19 Year Old Male. Scoliosis Progressing.

[loves to skate]

Why don't you try your primary care physician? I bet you would have better luck. You probably will be walking at least a mile a day at four weeks post op, but climbing hills in the rain doesn't sound like too good of an idea to me. Good luck. Sally

[titaniumed]

Hi John

I had the same thing happen to me. I figured that it would be an easy thing getting a placard, boy did I crash and burn! My surgeon told me to park in the back of all parking lots, and walk on in from now on.

I think he wanted me walking.......

Also, he wanted me walking outside.... No tredmills. Guess it has to do with the fresh air.

These surgeons are right, you need to be active and get things like oxygen circulating after surgery. He didn't want me sleeping all the time. I too, was a little surprised, but not agitated about it. There is a reason for this.

Heck, your 19 years old, your going to sail through this......

Remember that "adaptability" is needed here.

I think that the big issue here is carrying your books. You might get an umbrella and a laptop carrier with wheels. I use one when I fly and its great. With these 2 items and a little head start, you will be fine.

Ed

[JDM555]

i dont get it??!!! i got a "lifetime" one with my G.P/rheumatologist's signature...cause i dont know if i'm having surgery, & there are days i can barely walk due to severe lumbar pain/weakness...so it was just easier for him to fill it out for lifetime (he just checked off that box on the form) ...he filled out the DMV form, no questions asked by motor vehicle..they issued it in 2 weeks without problem...

i think your doctor is making it too complicated...does he not know you well, that you are the kind of guy who will walk for your own health, but not necessarily at 7 a.m. or on the way to a class...?? better to walk when there is no hurry or rush! maybe you just need to tell him in person..which i guess is tough...we usually deal with doctors thru their nurses or receptionists!

i feel bad for the petty annoyances you are dealing with right now..the last thing you need! any chance anyone could give you a ride to school the first few weeks?

best of luck
jess

Yeah, I don't get why he is making a big deal either. I knew people who had a knee problem (but walk 100% fine) and were suppose to have surgery, but ended up not getting surgery and STILL getting the handicap and STILL also renewing it again and again. And I'm over here, going to walk close to a mile everyday and it's winter so it's going to rain and I might have pain anytime AFTER 2 months, something can happen and you never know, I might need it for the remaining 4 months (Suppose to be 6 months) but I guess he doesn't want that. I will also be taking night classes (M,T,Th) and I don't want to get in the dark to my car and trip over something (Not many lights in the parking lot). I guess he is insisting since I am in shape and 19 and by my x-rays, I have a lot of flexibility/mobility and no health problems, that I will recover nicely and won't need any help with my walking. I hope he's right, because if at 5 weeks I go to school and it is horrible, I'm calling him and telling, not asking, TELLING him to renew my handicap because I can't walk long distances yet. I really don't know why he would do all this, is it to make sure I walk? I know walking will help me out, and that is why I will do it daily down the street or on a treadmill when I WANT to, not when I am forced to in the morning on the way to school.

As far as getting a ride, my parents offered to help me out. Depending on how I feel, my dad can drop me off in the morning on the way to work and my mom can pick me up in the afternoon.

This is so stupid, just thinking of my past semester, my classes were back to back, 10 minutes apart, and on opposite sides of the campus, I would be late because the walk was over 10 minutes, that is power walking too which caused me a GREAT deal of pain in the Lumbar area. Now with this, I'm sure I won't be there before 15 minutes. More like 20. I hope I recover so he proves me wrong, but I bet I'm going to have trouble with the first couple of weeks at school and I will tell him to renew it for another couple of months. I will talk to him about it on the day of surgery as well (28). Well, 1 more week.

Countdown begins. 7 Days

[JDM555]

Why don't you try your primary care physician? I bet you would have better luck. You probably will be walking at least a mile a day at four weeks post op, but climbing hills in the rain doesn't sound like too good of an idea to me. Good luck. Sally

I might do that, but I will just keep it for 2 months depending on the weather/how I am recovering. If I feel like I can't keep doing that, I will tell him to let me renew it for a couple more weeks/months.
John

Hi John

I had the same thing happen to me. I figured that it would be an easy thing getting a placard, boy did I crash and burn! My surgeon told me to park in the back of all parking lots, and walk on in from now on.

I think he wanted me walking.......

Also, he wanted me walking outside.... No tredmills. Guess it has to do with the fresh air.

These surgeons are right, you need to be active and get things like oxygen circulating after surgery. He didn't want me sleeping all the time. I too, was a little surprised, but not agitated about it. There is a reason for this.

Heck, your 19 years old, your going to sail through this......

Remember that "adaptability" is needed here.

I think that the big issue here is carrying your books. You might get an umbrella and a laptop carrier with wheels. I use one when I fly and its great. With these 2 items and a little head start, you will be fine.

Ed

Yes, I agree with you, it is a good idea to walk and be active. Like I said, walking on the campus is already enough for me (BEFORE surgery) I get tired from walking from one end to the other. The campus is pretty big. The other problem is the second campus' parking lot is GIANT, and it's always packed, it's not a garage, so it's spread out. Just the walk to get from my car to the class is a workout. This is my experience BEFORE surgery, I don't even want to know what will happen after surgery, with ONLY 4 weeks of recovery time. I hope I can even get out of bed, dress myself, stand the car ride to school, sit in class for 3 hours, and go back home.

I agree I have to walk, I'd love to get some rest/sleep after class, then in the afternoon take a nice walk with my iPod and just enjoy the weather, but I guess that isn't enough and I need to walk an additional mile at school.

