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My first 7 weeks + 5 days

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  • My first 7 weeks + 5 days

    Monday Jan 14th - visit with Dr Bridwell went well
    Tuesday 15th: travelled home (St Louis to Denver, Denver to San Diego (got an upgrade to 1st class free), rented a car and drove to El Centro about 2 hours).
    Wed: dead in bed, slept until 4pm. Got up and went to Costco for the warehouse walk=around. Did not complete all the aisles.
    Thursday: Car trip to San Felipe (2.5 hours) another brutal day but at least the Jeep was a bit more comfortable) Slept the day and part of the night.
    Friday 4am took my last Vicoden pill. Have not required any narco but have taken about 4-6 Tylenols on and off. Still on Gabatin.
    Sunday: walk for the first time all week. Outside on the dirt road to the back of some friend's house (little under 1/4 mile each way)
    Can't sit much at all. Lots of black bruises along the spine as before the surgery caused internally when something got pulled etc. Otherwise, I am not in any major pain.
    Had a great person called to bring us dinner (a great wonderful stew) and it was very neighborly and totally un-expected. We do have many more friends down here in San Felipe than back in the Bay area within minutes drive.
    Thanks for keeping up. Not sure how often I will be updating this forum. I will make a caringbridge donation then quit.
    Gardenia (have lots of xrays photos - can they be attached here?)
    Gardenia
    Baja California, Mexico & El Centro, Ca
    pre-surgery 75° and 89° - post ?
    Dr. Bridwell Nov 27, 2012 @Barnes Jewish @62yrs
    T11 to Sacrum Dural leak at L2 & L3 ccmail4g@gmail.com

  • #2
    Gardenia! I've been wondering how you were! Wow, I'm around 3 1/2 months recovery and I still don't go out much. You've done way more than me. My fixated pelvis seems to be recovering slower than the rest of my fused spine. I hope you don't over do it. Thank you for posting. It sounds like you are well on your way to a solid recovery. I'm glad you are getting a such great support.
    1973 Age 15 diagnosed with scoliosis but told too old for surgery.
    2001 age 43 told too old for surgery, did physical therapy & traction.
    2001 to 2008 Intermittent use of home traction machine and TENS unit.
    2009 traction no longer effective - physical therapy.
    2011 More physical therapy. 2012 Collapsing scoliosis - MRI before surgery
    At age 53, surgery on October 2nd, 2012 with Dr Hey
    Fusion with titanium rods and bolts from T1 to pelvis.
    Post op x-ray

    Comment


    • #3
      That really great your doing well
      Kara
      25
      Brace 4-15-05-5-25-06
      Posterior Spinal Fusion 3-10-10
      T4-L2
      Before 50T
      After 20T

      Comment


      • #4
        Thanks for the update! Sounds like you are doing well. : -)
        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)

        Comment


        • #5
          Gardenia

          Hi Gardenia,

          Hi there. Was so tickled to hear how GREAT you are doing. My husband and I were just thinking of you the other day and wondering how you were. I cannot imagine how glad you and your husband are to be home...that was a long time you were in St. Louis. My appt is upcoming...Feb 4. I am so nervous about this visit BECAUSE I have to tell Dr. Bridwell that I am having nerve pain AGAIN in my legs and he is not going to be too receptive to the fact that I am not 100 percent....maybe 50 percent. For the life of me I still cannot understand WHY he did not fuse me to the sacrum and just left L2-L3 there all by themselves with everything else in my spine fused. I don't dare ask him AGAIN, though, for fear he will stomp out of the room and leave me there crying on Bernie's shoulder. ha!!!!! I have a sneaky suspicion that one day I might be looking at another surgery. Oh, I did just remember one thing as I sit here typing this. He did mention to me at one point that if I was in the 2-3 percent, maybe higher cant remember, that if m levels did not fuse, I would then come back for an anterior on that area. I just don't know. But what I am not looking forward to is my next visit.....how does a doctor deal with news that their patient is having same problems. Dont get me wrong, though, I can sit a bit longer, standing is stronger, and walking a little further....but too much and the nerve pain is back, not as bad, but there and then I am resting the entire next day trying to calm the nerves down. Write!!
          Patty
          1963 Fusion T4-L2 for congenital scoliosis. It was a bone graft and not instrumentation
          1989 to Present....Have had chronic pain. MRI's show severe neural foraminal stenosis L2-S1, rotational scoliosis lumbar spine over 40 degrees, compression of nerve roots L5-S1, Broad Based Herniations L4-L5, L5-S
          Surgery scheduled with Dr. Bridwell on December 11, 2012
          December 11, 2012 Had surgery with Dr. Bridwell. He fused L4-L5 with rods and screws.

          Comment


          • #6
            I get over confident too often

            I was well until yesterday at 8wks. I did a bunch as always because I was feeling great including visitors etc. Went to bed and my back felt like a hard block, up and down over the incision. No position was comfortable and it was not that much pain as uncomfort. My husband asked if I was not in pain but just no being able to lay down, why was my face scrounching and tears down my eyes.

