Re: Re: i'm back for awhile surgery scrapped

[Guest guest]

Hello Fellow Feisty Flatbackers - I'm going in for surgery with Dr. Bridwell at -Jewish Hospital in St. Louis this Thursday, May 1. I'll meet with him tomorrow and will find out then if he will be doing one or two surgeries. He told me he won't know what sort of brace I'll be in until he's done the surgery. It may be a standard brace or the dreaded brace with leg cuff.

I understand from his nurse that he does not believe in having a release on the braces with leg cuff since he doesn't want you to sit down even to move from standing to lying down. I guess there's some sort of hip throw I'll learn and will then need a hospital bed so it will be high enough.

Right now, my pain level is severe enough that I'm actually looking forward to having this surgery, even if it means not sitting for 6 months. My fusion 6 years ago didn't fuse at the L5-S1 area so I think I'll probably end up with the long brace. Should be interesting. I only hope Dr. Bridwell lives up to his reputation as being a great revision surgeon.

Thanks to all for your honesty and information on how you survived the pain of surgery. My boss expects me to be back at work in 6 months but I really don't know if that's realistic from what I've read from those of you who have gone through similar surgeries.

I'll let you know how it goes in case any of you are facing similar revision surgeries - that is a long fusion to correct pseudoarthrosis and flatback.

I hope to be coherent enough to write by two weeks after surgery but I guess you never know. I'm going to be traveling 250 miles to St. Louis to have Dr. Bridwell as my surgeon. I'm grateful that there was enough information on the Internet and through this group for me to find a doctor who specializes in this procedure.

Will keep in touch after I'm over the drooling phase.

a

[Guest guest]

Dear a,

Just wanted to wish you the best of luck on May 1st! Be assured you will be in our thoughts and prayers as long as it takes you to recover!

Carol

[Guest guest]

All the best to you too, a. Wow, you don't have long to wait. We'll

certainly be thinking of you this week as well.

Will be waiting to hear how it went.

Sharon in southern New Hampshire :^)

Congenital scoliosis w/ spina bifida and other vertebral anomalies

1971 fusion T5 to L4 w/ single Harrington rod

Flatback, congenital thoracolumbar kyphosis, L5-S1 degeneration, etc.

[Guest guest]

a,

Just one thing to share with you to hopefully ease your mind a little...I just had revision surgery for flatback on March 3rd (extension to L5-S1 anterior/posterior and refusion of a couple of places that had apparently not fused well when I had my surgery 20 years ago, as well as hardware and osteotomy to put the lordosis back in my spine). After all that, I really have not had much pain at all in my back, even when I woke up from surgery. I was very shocked by this since I was expecting agony! My only pain was caused by a screw sticking too far into my right hip muscle which caused me excruciating pain that I couldn't seem to convince anybody could be anything but normal post op pain! (There's a whole nother story there but my back is getting tired from sitting) A week and a half later they went in and cut off the screw and it was great! Now I am just working on getting my strength back. I think that is the hardest part! If my legs weren't aching so bad from doing PT and going up and down my stairs 10,000 times a day I wouldn't even be on pain meds! As it is I am still taking Darvocet 1-2 times a day for my legs! Now that I am up a lot more, my back will ache at night occasionally but it is truly discomfort, as they say, and not pain. So I hope this gives you a little hope that it may not be as bad as you think. And when I was hurting so badly with my hip, they were giving me some major good drugs, just keep bugging them if you need more!

My prayers are with you! Good Luck!

Banner-Lach, RN, CCM, RN-WCCMNurse Case ManagerFirst Rehabilitation Resources, Inc.

Re: Re: i'm back for awhile surgery scrapped

Hello Fellow Feisty Flatbackers - I'm going in for surgery with Dr. Bridwell at -Jewish Hospital in St. Louis this Thursday, May 1. I'll meet with him tomorrow and will find out then if he will be doing one or two surgeries. He told me he won't know what sort of brace I'll be in until he's done the surgery. It may be a standard brace or the dreaded brace with leg cuff.I understand from his nurse that he does not believe in having a release on the braces with leg cuff since he doesn't want you to sit down even to move from standing to lying down. I guess there's some sort of hip throw I'll learn and will then need a hospital bed so it will be high enough. Right now, my pain level is severe enough that I'm actually looking forward to having this surgery, even if it means not sitting for 6 months. My fusion 6 years ago didn't fuse at the L5-S1 area so I think I'll probably end up with the long brace. Should be interesting. I only hope Dr. Bridwell lives up to his reputation as being a great revision surgeon.Thanks to all for your honesty and information on how you survived the pain of surgery. My boss expects me to be back at work in 6 months but I really don't know if that's realistic from what I've read from those of you who have gone through similar surgeries.I'll let you know how it goes in case any of you are facing similar revision surgeries - that is a long fusion to correct pseudoarthrosis and flatback. I hope to be coherent enough to write by two weeks after surgery but I guess you never know. I'm going to be traveling 250 miles to St. Louis to have Dr. Bridwell as my surgeon. I'm grateful that there was enough information on the Internet and through this group for me to find a doctor who specializes in this procedure.Will keep in touch after I'm over the drooling phase.a Support for scoliosis-surgery veterans with Harrington Rod Malalignment Syndrome. Not medical advice. Group does not control ads or endorse any advertised products.