[LindaRacine]

Hi John...

I was a LOT older than you when I had my surgery, and while I didn't have to walk 1-2 miles a day to get to/from work/school, I pretty much did those distances anyway. It's relatively rare for scoliosis surgery patients to need placards, so I think you'll be fine with one that expires in February. Believe me, I think you'll find sitting for the necessary period of time a lot tougher than walking a measly mile or two.

I'd like to encourage you to not think of yourself as disabled. I think that often becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Regards,
Linda

[JDM555]

Hi John...

I was a LOT older than you when I had my surgery, and while I didn't have to walk 1-2 miles a day to get to/from work/school, I pretty much did those distances anyway. It's relatively rare for scoliosis surgery patients to need placards, so I think you'll be fine with one that expires in February. Believe me, I think you'll find sitting for the necessary period of time a lot tougher than walking a measly mile or two.

I'd like to encourage you to not think of yourself as disabled. I think that often becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Regards,
Linda

Yes, I understand, but just for the record, I don't intend to use this handicap placard everyday just because I am lazy. I would only use it if I "needed" to use it because of certain circumstances, if I'm not in pain, of course I will walk because that will help me recover, but if I am, I don't want to force myself you know? Hopefully everything will work out and I will be off pain meds and back to school in this next month. Wish me luck, surgery is exactly 1 week from now.
John

[LindaRacine]

Yes, I understand, but just for the record, I don't intend to use this handicap placard everyday just because I am lazy. I would only use it if I "needed" to use it because of certain circumstances, if I'm not in pain, of course I will walk because that will help me recover, but if I am, I don't want to force myself you know? Hopefully everything will work out and I will be off pain meds and back to school in this next month. Wish me luck, surgery is exactly 1 week from now.
John

John...

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there's a very good chance that you will be in pain. But, you're going to have to push yourself to get out and walk despite the pain, because if you don't, recovery is probably going to be a lot tougher. There's a reason why Dr. Cheng was reluctant to give you the placard.

--Linda

[JDM555]

John...

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there's a very good chance that you will be in pain. But, you're going to have to push yourself to get out and walk despite the pain, because if you don't, recovery is probably going to be a lot tougher. There's a reason why Dr. Cheng was reluctant to give you the placard.

--Linda

I guess. I will just wait and see how it goes. I want this week to be over with already, if I had it on the 16th, I would of been discharged today or tomorrow. I want to finish and get into recovery.
John

[spinalfusion09]

Seriously! I don't get why he wouldn't. I wasn't at school but it wasn't easy going outside. I can't possibly imagine rain on top of all that. Mot to mention it pours in NorCal :{

[spinalfusion09]

Oh and my mom got me shoes with rubber on the soles like hiking shoes for the shower because both my doc and PT said if I fell badly within the first couple weeks it could ruin everything. It wasn't even raining by be but I had to be really careful when I took a shower.

[JDM555]

Seriously! I don't get why he wouldn't. I wasn't at school but it wasn't easy going outside. I can't possibly imagine rain on top of all that. Mot to mention it pours in NorCal :{

W/E, I'll just live with the pain. I can handle it. I will try my best and I hope it all just all works out. I will walk daily as much as I could. I will take walks down the street with an iPod with my mom or go to a park and something. If I have too much trouble dealing with handicap/walking at school, I will tell him to postpone the expiration date till end of March or something.
John

Oh and my mom got me shoes with rubber on the soles like hiking shoes for the shower because both my doc and PT said if I fell badly within the first couple weeks it could ruin everything. It wasn't even raining by be but I had to be really careful when I took a shower.

Ehhh.....hmmm, I will prolly sit down in my boxers and get someone to help me shower a little. I doubt I will be able to shower myself a couple of weeks after surgery. I definitely wouldn't want to stand, cause if I slip or fall, that's like 5-6 ft drop lol.

[spinalfusion09]

haha true that is a lot of dude. You just have to be really careful thats all. To be honest I really don't remember a lot of the first few weeks. The drugs they had me on hit me pretty hard haha

[spinalfusion09]

and about standing 4 like showers and stuff you're body will definitely tell you when enough is enough. I could stand but it wasn't in any way comfortable. But you get past that and everything gets easier.

[jrnyc]

hmmmmm....there's always sponge baths & alcohol rubs...temporarily, that is....

dec 28 is etched in my mind now..i will be praying all day...cause it is your date & i know that with all the prayers from everybody, nothing can go wrong...your job is just to relax, rest & heal...

jess

[LindaRacine]

Ehhh.....hmmm, I will prolly sit down in my boxers and get someone to help me shower a little. I doubt I will be able to shower myself a couple of weeks after surgery. I definitely wouldn't want to stand, cause if I slip or fall, that's like 5-6 ft drop lol.

John...

I really want you to stop thinking that you're going to be disabled. If you think you'll be disabled, you probably will be. This is a big surgery, but there are hundreds of us here who have gone through it, and few are anywhere near as disabled as you think you might be.

You will almost certainly be able to shower yourself. I showered by myself on day 13. I agree that it's a good idea to get some shower shoes to be certain that you're not going to slip accidentally. You might also want to get a shower chair or bench, although you should check with Dr. Cheng about any of this stuff. I have some helpful hints for post-op on my website:

http://www.scoliosislinks.com/PreparingforSurgery.htm

And, another page on resuming activities:

http://www.scoliosislinks.com/PostSurgActivities.htm

Note that this is a page that is slightly outdated, as many surgeons no longer use post operative braces.

--Linda