            I guess it was pain but dull. I had taken a tylenol but not much change until I took a vicoden.

            About your appointment with Dr Bridwell. Write a list (I had my daughter keep one on her Iphone and she was feeding it to me) Husband asked his questions. I complained about my left leg nerve and occassional numbness and he just acknowledged.

            He tried several times to leave but I would say to him, wait I am not done. Towards the end, I pull him back and said: and now I want a photo with you. then I hugged and kiss him on the cheek (he was so stiff) but then when he said Good Byes he said: thank you for the hugs and kisses.

            One good thing is that my daughter also recorded the whole thing, it is good to have reminders of exactly what he said. And, you know any phone will record good quality as he is not there for more than 10 minutes.

            Way back at the hospital days, I had encountered several night nurses that were terrified of Dr Bridwell. One in particular which I had an ongoing altercation and dislike because of personality and the fact that he kept coming back and telling Dr B is going to say NO , Dr B is going to yell at you..... I got so pissed off at him that I said to him:

            Listen, you might work indirectly for Dr Bridwell and might be afraid of him. I am not in your shoes. I hired Dr Bridwell to do this, I am his patient and I am paying him to do this. He works for me! I am a consumer thus I have nothing to fear of him.

            Patty, please do not go thru the long travel time to go to the appointment and then let him walk out the room. One thing is to talk to Bernie and she is responsive.

            I would formulate all the questions and requirements you have ahead of time (simple bullets points addressing your needs). Go to their website and sent them a copy ahead of time.

            I have been told and confirmed that the submission of that email on the website goes to everyone in the office (Dr B, Bernie, Jackie, and even the guy doing the survey). Yesterday, I sent in a request for 6 months visit during a week timeframe. I got Jackie calling me within 15 minutes with a date (as it was a Tuesday - no patient day) and then the survey guy called - a bit confused inside his head so I am not sure how he is gathering the data.

            Also, I asked for the operative notes whatever that is: Dr Bridwells notes about the operation and reasoning outcomes etc. Just ask for everything they have.... they will mail it.
            Gardenia
            Baja California, Mexico & El Centro, Ca
            pre-surgery 75° and 89° - post ?
            Dr. Bridwell Nov 27, 2012 @Barnes Jewish @62yrs
            T11 to Sacrum Dural leak at L2 & L3 ccmail4g@gmail.com

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by gardenia View Post
              I was well until yesterday at 8wks. I did a bunch as always because I was feeling great including visitors etc. Went to bed and my back felt like a hard block, up and down over the incision. No position was comfortable and it was not that much pain as uncomfort. My husband asked if I was not in pain but just no being able to lay down, why was my face scrounching and tears down my eyes.

              I guess it was pain but dull. I had taken a tylenol but not much change until I took a vicoden.

              About your appointment with Dr Bridwell. Write a list (I had my daughter keep one on her Iphone and she was feeding it to me) Husband asked his questions. I complained about my left leg nerve and occassional numbness and he just acknowledged.

              He tried several times to leave but I would say to him, wait I am not done. Towards the end, I pull him back and said: and now I want a photo with you. then I hugged and kiss him on the cheek (he was so stiff) but then when he said Good Byes he said: thank you for the hugs and kisses.

              One good thing is that my daughter also recorded the whole thing, it is good to have reminders of exactly what he said. And, you know any phone will record good quality as he is not there for more than 10 minutes.

              Way back at the hospital days, I had encountered several night nurses that were terrified of Dr Bridwell. One in particular which I had an ongoing altercation and dislike because of personality and the fact that he kept coming back and telling Dr B is going to say NO , Dr B is going to yell at you..... I got so pissed off at him that I said to him:

              Listen, you might work indirectly for Dr Bridwell and might be afraid of him. I am not in your shoes. I hired Dr Bridwell to do this, I am his patient and I am paying him to do this. He works for me! I am a consumer thus I have nothing to fear of him.

              Patty, please do not go thru the long travel time to go to the appointment and then let him walk out the room. One thing is to talk to Bernie and she is responsive.

              I would formulate all the questions and requirements you have ahead of time (simple bullets points addressing your needs). Go to their website and sent them a copy ahead of time.

              I have been told and confirmed that the submission of that email on the website goes to everyone in the office (Dr B, Bernie, Jackie, and even the guy doing the survey). Yesterday, I sent in a request for 6 months visit during a week timeframe. I got Jackie calling me within 15 minutes with a date (as it was a Tuesday - no patient day) and then the survey guy called - a bit confused inside his head so I am not sure how he is gathering the data.

              Also, I asked for the operative notes whatever that is: Dr Bridwells notes about the operation and reasoning outcomes etc. Just ask for everything they have.... they will mail it.
              Lover your attitude! Being proactive, taking notes, and keeping a file of what happened.
              Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis

              2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
              2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
              2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
              2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
              2018: Removal L4,5 screw
              2021: Removal T1 screw & rod

              Comment

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