Re: Different types of Harrington Rod surgeries

[Guest guest]

I had my HR surgery in 1980. I was in the hospital for a total of 10

days. No stretching before surgery! I was casted, if I remember

correctly, a week post-op and had a couple of days to learn how to

get around with the chin-to-hips cast and the weakened state of my

leg muscles.

During that week before I was casted, I was turned by nurses from

back to side etc. every few hours. The Prism Glasses! Those were the

best! I could WATCH TV while on my back... I didn't try to read with

them. Using them allowed me to look straight up at the ceiling and

see the tv on the wall opposite the foot of the bed. That was the

only thing my insurance didn't pay for, and I didn't mind renting

them for $50 from the hospital. That was a lot of money for me at

the time, but they were well worth it!

I was at home with the cast for a month. During that time I was

allowed to be up as much as the pain allowed. I was up quite a bit

and learned to use my toes to pick things up from the floor and bring

them up to my hands. Even now I'm very flexible in every joint except

my back, so you can imagine I was close to double-jointed in my mid-

20's. I was given Tylenol#3 for the pain and could function fairly

well with it.

I had a removable brace with a chin rest put on after the first month

and at that point I was allowed to go back to work. I went back to my

office job part time for a couple of months. During those 6 months of

the removable brace I was allowed to take it off one hour a day to

bathe.

Jeri

> Something I've been wondering since I joined this group. I had the

> type of scoliosis surgery in 1971, where my doctor had just changed

> his technique or something was changed. I was in the hospital for

a

> month, where I was in traction for about two weeks, had my surgery,

> was in bed for another 10 days, and then I was gotten out of bed.

I

> did have to wear the big old cast, but I felt fortunate that I was

> able to walk around and not be confined to bed.

>

> I know that things had changed within the year because we initially

> saw this surgeon the year before where his patients had to remain

> lying down for several months. If my parents had decided to go

> forward with the surgery then, I would have had that kind of

> scoliosis surgery.

>

> My question is, did they change the way the surgery was done or did

> they just change the type of cast or what? I remember there were

> two other teenagers in my room (one of those 4-person rooms) whose

> doctor was still doing the other method, which I also thought was

> odd given that it was all being done at the same hospital.

>

> Thanks for your help,

> Robin

[Guest guest]

> --- Hi Sharon - I had my surgeries (3 curves, " S " curve with a

> tail!) in 1974 in Connecticut. Another thing I remembered

recently:

> Recall how the cast came down so low that it would cut off the

> circulation in your legs causing them to " fall asleep " if you

leaned

> to far forward in the chair. I remember how I always had to sit at

> the edge of the chair and lean back a little. Gosh, I am suddenly

> recalling terrible memories, things I had kind of forgotten about!

>

To FiestyS!

I have been reading all these responses for different HR

surgeries and I have learnd that we all had slightly different

experiences but we also relate to so much. I'm glad I found you

fiestys. It's a great support group.

Franca.

[Guest guest]

I never even heard of these prisom glasses. When i think back know i

realize that i didn't watch tv the whole month i was in the

hospital. I don't remember how i passed the time. I also came home

in a ambulance but because i was allowed to get up to go to the

bathroom i didn't need pt for walking. But i do remember the first

time i stood after a month, i thought i was 6 feet tall(knowing i had

grown during surery). I only grew an inch and a half making 5'4.

But back then i was always the tallest girl i know thought i was a

giant.

Also i had know pt at all after being in that mil. back brace for 8

years, so needless to say have never had a nice, flat stomach.

Debbie

-- In , " valerie_delaney "

<rjdelaney8@c...> wrote:

> --- Hi Crooked Dancer - I had my surgery in 1974 at Newington

> Childrens too! Who was your doc? Mine was Dr. Hardy along

with

> Dr. Bradbury. When in '74 did you have yours done. I was in

> the hospital from February to the first week of April. Wow, you are

> the first I have run across that hails from Newington. I had 3

> curves, I see you had 4 - unbelievable! Prizm glasses I have

> absolutely no recollection of. I've seen it mentioned here before,

> but really have no idea what they are. Interestlingly though, I had

> posted right before you about the numbing of the legs!!

> from RI

[Guest guest]

Hi, Franca. I'm glad you found us too. (And that I found the group.) You're

right, we really can relate to a lot.

The cast you described sounded just like my Risser. If the one in 's photo

was a Risser, it was a different model from the ones we wore.

