Re: Digest Number 771

[Guest guest]

Sharon, Thanks for the offer to make armbands and get them down to us! What

a great offer! I have about 120 cut out right now...they can be tied on

easily and I have about 112 lime green ribbons to pin to them. I hope that's

enough. It's all the ribbon I could find that was the right color. Anyway,

I think it's the black armbands that will make the biggest statement!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/1/99 11:44:01 AM Eastern Standard Time,

lyme-aidonelist writes:

<< URGENT ... Need help with Black Funeral Arm Bands / with a Lyme ribbons

From: LymeFightr@... >>

Marleen,

Thank you and all the other's for what you all are doing. My suggestion

is to use a hot glue gun. It sticks well and is fast. I use mine on

everything.

I hope this isn't to late. Good Luck !!!

Your Lyme Friend,

in VA

[Guest guest]

Lovey,

Would it be to much to ask if I could also have what info you have on

Flagyl ? I would appreciate anything. Thank you !!

Your Lyme Friend,

in VA

[Guest guest]

Is anyone going to the lecture planning to audio tape the lies so we can get

a copy of it? I would love to hear what he has to brag about.

Also, I must have missed something. What are we supposed to write on the

15th and to whom? I would love to write like we did to the NIH. Is it the

same idea? Sometimes I skim the mail and miss a whole thread.

Sharon

[Guest guest]

Crepe paper sounds good as long as you don't sweat which a lot of us do

profusely.

If you are stuck, let me know and I will whip them up out of black elastic

and overnight them to you. Or if someone is coming down from Central jersey

I will get them to them. I live in CLinton and can not come. I used to be

a decorator and sew as a part time job, before the skeet took over my nimble

fingers and kept me from climbing ladders.

Let me know

SHaron

[Guest guest]

Hello Everyone, I agree with Bernadette that the champion when used with the people press is the best on the market, but if you can only afford one juicer I would go with the peoples press. The peoples press is the second best juicer on the market. I tried calling the Gersons Institute in regards about the peoples press. Can anyone tell me how much they cost?

[Guest guest]

As far as I know, raw garlic is better then garlic in a capsule.

Claude

[Guest guest]

The People's Press is NOT a juicer it is a press. You MUST have a juicer to first mash the produce. You can not take carrots and expect to just press the juice out of them. They will pop and explode.

Bernadette

[Guest guest]

Crystal,

I too think that whilst nursing is not essential many aspects of the

training are pertinent but these may be because the first point of contact

with a family is following childbirth and we are often GP attached and

working from a clinic or GP practice. Our 'medical' knowledge is assumed

and often used by families. However, if some HVa worked in community

development or social services they would, no doubt, be perceived

differently and the need for medical knowledge would diminish. Ruth

Re: Digest Number 771

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

To in Montana

This is the first time I've noted a fellow Montanan on line here. I'm from up

in

the northwest corner. Just found out today I'll be getting a change of

defibrillator the first week of November. It'll be my fourth one since 1990.

I've

not had any of those done here - would like to know if yours was placed

somewhere

around this state. They are telling me that Missoula's not a bad place to go.

We'll see. I had beau coup problems when the last one was placed in Spokane.

It

got pretty complicated. Would like to hear from you and also to know if there

are

other folks here from our " remote " area : ^ )

Sue

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: " Larry "

> To in Montana

> This is the first time I've noted a fellow Montanan on line here. I'm

from up in

> the northwest corner. Just found out today I'll be getting a change of

> defibrillator the first week of November. It'll be my fourth one since

1990. I've

> not had any of those done here - would like to know if yours was placed

somewhere

> around this state. They are telling me that Missoula's not a bad place to

go.

> We'll see. I had beau coup problems when the last one was placed in

Spokane. It

> got pretty complicated. Would like to hear from you and also to know if

there are

> other folks here from our " remote " area : ^ )

> Sue

Larry, Sue:

You folks in Montana should first and foremost make sure that they don't put

your AICD in (your) Butte. (Then the A in AICD will be more specific.)

And if perchance they do, make sure that you get a defibrillator with four

leads. That way when someone tells you to get the lead out you'll have one

to spare. (I of course do not have that problem. Instead I have a lard-io-

vasculr system.

Bill

[Guest guest]

I attended the session on direct entry for Health Visiting - thank you & Ros &

Glenys for the presentations. The session gave everyone a clear vision of what

direct entry might look like & the issues still requiring debate.

