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10 months post-op

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  • #16
    Originally posted by golfnut View Post
    Lisa,
    It doesn't sound silly at all to be thinking about your dogs. We have two miniature schnauzers that we both love, however, I did everything for them prior to surgery-walked them, fed them, bathed them, combed them, etc. We hired a neighbor to give them a long walk each day and my husband bathed them under my supervision! Finally, at 5 months post-op I started walking them myself. One of the dogs can jump on the bed or couch to be with me, but the other one always has to be lifted. That is somewhat frustrating for me, but my husband picks her up when I want him to if he is around. Your dogs will adjust & be happy just being with you. Eventually, you'll be able to squat down by them.
    Five months doesn't sound so bad. I think as long as I know I'll eventually be able to get back to bending or squatting down next to them, I'll be okay. And they really love to just "hang out" a lot of the time.

    Schnauzers are great! We have a small-ish Rottweiler (my husband's favorite breed), a husky mix (my favorite breed), and a medium-size mixed breed we adopted last Dec. She was a stray puppy at a local golf course. My husband saw her there and really liked her. No one could catch her. Even animal control had a hard time, but they finally caught her and we adopted her from there. We taught her to swim in the pool this past summer. She's so much fun. I wish I had her energy!

    I always liked grooming our dogs, but it's hard for me to bathe them now. It's also hard to vacuum as much as I'd like, with all the fur. We have a good friend who will come and stay with them if/when I have surgery, so my husband won't have to try to drive back and forth. I'm sure it will all be harder on us than on them!

    Lisa

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    • #17
      Originally posted by SpineTime View Post
      Oh, how cute! We have a cat too. He's very sweet, but he's more attached to my husband. I'm the one who cleans his litter box, but I'd be happy to hand off that chore, even temporarily!

      I gave that chore to my son. He was doing one litter box and I was doing the other. Now he has to do both. Getting rid of that chore made me happy
      Melissa

      Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

      April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

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      • #18
        Originally posted by golfnut View Post
        One of the dogs can jump on the bed or couch to be with me, but the other one always has to be lifted. That is somewhat frustrating for me, but my husband picks her up when I want him to if he is around.
        Karen, can you get some steps for the second dog to get up to the bed, or is the dog not allowed to climb steps?

        Titanium Ed, I can't tell you what a help it would be if you would make a video of yourself demonstrating your mobility, both what the photos show and also what you can do to get down to low things, or anything else you could think of. I know seeing something like that would be a real boost to those of us still awaiting surgery that will be to the sacrum. Please? Or anyone else fused that far who would be willing?
        Last edited by Mojo's Mom; 11-18-2011, 12:35 PM.
        Stephanie, age 56
        Diagnosed age 8
        Milwaukee brace 9 years, no further treatment, symptom free and clueless until my 40s that curves could progress.
        Thoracolumbar curve 39 degrees at age 17
        Now somewhere around 58 degrees thoracic, 70 degrees thoracolumbar
        Surgeon Dr. Michael S. O'Brien, Baylor's Southwest Scoliosis Center, Dallas TX
        Bilateral laminectomies at L3 to L4, L4 to L5 and L5 to S1 on April 4, 2012
        Foramenotomies L3 through S1 in August 2014

        Comment


        • #19
          Karen, my kids up here in Canada were not allowed to wear laced shoes if they couldn't tie them on their own. Velcro only!
          Son 14 y/o diagnosed January 20th. 2011 with 110* Curve
          Halo Traction & 1st. surgery on March 22nd. 2011
          Spinal Fusion on April 19th. 2011

          Dr. Krajbich @ Shriners Childrens Hospital, Portland Oregon



          http://tinyurl.com/Elias-Before
          http://tinyurl.com/Elias-After

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          • #20
            We actually tried doggy steps. The dog that wouldn't try it is 14 years old. She is capable, but we rescued her at age 4 from a puppy mill and I have babied her beyond belief. Now that I am 10 months post-op, I squat, hold her close to my body, and lift her to a cedar chest at the end of the bed. She hops to the bed from there. I know people who aren't as nuts about their dogs as we are can't imagine why you would want to teach your dog to jump on a couch or a bed. At least our schnauzers don't shed!
            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


            • #21
              Sorry that we're off track with our posts!