Re: Different types of Harrington Rod surgeries

> --- Hi Sharon - I had my surgeries (3 curves, " S " curve with a

> tail!) in 1974 in Connecticut. Another thing I remembered

recently:

> Recall how the cast came down so low that it would cut off the

> circulation in your legs causing them to " fall asleep " if you

leaned

> to far forward in the chair. I remember how I always had to sit at

> the edge of the chair and lean back a little. Gosh, I am suddenly

> recalling terrible memories, things I had kind of forgotten about!

>

To FiestyS!

I have been reading all these responses for different HR

surgeries and I have learnd that we all had slightly different

experiences but we also relate to so much. I'm glad I found you

fiestys. It's a great support group.

Franca.

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]

Yes, Joyce, the walking Risser. Wasn't that fun! I rode my bike in mine (!)

and the visiting nurse caught me and made me go to school. Ah, the memories!

Re: Different types of Harrington Rod surgeries

I had my surgery w/ Harrington rods (2 rods for " S " curve) June of 1969. 2 & a

half weeks in the hospital, on the 10th day the cast was put on by my doctors

own hands. The cast came up around my neck & into my hair line, out at the arms

just enough so you couldn't bring your arms to your sides. It came down not

quite mid thigh (had a curve in back just enough for necessity). Completely

bedridden. Went home by ambulance.

At the end of 3 months back to hospital for 1 week to learn to walk. Here was

the deal-lie down or stand up, NO sitting.

Not an easy task but at 14 at had a lot of determination & a brother 2 yrs

younger was & still is always there for me. Learning to walk after 3 months was

very difficult but after 1 month I could stay up for long periods. After doing

my home studies I found get fun in passing the time learning to cook all kinds

of fancy things & my mom really appreciated it.

At the end of 6 months it was back to the hospital for several days. One

wonderful night without the cast. The nurses gave me a wonderful bath & lotion

rub down. Don't you know I reeked after 6 months in that cast!

Then a new cast a little shorter at the bottom so I could sit. The only

problem was when I sat it pushed the cast up just enough that I couldn't talk.

But I learned how to sit on the edge of chairs - must be one reason I still do.

We at this site are GREAT survivors!

Joyce (Atlanta)

[Guest guest]

So, , your surgery was later than mine. Doesn't sound any more

enlightened. I guess different surgeons and hospitals had slightly different

methods.

The casts certainly could be torturous. I had casts or braces of some

description from infancy, and I was very good at telling them when it was WRONG

comfort-wise! I've done my share of doctor-fighting.

There were some cool things I could do with a brace that other kids couldn't do.

Like lying over a bar and balancing with arms and legs outstretched. Oh, and I

remember hooking the bottom of the brace over a bar, furniture rail, whatever,

and balancing that way.

Those bad memories are hard, though, aren't they. I don't know if I'll ever be

completely brace/cast-free in my dreams. Maybe it's because having a fused

spine feels a little like being in a brace.

Re: Different types of Harrington Rod surgeries

--- Hi Sharon - I had my surgeries (3 curves, " S " curve with a

tail!) in 1974 in Connecticut. Another thing I remembered recently:

Recall how the cast came down so low that it would cut off the

circulation in your legs causing them to " fall asleep " if you leaned

to far forward in the chair. I remember how I always had to sit at

the edge of the chair and lean back a little. Gosh, I am suddenly

recalling terrible memories, things I had kind of forgotten about!

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]

Boy, you gals and your ambulances! My dad rigged a sort of stretcher, with a

piece of plywood and a little mattress, over the back of the car's passenger

seat. I got to ride lying down, feet first, the 4-5 hours from Springfield, MA,

to central Maine. It amazes me that the folks at the hospital let him do it

that way. There were no seat belt laws back then, so I guess they couldn't do

anything about it.

Re: Different types of Harrington Rod surgeries

I never even heard of these prisom glasses. When i think back know i

realize that i didn't watch tv the whole month i was in the

hospital. I don't remember how i passed the time. I also came home

in a ambulance but because i was allowed to get up to go to the

bathroom i didn't need pt for walking. But i do remember the first

time i stood after a month, i thought i was 6 feet tall(knowing i had

grown during surery). I only grew an inch and a half making 5'4.

But back then i was always the tallest girl i know thought i was a

giant.

Also i had know pt at all after being in that mil. back brace for 8

years, so needless to say have never had a nice, flat stomach.

