feeling the hardware?

[Geish]

I need to move to Hawaii!

I actually plan on moving to Maui by the end of this summer! We are on the 2 year plan and August 10th is 2 years since we made the decision to make the move. Looks like it will be early to mid September for the move! I can hardly wait.

[Sherie]

How do you think Sheena would be with someone working her chest wall/shoulders across the front vs. touching her back? If they could get the front to loosen up (and even work the scapula while she's lying on her back), I think she might really get some relief from the thoracic pain.

Regards,
Pam

I think she would be mortified to have someone touching her chest, she's not a touchy kind of person. I have to pay her for hugs. I should forget the massage idea, I think the only thing she hates more is needles. I'm going to have her read the exercises you posted and get her to try those.

[debbei]

I still hate wearing a bra. It's a horrible feeling. There's still some swelling at the top of my rods and I can feel them when I lean against a hard chair-back.

Me too, Me too!!! I don't think I feel the hardware, but I HATE wearing a bra. If I wear on for too long, I always end up with muscle spasms. It's been quite something now that I've started work. I get home and rip it off first thing.

[txmarinemom]

I think she would be mortified to have someone touching her chest, she's not a touchy kind of person. I have to pay her for hugs. I should forget the massage idea, I think the only thing she hates more is needles. I'm going to have her read the exercises you posted and get her to try those.

I should have clarified, Sherie, it's the area "above the sheet" that my massage guy works ... mid-sternum out to my shoulder, then under the anterior surface of my scapula. If Sheena's that sensitive to touch, however, I suppose it's a rather moot detail, eh?

Hopefully the exercises will give her some relief from the tightness, and strengthen the areas that haven't been used in so long. Please keep us posted on how she's doing if you can convince her to try them!

Regards,
Pam

[gabs mum]

magnesium oil spray

Hi Sherie,
I don't know if this will help Sheena but I have been reading about it and it sounds interesting anyway.
Check out the link http://www.rejuvehealth.com.au/?gcli...FZUvpAodAUxPBA . I am sure it is available elsewhere. Let me know what you think. All is well here. Will catch up with you soon.
Donna.

[gabs mum]

Magnesium gel

This one may be better. A 'rub and go' apparently. Try link
http://www.rejuvehealth.com/Ancient-...el+-240ml.html

[Sherie]

Thanks Donna, I'll look into that. I've never heard of it before but I imagine it's available in health food stores.

Take care

[txmarinemom]

Ahhhh ... had my massage today, and am loose as can be - yay! All the tightness through the thoracic area is gone, and I'm starting a hot yoga class Friday (my massage therapist teaches it) to help keep things loose.

It was a pretty interesting visit in that I'm starting school in July to get my AS in Massage Therapy (you know it ... working with pre-op and post-op scoli patients, of course ;-): We spent most of the 2 hours talking about that while he worked on me.

He also showed me a gadget he has and uses on himself, and I am SO about to get on Amazon and order one after trying it. It's called the Theracane, and my days of lying on tennis balls (and sometimes even golf balls) are done! I walked this tool along the inside edge of my scapula and up to "that spot", Debbe, at the upper inside corner of the shoulder blade ... the rhomboid area so many of us post-ops feel burning in from time to time and it was SO on the money.

Sherie, for someone like Sheena who is either embarrassed or weird about anyone else touching their back (maybe if she had control it wouldn't be as freaky to her?), this could be a substitute to seeing a massage therapist ...

I know I LOVED it!

Regards,
Pam

[debbei]

Ahhhh ... had my massage today, and am loose as can be - yay! All the tightness through the thoracic area is gone, and I'm starting a hot yoga class Friday (my massage therapist teaches it) to help keep things loose.

It was a pretty interesting visit in that I'm starting school in July to get my AS in Massage Therapy (you know it ... working with pre-op and post-op scoli patients, of course ;-): We spent most of the 2 hours talking about that while he worked on me.

He also showed me a gadget he has and uses on himself, and I am SO about to get on Amazon and order one after trying it. It's called the Theracane, and my days of lying on tennis balls (and sometimes even golf balls) are done! I walked this tool along the inside edge of my scapula and up to "that spot", Debbe, at the upper inside corner of the shoulder blade ... the rhomboid area so many of us post-ops feel burning in from time to time and it was SO on the money.

Sherie, for someone like Sheena who is either embarrassed or weird about anyone else touching their back (maybe if she had control it wouldn't be as freaky to her?), this could be a substitute to seeing a massage therapist ...

I know I LOVED it!

Regards,
Pam

OMG PAM I want that thing!! That's the exact spot on my back that you describe. Mine is bothering me as we speak. It used to burn and pinch in the beginning now it just screams at me---RUB ME!! It's very tight. And of course I can't reach back there. Maybe I'll order your gadget tonight. I'll tell you, I could sure use someone like you up here to work on my back! I'm afraid to go to someone who might mess me up. Sigh.....

And how wonderful that your class can work on you as practice.

[Sherie]

Sherie, for someone like Sheena who is either embarrassed or weird about anyone else touching their back (maybe if she had control it wouldn't be as freaky to her?), this could be a substitute to seeing a massage therapist ...

