surgery

[Guest guest]

Hi Carole

Oops sorry about that, yes of course its nice to care about people and

especially ones that are able to sympathise. Hope your hand recovers soon and I

must say you do well to be typing.

All the best

Simone

PS I will make sure I read properly next time LOL

Re: Surgery

Hi Simone,

Thank you for your kind words. However, I think that Joyce's letter

confused you. She is the one on the way to St. Louis for the surgery. What

she

meant was that her husband will call me and let me know how she is doing so

that

I can tell the rest of the " gang " .

I am very happy to do that. We all worry about one another and that is as

it should be, right? Perhaps, one of these days, it will be my turn.

However

right now I am recovering from hand surgery and biding my time until my

other hand can also be done!

My very best to you.

Sincerely,

Carole M. (the elder)

[Guest guest]

Hey,

It is always nice to hear from you!

Carole

[Guest guest]

I agree with Nutty, I don't recommend surgery unless you have terrible problems,

such ask impaired breathing, or being totally twisted around.

And , my original surgeon DID tell my parents that I would never have any

pain in the 60's.

There must be a better way.

I think doctors just don't know enough about the spine, pain, or degenerative

disk disease.

Surgery

Hi

I know there is no proof that other treatments and therapies help to stop a

curve, but why go through surgery and all that goes with it when it is not

really necessary?

Surgery can and does help many people, however surgery DOES bring more problems

later on in life, there are many people around with Scoliosis that have not had

surgery and manage to help control their curve by using other means and having

other treatments, I just don't think anyone should jump into surgery without

careful consideration because later on in life something else will bite us in

the arse and cause other problems, like I have right now.

Vertebrae were not designed to be fused together so it is understandable that

further problems come from these being fused together, but of course that is

just my opinion and feelings as I have excruciating pain on a daily basis.

Of course this all depends on the curve itself whether or not surgery is needed,

if it is less than 40 I would say don't do it unless in pain, but then surgery

doesn't guarantee pain relief either.

Nutty

[Guest guest]

How old are you, Eve? My 12-year-old daughter just had surgery in

June. She had two rods fused to her spine from approximately T3-T12.

Feel free to ask any questions.

Peggy Greene

Severe Degenerative Disc Disease - cervical and lumbar spine

Scoliosis - Harrington rod fusion @ age 12 from T3-L3

12-year-old daughter with fusion with 2 rods

Flatback Syndrome

surgery

Hey everybody, i'm new here. I just want to tell you all little about

myself, i'm very young, a teenarger, and i have scoliosis, i am

wearing a brace at this moment but since the curve has worsened, the

Dr. told me that i should go through surgery, which i've never had

one before. I have to admit that i'm VERY, VERY scared, if anyone had

the surgery done before i'd like to hear about it ...

thanxx

eve

[Guest guest]

Hey-

I'm 15. I might be having the surgery on January or after, I know

everything should go right but to be honest i'm still scared. Peggy,

I'd like to hear how your daughter is feeling, i hope she's all

better.

Eve-

> How old are you, Eve? My 12-year-old daughter just had surgery in

> June. She had two rods fused to her spine from approximately T3-

T12.

> Feel free to ask any questions.

>

> Peggy Greene

> Severe Degenerative Disc Disease - cervical and lumbar spine

> Scoliosis - Harrington rod fusion @ age 12 from T3-L3

> 12-year-old daughter with fusion with 2 rods

> Flatback Syndrome

>

> surgery

>

>

> Hey everybody, i'm new here. I just want to tell you all little

about

> myself, i'm very young, a teenarger, and i have scoliosis, i am

> wearing a brace at this moment but since the curve has worsened,

the

> Dr. told me that i should go through surgery, which i've never had

> one before. I have to admit that i'm VERY, VERY scared, if anyone

had

> the surgery done before i'd like to hear about it ...

>

> thanxx

>

> eve

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Eve,

My daughter is doing very well following surgery. She is back in

school although she is homeschooled so she is not out in hallways

getting bumped every day, etc. She is still on restrictions to not

bend, twist or lift. She gets occasional muscle aches but nothing

that she cannot tolerate or that an Advil doesn't take care of. She

will see her doctor for a followup in October. If you would like to

penpal with her I would be glad to give you her email address.

Peggy Greene

Severe Degenerative Disc Disease - cervical and lumbar spine

Scoliosis - Harrington rod fusion @ age 12 from T3-L3

12-year-old daughter with fusion with 2 rods

Flatback Syndrome

surgery

>

>

> Hey everybody, i'm new here. I just want to tell you all little

about

> myself, i'm very young, a teenarger, and i have scoliosis, i am

> wearing a brace at this moment but since the curve has worsened,

the

> Dr. told me that i should go through surgery, which i've never had

> one before. I have to admit that i'm VERY, VERY scared, if anyone

had

> the surgery done before i'd like to hear about it ...