Having been on the fence for some time about direct entry, I now feel confident

that, with the correct preparation, HVs do not need to be nurses or midwives

first.

They key will be in the preparation & the challenge of finding suitable practice

placements during the course. The direct entry students are to complete an

undergraduate programme, & I wonder if 4 years might be needed in order to

complete all placements and have a true HEI experience too. The issue of the

true HEI experience has always been an issue in the pre reg nursing programmes

(they may be on placement during vacation times for example). I think much could

be learned from examining undergraduate courses preparing students to work in

other professions, such as OTs, SLTs & clinical psycholgists.

Thanks again for opening up the debate.

Crystal Oldman

> from:

> date: Sun, 03 Nov 2002 11:13:33

> to:

> subject: Re: Digest Number 771

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Crystal

Some wise reflections- I completely agree with the importance of placements

to supply the appropriate links and networks. Indeed would see the need for

both 'short' placements to gather information etc and the longer ones for

more consolidated experience. Whether the PT/ Mentor input is in a paticular

year or threaded through is highly debatable- what do you think? What feels

rigth is the chance for developing appropriate skill mix- learn together,

stand alone modules and modules that recognise the potential deiversity of

the role. the 4th year could represent the advanced/ masters aspect?

Glenys Hook

[Guest guest]

Bea,

I am on methadone. I found it to be about as effective as the morphine,

neither of which I am super impressed with. My symptoms are similar to yours,

especially as of late. The hip, leg, & calf pain sound familiar. I don't have

as much burning as I do intense aching & cramping. Nothing helps it either.

I've actually bruised my leg trying to massage it out. Sorry I couldn't be

more help. I haven't gotten to go to a scoliosis doc yet.

With Blessings & Love,

Carla Kay

~ Ps. 96:1 O come let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to

the rock of our salvation.

[Guest guest]

SB - You forgot about little old leaning forward me! I was fused to

the sacrum with two Harrington Rods originally (when I was 17 years

old), but I didn't have the strange third bar across the pelvis like

you did. I am always on the lookout for others who were originally

fused to the sacrum. I believe several doctors have told me that

most or around 1/2 of the revision surgeries they do for flatback are

for people that were originally fused to the sacrum. I can't help

but wonder why these people aren't on the internet support groups.

Part of me wants to believe that their surgeries were so wildly

successful that they are off living fabulous active lives and don't

need internet support groups and the other part of me fears that the

surgeries were so unsuccessful that the poor people can't even get to

the computer to tell anyone about it!! Maybe I misunderstood what

the doctors were telling me. Racine, if you reading this, do

you have any off the top of your head thoughts on this?

SB, have you looked into whether there are any pain mgmt. doctors

that are in network? I know it's hard to work on finding solutions

when you are in pain and depressed, so I wish you much strength to do

so. Hope you will keep us posted on how things are going for you.

Also, I am curious, what other tests did Dr. Sachs want to do?

loriann

> We did not all have the same surgery. Some people had C-curves,

some people had S-curves. Some curves were more severe than other

curves. Some were higher on the spine, some were lower.

>

> I don't know that I have seen anybody else here who was fused to S1

with the original surgery or had this strange third bar across the

pelvis (and that " horizontal " bar is the one that freaks out most non-

scoliosis specialist doctors).

>

> I saw Dr Barton Sachs at Texas Back Institute recently. My husband

was extremely impressed because he is the first doctor who seemed to

know exactly what he was seeing when he looked at my x-ray and he

explained it to us (my local scoliosis specialist was not as plain

speaking, so it was hard to tell how much he knew from my x-ray other

than the fact that he would not suggest surgery)

>

> The really pleasant surprise was that Dr Sachs not only manipulated

the little spine model to explain the dynamics of my back, but he

also sent me a copy of his written report. I will find it and share

later.

>

> He agrees that I basically had flat back immediately after surgery

and seemed surprised that I was pain free for so many years. He

ordered several more tests, to be scheduled after an injection by the

pain management anesthesiologist. Unfortunately, the office that

called to schedule that appointment told me that they are " ou of

network " for my insurance. My insurance would pay 50%, but my

portion of the bill would be around $3000. YIKES!!! I did not make

the appointment.

>

> I have been extremely depressed since hearing from the pain

management folks.

