You will get there Melissa and you will never look back.
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Hey Jimbo
what great x rays..they should be on display..that is practically art! good job by the surgeon!!
what is the "temporary to L5" thing??...
i would need fusion to pelvis...so i am delaying & delaying...i really believe that people on forum who have had fusion to pelvis never talk the same way...they cant forget their surgery EVER...i dont think...cause they can never bend again!
and reading all the folks who "beg" their doctors not to go below L5 doesnt help me decide to do the surgery one little bit!!
best of luck to you... i hope your health gets better & better!
jess
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Jess, losing that bendability is a very small price to pay for no pain. And I was never in the pain you are. I wish you could come here for a day and see how easy it is for me to get through the day. I feel like a spring chicken. Please don't be afraid of losing the ability to bend at the waist. You will still be able to bend at the hip, remember.Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
Osteotomies and Laminectomies
Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free
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what is the "temporary to L5" thing??...
I hope hope hope that it works and if it does the surgeon will remove the extended rods in one year and leave the fusion level at L4.
A bit of a setback. I thought a big setback, but my surgeon thinks it is just a minor inconvenience that will most likely have a positive outcome. Fingers crossed45L/40T
Surgery 25/1/2010
Australia
Knowthyself
Scoliosis Corrected 25/1/2010 by Dr Angus Gray, Prince of Wales Private Hospital, Sydney. Fused T3-L4.
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Originally posted by RitaR View PostDear Vali: you're the first one I've heard say it was not that bad. It was painful but not really that bad. I'm very glad to hear you say that. Of course, one of the things I've wondered about is just how bad it really is. Of course, with the amount of pain I have now going on, muscle spasms, hurts to talk, laugh or even sniffle, decreased lung capacity, and so on.....it may not be much worse than that. And, at least that you know will get back. Whereas this pain we fell all day everyday - day in and day out - we have to wonder will it ever end. Amy I close here?
Rita, i was quite comfortable after surgery, no extreme pain that i can recall. I was on a PCA but never used it much, so they removed it day 2 post-op. I think that i may have gotten used to the pain building up. My pain started in June 2006 and progressively got worse. I was having several kinds of spinal injections to keep the pain at bay - the facet joint ones worked the best for me. I used to cringe when i could feel a sneeze coming on. I didn't think the pain could get much worse but when the curve started deteriorating at the rate of one degree per month, it was getting excruciating. I was pretty much home bound, driving was hard, walking would give me like 'electric shocks', i couldn't take much more. When my surgeon said we need to take care of this within the next 12 months, I still took three weeks to make my decision, but it is one that i don't regret and as Pam said, ' i would do it over again. So....
yep Rita you're close. Best wishes.Vali
44 years young! now 45
Surgery - June 1st, 2009
Dr David Hall - Adelaide Spine Clinic
St. Andrews Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia
Pre-op curve - 58 degree lumbar
Post -op - 5 degrees
T11 - S1 Posterior
L4/5 - L5/S1 Anterior Fusion
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Originally posted by JenniferG View PostJess, losing that bendability is a very small price to pay for no pain. And I was never in the pain you are. I wish you could come here for a day and see how easy it is for me to get through the day. I feel like a spring chicken. Please don't be afraid of losing the ability to bend at the waist. You will still be able to bend at the hip, remember.Vali
44 years young! now 45
Surgery - June 1st, 2009
Dr David Hall - Adelaide Spine Clinic
St. Andrews Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia
Pre-op curve - 58 degree lumbar
Post -op - 5 degrees
T11 - S1 Posterior
L4/5 - L5/S1 Anterior Fusion
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Dear JennG & Vali
you are both so sweet! i know you have told me that...& i thank you...i do believe you, cause you live it! it is just hard to imagine without being in your shoes! but what i really meant was....can you ever FORGET about your back...if you did, could you break the rods by accident, having them all the way down as you both do....if you bent down wrong...without thinking....??
i wish i could come visit...i really do!!
Jimbo
i will keep my fingers crossed for you absolutely...cause it would be great if you didnt need the fusion to L5 if they can prevent it!
thanks to all who write...i am having a hard time making my decision...but i know if i am meant to do this, i will...there are days when the pain is so bad, i am ready to have surgery...then, especially after injections, there are days it eases up somewhat....
i expect to visit my NYC surgeon this spring.....
jess
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Originally posted by jrnyc View Post
i would need fusion to pelvis...so i am delaying & delaying...i really believe that people on forum who have had fusion to pelvis never talk the same way...they cant forget their surgery EVER...i dont think...cause they can never bend again!
and reading all the folks who "beg" their doctors not to go below L5 doesnt help me decide to do the surgery one little bit!!
jessDiagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/
"In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.
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Originally posted by loves to skate View PostJess, That statement is so not true for me. I still have some pain issues, but I think part of that is because of my age and the fact that I wasn't diagnosed early enough and my spine was in such bad shape by the time I found a Doctor that had the confidence to operate on me. As to bending, I can still bend and almost touch my toes and can pick up a paper clip off of the floor just by bending my knees a little more than I used to. You have to realize that the longer you put surgery off, the more difficult your surgery could be and the older you are, the longer your recovery will probably be. Note that I said could and probably. Life is too short not to be able to do the things you love to do and you know what you have given up because of your pain. Maybe if you had the side effects that I have had with cortisone shots, you might be ready sooner to have surgery. I don't ever want another cortisone shot! Who on this forum is unhappy that their Doctor had to fuse them to S-1? I would have this surgery over again in a heartbeat, because I have my life back.
meg
27 year old female
Upper Curve 110 degrees
Lower Curve 90 degrees
Surgery with Dr. Wood at MGH 1/11/10 && 1/14/10
Fused T2-Pelvis
Back looks amazing and no more Hump! ^_^
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Congratulations on getting home. I am about a week-10 days behind you so you are truly inspiring for me. We're here in NY but home, (4 hours south) in PA is covered with over 2 feet of snow with more predicted this week. Don't think I'll have to worry about heat rash with my brace. Will find out tomorrow if we're going to be able to do some rehab here in NY--depends on insurance. As much as I want to get out of this hospital, I (and my husband who will be my primary care-giver) want to feel comfortable and safe once we get there.
Keep those positive posts coming!!
Anne in PA
Age 58
Diagnosed at age 14, untreated, no problem until age 50
T4 to sacrum fusion
63 thoracic now 35, 92 lumbar now 53
Dr. Baron Lonner, 2/2/10
Am pain-free, balanced, happy & an inch taller !
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Jimbo
Very nice looking x-rays! Straight as an arrow.
Glad to see you are doing well.
Ed49 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
Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=
My x-rays
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258
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Thanks Sally...and everybody who posted about fusion to pelvis..i really do pay attention & think about everything you guys have to say...it makes me feel ALOT better about leaning () towards surgery ...it truly does!
expect to call the 2 patients Dr Anand's office gave me phone numbers for this week..will write the forum with what they have to say....i am sure it will be positive or i doubt i would have been given their phone numbers!
thanks again..
jess
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It will be interesting to hear what they say, even if they are "good examples" Jess!Last edited by JenniferG; 02-08-2010, 03:26 PM.Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
Osteotomies and Laminectomies
Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free
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