>

> thanxx

>

> eve

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hola Eve

I know how daunting surgery can be and I wish to send you my wishes and thoughts

for you at this time in your life.

I understand your fears and thoughts and just wanted you to know that I am sure

it will all be fine and you will come bouncing through the surgery in top form,

being 15 is a good age for recovery as I am sure you are a strong person.

Best wishes and thoughts for you

Nutty

surgery

>

>

> Hey everybody, i'm new here. I just want to tell you all little

about

> myself, i'm very young, a teenarger, and i have scoliosis, i am

> wearing a brace at this moment but since the curve has worsened,

the

> Dr. told me that i should go through surgery, which i've never had

> one before. I have to admit that i'm VERY, VERY scared, if anyone

had

> the surgery done before i'd like to hear about it ...

>

> thanxx

>

> eve

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hola Marsha

I want to wish you well for your up coming surgery and I hope that it creates

the new life you wish for. I am sorry to hear of your problems but I know that

we all be with you egging you on and giving you support.

My surgery with Harrington rod was 15 years ago so I don't have a great memory

of this period in my life, however I did move my legs a great deal after surgery

as I was instructed by my Physiotherapist, in fact it got to the point where she

was asking me not to be so eager and slow down on the exercises I was doing

whilst on the stryker frame, I do feel now though that I have strong legs and

that it was due to the exercises I did. I also used grabbers to help me pick

things up off the floor so I didn't have to bend down so much post op, I am

using one of these at the moment.

You will be pleased to know that Titanium is a good durable and extremely light

metal, it is harder than steel but stronger and lighter and you will adapt to

your hard ware with great ease I am sure :-)

I wish you well Marsha and keep in touch with us here so we can keep supporting

you during this point of your life.

Take care and be well, best wishes

Nutty xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

surgery

hello to joyce and kathy and all of those who have shared with me

about their surgeries.

i am about to go in for a spinal fusion on thursday, sept. 16th.

i will be fused from t2 to L4 and have titanium rods inserted on

either side of my spine. i have a great doctor, at northwestern

mem. hospital. he has been very thorough and straightforward. i

did go for a second opinion in the middle of this, and that doctor

said that i needed surgery in the first ten minutes of the visit.

i am scared, but tring to prepare the bst that i can. my thoracic

curve is around 60 and i think thie lumbar is around 65 or so. i

can't remember. all i know is that it's causing enough problems

that i can't walk a couple of blocks to the store without meds. i'm

50 this year and i don't feel so young anymore. i move slow and i

wish that i could go faster. (Who is it that just went white water

rafting?) i am hoping to feel 20 years younger also. maybe at

least 10.

my doc did give me some pain meds so i could at least walk a

couple of miles a day. i take them about a half an hour before i

leave a nd they seem to work well. i want to get a lot of exercise

now so that it will help me post op. it helps to walk to keep my

mind off of the surgery. i keep thinking that next year i'll be

able to walk the half marathon.

so, who has some good tips for me? i'll have a brace for about

nine months, he says, but that's probably the longest... maybe i'll

get it off sooner for good behavior. i won't be able to bend or

twist for a long time. i'm not sure if my family is prepared for

this or not. i have a wonderful husband and a 16yr old daughter

that is still home. my other daughter and son are out of the house,

but still in the city.

i am trying to put all of my clothes, etc. within reach. i told

my family that they 'll have all of the household chores plus me to

take care of.

my worst fear is going down the hall to the operating room. i

hope that i'll be asleep.

any help and encouragement is welcome!

thanks again.

marsha s....

[Guest guest]

Hi Marsha...

With the help of lots of people who have been through scoliosis

surgery, I compiled a list of things to help get you prepared for surgery:

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

Regards,

> so, who has some good tips for me?

[Guest guest]

Dear Marsha,

Just a note to say " good luck " on Thursday. Most of us on this board know

exactly how you feel. It is the most frightening thing to go through and yet

some how we do it. I was not asleep when they wheeled me down to the OR. I

kept thinking I was going to get up and bolt right out that door - but I

didn't and you won't either.

I have two children and a wonderful husband. I think they were the only

reason I had the surgery. I was so frightened about every having this surgery

ever since I was a kid. But when it got to the point where it was going to

intefere with raising my kids and enjoying them, I felt like I had no choice.