[Guest guest]

Hey, loriann

I didn't realize that you were also fused so low in the beginning.

I was never able to stand up straight after surgery (also at the age

of 17) but the leaning forward is very dramatic now. I have been

thinking about asking someone to take pictures, but I know I would

be horrified.

I called my insurance company and they said there were quite a few

pain management doctors here in town. I am not sure how to choose

one. Dr Sach's office suggested that I go to my PCP and have him

request the orders and then he can send me somewhere local (that is

assuming he is knowledgeable in this area). I wondered if I would

be better to ask the local scoli doc for a recommendation for pain

management.

The other tests he ordered are a CT scan, bone scan, and bone

density testing. While I was in his office and I checked my

calendar when he asked about the last period, I realized that I have

now officially reached menopause.

My former PCP had free bone density screenings for people over 40 a

few years ago. The lady doing the test almost started crying and

repeated mine a couple of times. This is part of the reason I don't

go to that doctor anymore. I had the little printout showing that

mine was below normal, but when I went back to the doctor to discuss

the results, she told me everything was fine (it turned out that

somebody else's results were in my file--I was glad I had taken the

little printout with me). She had written somebody else's name on

my prescription the visit before that! And it seems that they tried

to get payment from my former insurance company even though I gave

them my new card and explicitly told them I had new insurance.

ARRGG!

I have a history of kidney stones. My first one was at the age of

14, and the standard response in those days was to suggest a low

calcium diet.

I called a friend over the weekend who had a fusion for bad disks

after a fall. She is 12 weeks post op and still in a lot of pain

and not able to do much. It scared me. It sounds like if I opt for

surgery, I will not be able to do it and recover over summer

vacation.

It is not just the doctor crap that has me depressed. I am a

teacher on summer vacation and had hoped to spend one month in the

Bahamas visiting family and friends. My husband has been working a

whole lot of overtime and I have taken several short trips without

him, mostly to Neil Diamond concerts and parties that he wasn't much

interested in anyway. But he grounded my son for bad grades and

said I couldn't take him with me to the Bahamas since he is

grounded. What is the point of visiting relatives if I leave the

kids at home? My daughter doesn't want to go, because she " doesn't

like to be around strangers " but my son would love to get to know

his relatives, and he would definitely like to see his dad (who he

doesn't really remember). My son idolizes a certain conga player

who has a beach resort in the Bahamas, and I was planning to spend

at least a week there photographing the place for his website.

This weekend is independence day in the Bahamas, and I had been

hoping to be there for the festivities. I also had the opportunity

to go to LA for the weekend and see my favorite adult conga player

perform (my 12 year old son is also a conga player), and then go to

the Long Beach Reggae Fest today. My husband freaked out, so I

didn't go. I consoled myself with the thought that I could at least

listen to Bahamian music all weekend via internet radio, but there

is no connection.

I told my husband that I want to spend my birthday next summer in

the Bahamas (I have spent the last 2 that end in zeros in Nassau and

would like to continue the trend). My last day to work next year is

June 6 and my birthday is June 8. Hubby says I should probably plan

to have surgery instead. It also looks like Neil Diamond may be

touring next summer (at least I am hoping so), and I would sure hate

to miss that.

The summer " vacation " has just really sucked so far. I haven't been

able to enjoy working in the garden, or any of the other projects

that I had hoped to accomplish because this darn back pain just

keeps getting worse instead of better.

>

> SB, have you looked into whether there are any pain mgmt. doctors

> that are in network? I know it's hard to work on finding

solutions

> when you are in pain and depressed, so I wish you much strength to

do

> so. Hope you will keep us posted on how things are going for

you.

> Also, I am curious, what other tests did Dr. Sachs want to do?

>

> loriann

>

>

[Guest guest]

You sure are going through a lot, SB!

I hope you'll forgive my sticking my neck out here, but I am surprised you let

your son's step-father be in charge of his discipline, and tell you where you

may and may not take him. He isn't allowed to visit his real father?? What

would Dear Abby say?!

Sharon

Re: Digest Number 771

Hey, loriann

I didn't realize that you were also fused so low in the beginning.

I was never able to stand up straight after surgery (also at the age

of 17) but the leaning forward is very dramatic now. I have been

thinking about asking someone to take pictures, but I know I would

be horrified.

