Hey, everybody. I’m new to the forum, but like many others, I’ve been reading your posts for over a year. And I, too, have learned A LOT from all of you and I feel like I know some of you personally!!
My story is not much different from many of you – I was living life just fine (although I had chronic back pain for no apparent reason). When I was 45 (I’m 55 now) I noticed (what I now know was a scoliosis rib hump) something on my back. I went to my orthoped who said “how long have you had that? That’s scoliosis. “ So, that started my rounds of xrays. At the time, I measured a 23 degree curve. But, I was still running and doing triathlons without much pain, I continued to carry on with life dealing with 4 kids schedules and all of that. I didn’t really think much of it.
Every year when I had xrays done, my degree would go up by 1 or 2 degrees. I was getting worried, but my pain was still manageable so I just carried on.
Then, at age 52 I ruptured my L4/L5 disc. I battled TERRIBLE sciatica from that for 15 months. After about of year of the pain, my ortho finally did a CT myelogram which showed the ruptured disc. They recommended surgery but referred me to a scoliosis surgeon in Minneapolis at the Twin Cities Spine Center, Dr. Joseph Perra.
I went to see him in Feb 2015 and he gave me 3 options: 1) decompression surgery 2) fusion just in the painful area (I think – I honestly can’t remember option 2) and 3) full blown scoli surgery.
At the time, there was no way I could wrap my brain around that surgery BUT also I had a daughter getting married in June of 2015 so I didn’t think I had time for recovery from scoli surgery and even if I did, I thought it was risky in case I was in that 5 – 15% that have complications or bad outcomes. So, I chose Decompression surgery. He said that wasn’t a bad choice, but that if that’s what I did I’d most likely be seeing him again at some point in my life. I didn’t doubt him as I knew I had multiple issues. I had that surgery April 3, 2015.
The decompression surgery did relieve the TERRIBLE leg pain, but of course I was still left with the scoli problems. But I managed well & got through the wedding (not without pain though). I knew it can take up to a year for some nerves to “settle down.” I did notice 6 & 9 months out that my calf & foot did get better with time. But, I still can’t walk around the block without pain and I can’t stand very long either. So, needless to say, my life is not normal….. I manage because I have a pretty low-keyed lifestyle and we are now empty nesters. But, I can definitely tell I have gone downhill......
I have had 2 visits with Dr. Perra about scoli surgery since my first surgery. I have decided to do the surgery and have scheduled it for June 24.
(Note: my curvature is now 37 degrees thoracolumbar).
I would have scheduled it sooner, but even before my daughter’s wedding last June, our OTHER daughter got engaged!! Her wedding is this May 28, 2016 so I had to wait after that!! Darn these kids!! I told our 2 boys no weddings for at least a year!
I have had epidurals about every 6 months. I just had one 3 weeks ago as I was in terrible pain. I hope it lasts through the wedding because I can’t (won’t) do another one anyway. I’ve also developed terrible trochanter bursitis which I had a shot in my hip for that. So, now I’m being really careful not to wreck something else!
I was a runner, biker, I did Sprint Triathlons, a gym rat and such. And, now I can’t even walk around my small house without pain. I mean, I do it with a smile on my face, but still!!
So, that’s my story. I’m wondering if anyone knows anything about Dr. Perra or TCSC. I didn’t shop around for scoli doctors as my local ortho referred me to him. He has referred several patients to Dr. Perra. I was going to go to Mayo, but the local docs here say that Mayo refers their bad spine cases to TCSC. I do like him and I like his staff.
The proposed surgery is: Anterior/ Posterior approach, fusion and hardware from T11 – Sacrum. I do have sagittal and coronal imbalance (although, I’m not sure how much if that is measured in degrees)
Our oldest son lives in St. Paul (he’s single) so I plan to spend the first 6 weeks post op at his apartment (lucky him)! My husband will be with me the first 2 weeks (1 will be in the hospital), my 24 year old daughter will be with me the 3rd week, and my sister the 4th week – husband will work here Mon – Thurs then drive to St Paul Thurs night and be with me Fri – Sunday. I’m hoping week 5 & 6 I can be alone during the day and then my son will be with me those evenings and nights.
My first post-op appointment is Aug 4, so if things are going well, I’ll come home and finish recovering here (I live 5 hours from the Twin Cities). But, of course, I will drive up there for future appointments.
Sorry this is so long. But, I thought if I laid it all out, this wonderful forum could tell me if I’m making the right decisions. I don’t personally have any of my images – I need to get them from Dr. Perra’s office this summer.