I didn't want to cheat them out of the mother and wife they deserved and I

knew I had to try to get a grip on this disease before it really did me in.

You sound as if you have a nice family to go home to. They will be your

source of comfort and strength. My advice to you is as soon as you are able,

you push yourself to get moving again. Listen to your body and don't overdo

it. But the sooner you get on your feet, the faster your recovery will go.

Have patience. There will be times when you get down and disgusted but know

that they will pass. Just remember the first time you look in the mirror and

you are straighter than you have ever been, you will then know it was worth it.

My thoughts and prayers are with you. When you feel up to it, let us know

how you are doing. Look forward to hearing from you.

Kathy

[Guest guest]

Hi Marsha,

It's funny. My biggest fear was going down the hall to the operating room. As

a matter of fact I brought this up to my doctor and told him it would be in his

best interest if he put me to sleep before taking me down. He said he would

handle it but didn't. It did not bother me one bit. For some reason I had a

calm feeling and nothing bothered me.

You asked for tips. You might want to buy a few shirts one size larger than you

normally wear so they will fit over your vest. I bought the button down shirts.

They were easy to get on and off.

Good luck. I will be praying for you. I know you will do fine.

Joyce

surgery

hello to joyce and kathy and all of those who have shared with me

about their surgeries.

i am about to go in for a spinal fusion on thursday, sept. 16th.

i will be fused from t2 to L4 and have titanium rods inserted on

either side of my spine. i have a great doctor, at northwestern

mem. hospital. he has been very thorough and straightforward. i

did go for a second opinion in the middle of this, and that doctor

said that i needed surgery in the first ten minutes of the visit.

i am scared, but tring to prepare the bst that i can. my thoracic

curve is around 60 and i think thie lumbar is around 65 or so. i

can't remember. all i know is that it's causing enough problems

that i can't walk a couple of blocks to the store without meds. i'm

50 this year and i don't feel so young anymore. i move slow and i

wish that i could go faster. (Who is it that just went white water

rafting?) i am hoping to feel 20 years younger also. maybe at

least 10.

my doc did give me some pain meds so i could at least walk a

couple of miles a day. i take them about a half an hour before i

leave a nd they seem to work well. i want to get a lot of exercise

now so that it will help me post op. it helps to walk to keep my

mind off of the surgery. i keep thinking that next year i'll be

able to walk the half marathon.

so, who has some good tips for me? i'll have a brace for about

nine months, he says, but that's probably the longest... maybe i'll

get it off sooner for good behavior. i won't be able to bend or

twist for a long time. i'm not sure if my family is prepared for

this or not. i have a wonderful husband and a 16yr old daughter

that is still home. my other daughter and son are out of the house,

but still in the city.

i am trying to put all of my clothes, etc. within reach. i told

my family that they 'll have all of the household chores plus me to

take care of.

my worst fear is going down the hall to the operating room. i

hope that i'll be asleep.

any help and encouragement is welcome!

thanks again.

marsha s....

[Guest guest]

Marsha - I do wish you the very best, also. I know that it will go

well and you will be so glad when you are through it all and on the

other side. I'm doing things now that I haven't done in years and I

really do feel 20 years younger! It sounds like you are prepared

(though I know that right now is one of the hardest times there is -

waiting). When life has gotten to the point where it is such a

struggle, and the option is to have it fixed, it seems reasonable to

go forward toward that goal. Again, maybe I'm one of the lucky ones

but it has been wonderful for me and I wouldn't take back one thing

I've done. Yes, you will have some hard times here in the near future

but it will get better. As for the surgery, I don't even remember

going to the hospital, much less down the hall to the operating room.

At least for me, they gave me a shot while I was waiting and that's

really all I remember. Good luck - and hopefully we will be hearing

from you soon on how you are on the road to recovery. All my best

wishes and thoughts for your special day soon - remember, it is the

first day of your new life!

Kathleen

> hello to joyce and kathy and all of those who have shared with me

> about their surgeries.

> i am about to go in for a spinal fusion on thursday, sept. 16th.

> i will be fused from t2 to L4 and have titanium rods inserted on

> either side of my spine. i have a great doctor, at northwestern

> mem. hospital. he has been very thorough and straightforward. i

> did go for a second opinion in the middle of this, and that doctor

> said that i needed surgery in the first ten minutes of the visit.

>

> i am scared, but tring to prepare the bst that i can. my thoracic

> curve is around 60 and i think thie lumbar is around 65 or so. i

> can't remember. all i know is that it's causing enough problems

> that i can't walk a couple of blocks to the store without meds. i'm

> 50 this year and i don't feel so young anymore. i move slow and i

> wish that i could go faster. (Who is it that just went white water

> rafting?) i am hoping to feel 20 years younger also. maybe at

> least 10.

