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  • A litte encouragement

    Hi everyone-
    I haven't been on the forum as much lately because I am back to work part time and haven't had as much time, but just wanted to pass on a neat story. I am 11 months post op and had a very severe curve prior to surgery- wore loose clothes to hide the hump- and now I have a new body! I took some shirts in to the cleaners to be altered the other day and as the lady was pinning the shirt to take up the slack, she said "You have such a beautiful shape to your back!" She did not know about me or my surgery-that comment just about made me cry! Thought I would pass that along for all of you who are facing surgery- it is worth it for so many reasons, and a cosmetic benefit is certainly on of them!
    Cathie

  • #2
    Thanks

    thanks for the encouragement... im so anxious for my surgery at this point, I just want it done!
    2000 34*L/39*T
    2007 44*L/53*T

    12.3.07 Posterior Spinal Fusion T4-T12
    (initially planned T4-L1)
    12.18.07 11*L/10*T

    23 years old

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    • #3
      Thanks for posting that. I get really depressed about the way I look. Hopefully it will be better after surgery!
      Chemist, 30

      1998- 18 degrees
      2003- 33 degrees
      2005- 37 degrees
      2006- 44 degrees
      May 2007- 47 degrees
      December 2007 - 50 degrees X-ray

      Surgery May 27, 2008
      Fused T1 to L2
      Curve corrected to 15 degrees X-ray

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Cathie,

        I hope you know just how much your post means to all of those out here that have had the surgery, as well as those that are considering it!!!

        You are one of the many that make this a valuable place to be!!!

        Shari

        Comment


        • #5
          Cathie, that is just awesome....I'm so happy for you. I've received similar compliments from people who DID know that I had the surgery. There is no doubt that Dr. B does beautiful cosmetic work.
          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

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          • #6
            Congrats! My daughter's dance teacher noticed the improvement in her posture - she wasn't leaning to one side any more. That made her feel better about her surgery.
            T12- L5 fusion 1975 - Rochester, NY
            2002 removal of bottom of rod and extra fusion
            3/1/11 C5-C6 disc replacement
            Daughter - T7 - L3 fusion 2004

            Comment


            • #7
              I didn't realize how crooked I was before the surgery, until family & friends commented that there is a big difference in my posture. I was standing straight and I wasn't leaning to one side and my hip that stuck out is now straight.

              Comment


              • #8
                that's great, Cathie!!! Since we have met, I can tell you your posture is something to be proud of!!!!!!!!!!!Ly

                Comment


                • #9
                  Wow!!!

                  Isn't that great!!! I find it amusing that most people do not get the enormity of our surgery because we look so good! keep up the good work.... Lisa
                  Lisa age 47
                  T curve 69 degrees
                  L curve 40 degrees more or less - compensatory
                  fused to from T-3 to sacrum
                  anterior and posterior surgeries completed June 1, 2007
                  pushing hard in recovery !!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Pictures, I want to see pictures. When are you post-op folks going to post your befores and afters, like Lisa did?

                    Chris

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by CHRIS WBS
                      Pictures, I want to see pictures. When are you post-op folks going to post your befores and afters, like Lisa did?

                      Chris
                      Where could you post pictures here? I posted before and after pictures on my myspace blog- but wasn't sure how to share here. No x-rays yet though...
                      -----------------
                      Jane

                      34 yrs old
                      Diagnosed at 12; Boston Brace for a year; ScoliTron for 3 months. Curves left untreated after 13 yrs old until 27yrs old.
                      Pre-Op Upper Curve: 49; Post-Op: 14
                      Pre-Op Lower Curve: 51; Post-Op: 18
                      Posterior Reconstruction from T2-L3 on Oct 22, 2007
                      Dr McNulty - UMC Hospital

                      Las Vegas, NV

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Dear Cathie,

                        So happy to hear that you love your new back and that others are noticing! That's happening for me lately too. I went clothes shopping the other day and everything looked great. It was hard to decide what to buy since I couldn't buy everything. You probably can relate. My friends keep asking me if I've lost weight, although I've gained most of it back. It's because I stand so straight. Someone said, "you look like you're on your way to play tennis or something" (ie: my posture is good.) Until recently my distended stomach, from the pain pills and recovery, made it hard to focus on my back. But now that it is getting better too I can start to enjoy the cosmetic benefits of this surgery, which I never thought much about before the surgery. I hope people who are waiting for surgery, a difficult time I know, will take this to heart. My back now looks like all the straight backs I've envied all my adult life.

                        Brynn

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                        • #13
                          That’s encouraging to hear, Brynn, and I’m happy to hear that you seem to be coming along well in your recovery. By the way, I believe you had Dr. Akbarnia perform your surgery, and didn’t he decide to do a shorter fusion than originally planned? It appears that some surgeons like Dr. Boachie and maybe Dr. Akbarnia make every attempt to avoid the long fusions as much as possible even with severe curves.

                          Chris

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Dear Chris,

                            Thanks for your comments. Yes, my surgeon was Dr. Akbarnia. He fused me from T10 to L5, leaving just L5 unfused in my lumbar area. Some surgeons fuse to the sacrum rather than leaving one vertebra, but Dr. A. said that since that one had not degenerated he didn't want to fuse it. He said I have a 50% or greater chance of not needing further surgery in the future due to it breaking down from the strain of my fusion. He'd always decided to fuse this many vertebrae, but I'd been concerned because of the chance of needing further surgery in the future. He did not fuse my compensatory thoracic curve (he stopped just a bit below it) because it is only around 20 degrees and he didn't think it'd progress any further. I still have a 25 degree lumbar curve (it was around 55 degrees before the surgery) but it doesn't show now except in xrays. The rods go on either side and make my back look straight.

                            Brynn

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