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  • #16
    Dr. Lenke "customers?"

    I thought I should update you on my plans for my surgery in March with Dr. Lenke. I have talked to Kelly a few times and told her that I will not have anyone there to stay in a hotel with me. She seems to understand that we will have to make arrangements for me to go to rehab. She said, "well, we're not going to put you out on the street." My sister will be with me during surgery week and a few days after, but will be gone before I am released for rehab. Once I'm in rehab and have a release date, my brother will come back to escort me home.

    My next door neighbor has agreed to be my paid caregiver when I get home, rather than my hiring a home health aide. I'm very happy about that, because she's right next door, she's a bright, cheerful person and she already knows things like where the mailbox is and when the trash has to go out! Between her and my family and friends, I think I'm covered for when I come home.

    I have been crazy busy getting my house ready, shopping, and making plans to close down my online shops for awhile. Oh yes, and I have to figure out how to use my new Blackberry. Hopefully by the time I get to St. Louis I will know how to text!

    Thanks to all for your tips, and especially to KathK and Nanlo. I actually met Nancy for lunch last week. She is a delightful person and one of the few adults I know who is shorter than I am!
    FeliciaFeliciaFelicia
    10/24/00 posterior fusion T4-L4 at age 57
    8/5/05 posterior surgery for spinal stenosis at L4-L5; laminectomy and fusion
    5/14/07 posterior revision with fusion to sacrum
    2/11/08 anterior discectomy L5-S1, and reinforcement of fusion with plate attached to L5-S1
    3/9/2011 and 3/11/2011 revision surgery with Dr. Lenke, St. Louis - complete revision and fusion with instrumentation from T1 to sacrum, one lumbar osteotomy.

    Comment


    • #17
      Hi, Felicia,
      You are going through the most difficult part of the whole process right now. Nancy told me she was meeting you. I've also become friends with KathyK through emails. I had surgery with Dr. Lenke on Jan. 5. The results are amazing. I've had very little pain and got off of the pain meds. after one month. I would recommend always using you're walker until you are completely off of the strong pain meds. I was only walking from the guest bedroom to the bathroom (without the walker) at 3 weeks post-op and got light headed and blacked out briefly and fell to the floor. It took me by surprise since I had not had any dizziness prior to the incident. Fortunately, my husband was right there ane helped break my fall. I was in the hospital one week and went home. I actually thought rehab. would be a good thing, but was told I didn't qualify. Dr. Lenke is amazing and you will do well. Best of luck. If you have any questions, email me at pottoff@htc.net
      Karen
      Karen

      Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
      Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
      70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
      Rib Hump-GONE!
      Age-60 at the time of surgery
      Now 66
      Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
      Retired Kdgn. Teacher

      See photobucket link for:
      Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
      Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
      tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
      http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

      Comment


      • #18
        Wow, Karen - you sound a little bit like Wonder Woman! Five weeks out, little pain, off pain meds?? Where do you live that you were able to go home after just one week? I assume your husband was with you the whole time. I'm curious as to what they pointed to as the determination that you didn't qualify for rehab. I'm just a little upset that during my evaluation last June and in several conversations with Kelly before my pre-op, nothing was said about the possibility of not qualifying for rehab. In fact, during my evaluation visit Dr. Lenke stated emphatically that I would go to rehab because I'm single. But all of a sudden during my pre-op visit this came up. I don't know if it would have changed my situation, but it would have helped to have more lead time to try to make arrangements. Makes me wonder if they are getting pressure from insurance or the rehab place or something ....

        I truly wish I had someone to be with me the whole time but it's just not possible. I know I am going to be anxious to get home as soon as I can. This is the one thing in this whole process that is worrying me.

        Any thoughts?
        FeliciaFeliciaFelicia
        10/24/00 posterior fusion T4-L4 at age 57
        8/5/05 posterior surgery for spinal stenosis at L4-L5; laminectomy and fusion
        5/14/07 posterior revision with fusion to sacrum
        2/11/08 anterior discectomy L5-S1, and reinforcement of fusion with plate attached to L5-S1
        3/9/2011 and 3/11/2011 revision surgery with Dr. Lenke, St. Louis - complete revision and fusion with instrumentation from T1 to sacrum, one lumbar osteotomy.

