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Paula one month post op

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  • Paula one month post op

    Saw the surgeon today--he's very pleased w/Paula's progress. He was able to achieve a correction to 22 degrees from her 61 degree left thoracic curve.

    Surprise, surprise--b/c her curve was so large at the top, when he looked at the correction on xray, he saw that she has triple curves.

    At first we thought it was just one big curve with a small compensating one at the bottom, but since he did the correction, he saw a middle one as well that somehow had been masked by the upper one.

    The middle and lower ones are in the 20s and he said they shouldn't pose a problem.

    As for me, I've learned to take it one day at a time. I have learned that things will work out.

    And I have this group and some very good friends I made along the way to thank for that attitude.

    Whatever will be, will be.

  • #2
    Way too soon to worry about this.

    My first surgical young "associate" obsessed about her high left shoulder for a few months before it came down even. She was HAMMERING me on her claim that the surgeon "overcorrected " her because prior to surgery, her right shoulder was high. It is perfectly even now, 19 months out. (ETA for clarity... it came even after a few months, NOT at 19 months. Nineteen months is where we are at now and she is still even.)

    My second young associate is tripping and falling occasionally as her body stacks itself and finds its new balance. She also is opposite from what she was in terms of where her trunk is. She told me she tripped on flat carpet twice and fell forward onto her arms. It was rainy today so I took her to the mall tonight to walk around. She tripped a few times (but didn't fall) on level floor. That is just her brain finding the balance in the new configuration. She also is coming even and it is just 9 days out. The lower curve is straightening out on its own because it wasn't structural.

    Too soon to worry. Please remember that.
    Last edited by Pooka1; 10-15-2009, 05:39 AM.
    Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

    No island of sanity.

    Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
    Answer: Medicine


    "We are all African."

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Pooka1 View Post
      Too soon to worry. Please remember that.
      Me, worry??

      Thanks, Sharon. I do know you're right. I also know that we can only take things day by day b/c we don't know what the future holds.

      We are very happy with the results from the surgery. Paula does have better balance--she's even admitted that. I guess the body gets used to being one way for so long. She said she had felt off balance before the surgery, but she can really notice a difference now.

      We are very blessed and we know it!

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      • #4
        Another concern--headache?

        Paula's had several headaches post op. She said she had some minor ones in the hospital. She had a really bad one the week after she got home. At that time she also had a very bad stomachache as well. After she took a nap she was fine.

        But now they've started up again. She started doing some of her schoolwork on Tues. and after about 2 hrs., she had a headache. She laid down and it went away.

        Now today she was doing school for about an hour and same thing.

        She's still on the oxycontin 1 10mg tablet 2ce a day.

        It's a bit scary b/c she's never had headaches before unless her vision is changing or with a fever. She's just not one to get them.

        Any thoughts? Can it be the oxycontin?

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        • #5
          Glad to hear Paula is doing relatively well after surgery. Re: headaches - yes, the oxycontin can be a contributing factor. Another thought - is she drinking enough water/liquids? Dehydration can be an issue during the post-op recovery process. Make sure she's drinking plenty. Braydon is prone to dehydration so drinking is a big deal for him (he hates it). Also tension/stress/anxiety (oxycontin can cause BIG time anxiety) can contribute to headaches. Does a heat pad on the back of her neck help? Last thing, could they be migraines? With the vision involvement, it may be a good idea to check in with the doc about that.

          Best wishes for a continued recovery.
          Carmell
          mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Carmell View Post
            Glad to hear Paula is doing relatively well after surgery. Re: headaches - yes, the oxycontin can be a contributing factor. Another thought - is she drinking enough water/liquids? Dehydration can be an issue during the post-op recovery process. Make sure she's drinking plenty. Braydon is prone to dehydration so drinking is a big deal for him (he hates it). Also tension/stress/anxiety (oxycontin can cause BIG time anxiety) can contribute to headaches. Does a heat pad on the back of her neck help? Last thing, could they be migraines? With the vision involvement, it may be a good idea to check in with the doc about that.

            Best wishes for a continued recovery.
            Thanks, Carmell.

            Paula has been doing better since we dropped out the am dose of the oxycontin. So far, no headaches, although I still have an email out to the surgeon's NP which she should get today. Since Paula's doing better, they will most likely say to keep an eye on it.

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