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A few things you wrote and some of the pictures instantly transported me back to when my daughters were fused. You are 37 but I group you with the kids in my mind. I hope your recovery reflects that.
What do they say about the focal pain in that small area especially combined with the sciatica? If it isn't nerve pain then what is it?
You are doing so well.
Best regards, Sharon
Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis
No island of sanity.
Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works? Answer: Medicine
Maybe other people can venture a guess also but I think you are south of the 66T and 66L you walked in with. It is hard to see the lower curve on the after picture but I think both curves are reduced.
Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis
No island of sanity.
Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works? Answer: Medicine
Hi Sharon, that picture I put up that shows the 66° lumbar and thoracic curves was an xray taken in St Louis in 2009 I believe. I just added that to give an idea of where I was pre surgery. I assume my curves had progressed since then, but I really don't have an actual correct number. Maybe I'll delete that pic, and see if I can find something a bit more recent. The problem with that is the quality of the current ones aren't great, because they're just pictures I took from a computer screen. If I change anything I'll post it..
Edit: Sharon, I completely misunderstood what you were saying about the 66° curves... But yeah, the quality of the after x-rays is pretty bad, so I'll try to get better ones when I get a chance. Thanks!
Mike, Its hard to say what could be causing any localized pain when the whole surgical area is raw and inflamed.....Inflamed tissue can impinge on nerves causing pain....and nerves can be quite stubborn when it comes to healing and healing takes time.....I see your horizontal anterior scar, it looks like you skipped the ileus which is a good thing. I was 9 months along and huge. That when the guts stop working, its extremely important that you maintain your daily bowel movements. Drinking water and walking helps with this.
The showers are heaven.... If you can get in for frequent hot showers, they will help. The main thing is falling, your not allowed to fall. Take the walker in the shower with you if need be.
You realize that frequent short walks are so important for blood transfer. This brings nutrients into healing zones, and also helps reduce swelling which can happen all over....(hydrostatic pressure imbalances and fluid stress) This happens after surgery. When the nurses came to my house, I always did my short walks no matter how much it hurt. Remember that you can always stop for a break. I used ski poles. Sometimes it seems like walking across the United States is this unobtainable goal, but it isn’t when you take it one step at a time. Now you are ready to walk around the world. One step at a time.
Surgical pain can continue, it seemed like I had no improvement for a few weeks, it truly was dreadful, then suddenly I had this immediate improvement of 10-20%. It came in steps for some reason. Since the nerves seem to have this on/off heal switch, there was no gradual improvement, then some nerves healed and I improved. Many here have reported these steps of improvement. That first step came around 4 weeks. Patience with pain is something we learn....Pushing through pain is something that became part of my psyche. Its not our choice, its an adaptive trait.
If you can get copies of your digitals burned to disc from the radiology dept, that’s the way to go since they can be zoomed in.
Hang in there, you made it
Ed
49 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
Opoids are pretty useless for radiculopathy (which is presumably the leg pain you're having). Are you on gabapentin?
--Linda
Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
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Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation
Yes I'm taking gabapentin. I'm having horrible pain in my rear hip area, seems like there's fluid or something pooling back there, theres a bump protruding around the incision by L2-L4. about the size of a credit card. It hurts mainly when I'm sitting, which seems to put pressure on that bump. Laying down takes some pressure off but not completely. Also, after any amount of sitting or walking, I get extremely cold. My temp has been pretty stable and bloodwork showed no infection so not sure why I get so chilled.
Pre-surgery- 80°+ thoracic/ 60°+ lumbar
Still unsure of post-op numbers
37 yrs. old, 6'7" ish Scoli pics
Had a nurse check out the spot I'm having so much trouble with today. Pretty much said it's normal fluid build up, and that there's going to be pain no matter what right now. Makes sense, it's not even been two weeks yet. I guess I'm just getting tired of laying in this bed, not spending enough time up moving around, and feel like I want to be swinging from the rafters by now... Ah well... Steady as she goes... I did stand for a shower today, didn't sit down at all. That felt great! Tired me out a bit, and caused a little extra pain, but just being able to stand long enough for a shower was a great mental hurdle. Overall, everyone says my progress is excellent so far, especially since we went without the tilt table. The nurse is on her way in now to change the dressing on my spine since it got wet in the shower.. I'll see if she'll take a pic or two and I'll post.... Good luck everyone........!
Pre-surgery- 80°+ thoracic/ 60°+ lumbar
Still unsure of post-op numbers
37 yrs. old, 6'7" ish Scoli pics
So.. Honestly I never ever had any intention of posting a picture like these.. Just kind of seemed embarrassing I guess. But here is a pic of my back the morning of surgery before we left home, and the other is a picture that was taken five minutes ago. I can certainly see improvement, especially in the right shoulder blade area. I know my spine and my situation was and is special, and unlike most others. A bit more cosmetic improvement would've been great, but if pain relief is what comes of this, then of course all this is absolutely worth it........
Mike, No worries on the photos....were used to it around here....Our scars are our silent testimonials of triumph and pain, which goes deep with us. There is no embarrassment...
How many walks do you do during the day? and how is the log rolling doing? Are you using the tilt table most of the time?
With sitting, I didn’t like leaning back or sitting back in a chair. Didn’t want to make any contact since its so delicate, so simply sat up with perfect posture. Your not making contact with your delicate fluid spot on the back of the chair are you? Also, sitting at that stage was short, under a few minutes, any more and I would have to stand back up. Standing up seemed the most comfortable position for me. Sitting is a difficult position after scoliosis surgery. Understand that this is all immediate recovery related, and that it will pass as you heal and toughen up again.
I was also very cold after my surgeries and set the temp at 84 degrees in the house. Had some record gas bills.
I take it you are still in Wisconsin? How far are you from your surgeon?
I think your going to do just fine, your posts reflect this. Its good to have that huge bubble of anxiety burst upon surgery. You have turned the page. (smiley face)
Hang in there
Ed
49 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
Hoping the pain isn’t too bad, this period of recovery can be hard.....hang in there
Maybe you will get some Thanksgiving dinner....go easy. My best advice for today would be to stay clear of the stuffing. Don’t go there, trust me on this one. If it will last a century in a cardboard box, it wont be the healthiest choice....
Now I have all the cooks freaking out....(smiley face)
Ed
49 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
Haha, thanks for the advice Ed! I'm still in this rehab facility, which I'm ready to break out of any day now, but the people are nice, the food is actually good, and they take the rehab seriously. I just got done taking a looong hot shower, stood up the whole time, probably 20 minutes or so. Felt great, but kinda wore me out. Yesterday in PT I walked up and down ten stairs, that was pretty encouraging also. I just had the nurse take the bandage off my back for good, and had her take a pic of it. Here it is:
And why does every picture I put into the body of my responses keep showing up sideways???!!!! I even tried rotating them in my folder first in anticipation that maybe it would rotate it to be the correct orientation, but nooooooooooo! Oh well. Happy thanksgiving everyone...
Pre-surgery- 80°+ thoracic/ 60°+ lumbar
Still unsure of post-op numbers
37 yrs. old, 6'7" ish Scoli pics
So glad to hear you are recovering well. I think you are grouping with the teenagers in term of recovery. I think you will reach a point where your back is stable and you don't have to worry about it any more.
Best regards, Sharon
Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis
No island of sanity.
Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works? Answer: Medicine
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