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  • Car Ride Home from the Hospital

    I am looking for suggestions on how to make a ride home after the surgery easier. I have Toyota Camry and my hubby has Prius. I did a test - pushed back the passenger seat as low as possible in my Camry and tried to get in the car without bending. It was a challenge and laying down in a fully reclined seat was not comfortable even now, before the surgery. It seems to me that seating straight up or reclining back just a little bit would be better.

    What would you recommend – sit straight in the car or lay down? Use my Camry or rent a bigger car (SUV or VAN)? My ride home will be about 50 miles. Any suggestions on how to make it more comfortable?

    Thank you!
    I am stronger than scoliosis, and won't let it rule my life!
    45 years old - diagnosed at age 7
    A/P surgery on March 5/7, 2013 - UCSF

  • #2
    Originally posted by Irina View Post
    I am looking for suggestions on how to make a ride home after the surgery easier. I have Toyota Camry and my hubby has Prius. I did a test - pushed back the passenger seat as low as possible in my Camry and tried to get in the car without bending. It was a challenge and laying down in a fully reclined seat was not comfortable even now, before the surgery. It seems to me that seating straight up or reclining back just a little bit would be better.

    What would you recommend – sit straight in the car or lay down? Use my Camry or rent a bigger car (SUV or VAN)? My ride home will be about 50 miles. Any suggestions on how to make it more comfortable?

    Thank you!
    [I[/I]
    Irina,
    My doctor had us put a matress in the back of a mini van to come home. It was either that or an ambulance because of the distance. I had an hour and half to two hour trip to get home. They drugged me right before loading the car and I slept the whole way home. Made it easy, but it was a challenge to get out. had to log roll and know I looked crazy.
    Tamena
    Diagnosed at age 12 with a double major curve

    Braced till age 15

    SSBOB T12-L2 Anterior age 34. (October 22,2012) Dr. Robert Gaines Jr. ( Columbia, MO)

    Revision Surgery T2-Sacrum with Pelvic Fixation Prosterior age 35 (November 13,2013) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)

    Revision Surgery L4/L5 due to BMP Complication age 36 (November 20,2014) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, Mo)

    Revision Surgery due to broken rod scheduled for October 19, 2016 with Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)

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    • #3
      Slight recline is best

      Irina,

      I would suggest that your passenger seat be in a slight reclining position and have a queen/king size pillow behind you. I would not recommend laying in a fully reclined position. I imagine that Logrolling to that position would be difficult and not pain free. We have a Volvo crossover vehicle which was perfect to get in and out of. Plus, it had a smooth ride like a sedan. They will time your pain medication so that you will get a full dose right before you leave the hospital and you won't even remember the ride home. In my case, I travelled from st. louis to indiana and was asleep before we went across the Mississippi River and only woke up once at the half-way point of our three hour drive so that I could get out and walk around for a little bit.

      Donna
      Female - 49 yrs old at surgery
      Surgery 5/5/11 - Dr. Bridwell, St. Louis
      Fused T3-L3
      60 degree thoracic curve corrected to 30 degrees
      Tennis player & returning to the courts!
      http://s1050.photobucket.com/profile/walkingmom1/index

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      • #4
        We borrowed my in-laws Buick. I sat in the passenger seat, which was initially slightly reclined. Once in it, we reclined it further. I had a four-hour drive, so we stopped a couple of times for me to walk. I did have to lay down flat for 15 min or so in the middle.
        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


        • #5
          Hi Irina, I am 2 1/2 hr. away my surgery was in Baltimore and I live in NJ, I had a bed pillow (thin not to thick) for my back and the seat was back and the back was a LITTLE reclined. and it was not as bad as you would think, but do stop after 1 hr. or so just to stand up and walk around the car, that was my fear, getting home, but it was not bad. and I had a 7 hr surgery and a lot of work done, I was glad to get in my bed. good luck Lu

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          • #6
            Thank you all. Looks like reclining the sit a little bit is the way to go.
            I am stronger than scoliosis, and won't let it rule my life!
            45 years old - diagnosed at age 7
            A/P surgery on March 5/7, 2013 - UCSF

            Comment


            • #7
              Irina- If it's any consolation. I flew home first class and don't remember even going to the airport. After the plane ride, I hade an hour and 15 minute drive home. I don't remember it either but I have been told that I sat in the front seat...
              Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
              Heidi
              Scheduled for surgery with Dr. Lenke Oct. 2012
              53*T 71*L
              Surgery 10/05/2012 T4-pelvis
              Correction: looks perfect! Will find out how perfect at future appointments

              Comment


              • #8
                I also had about a 2 1/2 hour drive to home from my hospital in Chicago to my home in Indiana. We stopped mid-way because they said it was important to walk around a little bit to avoid blood clots. That part worried me (the walking around part), but we managed it. I rode in our van with the seat reclined a little and with some pillows. It was fine (well- ok, anyway). I remember getting a chocolate milkshake when we stopped at the mid-way point. (smile). A girl has to have a treat on a big adventure! Be sure to time your meds so you take them just before you leave and try to take the smoothest road you can if there are choices...
                71 and plugging along... but having some problems
                2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
                5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
                Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

                Corrected to 15°
                CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
                10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

                Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

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