19 Year Old Male. Scoliosis Progressing.

[JDM555]

take something that is easy to take off. I was taken back to the pre-op room along with 8 others. I was given a gown and booties and told to take everything off. My surgery was scheduled for 8am, so had to be there at 6:15am. They give you a warm blanket to put you at ease. They will hook you up with all these electrodes to monitor all your senses during the surgery and hook up the IV. They will explain the procedure and have you sign the permission slip. About an hour later they rolled me into the operating room. I don't remember anything after about 10 minutes at arriving at the operating room. It was lights out! Next thing I remember was waking up in post -op. It happened so fast. Mine was 12 hours long.

rich

Hey Rich, I will take some shorts and sweats that are easy to take off/get in. I'll also take a large sweater with a zipper. I also have slippers to wear and long socks to keep my feet warm. I'll be there at 6-6:10 AM since mine is also 8AM. I might be really nervous while I'm waiting there and about to go in, I hear they give you something through the IV if i'm nervous to calm me down. I don't think I will panic though lol. I remember I had to go under for a nose surgery when I was younger, and I go in, counted to 10 and before I knew it, it was like 6 hours later at night and I was back in the room recovering, crazy!
John

How close are your friends' apartments? cause that sounds as if they could be there for you, day or nite....whereas you dont know if the nurse's station is open at nite...

any kind of surgery, you need easy on & off clothes...zippers in the front are good, cause you dont know if you'll be able to raise your arms easily....loose clothing, the looser the better...easy on slippers or shoes, even if there is someone there to help put them on for you....are you bringing a warm robe for your days in the hospital?

tomorrow nite is time to relax...all you could do will be done!
prayers are going out for you for your surgery & healing....it is time to let the medical people take over...trust them, trust your surgeon, & have faith that all will be OK..the rest of your life is waiting for you to be healthy & happy....

blessings to you, john, & best of luck
jess

Well, my campus is pretty big, it's spread out. My friends are across the street, so if I need to take a break, I can go hang out there for a little bit. It's not too far of a walk, after all, walking is good for my recovery so I'll take my time getting there. If I have a break, it's a couple of hours so I'm in no rush. That is for morning/afternoon classes, I'm also taking 2 night classes during the week at a Community college. I will probably get dropped off the first two weeks or three since I don't want to walk too much in the dark. It's 6-9 and 6-8:30, I doubt there is a nursing station at that time, I will have a pillow, and pain meds in case I am in trouble. If I can't handle the pain, I will go home, one class is a GE and one is a Calculus class I already took before, hopefully not much HW is assigned.

As far as clothes, I'm bringing a couple of things. Slippers, sweater, sweats, shorts, long socks, and MAYBE a robe.

I will for sure relax tonight, having some friends coming over to hang out. Tomorrow I will go to church nice and early and take communion, and say a prayer to help me with surgery on monday. And monday morning at 6, I'll be checking in. I have a good feeling about this, thanks for the prayers!
John



OH MY GODDD!!! MY SURGERY IS IN 2 DAYS@!!! I'M PANICKING!!!! J/k lol

[sarah105]

Good luck with your surgery. In my opinion, the slippers and robe were the most helpful for me. I brought a few pairs of pj/sweat pants and t-shirts but I didn't wear any of them until my last day in the hospital. It was uncomfortable for me to have anything under my back like a wrinkle in the shirt or the band of the pants so I just wore the hospital gown. Also, between the IVs, the catheter, the drain, and whatever other wires were attatched to me, it would have been nearly impossible to wear anything but the gown for the first few days at least. The robe and slippers were good for when I took walks. I also brought a soft throw blanket from home which was great because it was soft and much more comfortable than the hosptal blankets. My ipod was also nice to have. I couldn't really focus on much but the music was nice when I was resting since hospitals never get especially quiet.

If possible, I would also suggest having someone there with you most of the time. You will be pretty out of it so it is important to have someone there to communicate with the Drs and nurses and to make sure you are getting the meds you need at the right times.

Good luck preparing. It sounds like you will be pretty busy so thats good. I was suprisingly calm the morning of the surgery. I think I was just ready to get it over with!

[JDM555]

Good luck with your surgery. In my opinion, the slippers and robe were the most helpful for me. I brought a few pairs of pj/sweat pants and t-shirts but I didn't wear any of them until my last day in the hospital. It was uncomfortable for me to have anything under my back like a wrinkle in the shirt or the band of the pants so I just wore the hospital gown. Also, between the IVs, the catheter, the drain, and whatever other wires were attatched to me, it would have been nearly impossible to wear anything but the gown for the first few days at least. The robe and slippers were good for when I took walks. I also brought a soft throw blanket from home which was great because it was soft and much more comfortable than the hosptal blankets. My ipod was also nice to have. I couldn't really focus on much but the music was nice when I was resting since hospitals never get especially quiet.

