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I had my first fall since the surgery today

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  • I had my first fall since the surgery today

    I guess I should count myself lucky that I haven't taken any spills in over 3 years. This morning I was outside trying to wrangle the dog back into the house when I missed a step (only 2 steps going from pathyway to driveway.) I think I missed the first step and landed half on my butt (one cheek) and caught myself with both palms. The skin on the palms are a little scraped, and I think I'll probably get black and blue on one cheek (LOL). I went into the house half in tears because I think I scared myself so much. My back felt a little jarred, but ok, I thought, so 5 minutes later my friend picked me up and we went to the gym for my zumba class as planned. I felt a little tight on one side of my lower back so after I came home I took an Aleve, and I've been fine.

    I remember Pam, who used to be around here when I was new, always saying how she fell on her butt the day she came home from the hospital, and was just fine. That was a comforting thought to me. I'll try not to be such a klutz in the future, but I've always been klutzie since I was a kid.

    Anyone else have falling experiences post-surgery?
    __________________________________________
    Debbe - 50 yrs old

    Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
    Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

    Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
    Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
    Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

    Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
    Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

  • #2
    Debbe,
    Glad to hear you are okay after your spill! My two biggest fears after surgery have been falling and getting rear-ended in my car. Happy to say
    neither has happened. I know others here have fallen and their backs have been okay but it is still a scary thought...we all go through so much
    to get a new back, don't want to screw it up by having two left feet!
    May 2008 Fusion T4 - S1, Pre-op Curves T45, L70 (age 48). Unsuccessful surgery.

    March 18, 2010 (age 50). Revision with L3 Osteotomy, Replacement of hardware T11 - S1 , addition of bilateral pelvic fixation. Correction of sagittal imbalance and kyphosis.

    January 24, 2012 (age 52) Revision to repair pseudoarthrosis and 2 broken rods at L3/L4.

    Comment


    • #3
      Same fears

      Originally posted by naptown78 View Post
      Debbe,
      Glad to hear you are okay after your spill! My two biggest fears after surgery have been falling and getting rear-ended in my car. Happy to say
      neither has happened. I know others here have fallen and their backs have been okay but it is still a scary thought...we all go through so much
      to get a new back, don't want to screw it up by having two left feet!

      Kristy, I have the exact same fears!! I'm only five months post surgery. When I left the hospital after my surgery, I was told to not bend, lift or twist . . . . or fall.

      Since then, it's been a constant fear. I'm a maniac about water on the floor at home. When I'm out, I scan the floor to make sure there isn't something I can slip on.
      50 years old!!!!!
      Wore Milwaulkee Brace 1976-77
      Original curve 36 degrees ( measured in the 70s)
      Advanced to 61 degrees 01/2011
      Surgery 07/11/2011
      Fused T1-L2 (curve now in the 20s!)

      Comment


      • #4
        Glad you're ok Debbei. It would have given you a fright.

        I've had several near misses which I put down to not being able to balance myself quite as well now I've got no movement in my spine to counteract small, unexpected trips. But each time I've been able to grab something, so far.
        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

        Comment


        • #5
          At about 10 months post-op, I was on my first walk, or hike, in the woods. I was being very careful. Then, my foot got caught on a tree root that was stick up from the ground. I tripped and fell on my knees and hands. All I could think of was "am I ok?" "Did I break a rod?" "I just had my first fall."

          I got up and realized I was ok. Thank goodness, I didn't break anything and my back was fine. I finished the walk. Now, I watch the roots and branches even more carefully. Also, I bought a pair of hiking boots to help with terrain.

          It is scary the first time. That's for sure.
          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


          • #6
            Major tumble down the stairs!

            This past weekend I fell down the basement stairs of my cousin's house. I was talking to family and didn't realize I was so close to the steps. We had just arrived on Friday night outside of Buffalo, NY. It was a seven hour drive. We were attending my aunt's funeral (my aunt that helped me through all my surgeries). I was tired from not sleeping, the long drive, the shock that she passed away suddenly, but so happy to see my family and the next thing I know, I'm almost on the bottom of the steps. I tried to stop my fall by grabbing the railing and my wrist is swollen but my butt and the left side of my back is so black and blue in four different spots, it's frightening, not to mention I'm so sore everywhere. I have never fallen before and I was so shaken, but the outcome could have been so much worse. Today happened to be my one year follow-up with Dr. Boachie (couldn't have timed the fall better!) and he said I didn't break anything, the fusion is solid but "oh you are quite bruised". The nurse and xray tech were horrified! Debbe, I'm sure you're fine since you're three years post-op and I think I hit a few more steps then you did. Feel better. LYNN
            1981 Surgery with Harrington Rod; fused from T2 to L3 - Dr.Keim (at 26 years old)
            2000 Partial Rod Removal
            2001 Right Scapular Resection
            12/07/2010 Surgical stabilization L3 through sacrum with revision harrington rod instrumentation, interbody fusion and pre-sacral fusion L5-S1 - Dr. Boachie (at 56 years old)
            06/11/14 - Posterior cervical fusion C3 - T3 (Mountaineer System) due to severely arthritic joints - Dr. Patrick O'Leary (at age 59)

            Comment


            • #7
              I slipped on some leaves on a small hill and landed pretty hard on one side of my butt. I was in quite a bit of pain and scared, but the fusion was fine. What I did do was irritate my SI joints and facet joints at C4C5 and C5C6. I ended up getting cortisone shots which pretty much resolved the pain in those areas. No more falling!
              Sally
              Diagnosed 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.

