Re: Mobilty limitations after surgery

[Guest guest]

---

They tell you no bending,lifitng or twisting after surgery. I am able

to bend at the knees to reach something that is about a foot or so off

the ground. It has gotten better since the surgery, I first could

barely reach something on the bed. I still am unable to put my socks,

pants, underwear etc on, I must ask someone in my house to help me get

them started and then I can get it about at the knees and pull them

up..it is the joke in my house and my little kids have gone to school

and told their teachers that they have to help their Mom with her

underware..I got emails from the teachers...they found humor in it!!! I

think the flexability gets better..at lease Cam has indicated that and

that gives me hope!!! I would take this llimited mobility anyday over

the pain...but you do have limited mobility..I don't know about you but

my mobility was getting limited before the surgery.....,PA

In , " leominsterhsg "

<leominsterhsg@...> wrote:

>

> What are the mobility limitations from revision surger? Can you twist

> and bend the same or are those things very limited? Not that I plan

on

> doing gymnastics but I am just wondering if your whole body has to

> turn toward something.

>

> I know that not being in pain would outweigh the limitations but I am

> just wondering what they are.

>

> Jolynn

>

[Guest guest]

I expect very limited mobility while healing, but after you are done

say in a few years is your mobility extremely limited because the

surgery prohipits you even if you wanted to? Kind of like I could

try to slouch but the rods going the entire length of my back wont

let me. The orthopedist told me prior to revision they use to fuse

the rest of the back to eliminate the degeneration, but that would

take 100% of the mobility of my back.

Jolynn

> >

> > What are the mobility limitations from revision surger? Can you

twist

> > and bend the same or are those things very limited? Not that I

plan

> on

> > doing gymnastics but I am just wondering if your whole body has

to

> > turn toward something.

> >

> > I know that not being in pain would outweigh the limitations but

I am

> > just wondering what they are.

> >

> > Jolynn

> >

>

[Guest guest]

---

OOOHHH, I don't know yet..I am only six weeks post second stage with

Dr.Rand...sorry, someone else will have to tell you about down the

road, I am not qualified yet!!! , PA

In , " leominsterhsg "

<leominsterhsg@...> wrote:

>

> I expect very limited mobility while healing, but after you are

done

> say in a few years is your mobility extremely limited because the

> surgery prohipits you even if you wanted to? Kind of like I could

> try to slouch but the rods going the entire length of my back wont

> let me. The orthopedist told me prior to revision they use to fuse

> the rest of the back to eliminate the degeneration, but that would

> take 100% of the mobility of my back.

>

> Jolynn

>

>

> > >

> > > What are the mobility limitations from revision surger? Can you

> twist

> > > and bend the same or are those things very limited? Not that I

> plan

> > on

> > > doing gymnastics but I am just wondering if your whole body has

> to

> > > turn toward something.

> > >

> > > I know that not being in pain would outweigh the limitations

but

> I am

> > > just wondering what they are.

> > >

> > > Jolynn

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Jolynn,

Mobility varies among us who have had surgery. I can't bend for ward even

from the waist more than a few inches. I can't twist my torso either. I am

fused very high, T-1 to the sacrum, so I'm limited in my movement. You learn

coping mechanisms, while it's bothersome not being able to bend, you can get

around it. Bending doesn't even enter my mind, it's been four years since I

was able to. I use grabbers or get down on my knees. I'd much rather be like

this than be in the pain. Not being able to bend takes some adjustments, and

some things are just plain tough to do. Clipping toe nails, shaving your

legs, shoes, I just get slip on's, and nylons, I need help to get them up to

my knees. Just what you'll be like following surgery who knows. I have less

movement than a lot here, but I am fused very high and I have a ton of

hardware. I accepted it well, what else can you do, and hope someday they'll

make a good tool to shave your legs, probably my biggest struggle with not

being able to bend.

[ ] Mobilty limitations after surgery

> What are the mobility limitations from revision surger? Can you twist

> and bend the same or are those things very limited? Not that I plan on

> doing gymnastics but I am just wondering if your whole body has to

> turn toward something.