If possible, I would also suggest having someone there with you most of the time. You will be pretty out of it so it is important to have someone there to communicate with the Drs and nurses and to make sure you are getting the meds you need at the right times.

Good luck preparing. It sounds like you will be pretty busy so thats good. I was suprisingly calm the morning of the surgery. I think I was just ready to get it over with!

Thanks, I'll try to take someone else's robe because I don't have one. the thing that sucks is, I woke up this morning with a sore throat . That is not a good sign. I don't have sneezing/running nose/throwing up/etc. So I don't think it's a cold/flu or something serious. Should I tell the surgeon tomorrow? I don't want to run the risk of having the surgery cancelled.

I ate some chewable Vitamin C and took a multivitamin. I asked the head nurse and she said Vitamin E is excluded the week of surgery if it's a lot. It was like 400 (forgot the units) and my multi is 200, so she said it was fine. I got some theraflu/daily so it's not drowsy so it wouldn't knock me out for 12 hours lol. Is it ok to drink theraflu now or should I not risk it? What about taking Zinc tablets? 50mg?
John

[LindaRacine]

Thanks, I'll try to take someone else's robe because I don't have one. the thing that sucks is, I woke up this morning with a sore throat . That is not a good sign. I don't have sneezing/running nose/throwing up/etc. So I don't think it's a cold/flu or something serious. Should I tell the surgeon tomorrow? I don't want to run the risk of having the surgery cancelled.

I ate some chewable Vitamin C and took a multivitamin. I asked the head nurse and she said Vitamin E is excluded the week of surgery if it's a lot. It was like 400 (forgot the units) and my multi is 200, so she said it was fine. I got some theraflu/daily so it's not drowsy so it wouldn't knock me out for 12 hours lol. Is it ok to drink theraflu now or should I not risk it? What about taking Zinc tablets? 50mg?
John

I doubt there's any problem with taking Theraflu or zinc (as long as you don't take anything after midnight), but you're definitely going to need to tell the medical staff if your throat is still sore tomorrow. It would be awful to have your surgery postponed after everything, but you don't want to take a risk of complications. If you're running a fever, or if your throat is sore, the anesthesia staff will be able to detect it anyway.

--Linda

[JDM555]

I doubt there's any problem with taking Theraflu or zinc (as long as you don't take anything after midnight), but you're definitely going to need to tell the medical staff if your throat is still sore tomorrow. It would be awful to have your surgery postponed after everything, but you don't want to take a risk of complications. If you're running a fever, or if your throat is sore, the anesthesia staff will be able to detect it anyway.

--Linda

Ok, I took 30mL (Serving) of Theraflu. I asked the assistant cause I had a sore throat a couple of days before the Dec. 16 appt, and she said theraflu or other medication for flu/cold is fine. Zinc, I didn't see it as one of the "stay away from" ingredients on the sheet. I am drinking a lot of lemon juice and eating vitamin C. I really hope I wake up better than today. If I do have a sore throat, do you think they would cancel surgery just over that? I have no watery eyes, running nose, coughing, red eyes, etc. I feel 100% fine, it's just the sore throat, I would hate to have it cancelled.

[jrnyc]

have you tried gargling with salt water? do you have cepacol lozenges? sometimes a sore throat is just a sore throat, & nothing else..

i am praying that this disappears overnite & that you are fine in the morning...early, early... as i know you have to be there at the crack of dawn!...worrying about it is not going to help, but i bet you cant help it! please try to let go...it is really out of your hands now...you have done everything you can for your throat...try to get some rest...go to bed..if you have everything packed for tomorrow, there is nothing left but prayer...& i know i am not the only one saying prayers for you now...

best of luck for the go ahead for surgery tomorrow...& best of luck on a successful outcome...

peaceful dreams...
jess

[LindaRacine]

Ok, I took 30mL (Serving) of Theraflu. I asked the assistant cause I had a sore throat a couple of days before the Dec. 16 appt, and she said theraflu or other medication for flu/cold is fine. Zinc, I didn't see it as one of the "stay away from" ingredients on the sheet. I am drinking a lot of lemon juice and eating vitamin C. I really hope I wake up better than today. If I do have a sore throat, do you think they would cancel surgery just over that? I have no watery eyes, running nose, coughing, red eyes, etc. I feel 100% fine, it's just the sore throat, I would hate to have it cancelled.

If you don't have a fever, I'm guessing they'll go ahead with the surgery.

