Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Irina’s Surgery – March 5/7, 2013

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Originally posted by Irina View Post
    It's probably silly to talk about, but my toenails are driving me nuts! I am used to regular pedicures and since the surgery my husband was cutting my toenails. Let's say he won't make a living as a manicurist. My toenails are still long, edgy and rough. When my mom saw my feet, she asked me what animal bit my toenails? :-) So, I fired my husband from the manicurist position and granted it to my mom ha-ha. I am holding on going to the nails salon because I am still under 90 degrees hip restriction and when you sit in a pedicure chair, your knees are higher than your hips. Am I playing it too safe? Should I just go and have my toenails done? My next follow-up appointment is on May 22 and I am going to ask Dr. Hu if it's safe to get my toenails done.
    Hi Irina...

    Maybe it's the type of chair that you've used in the past, but I'm fairly certain my hips are not lower than my knees when I get pedicures. You can always recline the back of the chair so that you're not breaking 90 degrees.

    --Linda
    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

    Comment


    • I agree with Linda. It is safe to get a pedicure. Go for it!
      Melissa

      Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011

      April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery

      Comment


      • I had a follow-up appointment with Dr. Hu - everything looks good and she let me take off my brace for as long as tolerated. And I can get pedicure! Yay!!! I don't have a lot of back pain and my leg is doing better. I need to rebuild my strength though as I still get tired quickly. I am hoping to get off oxycodone in a few weeks. Hopefully... it's not easy to get off this drug completely.

        While I was waiting for my appointment, one woman in her sixties asked me if I had a surgery with Dr. Hu. I was happy to talk with her - I remember how I was looking for people who had the surgery with my doctor, and now I can help others. The woman was in a lot of pain and had difficulty breathing and I thought that it would be me in 20 years if I had not had my surgery now.
        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


        • Definitely, go get that pedicure. I thoroughly enjoy treating myself on a regular basis (at least in the summer). I make sure that the vibrator is off on the chair.
          I'm sure you will continue to improve and regain your strength. I found that as I was permitted to add new exercises to my daily routine, that I noticed improvements even after two years and I thought I felt really great at a year.
          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


          • I went to my hairdresser (Luda) today that I've been going to for years. This was the first time Luda saw me since the surgery and she was floored by the look of my back :-) She kept saying that she could not believe her eyes and her colleagues were also staring at me with eyes wide open. She told me that she thought that they would improve my back a tiny bit, but could never imagine that I would be so straight. It was music to my ears and I was smiling all the time while I was in the salon. Thank you, Dr. Hu!
            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


            • Wonderful, isn't it? I know the cosmetic improvement isn't the main reason to have surgery, but it's a huge bonus!
              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


              • You deserve to finally have a straight and beautiful body! Great that you are getting such great feedback to confirm how you feel.
                Susan
                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


                • Love it!! :-)
                  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


                  • Isn't it great? We all know the cosmetic outcome isn't why we have the surgery but it sure is the icing on the cake!
                    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


                    • We went to San Francisco with our friends yesterday and spent 3.5 hours walking with a few short stops for lunch and coffee. I felt great and was able to keep up walking with everybody else at a decent speed. At the end of the third hour my right hip and leg started aching, but it was nothing comparing to the before the surgery time. As I call it "Before the Christ Era" (before the surgery) I was able to walk 30 min only and then I was in a lot of pain. I was so happy yesterday strolling the streets of the city, stopping at the stores looking at clothes and being without pain at all! I think I am ready to say that I am glad I had this surgery. First month was a nightmare, but this is all behind me now.

                      Every day I look in the mirror - I think I am paranoid a little because I am afraid that my back will start curving again. I even ask my husband and parents often if they think that my back is the same and not getting any worse. They all laugh at me. Does anybody else do that?

                      I think that scoliosis surgery changes not only our bodies, but also mentality... I became much more patient and compassionate towards other people. I learned to enjoy life, just every moment of it. I learned how to enjoy simple pleasures and be happy even without going on extravagant vacations.
                      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


                      • What a great post, Irina! I'm glad you had such a nice time and that you shared with us the difference both between pre and post surgery walking and your outlook on life. Walking around SF can be a workout with some of those hilly areas! My uncle lived on Elizabeth St. which had steps instead of a sidewalk! It was SO STEEP!

                        I remember my first winter and realizing I had developed an 80 or 90 year old's mindset... one look out the window and thinking, "oh no, can't go out today-- there's snow and I might fall..." It gives you a different perspective for the slow people in the grocery store, or the people with handicap plates that look too young. I remember one of our college girls saying someone chastised her for taking a parking spot when she had no business to do so. It opens our eyes to others' problems. It's wonderful to feel so blessed, in the little things as well as the big-- thanks again for sharing.
                        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

                        Comment


                        • Yes Great post. It truely makes us slow down and say not evrey hardship is visable---we need to have compassion for all.
                          T10-pelvis fusion 12/08
                          C5,6,7 fusion 9/10
                          T2--T10 fusion 2/11
                          C 4-5 fusion 11/14
                          Right scapulectomy 6/15
                          Right pectoralis major muscle transfer to scapula
                          To replace the action of Serratus Anterior muscle 3/16
                          Broken neck 9/28/2018
                          Emergency surgery posterior fusion C4- T3
                          Repeated 11/2018 because rods pulled apart added T2 fusion
                          Removal of partial right thoracic hardware 1/2020
                          Removal and replacement of C4-T10 hardware with C7 and T 1
                          Osteotomy

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X