> my doc did give me some pain meds so i could at least walk a

> couple of miles a day. i take them about a half an hour before i

> leave a nd they seem to work well. i want to get a lot of exercise

> now so that it will help me post op. it helps to walk to keep my

> mind off of the surgery. i keep thinking that next year i'll be

> able to walk the half marathon.

> so, who has some good tips for me? i'll have a brace for about

> nine months, he says, but that's probably the longest... maybe i'll

> get it off sooner for good behavior. i won't be able to bend or

> twist for a long time. i'm not sure if my family is prepared for

> this or not. i have a wonderful husband and a 16yr old daughter

> that is still home. my other daughter and son are out of the house,

> but still in the city.

> i am trying to put all of my clothes, etc. within reach. i told

> my family that they 'll have all of the household chores plus me to

> take care of.

> my worst fear is going down the hall to the operating room. i

> hope that i'll be asleep.

> any help and encouragement is welcome!

> thanks again.

> marsha s....

[Guest guest]

,

Glad to read you had a positive experience with surgery! I have not

heard of the nasal nebulizer but will ask my ENT when I go this

month. Very interesting. I would much rather have the steroids and

antibiotics directed into my sinus rather than systemically. Right

now I use Gentamycin in my nasal wash and take loads of Prednisone

for the past three months. I am having some weird reaction to the

Prednisone this time (I have taken it for 23 years) in that it is

causing some diabetic episodes. I passed out the other night when my

blood sugar got really funcky so now have to adjust my diet

accordingly until I wean off this dose. I can tell the polyps are

down and my sense of smell comes and goes until I am off the stuff

then it is gone again. I also love the idea of no packing! Where are

you located and who is your ENT? Trudy.

[Guest guest]

,

Glad to hear your recovery is going well. I figured that it would because your other surgery involved so much more (removing bone, etc). Once that is over, the surgeries are not nearly as bad.

Yes, I have used the sinuneb system. Last August used it for a few weeks too. I used it leading up to my bad time of the year - which is now. However, surprisingly, it didn't do me any good. I actually had a growth burst in the polyps. Don't see how that could be related, but I ended up having surgery in November. I haven't tried it since, but I'd be willing to give it another shot - during a different time of the year. Let us know how it works for you.

One thing that HAS been working good for me...Within the last year, I had tubes but in both of my ears, because of reoccurring ear infections. I could deal w/ my nose filling up because I could blow it or rinse it. But you can't blow your ears! I have antibacterial drops that I put in my ears when I feel them filling up, only once per day on the days I need it. It keeps my ears from clogging up - which started happening to me a lot in the past few years. Helps a lot.

Stacey in MA

surgery

Hi all - jsut another quick note. my sinus surgery went really well - no packing, so i was able to breath through my nose immediatley following surgery. the anestesia was fine, too - no lingering side effects. just feeling tired and sore - so, so, so much easier than my last surgery!PHEW! hope to smell for awhile when the swelling goes down.... (ny)PS: my ent is having me use the sinuneb system for 3 weeks - it is a nebulizer, but for your nose. you breath in antibiotics and steriods. the good thing about it is that the meds only go into your nose rather than being systemic. has anyone else tried this?

[Guest guest]

trudy - i am in new york city. my surgeon is affiliated with

manhattan eye ear throat hospital. she uses a machine called insta-

trak for the surgeries. try googling - i think there is alot of info

about it. rather than the packing, she put some kind of natural film

like substance that disolves into my sinuses. it prevents the raw

tissue from sticking to itself.

let me know if you need more info

jennifer (ny)

[Guest guest]

Thanks Kathy for the prayers. Just to let you know though I am not from

here I am just living here cause my wife is stationed here with the USAF. I

have to go to an off base doctor cause they do not have a specialist here for

me. I hope it will not get cancelled too. Thanks again.

in Suffolk

[Guest guest]

Good Morning :

I am SO happy for you! It just amazes me that now I understand how

wonderful impending surgery can sound. People who do not know what we

live with, must think we are nuts.

I, like you, would love to watch ... however, I just don't think

that is an option. I have done so much research, looked at so many

photos, and find it so interesting ... sometimes I think I may have

missed my calling!

You and your family have been thru so much, and you are such a

terrific person ... (see that, another crush ... watch out Sandy) ...

it is your time to recover! You are in my " prayer vase " and I sure

hope they have a bed. I get confused about your system ... you have to

call for a bed today for the 30th of April? Can they then do what just

happened to Bijana (sp) and cancel that morning?