I called my insurance company and they said there were quite a few

pain management doctors here in town. I am not sure how to choose

one. Dr Sach's office suggested that I go to my PCP and have him

request the orders and then he can send me somewhere local (that is

assuming he is knowledgeable in this area). I wondered if I would

be better to ask the local scoli doc for a recommendation for pain

management.

The other tests he ordered are a CT scan, bone scan, and bone

density testing. While I was in his office and I checked my

calendar when he asked about the last period, I realized that I have

now officially reached menopause.

My former PCP had free bone density screenings for people over 40 a

few years ago. The lady doing the test almost started crying and

repeated mine a couple of times. This is part of the reason I don't

go to that doctor anymore. I had the little printout showing that

mine was below normal, but when I went back to the doctor to discuss

the results, she told me everything was fine (it turned out that

somebody else's results were in my file--I was glad I had taken the

little printout with me). She had written somebody else's name on

my prescription the visit before that! And it seems that they tried

to get payment from my former insurance company even though I gave

them my new card and explicitly told them I had new insurance.

ARRGG!

I have a history of kidney stones. My first one was at the age of

14, and the standard response in those days was to suggest a low

calcium diet.

I called a friend over the weekend who had a fusion for bad disks

after a fall. She is 12 weeks post op and still in a lot of pain

and not able to do much. It scared me. It sounds like if I opt for

surgery, I will not be able to do it and recover over summer

vacation.

It is not just the doctor crap that has me depressed. I am a

teacher on summer vacation and had hoped to spend one month in the

Bahamas visiting family and friends. My husband has been working a

whole lot of overtime and I have taken several short trips without

him, mostly to Neil Diamond concerts and parties that he wasn't much

interested in anyway. But he grounded my son for bad grades and

said I couldn't take him with me to the Bahamas since he is

grounded. What is the point of visiting relatives if I leave the

kids at home? My daughter doesn't want to go, because she " doesn't

like to be around strangers " but my son would love to get to know

his relatives, and he would definitely like to see his dad (who he

doesn't really remember). My son idolizes a certain conga player

who has a beach resort in the Bahamas, and I was planning to spend

at least a week there photographing the place for his website.

This weekend is independence day in the Bahamas, and I had been

hoping to be there for the festivities. I also had the opportunity

to go to LA for the weekend and see my favorite adult conga player

perform (my 12 year old son is also a conga player), and then go to

the Long Beach Reggae Fest today. My husband freaked out, so I

didn't go. I consoled myself with the thought that I could at least

listen to Bahamian music all weekend via internet radio, but there

is no connection.

I told my husband that I want to spend my birthday next summer in

the Bahamas (I have spent the last 2 that end in zeros in Nassau and

would like to continue the trend). My last day to work next year is

June 6 and my birthday is June 8. Hubby says I should probably plan

to have surgery instead. It also looks like Neil Diamond may be

touring next summer (at least I am hoping so), and I would sure hate

to miss that.

The summer " vacation " has just really sucked so far. I haven't been

able to enjoy working in the garden, or any of the other projects

that I had hoped to accomplish because this darn back pain just

keeps getting worse instead of better.

>

> SB, have you looked into whether there are any pain mgmt. doctors

> that are in network? I know it's hard to work on finding

solutions

> when you are in pain and depressed, so I wish you much strength to

do

> so. Hope you will keep us posted on how things are going for

you.

> Also, I am curious, what other tests did Dr. Sachs want to do?

>

> loriann

>

>

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]

Hi SB,

Yup, I was originally fused from T5 to the sacrum with two Harrington

rods. I did make my husband take pictures of my leaning over posture

and hip flexion contracture before I had my hip replaced and they are

really horrifying. If I had a scanner, I'd post them on the photo

section of this site and share the horror. My posture got somewhat

better after my hip replacement, but I haven't yet gotten up the

courage to have my husband take more pictures, because I know I still

look bad. I will, though, before I schedule revision surgery.

Hopefully others on this group can give you advice on how to find a

good pain mgmt doc. I'm not in pain mgmt, but I would probably go

with the local scoli doctor's recommendation.

I just reached menopause, too, so I am going to have a bone density

test soon. Maybe we can compare results sometime down the road.

Sorry you are having a sucky summer. In what grade is your son that

got grounded? My 13 year old's grades were not as high as I'd hoped

this year. 7th grade was a real adjustment.

