19 Year Old Male. Scoliosis Progressing.

[JDM555]

I am sure that if you did major surgery with Dr Bederman, he would want you to stay in rehab for 2 weeks or so so he could check on you as you live so far
away

Glad that you two got to talk together about your situation

Yes, I think so, but I don't know how I'd feel about sitting in a hospital bed without being comfortable for 2 weeks lol. I barely lasted 8 days for my first surgery. He is extremely helpful regarding my situation and answered every single question. I got to talk with one of his patients that got the XLIF about 6 weeks ago and he's doing very well. He said the soonest would most likely be 30th of September. So That's in 2 weeks. I have 2 more appointments with local surgeons before the 30th, too many options.

[BendyBill]

I hope everything gets easier for you soon, mate. If I had the knowledge then I'd give you every bit of help I could but I'm pretty sure you know a lot more than I do.

Sorry I can't be of more use.

B

[mabeckoff]

Yes, I think so, but I don't know how I'd feel about sitting in a hospital bed without being comfortable for 2 weeks lol. I barely lasted 8 days for my first surgery. He is extremely helpful regarding my situation and answered every single question. I got to talk with one of his patients that got the XLIF about 6 weeks ago and he's doing very well. He said the soonest would most likely be 30th of September. So That's in 2 weeks. I have 2 more appointments with local surgeons before the 30th, too many options.

John, I am fully fused from C2-my pelvis and I was very comfortable in rehab. He will not let you go there before you are ready and they will keep you full of pain
pills so that you will be comfortable

Melissa

[Doreen1]

John,

How does your pre-surgery pain compare to today's pain? At this point in your journey, do you regret having surgery?

Warmly,
Doreen

[Elisa]

Hey John, I really hope you get the answers you're looking for and that everything gets sorted out for you really soon. I was wondering if you ever found out 'why' you didn't fuse properly? You are so young and healthy so I'm wondering if maybe one of your rods broke perhaps?

[JDM555]

I hope everything gets easier for you soon, mate. If I had the knowledge then I'd give you every bit of help I could but I'm pretty sure you know a lot more than I do.

Sorry I can't be of more use.

B

Thanks for the nice words! I appreciate it.

John, I am fully fused from C2-my pelvis and I was very comfortable in rehab. He will not let you go there before you are ready and they will keep you full of pain
pills so that you will be comfortable

Melissa

Yeah, that is for a huge surgery, but with XLIF I don't think staying for a week or something will be necessary, within the next day I should be able to get up and walk around.

John,

How does your pre-surgery pain compare to today's pain? At this point in your journey, do you regret having surgery?

Warmly,
Doreen

The pain today is worse. Pre-surgery, I was walking and jumping and had no limitations with bending/twisting. I did had a lot of pain but it was mainly in the muscle along the right side of the spine. It would throb and be tight and be annoying. Now, with the hardware and failed fusion and God knows what else, I'm restricted to do any activity and any movement hurts, and I get cracking sounds/feeling in my spine and sometimes really sharp stabbing pain when I bend. Plus, I know for sure if I were to return to gym in the current condition, the pain before surgery would return. So besides the fact my spine isn't curving anymore, which is good, yes I regret the surgery. For the first 7 months though, I didn't regret it. Hopefully fusing everything will help me change my mind and I'll be recovering like the first 7 months which weren't bad.
John

Hey John, I really hope you get the answers you're looking for and that everything gets sorted out for you really soon. I was wondering if you ever found out 'why' you didn't fuse properly? You are so young and healthy so I'm wondering if maybe one of your rods broke perhaps?

Nope. I have no idea. Maybe it was because my primary surgeon told me I can return to the gym at 3 months post op, and it was just too soon. But I went to the gym and did very light weights from 3-7 months, and then out of nowhere it just went downhill. So maybe I did too much, or I slipped on the stairs, or just did something. And it's been going downhill ever since because my primary surgeon didn't see anything wrong with hardware, so he said it's all gravy. He didn't want to get a CT scan or bone tests or do any test for my pain, he said hardware looks good so my job is done, just live with the pain for the rest of your life. Awesome!
John

[mabeckoff]

Yeah, that is for a huge surgery, but with XLIF I don't think staying for a week or something will be necessary, within the next day I should be able to get up and walk around.

I was talking about if you ever decide to have a big surgery here in LA

[mabeckoff]

Nope. I have no idea. Maybe it was because my primary surgeon told me I can return to the gym at 3 months post op, and it was just too soon. But I went to the gym and did very light weights from 3-7 months, and then out of nowhere it just went downhill. So maybe I did too much, or I slipped on the stairs, or just did something. And it's been going downhill ever since because my primary surgeon didn't see anything wrong with hardware, so he said it's all gravy. He didn't want to get a CT scan or bone tests or do any test for my pain, he said hardware looks good so my job is done, just live with the pain for the rest of your life. Awesome!
John[/QUOTE]

Yes but now you do not need to deal with your first surgeon. You seem to have plenty of choices and I am praying that you will make the correct choice as to your next surgeon

[JDM555]

Yeah, that is for a huge surgery, but with XLIF I don't think staying for a week or something will be necessary, within the next day I should be able to get up and walk around.

