 months. It has all paid off for me so far. Yesterday, I was shopping for a new dress for a wedding (by the way, it's so nice to not attempt to camouflage a rib hump since it is gone! ) and the door to the dressing room locked when I closed it to show my husband the dress I was trying on. An employee came to unlock it and had to crawl under the door because she didn't have a key. Well, stupid me, did it again a few minutes later. I thought that no way was I going to ask her again to crawl under, so I did it myself. It was simple. I kept thinking-boy, have I come a long way . . . My point to all this is that you have the rest of your life to increase activities and enjoy your favorite things, but take at easy during this crucial period.

[Wish2bstraight]

So glad to hear that you are doing well. I had to laugh and then Read your comments about airport security to my husband. I was concerned about security, but they were fine. I told them I was full of titanium and they made sure I went through the proper body scanner. I consider myself very fortunate since I am able to put on pantyhose, carefully. Then I thought better of it, and decided to call the doctor to be sure that this type of bending was okay, since I am only a little shy of six months post op. he said yes I could bend. What he does not want me to do is garden. I am okay with that, except I would really like to pull some weeds. He was not to keen on that idea unless I sit, no kneeling. Well, I guess most of the weeds are going to do their own thing. I will always have next year.

My big problem is that I still don't stand up completely straight, most of the time and when I try to carry things, even a couple of dishes, I am not able to stand straight. I bend at the knees while bending over. It has gotten better, but not fast enough for my patience.

Looking forward to hearing that your next soctor's report is just as good, if not better

[Confusedmom]

Susan,
Glad to hear it's going so well!! I totally agree with others that you will continue to see LOTS of improvement.

One question: HOW do you bend? I literally cannot bend. I can squat. But there is no bending of my back to be done. Don't try it -- not a good idea. But I didn't even realize it was possible for S1 folks?! Can other S1 people bend?

Evelyn

[JenniferG]

Hahaha! (Karen!) Isn't it great that you can crawl under change-room doors! Hahaha!

[titaniumed]

My biggest fear was that some big TSA dude would go through my purse, pull out my metallic butt wiper tongs and announce to the awaiting crowd, "what is this?"

Austin Powers would say “That’s not mine” (smiley face)

Sigh.....I was told that I might not be able to wipe my.....”Krackatoa”. That was a scary thing to have to listen to...... I guess I was lucky. Whew......

I think that after you heal completely, you can work on your stretch. Right now, I wouldn’t try or pull down too hard, your still VERY early.....I didn’t do any pulling down till I was around 8 months post.....I waited patiently.....The icing on the cake comes later.

Dr Hu is a special person.....”Cleaning house” probably means that she will be clearing her mind so she can write scoliosis related material.

I wouldn’t worry about seeing any of the other surgeons at UCSF.

Your doing fine Susan....the next 3 months will be much better.

Ed

[susancook]

You guys are so great! Thanks for all of the posts and your kind words. Part of my problem is that I feel so good. I forget that I need to be careful. Maybe if I were in pain, I would remember better.

Thank you for your admonitions. Irina told me where I can buy folding reachers, so I will be more careful.

Onward to more physical therapy!

Susan

[JenniferG]

After all that pain you were in, feeling no pain must be heavenly, Susan!

[Susie*Bee]

Susan,
Glad to hear it's going so well!! I totally agree with others that you will continue to see LOTS of improvement.

One question: HOW do you bend? I literally cannot bend. I can squat. But there is no bending of my back to be done. Don't try it -- not a good idea. But I didn't even realize it was possible for S1 folks?! Can other S1 people bend?

Evelyn

Even having been fused from T2 to "just L4", I can't bend either... When you consider having approximately 20" rods running down your spine, there is no way to bend except at the hip. Those rods will not bend! My PT said even then, you need to take it easy and bend the correct way, which is with a golfer's style bend with one leg going up as your arm goes down. It relieves the stress on your lower back/hip area. At least most golfers do that when retrieving the ball from the cup. That is why golfers do that--or the repetitious movement would cause problems. I sometimes think of it as similar to a ballet arabesque, if you have your arms out "just so". (big smile)

[Irina]

Folding Reacher

Susan,

Here is the folding reacher I bought. It fits in my purse and I like a yellow clasp that keeps it closed. I purchased another folding reacher before and it was a total waste of money, but I recommend this one. When folded, this reacher looks like a gun, so be careful with it in the airports :-)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[susancook]

After all that pain you were in, feeling no pain must be heavenly, Susan!

Sometimes when I wake up, I forget that I had surgery. I feel so "normal". The memory of my lying on the floor at the airport awaiting the plane loading to go back to the US is still vivid in my mind.

Thanks for your support. I feel that you a re a good friend.
Susan