I've been meaning to call one of my internet friends that I know from

a hip replacement support group who recently had a spinal fusion for

spondylolisthesis using the local doc that also does flatback

revisions. But I can't seem to get up the courage to call her. I

think because I won't know what to say if she had a bad result. I'm

just so terrified that I'll have a bad result if I have revision

surgery.

Best wishes for your summer to improve and for you to get your pain

under control. Did your doc say how far off your sagittal balance

was?

If you think of it, will you let me know if you hear of any other

people who were originally fused to the sacrum?

loriann

> Hey, loriann

>

> I didn't realize that you were also fused so low in the beginning.

> I was never able to stand up straight after surgery (also at the

age

> of 17) but the leaning forward is very dramatic now. I have been

> thinking about asking someone to take pictures, but I know I would

> be horrified.

>

> I called my insurance company and they said there were quite a few

> pain management doctors here in town. I am not sure how to choose

> one. Dr Sach's office suggested that I go to my PCP and have him

> request the orders and then he can send me somewhere local (that is

> assuming he is knowledgeable in this area). I wondered if I would

> be better to ask the local scoli doc for a recommendation for pain

> management.

>

> The other tests he ordered are a CT scan, bone scan, and bone

> density testing. While I was in his office and I checked my

> calendar when he asked about the last period, I realized that I

have

> now officially reached menopause.

>

> My former PCP had free bone density screenings for people over 40 a

> few years ago. The lady doing the test almost started crying and

> repeated mine a couple of times. This is part of the reason I

don't

> go to that doctor anymore. I had the little printout showing that

> mine was below normal, but when I went back to the doctor to

discuss

> the results, she told me everything was fine (it turned out that

> somebody else's results were in my file--I was glad I had taken the

> little printout with me). She had written somebody else's name on

> my prescription the visit before that! And it seems that they

tried

> to get payment from my former insurance company even though I gave

> them my new card and explicitly told them I had new insurance.

> ARRGG!

>

> I have a history of kidney stones. My first one was at the age of

> 14, and the standard response in those days was to suggest a low

> calcium diet.

>

> I called a friend over the weekend who had a fusion for bad disks

> after a fall. She is 12 weeks post op and still in a lot of pain

> and not able to do much. It scared me. It sounds like if I opt

for

> surgery, I will not be able to do it and recover over summer

> vacation.

>

> It is not just the doctor crap that has me depressed. I am a

> teacher on summer vacation and had hoped to spend one month in the

> Bahamas visiting family and friends. My husband has been working a

> whole lot of overtime and I have taken several short trips without

> him, mostly to Neil Diamond concerts and parties that he wasn't

much

> interested in anyway. But he grounded my son for bad grades and

> said I couldn't take him with me to the Bahamas since he is

> grounded. What is the point of visiting relatives if I leave the

> kids at home? My daughter doesn't want to go, because

she " doesn't

> like to be around strangers " but my son would love to get to know

> his relatives, and he would definitely like to see his dad (who he

> doesn't really remember). My son idolizes a certain conga player

> who has a beach resort in the Bahamas, and I was planning to spend

> at least a week there photographing the place for his website.

>

> This weekend is independence day in the Bahamas, and I had been

> hoping to be there for the festivities. I also had the opportunity

> to go to LA for the weekend and see my favorite adult conga player

> perform (my 12 year old son is also a conga player), and then go to

> the Long Beach Reggae Fest today. My husband freaked out, so I

> didn't go. I consoled myself with the thought that I could at

least

> listen to Bahamian music all weekend via internet radio, but there

> is no connection.

>

> I told my husband that I want to spend my birthday next summer in

> the Bahamas (I have spent the last 2 that end in zeros in Nassau

and

> would like to continue the trend). My last day to work next year

is

> June 6 and my birthday is June 8. Hubby says I should probably

plan

> to have surgery instead. It also looks like Neil Diamond may be

> touring next summer (at least I am hoping so), and I would sure

hate

> to miss that.

>

> The summer " vacation " has just really sucked so far. I haven't

been

> able to enjoy working in the garden, or any of the other projects

> that I had hoped to accomplish because this darn back pain just

> keeps getting worse instead of better.