              Comment


              • #8
                Debbe i'm glad your ok.
                Kara
                25
                Brace 4-15-05-5-25-06
                Posterior Spinal Fusion 3-10-10
                T4-L2
                Before 50T
                After 20T

                Comment


                • #9
                  Debbe and Lynn, glad you're okay. It's hard to believe when you take a major tumble that nothing gets jolted out of place, but they say it takes something like a bad car accident to really break and/or dislodge things. I got tangled up in my feet and fell sideways (incision side, of course), very hard, on the carpet of my bedroom when I was about 4 months post-op. I was scared to death but when I called Boachie's nurse, she said if I had broken something, I'd experience steadily increasing pain in the coming days instead of a soreness that gradually went away.
                  Chris
                  A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
                  Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
                  Post-op curve: 12 degrees
                  Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Jacque's Mom View Post
                    This past weekend I fell down the basement stairs of my cousin's house. I was talking to family and didn't realize I was so close to the steps. We had just arrived on Friday night outside of Buffalo, NY. It was a seven hour drive. We were attending my aunt's funeral (my aunt that helped me through all my surgeries). I was tired from not sleeping, the long drive, the shock that she passed away suddenly, but so happy to see my family and the next thing I know, I'm almost on the bottom of the steps. I tried to stop my fall by grabbing the railing and my wrist is swollen but my butt and the left side of my back is so black and blue in four different spots, it's frightening, not to mention I'm so sore everywhere. I have never fallen before and I was so shaken, but the outcome could have been so much worse. Today happened to be my one year follow-up with Dr. Boachie (couldn't have timed the fall better!) and he said I didn't break anything, the fusion is solid but "oh you are quite bruised". The nurse and xray tech were horrified! Debbe, I'm sure you're fine since you're three years post-op and I think I hit a few more steps then you did. Feel better. LYNN
                    OMG you poor thing, that sounds horrible! It was last weekend, so are you still sore and brused? I'm so sorry about the loss of your aunt.
                    __________________________________________
                    Debbe - 50 yrs old

                    Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
                    Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

                    Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
                    Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
                    Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

                    Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
                    Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I'm glad you're both okay. I can't imagine how tentative I'll be walking around this winter. I usually walk super fast, so I'll have to just get in slow gear if conditions are bad.
                      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


                      • #12
                        Well that's it--no more falling permitted by any of us! Thanks for your responses.
                        __________________________________________
                        Debbe - 50 yrs old

                        Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
                        Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

                        Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
                        Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
                        Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

                        Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
                        Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          No falls here for my son and it's going on eight months post op now. PHEW! I wonder if me following him around like a blanket has something to do with it? There was one incident about three months post op which I had no idea of but he told me that he was carrying my laptop from upstairs to the downstairs garage (finished with seating) and he slipped on the outside step and had to make a decision to hang on to the railing or drop my laptop. He decided my laptop was more important so held on to it, argggg, but also managed to grab the rail so all was well. He really shouldn't tell me these things. :-(

                          Glad everyone is okay and yes no more falling allowed!
                          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

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Debbe - yes the black and blues are so scary looking - they get worse before they get better, and I am very sore but hopefully by the weekend, it will get better. This taught me a lesson to be more concious of where I am. Time for two more Advil!!! Take care, LYNN
                            1981 Surgery with Harrington Rod; fused from T2 to L3 - Dr.Keim (at 26 years old)
                            2000 Partial Rod Removal
                            2001 Right Scapular Resection
                            12/07/2010 Surgical stabilization L3 through sacrum with revision harrington rod instrumentation, interbody fusion and pre-sacral fusion L5-S1 - Dr. Boachie (at 56 years old)
                            06/11/14 - Posterior cervical fusion C3 - T3 (Mountaineer System) due to severely arthritic joints - Dr. Patrick O'Leary (at age 59)

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Gotta watch out for the dogs too

                              Glad to see everyone is surviving falls. I have been lucky so far, but have learned to let our 60 lb dogs go down the stairs before I start going down them myself. They think nothing of bumping against you as you go down, silly creatures.

                              Although not fall related, I took my first bath last night. Its a small tub and it took me a bit to figure out how to get out. I was very worried about slipping and falling as I stood up, but all went well.

                              Not comfortable leaning back yet...
                              Discovered scoliosis when 15 years old.
                              Wore Milwaulkee Brace for 1.5 years.
                              Top curve 85 degrees, bottom curve 60 degrees

                              Surgery completed August 23, 2011 (during an earthquake, can you believe that?)
                              Dr. Charles Edwards, II
                              The Spine Center at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, MD
                              Before and after xrays:
                              http://www.valley-designs.com/myspine

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