Kathy
My story is not much different from many of you – I was living life just fine (although I had chronic back pain for no apparent reason). When I was 45 (I’m 55 now) I noticed (what I now know was a scoliosis rib hump) something on my back. I went to my orthoped who said “how long have you had that? That’s scoliosis. “ So, that started my rounds of xrays. At the time, I measured a 23 degree curve. But, I was still running and doing triathlons without much pain, I continued to carry on with life dealing with 4 kids schedules and all of that. I didn’t really think much of it.
Every year when I had xrays done, my degree would go up by 1 or 2 degrees. I was getting worried, but my pain was still manageable so I just carried on.
Then, at age 52 I ruptured my L4/L5 disc. I battled TERRIBLE sciatica from that for 15 months. After about of year of the pain, my ortho finally did a CT myelogram which showed the ruptured disc. They recommended surgery but referred me to a scoliosis surgeon in Minneapolis at the Twin Cities Spine Center, Dr. Joseph Perra.
I went to see him in Feb 2015 and he gave me 3 options: 1) decompression surgery 2) fusion just in the painful area (I think – I honestly can’t remember option 2) and 3) full blown scoli surgery.
At the time, there was no way I could wrap my brain around that surgery BUT also I had a daughter getting married in June of 2015 so I didn’t think I had time for recovery from scoli surgery and even if I did, I thought it was risky in case I was in that 5 – 15% that have complications or bad outcomes. So, I chose Decompression surgery. He said that wasn’t a bad choice, but that if that’s what I did I’d most likely be seeing him again at some point in my life. I didn’t doubt him as I knew I had multiple issues. I had that surgery April 3, 2015.
The decompression surgery did relieve the TERRIBLE leg pain, but of course I was still left with the scoli problems. But I managed well & got through the wedding (not without pain though). I knew it can take up to a year for some nerves to “settle down.” I did notice 6 & 9 months out that my calf & foot did get better with time. But, I still can’t walk around the block without pain and I can’t stand very long either. So, needless to say, my life is not normal….. I manage because I have a pretty low-keyed lifestyle and we are now empty nesters. But, I can definitely tell I have gone downhill......
I have had 2 visits with Dr. Perra about scoli surgery since my first surgery. I have decided to do the surgery and have scheduled it for June 24.
(Note: my curvature is now 37 degrees thoracolumbar).
I would have scheduled it sooner, but even before my daughter’s wedding last June, our OTHER daughter got engaged!! Her wedding is this May 28, 2016 so I had to wait after that!! Darn these kids!! I told our 2 boys no weddings for at least a year!
I have had epidurals about every 6 months. I just had one 3 weeks ago as I was in terrible pain. I hope it lasts through the wedding because I can’t (won’t) do another one anyway. I’ve also developed terrible trochanter bursitis which I had a shot in my hip for that. So, now I’m being really careful not to wreck something else!
I was a runner, biker, I did Sprint Triathlons, a gym rat and such. And, now I can’t even walk around my small house without pain. I mean, I do it with a smile on my face, but still!!
So, that’s my story. I’m wondering if anyone knows anything about Dr. Perra or TCSC. I didn’t shop around for scoli doctors as my local ortho referred me to him. He has referred several patients to Dr. Perra. I was going to go to Mayo, but the local docs here say that Mayo refers their bad spine cases to TCSC. I do like him and I like his staff.
The proposed surgery is: Anterior/ Posterior approach, fusion and hardware from T11 – Sacrum. I do have sagittal and coronal imbalance (although, I’m not sure how much if that is measured in degrees)
Our oldest son lives in St. Paul (he’s single) so I plan to spend the first 6 weeks post op at his apartment (lucky him)! My husband will be with me the first 2 weeks (1 will be in the hospital), my 24 year old daughter will be with me the 3rd week, and my sister the 4th week – husband will work here Mon – Thurs then drive to St Paul Thurs night and be with me Fri – Sunday. I’m hoping week 5 & 6 I can be alone during the day and then my son will be with me those evenings and nights.
My first post-op appointment is Aug 4, so if things are going well, I’ll come home and finish recovering here (I live 5 hours from the Twin Cities). But, of course, I will drive up there for future appointments.
Sorry this is so long. But, I thought if I laid it all out, this wonderful forum could tell me if I’m making the right decisions. I don’t personally have any of my images – I need to get them from Dr. Perra’s office this summer.
Kathy
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