scolio

[Guest guest]

Hi Lynn, I'd also like to welcome you. I'm also a male, 50 years, and also

facing two surgeries. The first on Feb14, the second on March 1. About two weeks

in the hospital. I'll be having my surgeries in SF, Calif. The fusion will be

from T9 or T8 to the pelvis. I joke that I now know what the phrase " stands

straight as a rod " means. This is scary stuff, isn't it? I'm an ex-smoker,

which does'nt help. I have however started working out at a gym for pre-sugical

conditioning. Upper body, legs, arms, etc. But no back exercises as they will

have to be cut through and a strong muscle is harder to work with than a soft

one. Make sense. So I'm limiting what I do. Cardio is very important. I'm

5'8 " (used to be 5'10 " ), 175lbs...so I shoot for an hour of a heart rate at 120,

3 x

week. My workouts are for repetitions, not weight. It's hard not to max out

though. It's like, the more I lift, the stronger I'll be, right? Well,

yes...true. But that's also a harder body to operate on(so I'm told). So you

should go

for cardio and lean. Lynn, I've a great book to suggest to you. Someone in

this group recommended it awhile ago so I bought it. It's one of the best I've

read. It specifically is written to those of us facing scoliosis surgery. It's

called " Scoliosis Surgery: The Definitive Patient's Reference. " By K.

Wolpert. You can get it at www.orders@.... $14.95

delivered. Something else I'm finding useful is a surgical series of cassette

tapes

from Hemi-Sync. These can be listened to pre, intra and post op(my doctors

have given me the ok to use headphones in the operating room). I've found them

to

really take the edge off of my fears. You can get them at www.Hemi-Sync.com.

I liked them so much that I joined their organization. I wish you the best

Lynn. Have a Great Holiday and hang in there. Kindest Regards, Des