Debbie

-- In , " valerie_delaney "

<rjdelaney8@c...> wrote:

> --- Hi Crooked Dancer - I had my surgery in 1974 at Newington

> Childrens too! Who was your doc? Mine was Dr. Hardy along

with

> Dr. Bradbury. When in '74 did you have yours done. I was in

> the hospital from February to the first week of April. Wow, you are

> the first I have run across that hails from Newington. I had 3

> curves, I see you had 4 - unbelievable! Prizm glasses I have

> absolutely no recollection of. I've seen it mentioned here before,

> but really have no idea what they are. Interestlingly though, I had

> posted right before you about the numbing of the legs!!

> from RI

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]

After lurking around this group for quite awhile and reading all the posts on

the Risser cast and the " torture rack " , I was compelled to write. I, too,

had surgery in the summer of 1962 and was fused from T2-S1 at Emanuel Hospital

in Portland, Oregon. My doctor was Eldon Chouinard and he was considered the

best scoliosis ortho in the area at the time.

The previous summer (1961) I was put in my first Risser cast in order to

prevent the curves from progressing because surgery had to be postponed until my

white cell count improved. I had been given an antibiotic that almost killed

me and surgery was out of the question. I was in the cast for nearly a

year--barely able to sit because my legs went numb from the cast. Two months

before

the surgery, I was taken out of the cast, given pt, and told to eat anything

and everything that was nutritious.

After the surgery, I remember waking in recovery to discover my right leg was

propped up on several pillows and I was petrified that they had done the

wrong thing! Though the norm was to use donor bone, my doctor decided to take a

sliver from my right shin. Did anyone else have that done way back then? Since

the surgery was going to be a two-stage procedure, he took out enough to use

for the second operation three weeks later. According to my parents, the

doctor wasn't happy with the results from donor bone because it didn't fused

very

well.

My second Risser cast was put on 3 weeks after the last surgery and I was

sent home. My folks borrowed a station wagon from the neighbors and rented a

stretcher--guess it was cheaper than the ambulance! I was not allowed to get up

for about 7 months. The cast was tight around the chin and went to the top of

my head in the back and down to the hips. I didn't have prism glasses, but

my dad rigged up a mirror contraption that allowed me to see the TV. Of

course, somehow the picture was flipped but at 14, who cared? Because of the

cast,

I now have TMJ as it changed the shape of my jawline and the right joint bone

has disintegrated.

The cast finally came off after 10 months and I was put in the Milwaukee

brace for another 8 months. After all was said and done, I gained about 2

inches

in height and was 5' 8 " . I have always been fused to S1 and had to have more

surgery to repair the breaks that have occurred in my adult years. I have

always had flatback although I had Harrington rods put in in 1984 to fix a break

between my shoulders.

I am now 55 and have severe flatback and am looking at revision surgery

sometime this summer--providing Medicaid agrees to pay. But that's another

story!

Needless to say, I am frustrated and angry by the scoliosis as it seems to

breakdown just when I get to a place in my life where things are going well.

After years of fiddling around in low-paying jobs, I finally found my niche

working with kids with autism and fetal alcohol and I went back to school to get

my Master's in Special Ed. However, everything has been on hold as my body

goes haywire. Of course, I have been in denial for years and have pushed my

body

to do things that I probably shouldn't--skiing, hiking, etc. I still have a

letter that Dr. Chouinard wrote that stated I would have no more problems with

my back than the person who doesn't have scoliosis!

Sorry this is so long but now that I have finished up my Master's project I

hope to have more time to contribute my $.02 worth.

Refie

[Guest guest]

My, that is quite a story, Refie! Those surgeons certainly thought a lot of

their abilities, didn't they!

I'm glad you decided to contribute your $.02, and hope you can get a revision

that really helps you.

Re: Re: Different types of Harrington Rod surgeries

After lurking around this group for quite awhile and reading all the posts on

the Risser cast and the " torture rack " , I was compelled to write. I, too,

had surgery in the summer of 1962 and was fused from T2-S1 at Emanuel Hospital

in Portland, Oregon. My doctor was Eldon Chouinard and he was considered the

best scoliosis ortho in the area at the time.

The previous summer (1961) I was put in my first Risser cast in order to

prevent the curves from progressing because surgery had to be postponed until

my

white cell count improved. I had been given an antibiotic that almost killed

me and surgery was out of the question. I was in the cast for nearly a

year--barely able to sit because my legs went numb from the cast. Two months

before

the surgery, I was taken out of the cast, given pt, and told to eat anything

and everything that was nutritious.

