Rehab?

[ADMoul]

I was originally planning on re-hab since I was 4 hours out of town. However, I did too well to meet the insurance criteria for rehab, so I went home. I did have my husband home full time for 4 weeks and visiting nurse came in for check ups and some limited PT. I was fine with that. As others have said, it depends on your Dr.'s (or the rehab Dr.'s assessment of how you're doing) and what your insurance requires for rehab coverage.

[txmarinemom]

No rehab for me with my posterior only fusion. I came home on the morning of Day 6, and recovered solo.

Everyone's different.

[Back-out]

No rehab for me with my posterior only fusion. I came home on the morning of Day 6, and recovered solo.

Everyone's different.

"SOLO"? How much solo?

And how old were you at the time?
Thanks!

[txmarinemom]

"SOLO"? How much solo?

And how old were you at the time?

Completely solo. That said, I spent the better part of two months in preparation to do so.

I was 39.

[mbeckoff]

I spent 10 days in Rehab and I really enjoyed it.
They waited on me.They helped me do things. I got stronger.My family came to visit me. To me, there were no negatives. When I arrived in rehab, I was not ready to go home

Melissa

[Back-out]

Completely solo. That said, I spent the better part of two months in preparation to do so.

I was 39.

How can you prepare? Stick needles in yourself to get used to them? (feeble laugh) Seriously. I've prepared for races, exams, childbirth - but this?

And you mean NO ONE helped you afterward? How close were you to the surgeon and did you at least have home health aides for showering, returning for post-ops, etc?

I can't even figure how I'm going to put on good support shoes to use my treadmill! For wiping my butt, I understand there are special reachers and I'll be sure to have grab bars installed every which where. I'm used to toughing things out (I've gone through numerous surgeries alone), but as I understand it, this is not that kind of situation. Too much exertion or the wrong kind, and you undo all the benefit by interfering with fusion.

[txmarinemom]

How can you prepare? Stick needles in yourself to get used to them? (feeble laugh) Seriously. I've prepared for races, exams, childbirth - but this?

By "prepare", I mean I set my house up, cooked ahead and froze meals, etc.: I had a massive (amusing, in retrospect) pre-op to-do list that covered contingencies upon contingencies. I had air horns on the floor throughout my house, all my junk (like meds and phone(s)) velcroed to my nightstand, and backup grabbers all over the place (incase I dropped a grabber).

And you mean NO ONE helped you afterward? How close were you to the surgeon and did you at least have home health aides for showering, returning for post-ops, etc?

I had a few people drop off groceries and meds in the first two weeks, but that's it. And, no ... I never had home health aides - and never had help with a shower - from anyone.

My surgeon was maybe 10-15 minutes away. I took a cab to my first post-op appointment at 3 weeks, and drove myself to every one after that.

I can't even figure how I'm going to put on good support shoes to use my treadmill! For wiping my butt, I understand there are special reachers and I'll be sure to have grab bars installed every which where. I'm used to toughing things out (I've gone through numerous surgeries alone), but as I understand it, this is not that kind of situation. Too much exertion or the wrong kind, and you undo all the benefit by interfering with fusion.

My fusion was only from T4-L1 - and it was posterior only. Recovery can vary from person to person, and certainly, the surgical approach and fusion length can play a part in the level of difficulty. For a variety of reasons, the scenario doesn't work for everyone; it does, however, work for some.

I will say this, my experience wasn't nearly as bad as I expected - and I bought a LOT of crap I never needed.

Regards,
Pam