>

[Guest guest]

SB,

Sorry to hear that things are not going well for you. While my girls were

growing up, they're in their mid-20's now, I found that grounding them never

really accomplished anything. As far as school goes, they were told that

they were expected to do their best, regardless of grades, and if their

marks were low then it just meant that they needed extra help or have things

explained in a different way than is taught in school. We never altered our

summer plans, other than if they did poor in certain subjects, then we spent

some of the time going over that subject(s). Travelling, even to visit

relatives, was viewed as a learning experience. I guess this view is because

my mother was a teacher and that was the view she passed onto me.

I know that most teachers put in a lot of concentrated effort during the

school year and need the summer to recoup that energy. My opinion is that

you should be able to enjoy your summer, as much as possible. It sounds, to

me, like your husband is dictating your life and even isolating you from

your relatives. To me, that is a red flag to future behaviour and possible

abuse. In the past, I have worked as a volunteer for the Block Parent

Program and Crime Prevention, with the police and I would hate to see

someone that I care about, get themselves in an abusive situation. I hope

this is not the case in your situation but I felt that I had to speak in

case it is.

Your back is also probably bothering you more because of the disappoint of

your hopeful plans. Try to find some relaxation and hopefully that will help

some with your back. Take care of yourself and please feel free to tell me

to mind my own business if what I've said is offensive or a way of base. By

the way, my daughters were on the honour roll from grade 6 through to

graduation. They take pride in everything that they do and their employers

view them as trusted, dependable employees.

Llweyn

Re: Digest Number 771

Hey, loriann

I didn't realize that you were also fused so low in the beginning.

I was never able to stand up straight after surgery (also at the age

of 17) but the leaning forward is very dramatic now. I have been

thinking about asking someone to take pictures, but I know I would

be horrified.

I called my insurance company and they said there were quite a few

pain management doctors here in town. I am not sure how to choose

one. Dr Sach's office suggested that I go to my PCP and have him

request the orders and then he can send me somewhere local (that is

assuming he is knowledgeable in this area). I wondered if I would

be better to ask the local scoli doc for a recommendation for pain

management.

The other tests he ordered are a CT scan, bone scan, and bone

density testing. While I was in his office and I checked my

calendar when he asked about the last period, I realized that I have

now officially reached menopause.

My former PCP had free bone density screenings for people over 40 a

few years ago. The lady doing the test almost started crying and

repeated mine a couple of times. This is part of the reason I don't

go to that doctor anymore. I had the little printout showing that

mine was below normal, but when I went back to the doctor to discuss

the results, she told me everything was fine (it turned out that

somebody else's results were in my file--I was glad I had taken the

little printout with me). She had written somebody else's name on

my prescription the visit before that! And it seems that they tried

to get payment from my former insurance company even though I gave

them my new card and explicitly told them I had new insurance.

ARRGG!

I have a history of kidney stones. My first one was at the age of

14, and the standard response in those days was to suggest a low

calcium diet.

I called a friend over the weekend who had a fusion for bad disks

after a fall. She is 12 weeks post op and still in a lot of pain

and not able to do much. It scared me. It sounds like if I opt for

surgery, I will not be able to do it and recover over summer

vacation.

It is not just the doctor crap that has me depressed. I am a

teacher on summer vacation and had hoped to spend one month in the

Bahamas visiting family and friends. My husband has been working a

whole lot of overtime and I have taken several short trips without

him, mostly to Neil Diamond concerts and parties that he wasn't much

interested in anyway. But he grounded my son for bad grades and

said I couldn't take him with me to the Bahamas since he is

grounded. What is the point of visiting relatives if I leave the

kids at home? My daughter doesn't want to go, because she " doesn't

like to be around strangers " but my son would love to get to know

his relatives, and he would definitely like to see his dad (who he

doesn't really remember). My son idolizes a certain conga player

who has a beach resort in the Bahamas, and I was planning to spend

at least a week there photographing the place for his website.

This weekend is independence day in the Bahamas, and I had been

hoping to be there for the festivities. I also had the opportunity

to go to LA for the weekend and see my favorite adult conga player

perform (my 12 year old son is also a conga player), and then go to

the Long Beach Reggae Fest today. My husband freaked out, so I

didn't go. I consoled myself with the thought that I could at least

listen to Bahamian music all weekend via internet radio, but there

is no connection.