--Linda

[spinalfusion09]

Hi John! Just wanted to wish you all the best for you tomorrow and you'll be in my prayers! I know that it's probably feeling really weird that it's already here. It was really super surreal for me when my surgery date came. But you're gonna do great!!!!! Keep us posted once you're feeling up for it :} And what a way to ring in the new year with a new back :}
Sincerely,
Maliha

[JDM555]

have you tried gargling with salt water? do you have cepacol lozenges? sometimes a sore throat is just a sore throat, & nothing else..

i am praying that this disappears overnite & that you are fine in the morning...early, early... as i know you have to be there at the crack of dawn!...worrying about it is not going to help, but i bet you cant help it! please try to let go...it is really out of your hands now...you have done everything you can for your throat...try to get some rest...go to bed..if you have everything packed for tomorrow, there is nothing left but prayer...& i know i am not the only one saying prayers for you now...

best of luck for the go ahead for surgery tomorrow...& best of luck on a successful outcome...

peaceful dreams...
jess

Good Idea! I will gargle with salt water right now and before I sleep. I took 1 500mg tablet just now after my meal, I will take another one after dinner (8 or 9) and then right before I sleep (10ish) I will take another 25-30ml of theraflu or drink the lemon packet theraflu, either one. I hope it all works out. It's just the flu, no nose problems, eye problems, coughing problems. I hate this surgery, planning it is harder than the damn recovery lol.

And everything packed for tomorrow, should I have my parents hold a little bag with all my stuff or will they keep everything in the room I am in when they hook up all the wires for me and such.

So far, I have sweats, cotton shorts, a large t-shirt, zip up sweater, sandals, iphone/laptop/charger/earphones, and I'll try to get a robe.

Sound good? Am I missing anything?

If you don't have a fever, I'm guessing they'll go ahead with the surgery.

--Linda

I hope, I had a slight headache this morning and after taking the theraflu, I think it made me a little dizzy/light headed ( I was already tired this morning, not a good night for sleep last night) and this thing has 10% alcohol with all the ingredients, I think it made me a little more....exhausted. I will definitely sleep at like 9-10 tonight cause I'm dying of sleep right now.
John

[JDM555]

Hi John! Just wanted to wish you all the best for you tomorrow and you'll be in my prayers! I know that it's probably feeling really weird that it's already here. It was really super surreal for me when my surgery date came. But you're gonna do great!!!!! Keep us posted once you're feeling up for it :} And what a way to ring in the new year with a new back :}
Sincerely,
Maliha

Thanks a lot Maliha! I appreciate the kind words. It does feel weird, I remember I have a big day tomorrow, but then it just goes back to being a regular boring day, then sometimes I stop and think, oh crap, I'm going to get my back cut open tomorrow! Lol. I just hope no problems with insurance/sore throat/etc. cause me to postpone the surgery, I already waited the extra 12, I don't want to wait an additional 5-6 months for summer. I want to get this over with!
John

[fierceliketiger]

John-
Good luck tomorrow! I know you will do great. I am sure you probably won't read this until after you have joined us in the metal back club, but I will be thinking of you tomorrow. Work hard in PT, and just do your best. You'll be fine.

Titaniumed-
You are right. I had thought I had skimmed this post pretty well, but I missed that. Also, I had the osteotomy and the rebuilding of the sacrum...
I'm glad he doesn't have all that stuff to deal with!

[JDM555]

John-
Good luck tomorrow! I know you will do great. I am sure you probably won't read this until after you have joined us in the metal back club, but I will be thinking of you tomorrow. Work hard in PT, and just do your best. You'll be fine.

Titaniumed-
You are right. I had thought I had skimmed this post pretty well, but I missed that. Also, I had the osteotomy and the rebuilding of the sacrum...
I'm glad he doesn't have all that stuff to deal with!

Hey, I got it. I'm about to go to sleep now, thanks for everything guys. I just hope I will end up getting the surgery even with my sore throat, but it doesn't look too good, it's hurting a lot now.
John

[JenniferG]

I hope I'm not too late with this. Perhaps you will come online before you leave in the morning? Anyway, I just wanted to wish you the best tomorrow. You are nearly over the worst part - the waiting! I hope you are thrilled with your new back and have an easy recovery. Good luck John!

[JDM555]

Oh man this sucks. I woke up at 3:15am cause of the sore throat. I've never had a sore throat this bad or painful in my LIFE. Why does this happen to me?doesn't look like surgery is going to happen now, worst luck EVER! I already had it postponed once, and now it looks like it's going to happen again. Looks like I'll have to reschedule in may or something. Darn this sucks.

[sillycoffeegirl]

drink some emergenC. That might help you. Im sorry man. I am also trying to stay healthy, during this season it is hard.