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  • Briarrose update

    Yay! Just got word that her surgery is over and all went well, via email from her sister-in-law. Here is the main info: She was in surgery for 7 hours. The surgeon said he was able to completely straighten her spine. She does not need to go to ICU-- because there was very little blood loss and she's doing so well. They might possibly have her sitting up by tonight-- and on her feet by tomorrow night. So, all in all, great news about Shell.
    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

  • #2
    Susie*Bee...Thanks so much for posting! I'm so glad to hear that all went well and she is "straight" now. Please keep the updates coming as you get them.
    Alicia
    Geish
    47 years old, dx at 13
    +30* to the right, +60* to the left, +30* to the right
    Surgery 12-13-07 - fusion from T4 to sacrum.


    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...tachmentid=267 Pre surgery
    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...tachmentid=268 Post surgery
    http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/DSC01091.jpg Xray from the side
    http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...1089-1-1-1.jpg Xray from the back

    Comment


    • #3
      YEAH!!!! Great news; I can't wait to hear the update

      from her! Sounds like it went the best possible way that it could.
      __________________________________________
      Debbe - 50 yrs old

      Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
      Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

      Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
      Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
      Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

      Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
      Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

      Comment


      • #4
        That's very cool...all those prayers and good thoughts landed exactly where they should have!
        Susan
        XLIF/Posterior Surgery 6/16/08. Fused T10-L5 in CA by Dr. Michael Kropf (don't go there unless it's simple, I hear he's at Cedar's now). Very deformed, had revision w/5 PSO's, rods from T-3 to sacrum including iliac screws, all posterior, 5/23/16 with Dr. Purnendu Gupta of Chicago.


        Owner of Chachi the Chihuahua, So Cal born and bred, now a resident of 'Chicagoland' Illinois. Uh, dislike it here....thank God there was ONE excellent spine surgeon in this area.

        Comment


        • #5
          loves to skate

          That is wonderful news about Shell. Let the healing begin, praise God.
          Sally
          Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
          Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
          Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
          Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
          New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
          Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

          "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

          Comment


          • #6
            Wow! That is great news! I'm so happy for Shell. Thanks for posting Susie*Bee.

            Connie
            57 yr. old female

            50 degree and 73 degree curves
            90 degree rotation

            Comment


            • #7
              God is so good!

              If you need surgery at all, then Shell's sounds like the one you want! Thanks for the update, Susie*Bee. What great news!!
              Posterior fusion T5-L1 May 5, 2003-age 43
              Posterior revision, thoracotomy,fusion T2-L2 April 8, 2008-age 49
              Fusion extension C1-L2 evacuation left pulmonary effusion May 9, 2008, age 49
              www.buggfamily.blogspot.com

              Comment


              • #8
                This is Shell's husband. I'm sitting in the room with Shell reading all your kind replies and encouragement out loud to her. She is very appreciative of them all! Here is the latest news: Dr. Fras insisted that Shell stand and attempt several steps last night about four hours post-op. She was able, (with a little help) to take about 10 steps! Today was a busy day for her: She walked three times-the last time was to the end of the hallway outside the room! She spent two thirty minute sessions sitting upright in a chair. The doctor says that her recovery is proceeding far and away better than expected. The best news is that he estimates the current curve at about 5-7 degrees and the rib hump is greatly reduced! She is still on morphine and despite being completely exhausted has been unable to sleep for more than ten minutes at a time since she woke up from surgery. The pain is manageable with just the morphine which she isn't taking nearly as often as I think she should be, she's quite a trooper! More updates as they come.
                Last edited by briarrose; 05-28-2008, 08:26 PM.
                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


                • #9
                  Thanks!

                  I am SOOOOOO impressed! Thanks for the great update! Tell her I'm so very proud of her and know how hard she's working!!! She's a super inspiration! Big hugs, Susie
                  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


                  • #10
                    What a woman! Sounds like she's doing fantastic

                    keep up the good work! 5 to 7 degrees is fabulous. I hope you continue your fastrack recovery.
                    __________________________________________
                    Debbe - 50 yrs old

                    Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
                    Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

                    Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
                    Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
                    Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

                    Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
                    Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Wow!!! I'm proud of her too!! She is great!

                      Another example of why this surgery should be done while you are younger, in my opinion. Please tell her to keep up the good work and her spirits... she will be home buzzing around again in no time.

                      (((hugs)))) to you both! JoAnn

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Wow -- that's just excellent. Thanks for the update and hope she can get some sleep soon! Can they give her Dilaudid instead of morphine? It's an easier drug to tolerate....
                        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

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Congratulations Shell on a very successful surgery and correction. That is just terrific. Good luck on the recovery process and in getting enough sleep. You are an inspiration.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Update #3

                            So it's 5:15 Thursday (is it thursday already??) and Shell is sleeping soundly beside me. She has been taken off of PCA morphine and put on oral percocet. Thus the sleeping. Dr Fras decided to have her fitted for a brace but he's not wound up about her having to wear it all the time. All of the RN's here at Lankenau have been amazing but there have been a few bad eggs among the techs which is to be expected I suppose. She and I have the process of getting her in and out of bed and into the restroom down to an art. She can stand and even walk without needing much support! Getting up and down out of a sitting or laying position is still very painful but it is getting noticably easier every time. All in all I'd call this an amazing recovery thus far and Dr. Fras agrees. He says she may be able to go home as soon as two days from now if she wants to and if things keep going this well. Thanks for all the encouraging comments!
                            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


                            • #15
                              Update #4

                              So it's Sunday and Shell is still in the hospital. Yesterday she collapsed to the floor while waiting for X-rays in the radiology waiting room. (I was waiting in her room when the code blue was called for the radiology department and I went to investigate. It was all very scary.) It was discovered that her hemoglobin level was very low, around 7.7. Also, she had been taken off of her IV before her appetite was fully back meaning that she wasn't getting many nutrients. Anyway, she was moved to a cardio level room to be more closely monitored. That dizziness has not gone away so the surgeon is recommending that she stay at least through tonight into Monday. She just got a 1 unit blood transfusion and we're waiting for the test to see if that helped things.
                              As far as pain, she wasn't getting any help from percocet or morphine or any comination of the two. She gave up and quit taking any pain meds and there ended up being no significant difference in pain on or off the meds, they were both so intense they made her come close to passing out whenever she tried to move. The surgeon got the point and decided to try tylenol & codine, we're waiting to see what happens with that.
                              Anyway, we were wondering if anyone here had any resources or insight into how to begin making physical activity a helpful part of the healing process. We don't want to hinder the recovery by too mch or too little activity and it's all very confusing, (more so because of the pain). If anyone has any experience or insight it would be helpful, I'm sure.
                              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

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