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  • Newspaper article

    So I was home sick with the flu several weeks ago and saw a request in the local paper for people willing to share their stories about "taking a leap of faith" to coincide with Leap Year. I sent a brief note about my surgery and it turned into a feature article in our local paper. I am not someone who likes to have attention focused on themselves, but I thought my story might be helpful to others and the young reporter did a wonderful job with it. If you copy and paste the link below into your browser, you should be able to read my story.

    http://www.ydr.com/living/ci_20055347


    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 !

  • #2
    thanks, Anne
    what a great article....

    jess

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Anne,

      thanks for sharing that inspiring article! It was very well done. I am sure it will help other scoli's out there who read it.
      Gayle, age 50
      Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
      Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
      Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1


      mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
      2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
      2017 curves stable/skeletely mature

      also mom of Torrey, 12 y/o son, 16* T, stable

      Comment


      • #4
        Anne--
        What a great article! I guess it certainly is a leap of faith for us. Janet
        Janet

        61 years old--57 for surgery

        Diagnosed in 1965 at age of 13--no brace
        Thoracic Curve: 96 degrees to 35 degrees
        Lumbar Curve: 63 degrees to 5 degrees
        Surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis--March 30, 2009
        T-2 to Pelvis, and hopefully all posterior procedure.

        All was posterior along with 2 cages and 6 osteotomies.

        Comment


        • #5
          that is so fantastic Anne! And btw, you look FABULOUS!

          I get what you mean about taking that leap and putting all faith in your surgeon. If I ddin't feel that way I never could have gone thru with the 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

          Comment


          • #6
            What a great article! You look great Anne
            Melissa

            Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

            April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

            Comment


            • #7
              Thanks for sharing this. I will show it to my family/friends who don't understand this whole thing. It brings it down to the "layman's level." Also, tell the reporter she did a nice job. I once was a reporter for a community newspaper, and I can tell you that not everyone does as well as she did.

              Best,
              Evelyn
              age 48
              80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
              Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
              Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
              Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
              Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

              Comment


              • #8
                Yes, thanks for posting this -- it was great. It's nice to see you!
                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


                • #9
                  The article was great not only for those considering surgery, but also as Evelyn said, it explained everything so clearly. I show the article to my co-worker, she read it with such understanding and interest. Thanks again, and you do look great.
                  Dolores A
                  June 4, 2009 Anterior L3 - S1
                  June 8, 2009 Posterior T4 - Pelvis
                  Mark Agulnick, MD FAAOS
                  NY Spine & Scoliosis Center

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Terrific article. It really explains the situation very well. I, too, couldn't stand or walk very far. It is very limiting. There is a sense of freedom when you can walk and stand without pain. Also, you don't have to make arrangements with so many aspects of your life.

                    Thanks for sharing.
                    Irene
                    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


                    • #11
                      Anne,
                      I truly enjoyed reading that article and learning more about you. After reading the article, I just now told my husband what a great group of people are members of this forum. Music is an important part of my life, as well. Thank you for sharing the nice article. (I always had to have one leg of my pants shortened due to one hip being higher than the other, too)
                      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
                        Great article Anne! Thanks for sharing it with us.
                        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


                        • #13
                          Anne

                          Very nice. Brings back memories.

                          Back in the 70’s when we were dx’d, we thought we were the only one’s with this “curvy spine” and you were just over in the next state from me at that time. In fact, there were many of us going through the same thing. I also was extremely scared of surgery at that time.

                          Its great that you offered to do the article, it brings awareness. Just about every person you talk to “knows” someone with scoliosis.

                          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


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by dolores a View Post
                            The article was great not only for those considering surgery, but also as Evelyn said, it explained everything so clearly. I show the article to my co-worker, she read it with such understanding and interest. Thanks again, and you do look great.
                            I am always amazed at how random lay people who would never in a million years consider offering their opinion to, say, a particle physicist on his research will nevertheless feel completely competent to advise folks against spine surgery.

                            Being well-meaning while being abjectly ignorant is not helpful and usually makes things harder for the patient. Articles like this will help with that problem.
                            Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

                            No island of sanity.

                            Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
                            Answer: Medicine


                            "We are all African."

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Pooka1 View Post
                              I am always amazed at how random lay people who would never in a million years consider offering their opinion to, say, a particle physicist on his research will nevertheless feel completely competent to advise folks against spine surgery.

                              Being well-meaning while being abjectly ignorant is not helpful and usually makes things harder for the patient. Articles like this will help with that problem.
                              I don't recall reading anywhere than anyone was advising against spine surgery. I guess I don't follow what you mean.

                              Is spine surgery a difficult decision? YES, for many it is. It is a committment made that cannot be undone. I think that was the reason for calling it a "leap of faith", if this is indeed what you are referring to.
                              Be happy!
                              We don't know what tomorrow brings,
                              but we are alive today!

                              Comment

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