Horray for your good news ... we are pulling for you my friend!

Kathie from Pennsylvania

>

> Wow, I just recieved a call from the hospital and I have surgery

> scheduled for the 30th of April. I have to call down and see if

there

> is a bed available for me now. I just have one question though, do

> you all think they will let me watch?? LOL

[Guest guest]

wrote:

I just have one question though, do

> you all think they will let me watch?? LOL

Video? I watched the video of Stephi's surgery but not until the day

afterwards.

-

Sue

Mum to Stephi, 8yo

Nottingham UK

--

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[Guest guest]

Sally says

You are one brave mother!!!

> Video? I watched the video of Stephi's surgery but not until the

day

> afterwards.

>

> -

> Sue

> Mum to Stephi, 8yo

> Nottingham UK

>

>

> --

> No virus found in this outgoing message.

> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.

> Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.9.9 - Release Date: 13/04/2005

[Guest guest]

Absolutely I will !

Dr Scalia will take VERY good care of you

Mike (I wonder what you're doing, Imagine where you are......)

>

> Wow, I just recieved a call from the hospital and I have surgery

> scheduled for the 30th of April. I have to call down and see if

there

> is a bed available for me now. I just have one question though, do

> you all think they will let me watch?? LOL

[Guest guest]

sallyavory wrote:

> You are one brave mother!!!

:-) Mad perhaps!

You'd be surprised at how much better it made me feel.

The actual 'cutting' I'd seen on video over the net anyway - our

consultant here in Nottingham had directed me to a site. I knew they'd

videod it because I'd been asked on the day if I wanted to watch it

(post-op) and the op was done in a teaching hospital (Nottingham) with

consultants visiting from all over the place apparently - packed

theatre. Anyway I bottled on the first day but later on the second

knocked on his door and asked if I could watch.

It was very short - only the essential bit. The best bit was when he

rewound it too far and I saw Stephi's tummy with all the lap port tools

sticking out. He was really apologetic but it made me feel so good. I

was so naive about surgery I hadn't even realised that she would, to the

surgeons, be just an abdomen on an operating table with most of her body

covered by surgical greens.

I couldn't have coped if I'd had a full-length view of her with masks

and all the operating stuff. A friend emailed me pics of her c-section

today and it's easy for me to divorce the abdomen from the person but if

the pics had been from an angle which showed face and cut it would be

very different.

--

Sue

Nottm UK

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[Guest guest]

I've found the saline sprays in my nose set off a violent sneezing attack, more congestion and what feels like more swelling. Perhaps I'm hitting some raw nerves. Have had good luck with the corticosteroid sprays. For me personally, I think that Nasacort AQ worked a little better than the Nasonex I was recently using. Not sure why, but after I spray I lean my head back off of a bed to make sure it gets to the roof of my nasal cavity. Maybe the AQ is thinner, water based and can make the trip up there easier or faster.

But the sprays should act the same way as the internal steroids (Prenisone) in reducing polyp size/growth, with minimal, if any, long term side effects...for now. At least that's what I've been told. I've never had surgery and shy away from doctors who make their living with a knife. I'll take a pill instead any day if it works.

(Az)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/22/2005 12:14:07 PM US Mountain Standard Time, rob@... writes:

if I can get things cleared out and start fresh maybe I can take enough pills & sprays to keep it clear.

Last August my allergist prescribed a short (recall about 8 day) regimen of decreasing dose Prednisone. At the same time I started that, I started Singulair. When the Prednisone trip was over, I started Nasacort AQ. So the Singulair and Nasacort were for maintenance thereafter. From complete anosmia (and he said I had polyps), I went to a fairly good sense of smell for 5 months straight. He also told me to take a Claritin every day but I forgot, so I still had some congestion during that time.

Then I had too much scotch in my purified water, followed by aspirin, and lost it all. That's how I made it to the Samters board and got interested in milk and all the stuff I was eating. Now I'm interested in Celebrex too. It never seems to end.

Good luck

(Az)

[Guest guest]

Rob,

Just a thought for the future. If the cause of the maladies is in any way tied to a digestive tract, immune system response...the antibiotics might be the "red flag" elephant in the room. Just a possibility. Maybe your doctor can offer some comments.

Again, good luck.

[Guest guest]

I agree, but unfortunately I haven't found that magic pill yet (and I've tried most of them). I have also tried the Nasonex & Flonase without any luck. My thought is (I know thinking is dangerous) that if I can get things cleared out and start fresh maybe I can take enough pills & sprays to keep it clear. Who knows?

Rob

I'll take a pill instead any day if it works.

(Az)