[Guest guest]

Dear a,

Like the rest of the Feisty Scolis, I'll be thinking of you on May 1st:so

keep in mind that good vibes will be arriving from across the Atlantic. The

best to you, all good wishes, give 'em heck if it hurts!

from Italy

[Guest guest]

That is very encouraging, . With all the horror stories about spinal

surgery, it's good to learn of experiences like yours (with the exception

of the minor " screw-up " that they remedied for you.)

I hope your recovery continues smoothly.

Sharon in southern New Hampshire :^)

Congenital scoliosis w/ spina bifida and other vertebral anomalies

1971 fusion T5 to L4 w/ single Harrington rod

Flatback, congenital thoracolumbar kyphosis, L5-S1 degeneration, etc.

At 01:06 AM 4/29/03 -0400, you wrote:

> a,

Just one thing to share with you to hopefully ease your mind a little...I

just had revision surgery for flatback on March 3rd (extension to L5-S1

anterior/posterior and refusion of a couple of places that had apparently

not fused well when I had my surgery 20 years ago, as well as hardware and

osteotomy to put the lordosis back in my spine). After all that, I really

have not had much pain at all in my back, even when I woke up from surgery.

I was very shocked by this since I was expecting agony! My only pain was

caused by a screw sticking too far into my right hip muscle which caused me

excruciating pain that I couldn't seem to convince anybody could be

anything but normal post op pain! (There's a whole nother story there but

my back is getting tired from sitting) A week and a half later they went

in and cut off the screw and it was great! Now I am just working on

getting my strength back. I think that is the hardest part! If my legs

weren't aching so bad from doing PT and going up and down my stairs 10,000

times a day I wouldn't even be on pain meds! As it is I am still taking

Darvocet 1-2 times a day for my legs! Now that I am up a lot more, my back

will ache at night occasionally but it is truly discomfort, as they say,

and not pain. So I hope this gives you a little hope that it may

>not be as bad as you think. And when I was hurting so badly with my hip,

>they were giving me some major good drugs, just keep bugging them if you

>need more! Good Luck!

Banner-Lach, RN, CCM, RN-WCCM

>Nurse Case Manager

>First Rehabilitation Resources, Inc. ----- Original Message -----

[Guest guest]

Thanks sharon. I'm doing well. Just the regular frustration of being so

weak. One minute I'm feeling good and the next minute I am praying for my

bed! But one day at a time, right? (When I get through this I am never

going to say that to anyone again! )

Banner-Lach, RN, CCM, RN-WCCM

Nurse Case Manager

First Rehabilitation Resources, Inc.

Re: Re: i'm back for awhile surgery scrapped

> That is very encouraging, . With all the horror stories about

spinal

> surgery, it's good to learn of experiences like yours (with the exception

> of the minor " screw-up " that they remedied for you.)

>

> I hope your recovery continues smoothly.

>

>

> Sharon in southern New Hampshire :^)

>

> Congenital scoliosis w/ spina bifida and other vertebral anomalies

> 1971 fusion T5 to L4 w/ single Harrington rod

> Flatback, congenital thoracolumbar kyphosis, L5-S1 degeneration, etc.

>

>

>

> At 01:06 AM 4/29/03 -0400, you wrote:

> > a,

> Just one thing to share with you to hopefully ease your mind a little...I

> just had revision surgery for flatback on March 3rd (extension to L5-S1

> anterior/posterior and refusion of a couple of places that had apparently

> not fused well when I had my surgery 20 years ago, as well as hardware and

> osteotomy to put the lordosis back in my spine). After all that, I really

> have not had much pain at all in my back, even when I woke up from

surgery.

> I was very shocked by this since I was expecting agony! My only pain was

> caused by a screw sticking too far into my right hip muscle which caused

me

> excruciating pain that I couldn't seem to convince anybody could be

> anything but normal post op pain! (There's a whole nother story there but

> my back is getting tired from sitting) A week and a half later they went

> in and cut off the screw and it was great! Now I am just working on

> getting my strength back. I think that is the hardest part! If my legs

> weren't aching so bad from doing PT and going up and down my stairs 10,000

> times a day I wouldn't even be on pain meds! As it is I am still taking

> Darvocet 1-2 times a day for my legs! Now that I am up a lot more, my

back

> will ache at night occasionally but it is truly discomfort, as they say,

> and not pain. So I hope this gives you a little hope that it may

> >not be as bad as you think. And when I was hurting so badly with my hip,

> >they were giving me some major good drugs, just keep bugging them if you

> >need more! Good Luck!

> Banner-Lach, RN, CCM, RN-WCCM

> >Nurse Case Manager

> >First Rehabilitation Resources, Inc. ----- Original Message -----

>

>

>

>

>

> Support for scoliosis-surgery veterans with Harrington Rod Malalignment

Syndrome. Not medical advice. Group does not control ads or endorse any

advertised products.

>

>