        Comment


        • #19
          I wouldn't be surprised if insurance companies were puttting pressure on doctors concerning sending patients to rehab. I'm sure it's expensive. I think you might be more likely to qualify simply because you are single. It makes sense. I assume I didn't qualify because I could go up and down 3 steps and dress myself using the various aides. I walked quite steadily with my walker. I was told several times BEFORE my surgery that I would most likely get to go home after a week. I don't know how they assumed I would do fine.
          My husband stayed in my room the first 2 nights and I paid a home care nurse to stay the 3rd night. I'm not sure that was worth the money. The other nights I was by myself. I remember using my nurse's call button because I vomited a small amount in my mouth and of course, couldn't talk without spitting it up or swallowing. Pretty disgusting! I forgot to mention that we live about 30 miles from Barnes Hospital, so if I had a problem, I could easily return if necessary.
          Karen

          Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
          Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
          70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
          Rib Hump-GONE!
          Age-60 at the time of surgery
          Now 66
          Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
          Retired Kdgn. Teacher

          See photobucket link for:
          Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
          Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
          tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
          http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

          Comment


          • #20
            Thanks, Karen. I wish I lived that close - I'd be outa there as soon as they sprung me! Even though I have had back surgeries before, I just don't know how I'm going to be after this one. I hate having to "pretend" I can't do stuff just to get to rehab, but I don't see an alternative at this point.

            I think it would be way too expensive for me to pay a home care nurse to stay in the hotel with me. Besides, I understand completely trying to control health care costs, but I'm paying for the insurance and should be able to use it instead of paying out of my pocket.

            Funny you should mention the vomiting - I just spent the past 24 hours worshipping the porcelain god with a bout of the flu. I hardly ever get flu shots and can't remember the last time I had the flu. This year, I didn't want to take a chance on getting sick before the surgery so I got the flu shot. And I got the flu. Go figure!

            Thanks for the info.
            FeliciaFeliciaFelicia
            10/24/00 posterior fusion T4-L4 at age 57
            8/5/05 posterior surgery for spinal stenosis at L4-L5; laminectomy and fusion
            5/14/07 posterior revision with fusion to sacrum
            2/11/08 anterior discectomy L5-S1, and reinforcement of fusion with plate attached to L5-S1
            3/9/2011 and 3/11/2011 revision surgery with Dr. Lenke, St. Louis - complete revision and fusion with instrumentation from T1 to sacrum, one lumbar osteotomy.

            Comment


            • #21
              I just now read your "signature" and about all of your future back surgeries. Hopefully,with Dr. Lenke's experise, this will be your last. I only paid for the nurse one night, but it happened to be a night that I had plenty of others in and out of my room, so it was a waste of money. However, it allowed my husband to go home and not worry, so maybe it was worth it. Good luck!
              Karen

              Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
              Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
              70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
              Rib Hump-GONE!
              Age-60 at the time of surgery
              Now 66
              Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
              Retired Kdgn. Teacher

              See photobucket link for:
              Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
              Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
              tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
              http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

              Comment


              • #22
                Thanks, Karen. I'm very confident that I am in the best hands with Dr. Lenke, so I AM looking at it as my last surgery. I don't want to go through it anymore. And I'm not getting any younger!

                In all my surgeries I never had anyone stay overnight with me while in the hospital so I'm not that concerned about it. I am glad that my sister will be with me over the weekend, though. That's when I feel hospital attention falls off a bit.
                FeliciaFeliciaFelicia
                10/24/00 posterior fusion T4-L4 at age 57
                8/5/05 posterior surgery for spinal stenosis at L4-L5; laminectomy and fusion
                5/14/07 posterior revision with fusion to sacrum
                2/11/08 anterior discectomy L5-S1, and reinforcement of fusion with plate attached to L5-S1
                3/9/2011 and 3/11/2011 revision surgery with Dr. Lenke, St. Louis - complete revision and fusion with instrumentation from T1 to sacrum, one lumbar osteotomy.

                Comment

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