              Rebecca,
              I just realized that we are off of the subject with this thread. Congratulations, again, on your 10 month anniversary. Every month is an accomplishment. I feel that we are brave to make the decision to have surgery. It's so nice to be on the road to recovery.
              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
                what!? my puppy sleeps on the bed with us, even though he has 3 beds of his own...
                yes, he is spoiled beyond belief as well....
                i waited all my life for a dog..i worked 2 jobs in Manhattan and knew it would be cruel to
                leave a dog alone that much...so i got him when i retired...
                i laughed when i found out he was born the day i retired...Ground Hog Day!
                he is not a therapy dog, but he is MY therapy!
                all 10 pounds of him...

                Lisa..how great to have 4 dogs...wow!
                what a lot of love must come your way!
                Karen...your dogs sound adorable...
                my Maltese doesn't shed either...it's nice...

                jess
                Last edited by jrnyc; 11-18-2011, 10:22 PM.

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                • #23
                  This is the only video I have.... Been trying to recruit the NSF downhill full fusion ski team, but not having any luck. LOL

                  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tEyp...&feature=email

                  Yes, someday I will have to do some scoli surgery recovery vids.......
                  Ed
                  49 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

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Rebecca,
                    I am so happy to hear about the success of your recovery. Like Karen, and others, it is so good to be "on the other side" in November. Last year this time, I had made up my mind to go for the surgery but was still very nervous.

                    I can hear how upbeat you are through your posting.

                    This Thursday, I will be flying for my first time since the surgery. I was going to bring a printout of my x-ray just in case. I'm glad you had no problems at the airport. For the first time in years, I won't need a wheelchair in the airport because I can walk to the gates.

                    For those of you who are still contemplating the surgery, the recovery isn't easy but it can be a life changer for the better once you have spent so many years catering to pain.

                    Wishing you continued success in your recovery.
                    1996 x-rays (none read recently) 50 degrees thoracic, 40 degrees lumbar
                    Never braced, found out I had scoliosis at age 28
                    At time of surgery, multi-level disc spondylotic degeneration,
                    advanced lumbar degeneration, stenosis
                    65 years young and very active but no lengthy walks or standing without pain
                    Now, 67. walking and standing as much as I want
                    Surgery Dec. 7, 2010
                    T10-S1 posterior
                    Dr. Rand
                    New England Baptist Hospital, Boston,
                    http://s1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee369/itr1/

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      thanks for all the well-wishes everyone, you all are the best!

                      I can add to the dog lover question, as I am totally obsessed with my tiny 7 lb malte-poo rescue. Because I have had ongoing problems with bending for the years leading up to my surgery, I had already trained him to jump up onto the couch whenever I needed to put the leash on him for walks. I also used a watering can with a long narrow spout to fill his water bowl. We used to "free feed" him so he had one of those dog food holders that fills up the bowl as they eat. (We recently switched him to soft food though cause he's getting up there in age) but I just squat down and grab the bowl, fill it up and then put it back on the ground.

                      Everyone is so different, we all find creative ways to do the things we need to get done. I loved a lot of Ed's tips, especially for tying shoes, putting on socks and trimming toenails, which was handy to have before I had the surgery. I always sit on the couch or bed with one foot on the floor and pull the other leg onto my knee so I can reach my feet easily. It's so easy on your back, and I don't know how I would've figured that out on my own...or how long it would've taken me lol.

                      I still use my grabbers for things that fall behind the couch or under the desk etc, because it saves on wear and tear. I can bend from the waist and reach about to the floor, but I almost never do that. It's hard on my remaining disk, and it's really not good for anyone to pick things up that way. I bend at the knees to get most things.

                      Anyway, thanks again for all the kind words, I am very happy to be doing so well so "soon"! =)
                      Rebecca
                      Age: 28
                      Dx w/ scoli @ age 12 S curves T-40* L-42*
                      wore night bending brace as teenager
                      Curves changed to 50's plus or minus
                      herniated disc L2-3, Discectomy October 2007
                      fusion L2-3 November 2008
                      Revision L2-3 Fusion, Removal of hardware August 2009
                      Curves measuring 52 T&L September 2010
                      Fused T4-L4, all posterior December 27th 2010
                      gained almost two inches in height

                      Before and After Exterior
                      Before and After X-rays
                      My blog: http://herscoliosisjourney.blogspot.com/

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