I told my husband that I want to spend my birthday next summer in

the Bahamas (I have spent the last 2 that end in zeros in Nassau and

would like to continue the trend). My last day to work next year is

June 6 and my birthday is June 8. Hubby says I should probably plan

to have surgery instead. It also looks like Neil Diamond may be

touring next summer (at least I am hoping so), and I would sure hate

to miss that.

The summer " vacation " has just really sucked so far. I haven't been

able to enjoy working in the garden, or any of the other projects

that I had hoped to accomplish because this darn back pain just

keeps getting worse instead of better.

>

> SB, have you looked into whether there are any pain mgmt. doctors

> that are in network? I know it's hard to work on finding

solutions

> when you are in pain and depressed, so I wish you much strength to

do

> so. Hope you will keep us posted on how things are going for

you.

> Also, I am curious, what other tests did Dr. Sachs want to do?

>

> loriann

>

>

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]

Kris,

Oh my, I didn't realize your surgery was so impending. Best of luck

with it and with the future one and hope they give you immense

relief. Good plan to not get overwhelmed -- taking the whole deal

one step at a time, and giving your body time and space to heal on

it's own schedule is surely a wise move. Best, best wishes to you,

loriann

> Loriann,

>

> It is interesting to hear of the differences in surgical procedures-

-guess

> there wasn't one set procedure.

>

> I do have tremendous lower back pain but nothing like the cervical

area. It

> takes so much energy to try to hold myself upright and the muscles

just spasm

> continuously across the shoulder and neck area. So much so, that

the nerves

> in my arms stop sending signals and my arm goes numb and refuses to

function.

> I do have the hip contractures as well which doesn't help

anything. I no

> longer walk for exercise nor have I been able to swim for about the

last 2 yrs.

> It is very depressing because my life is on hold until all the

revision surgery

> is done and I see what I have once I am recovered.

>

> Tuesday's surgery is to fix a pseudoarthrosis from an ACDF

procedure to

> stabilize my cervical area. It will be done posteriorly using bone

from my hip.

> Then in about 6 months, I will have the A/P revision done. Over

the years I

> have had several doctors do the surgeries and have had no screw-ups

or anything.

> But, the A/P revision will be done by Dr. Braun at the University

of Utah

> Medical Center who is a revision specialist. He will take out the

old rods, do

> some osteotomies, put in new cages, etc. and give me a lordotic

curve. I try

> not to get too overwhelmed thinking about the procedure and the

recovery

> afterward.

>

> Kris

[Guest guest]

God love you, Llweyn,

You always have the BEST outlook on life! Would you like to come south and

help raise my grandkids?

Love,

Carole

[Guest guest]

Loriann and anyone else interested:

I'm a lurker here. I read everything I receive but do

not usually put my $.02.

I too am fused to the sacrum, for what it's worth. I

should be fused from T1 to S1 but I have a

pseudoarthrosis in my last vert., I think. My initial

fusion done in 1957 (before most of you were born!)

and 2 subsequent fusions in 1957 and 1958 were all

done without any instrumentation, and I have had no

other spine surgery since, including no revisions.

I have not been officically diagnosed with flatback,

but I know I have it from reading the internet and

talking with people, and hearing the symptoms from all

you folks. Also, my dr. has inofficially told me I

have flatback but as I have stated before I am no

longer am a surgical candidate due to my need for

supplemental oxygen 24/7.

Michele

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Simone,I´m very interested in the name of your doctor in Torremolinos

as I am in Cadiz, Spain right now. Are you the person who is in

England?

[Guest guest]

Hi

I live in Malaga and I am going to see a Dr Andreen in Los Alamos Torremolinos.

I am english but have lived here for many years.

May I ask what surgery you have etc so we may start conversing with one another

on a regular basis.

Best Wishes

Simone xoxoxox

Re: Digest Number 771

Simone,I´m very interested in the name of your doctor in Torremolinos

as I am in Cadiz, Spain right now. Are you the person who is in

England?

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]

Malaga...that's neat. Whenever the ships come home from being on a Med cruise,

they stop in Malaga for their final clean up before returning to the states.

I visited hubby in Palma de Mallorca once. WHAT A GRRRRRRRRREAT TIME!!! You can

imagine my shock once we hit the beach. We had totally forgotten about the

topless beach goers.

Anyway, I remember how crstal clear that water was. Bluer than any water I've

ever seen.

You're fortunate to live in Malaga. It's beautiful. Although I've never been,

hubby brought back some pictures.

xoxo's