I was talking about if you ever decide to have a big surgery here in LA

I see. Well I'll have to see what Bederman talks about when I see him on the 30th, I'll ask him what we should do IF this isn't the cure for my pain. What he will say and go over what other doctors say and just try to look ahead so I'm prepared as to what to do. I just hope it ends soon, or at least get some relief, I can't live like this. I'm starting to complain a lot, but it's so miserable, I can't take sitting at home and wasting my life knowing I can't do any activities and will always be in fine, it's infuriating and sad at the same time.

Yes but now you do not need to deal with your first surgeon. You seem to have plenty of choices and I am praying that you will make the correct choice as to your next surgeon

Yes. I don't even want his name in my signature, just brings back memories. I hope I make the correct choices too Melissa, I really really do.

[mabeckoff]

I see. Well I'll have to see what Bederman talks about when I see him on the 30th, I'll ask him what we should do IF this isn't the cure for my pain. What he will say and go over what other doctors say and just try to look ahead so I'm prepared as to what to do. I just hope it ends soon, or at least get some relief, I can't live like this. I'm starting to complain a lot, but it's so miserable, I can't take sitting at home and wasting my life knowing I can't do any activities and will always be in fine, it's infuriating and sad at the same time.



Yes. I don't even want his name in my signature, just brings back memories. I hope I make the correct choices too Melissa, I really really do.

So you did make an appt on September 30 to see Dr Bederman? It is a very big decision to make regarding your surgeon but I think that most people when they
meet the surgeon that they want to use they will realize it. I did not feel the way I do about Dr Bederman towards my first surgeon.

I will keep you in my prayers

[jrnyc]

hey John
i'm so glad you will get in to see Bederman!
thank goodness it is in 2 weeks!

i kinda doubt that they would send you to rehab after the smaller
surgery option with minimally invasive...i wonder if they could
justify it to the insurance company...

i hope you can have the surgery with Bederman....he just sounds
like he really knows what he is doing!

jess

[JDM555]

So you did make an appt on September 30 to see Dr Bederman? It is a very big decision to make regarding your surgeon but I think that most people when they
meet the surgeon that they want to use they will realize it. I did not feel the way I do about Dr Bederman towards my first surgeon.

I will keep you in my prayers

Yes. I understand how you feel. The first surgeon I saw was at Stanford and just went in without thinking it's a major surgery, what a big mistake that was lol. Thanks Melissa!

hey John
i'm so glad you will get in to see Bederman!
thank goodness it is in 2 weeks!

i kinda doubt that they would send you to rehab after the smaller
surgery option with minimally invasive...i wonder if they could
justify it to the insurance company...

i hope you can have the surgery with Bederman....he just sounds
like he really knows what he is doing!

jess

Yes. I still have to deal with traveling arrangements, it's not going to be cheap to go down even for the day. With 1 ticket roundtrip, and taxi's, and copay, and food, I'm looking at $3-350. If my father comes it's going to be a $500+ trip to visit Dr. Bederman. MIGHT drive, but I realllllllly don't want to do that lol.

[mabeckoff]

Yes. I still have to deal with traveling arrangements, it's not going to be cheap to go down even for the day. With 1 ticket roundtrip, and taxi's, and copay, and food, I'm looking at $3-350. If my father comes it's going to be a $500+ trip to visit Dr. Bederman. MIGHT drive, but I realllllllly don't want to do that lol.[/QUOTE]


How long a drive is it? What time is your appt?

Melissa

[JDM555]

How long a drive is it? What time is your appt?

Melissa

Drive is 6.5 hours, appointment is at 11:00 AM. So if I were to drive, I'd have to go earlier in the week, cause I'm not waking up at 3-4AM to make it there by 9-10AM lol. Plane flight at 8AM, get there are 9:30AM and by time I get to there and taxi and what not, do appointment and maybe fly back that night? Not sure yet.

[mabeckoff]

Drive is 6.5 hours, appointment is at 11:00 AM. So if I were to drive, I'd have to go earlier in the week, cause I'm not waking up at 3-4AM to make it there by 9-10AM lol. Plane flight at 8AM, get there are 9:30AM and by time I get to there and taxi and what not, do appointment and maybe fly back that night? Not sure yet.

What airport? Could you ask for an a later appt in the day? If you and your Dad drive together, that is not a bad drive

Melissa