I know I LOVED it!

Regards,
Pam

Yeah, something like this might work for her. I'm going to show her the website and see what she thinks. For $40 you can't go wrong. I think I could even use this thing if she doesn't.

thanks again Pam, let me know where you set up shop in case I can convince Sheena to go for a massage someday.

[txmarinemom]

OMG PAM I want that thing!! That's the exact spot on my back that you describe.

LOL ... I really did order one last night ... expedited shipping!

I'll tell you, I could sure use someone like you up here to work on my back! I'm afraid to go to someone who might mess me up. Sigh.....

Yeah, I'm really excited about focusing on pre-op/post-op scoli patients.

I've learned SO much from the guy that works on me, and he, in turn, has learned a lot about how to work on a "challenging" back - and the muscles that are commonly affected after fusion. He's been so supportive of my decision, and is already prepared for me pick his brain on a regular basis!

[txmarinemom]

Yeah, something like this might work for her. I'm going to show her the website and see what she thinks. For $40 you can't go wrong. I think I could even use this thing if she doesn't.

thanks again Pam, let me know where you set up shop in case I can convince Sheena to go for a massage someday.

Sherie,

Look on Amazon before you pay listed retail: I got mine (including expedited shipping) for ±$37 last night. Heck, if Sheena doesn't want to commit to buying one sight unseen, she can try mine out first - LOL!

[Qikdraw]

Why do you men insist on freaking the wife out? lol I have the reverse....I insisted my husband feel it...he wouldnt, and I wouldnt let up...finally, he did a quick reach over....barly touched me...lol...said nope, dont feel anything!

LOL

Well right now the one thing that freaks my wife out is my knee. It crackles like rice crispies when I straighten it at certain angles. Not only is it fairly loud, when I put her hand on it she can feel it going 'snap, crackle, pop'. She hates that, which is probably why I do it.

Pam,

Very cool that you're going in that direction. Let us know when you have set up shop and if you'll start classes to help spouses give massages I'll sign my wife & I up.

[LynnMarie74]

Brad Brad Brad......antagonizing your poor wife like that, you outta be ashamed of yourself! I would do the exact same thing! lol

The way I look at it is that you have to have a sense of humor about the whole thing, because we all really went thru alot to get to where we are now & heck, we should have some fun with it! Our backs & our surguries seem so common to us here....but to our family, friends and co-workers, they comtinue to be amazed at what we've been thru, how quickly we recover and feel healthy again.or vise versa. Here, we are all in the same boat, sharing similar stories & experiences, etc.....outside of here.....people look and listen in amazment! lol Sometimes it can be quite humorous! And whenever I hear someone talking about a big surgery or procedure and go on and on about how painful it will be or was...I always chime in with "...or you can just skip that and have 12 level spinal fusion?!" Then there is silence! lol Its fun!

Oh well, enough of my going on about nothing...I forget what the heck I was even posting about to begin with!? lol Oh yea....feeling the hardware...thats right! Its still really gross! My PT says yes, what Im feeling it the hardware and thought it was pretty cool that I was so nonchalant about it!

Lynn

[Qikdraw]

Brad Brad Brad......antagonizing your poor wife like that, you outta be ashamed of yourself! I would do the exact same thing! lol

LOL

I think thats what makes a good relationship last... Freaking the other spouse out.

The way I look at it is that you have to have a sense of humor about the whole thing, because we all really went thru alot to get to where we are now & heck, we should have some fun with it! Our backs & our surguries seem so common to us here....but to our family, friends and co-workers, they comtinue to be amazed at what we've been thru, how quickly we recover and feel healthy again.or vise versa. Here, we are all in the same boat, sharing similar stories & experiences, etc.....outside of here.....people look and listen in amazment! lol Sometimes it can be quite humorous!

This forum has been great for me. Not only to be able to talk to people who understand, but to joke with them abotu it too. Even though my surgery is 25 years past I am finding this to be incredibly healing for me. I have NEVER been able to talk to anyone who understands. My father never understood how I could be in pain, but have no physical symptoms until about 4 years ago when he told me he is having his hip replaced and he talked about being in pain, not sleeping well at night, not being able to do everything he wanted to, etc... I just told him 'welcome to my world', he finally got it. A little late, but he got it.

And whenever I hear someone talking about a big surgery or procedure and go on and on about how painful it will be or was...I always chime in with "...or you can just skip that and have 12 level spinal fusion?!" Then there is silence! lol Its fun!

LOL My wife & I went to a resort one time and there were these two older couples and the two guys were talking about their open heart surgeries. Swapping scar stories and the like. They looked at me at one point and said not to worry that one day I'll have scar stories too. I laughed and said I've had them since I was 12, I turned about and showed them the two feet of scars on my back and told them what happened. The look on their face was pretty funny.

Oh well, enough of my going on about nothing...I forget what the heck I was even posting about to begin with!? lol Oh yea....feeling the hardware...thats right! Its still really gross! My PT says yes, what Im feeling it the hardware and thought it was pretty cool that I was so nonchalant about it!

Lynn

Well its not like 'we' can be freaked out by it. Its in us after all. lol

Brad