Before and after xrays posted

[JenniferG]

Wow, your spine was really trying to tie itself into knots, wasn't it? What an amazing correction. I hope you're doing well.

[jrnyc]

you were all right...i refreshed and there it was...
a beautiful straightened spine!
congratulations to you...and your surgeon!

i don't know what the IRS will say,
but i believe your new car is a medical expense, necessitated by the surgery...
so....i would declare it on my income tax, as part of my medical expenditures
connected to the surgery!

you might need a lawyer for that....
but i will swear under oath that it is the truth...and so will all your fellow scoli-s!

jess

[BendyBill]

Thanks for the refresh tip. Your spine looks great!! x

[Susie*Bee]

Wow-- your surgeon really got a great correction. You must feel elated! Glad that you were able to get the "after" x-ray posted. I know I said earlier that I was on meds for over 5 months (and I really needed them!) -- but I just today had to have a basal cell skin cancer lesion removed from above my lip and part of my lip, and the doctor had me stop my arthritis medicine 8 days ahead of time. By day 6 I was suffering... and in fact I had a rather sleepless night last night due to hip and lower back pain from my arthritis. Since my scoli surgeon had me not take my arthritis med both before my surgery and then for 6 months after my surgery, it could well be that was a main contributor to my needing pain meds for so long. Then again, who knows, but I thought I'd mention it. A lot of my pain after the initial recovery may have just been due to my arthritis.

[djkinkead]

Yes, I think Dr. Edwards did a great job--especially when the earthquake happened in the middle of the whole procedure.

My VW Jetta wagon is up for sale and we'll be going to a Venza--funny, since I couldn't drive due to pain drugs, I couldn't test drive the car myself. Hope I like it when I do! :-)

I have been trying to do some "at home" telework and using the corset brace the surgeon said to purchase (it's not one of those custom jobs, it's just a theoristic (sp?) brace, so I used it for the short times I tried to work on the computer. I did two half hour stints, ate some lunch, took pain meds and then fell a sleep for three hours.

Oh well, life is a adventure.

Thank you for everyone for your encouraging remarks on the spine. Dr. Edwards said in about 2-3 years the big screws in the hips might start to cause some pain, but he said they can then be removed--it's only a ten minute procedure, so we'll look at that then.

I will state this to all of you who have already done the surgery: it was your words "everyday it will get better" that got me through this.

Thank you!

[peachrush7]

WOW!!! I am sooooo thankful for these amazing surgeons! What an amazing transformation!

Hope you are feeling better and better every day!

[Mojo's Mom]

I actually bought a minivan last year, largely in anticipation of my surgery...and also for toting around my 4 year old granddaughter, who will have to manage without Nana for a little while next Spring.

[Doreen1]

i don't know what the IRS will say,
but i believe your new car is a medical expense, necessitated by the surgery...
so....i would declare it on my income tax, as part of my medical expenditures
connected to the surgery!

you might need a lawyer for that....
but i will swear under oath that it is the truth...and so will all your fellow scoli-s!

jess

That would be a blessing because we, indeed, not only traded in the Accord for a Pilot because it was too painful for me to lower down into the Accord, but we also bought a new bed. I'll be sure to include my receipts for these items to send to my tax guy.

Warmly,
Doreen

[paula]

Pain Meds

I had my surgery on June 7, and I just recently quit taking pain meds. However, I had been taking only one or two Norphens a day for the last 6 weeks or so. I found that they didn't make me mentally fuzzy at those levels. Well, at least I didn't think they did. I found that Tylenol didn't really seem to do much of anything, so I went ahead and stayed on the Norphen when needed. I didn't have much problem with cutting back. I have the Rosetta Stone language program to learn Spanish while I'm laid up recovering, and I had to repeat the part that I did during the first 4 weeks when I was taking pain meds regularly, but I've been able to retain the parts that I've studied since then.

I'm also very excited about my waist. I gained two inches also, and dropped two dress sizes. I lost about 8 pounds due to the surgery, and am trying to keep those off, but the major reason I lost the dress sizes is that I have a waist again. It's really exciting to go through the closet bit by bit and get rid of the old pants. I can still wear some old tops and dresses, but will have to alter others, or get new ones. (So sad)

I have a Prius and have to be a little careful when I get in, but otherwise it will be fine. I was just cleared to drive today.

[lray]

i don't know what the IRS will say,
but i believe your new car is a medical expense, necessitated by the surgery...
so....i would declare it on my income tax, as part of my medical expenditures
connected to the surgery!

you might need a lawyer for that....
but i will swear under oath that it is the truth...and so will all your fellow scoli-s!

jess

Wow, if I knew for sure that the IRS would consider my new car a necessary medical expense, I would be elated! That sure would be a nice perk after having this surgery. Any tax experts on the forum?

[djkinkead]

To Judy at 60 - Regarding beds

Regarding the bed--if you need to buy one anyway (ours was 19 years old), strongly consider buying one of the Sleep number beds--we bought the king size one that has separate platforms--so either side can independently lower and raise either side.....it has been one of the best things we did in preparing for this surgery.

I wasn't sure which "model" to go with and wasn't sure how much memory foam to go with, so we went with 1.5 inches of foam (the total for the whole bed was around $4500)....and I added a couple inches of foam later on just to make my side a bit softer.

My two cents on a definate "best practice".

[BendyBill]

$4500?! Ahhhhhh!!!!

[jrnyc]

i was kidding about the car....
it would be helpful to hear from a tax expert about it, though....

i haven't gotten a memory foam because a friend who got one
told me that her bed started to take on her shape after about a
year and a half...and it seems to be staying that way....she's
not too happy about it....

jess

[djkinkead]

I think you would have to have an official "prescription" from a doctor for something to even consider using it for a tax write-off. Dang, I don't think I'd be able to get the good doctor to write one for a new "car", although it does have seats that are the perfect height, the rear hatch opens and closes with a push of a button on the fob and, although I might have been in drug-land, I think the back seats also fold down with a touch of a button.

As the PT says: NO BLT - Bending, Lifting or Twisting.

We had a waterbed--which I guess was a definate "no no" for the spinal surgery...but probably still not good enough for the tax gatherers for our great nation.

:-)

[titaniumed]

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc502.html

A deduction is allowed only for expenses primarily paid for the prevention or alleviation of a physical or mental defect or illness. Medical care expenses include payments for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or treatment affecting any structure or function of the body. These expenses include payments for legal medical services rendered by any medical practitioner and the cost of equipment, supplies, and diagnostic devices used for medical care purposes.
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Remember, this is after 7.5% of your gross. Gross 50K and the deductions start after your medical bills exceed $3750.00

Best to chat with an accountant. I had a doctor specify that I needed a spa years ago and I wrote off $7500.00

I’m sure a bed would be fine. Best to have that doctors note for IRS.

A car is not used for the prevention or alleviation of a physical illness. (An RV with a spa might work! LOL)

DJ
You had quite a curve and a nice correction....Soon things will improve, you take it slow ok?

I’m on the road posting from my RV. I visited with our Bendies, from Bend, Ore. Susan and Jenee.....both are fine.
Currently in the Portland, Oregon area
Ed