After the surgery, I remember waking in recovery to discover my right leg was

propped up on several pillows and I was petrified that they had done the

wrong thing! Though the norm was to use donor bone, my doctor decided to take

a

sliver from my right shin. Did anyone else have that done way back then?

Since

the surgery was going to be a two-stage procedure, he took out enough to use

for the second operation three weeks later. According to my parents, the

doctor wasn't happy with the results from donor bone because it didn't fused

very

well.

My second Risser cast was put on 3 weeks after the last surgery and I was

sent home. My folks borrowed a station wagon from the neighbors and rented a

stretcher--guess it was cheaper than the ambulance! I was not allowed to get

up

for about 7 months. The cast was tight around the chin and went to the top of

my head in the back and down to the hips. I didn't have prism glasses, but

my dad rigged up a mirror contraption that allowed me to see the TV. Of

course, somehow the picture was flipped but at 14, who cared? Because of the

cast,

I now have TMJ as it changed the shape of my jawline and the right joint bone

has disintegrated.

The cast finally came off after 10 months and I was put in the Milwaukee

brace for another 8 months. After all was said and done, I gained about 2

inches

in height and was 5' 8 " . I have always been fused to S1 and had to have more

surgery to repair the breaks that have occurred in my adult years. I have

always had flatback although I had Harrington rods put in in 1984 to fix a

break

between my shoulders.

I am now 55 and have severe flatback and am looking at revision surgery

sometime this summer--providing Medicaid agrees to pay. But that's another

story!

Needless to say, I am frustrated and angry by the scoliosis as it seems to

breakdown just when I get to a place in my life where things are going well.

After years of fiddling around in low-paying jobs, I finally found my niche

working with kids with autism and fetal alcohol and I went back to school to

get

my Master's in Special Ed. However, everything has been on hold as my body

goes haywire. Of course, I have been in denial for years and have pushed my

body

to do things that I probably shouldn't--skiing, hiking, etc. I still have a

letter that Dr. Chouinard wrote that stated I would have no more problems with

my back than the person who doesn't have scoliosis!

Sorry this is so long but now that I have finished up my Master's project I

hope to have more time to contribute my $.02 worth.

Refie

[Guest guest]

> --- Hi Crooked Dancer - I had my surgery in 1974 at Newington

> Childrens too! Who was your doc? Mine was Dr. Hardy along

with

> Dr. Bradbury. When in '74 did you have yours done. I was in

> the hospital from February to the first week of April. Wow, you are

> the first I have run across that hails from Newington. I had 3

> curves, I see you had 4 - unbelievable! Prizm glasses I have

> absolutely no recollection of. I've seen it mentioned here before,

> but really have no idea what they are. Interestlingly though, I had

> posted right before you about the numbing of the legs!!

>

from RI

Hi !!

Good to here of someone els from Newington. Both my surgeries of

74 & 75 were done during the summer mths June-July. My Dr's name was

Dr J. Drennan. I think I kind of described prism glasses and how

their used. I remmember having a teacher that liked to write

everything on the blackboard and have us copy it onto our paper. I

had to put my reg glasses on to see the board and take them off to

put my prism glasses on so i could copy onto the papper on my

desk..##**# I skipped that class many times.( my legs were just too

numb for her class.)

Franca, crooked-dancer, from Ct.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/29/2004 8:25:40 PM Central Standard Time,

BAStacey@... writes:

> http://www.scoliosislinks.com/RisserCast.jpg

I just went out to the Risser Cast picture-oh the memories it brings back. I

was in the Risser Cast for 5 months then I received a second cast a scaled

down model which was not so bulky for another 4 months. I didn't have traction

however I remember seeing a book on Scoliosis surgery that my doctor gave us

that showed the traction with Halo pins thru the head and I would cry everytime

I saw it. I am sooo thankful I didn't have to go thru that. I remember only

being allowed to be out of bed for 3 hours a day for the first 1 1/2 months-

it was summertime and my friends were going swimming, horseback riding,

skating all the fun stuff and I was at home in bed for the summer. I actually

work

with a gal in my office of 75 people who has " flatback " from the harrington

rod as well- we share " horror " stories of our young teenage years in body casts.

It sure makes a difference talking with those who know what you've gone or

are going thru! Wishing everyone a pain free day!

Dee

Harrington Rod 1974

Laminectomy/discetomy 2002

PS> Barb good luck with Dr. Birdwell-be sure to let us know how it goes!!!