>

> I know that not being in pain would outweigh the limitations but I am

> just wondering what they are.

>

> Jolynn

>

>

>

>

>

> scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates

>

[Guest guest]

HI ,

thanks for your response. Is your limited mibility more from the

fusion or the revision? I can bend but I pay later in pain. My

fusion goes from the base of my neck (not sure what that is) to L4.

I have no pain in my upper back just the lower part.

JOlynn

>

> Dear Jolynn,

>

> Mobility varies among us who have had surgery. I can't bend for

ward even

> from the waist more than a few inches. I can't twist my torso

either. I am

> fused very high, T-1 to the sacrum, so I'm limited in my movement.

You learn

> coping mechanisms, while it's bothersome not being able to bend,

you can get

> around it. Bending doesn't even enter my mind, it's been four

years since I

> was able to. I use grabbers or get down on my knees. I'd much

rather be like

> this than be in the pain. Not being able to bend takes some

adjustments, and

> some things are just plain tough to do. Clipping toe nails,

shaving your

> legs, shoes, I just get slip on's, and nylons, I need help to get

them up to

> my knees. Just what you'll be like following surgery who knows. I

have less

> movement than a lot here, but I am fused very high and I have a

ton of

> hardware. I accepted it well, what else can you do, and hope

someday they'll

> make a good tool to shave your legs, probably my biggest struggle

with not

> being able to bend.

>

>

> [ ] Mobilty limitations after surgery

>

>

> > What are the mobility limitations from revision surger? Can you

twist

> > and bend the same or are those things very limited? Not that I

plan on

> > doing gymnastics but I am just wondering if your whole body has

to

> > turn toward something.

> >

> > I know that not being in pain would outweigh the limitations but

I am

> > just wondering what they are.

> >

> > Jolynn

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates

> >

[Guest guest]

THanks , PA

I understood how my question was not specific.

> > > >

> > > > What are the mobility limitations from revision surger? Can

you

> > twist

> > > > and bend the same or are those things very limited? Not that

I

> > plan

> > > on

> > > > doing gymnastics but I am just wondering if your whole body

has

> > to

> > > > turn toward something.

> > > >

> > > > I know that not being in pain would outweigh the limitations

> but

> > I am

> > > > just wondering what they are.

> > > >

> > > > Jolynn

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Jolynn,

I will take a shot at your question at 13 months post op. however I

will concur that where you end up mobility wise partly depends on

where you began...in other words....I suspect that the higher up you

were originally fused the less overall feeling you will have of

being able to compensate easily for the long fusion.

My original fusion was T4 - L4.....but loosing what little

flexibility was left by fusing to the sacrum did require an

adjustment. I would say that at this point I probably miss the

twisting ability more than the bending I have lost. I am guessing

that is because I am diligently working on stretching

now...recognizing that if the bones won't bend then the only other

thing that can compensate is my reach or stretch. Make sense?

After fusion, as Kam was remembering the other day, I asked Dr Rand

if the amount of lordosis I now have is the same that " ordinary "

folks have...and I remarked that it was no wonder that there are so

many low back problems because when I now sit in a chair they seem

like they are mostly built for VERY slouchy people. He said that he

has to make a decision to build a permanant position so he slightly

favors the angles required for walking....so sitting, while it feels

much better today than in the early going...just doesn't feel like

the good old days when you could curl yourself into a cozy position

and read a book or watch TV.

Fusion to the sacrum means no more bending at the waist....ever. No

more simply leaning over an picking up an item on the bottom shelf

at the grocery store...dropped items mean you will leave some of

them for awhile while you search out a grabber or wait for a helper

to pick it up. Some things will fall in public places and you will

just look people in the eye and walk away....because you are not

going to kneel down in mud, or snow, or a puddle and get it.

I can now get my pants, socks and shoes on...and even tie them a

little sloppy. I do socks as shoes laying back on the bed and cross

my foot to knee and it works. I have a little peiece of wood duct

taped onto my razor (I LOVE duct tape) and I can manage my own

shaving now. I will continue to baby myself with pedicures in the

summer when good looking toes count...but this winter I have been

able to stretch just enough to reach the toes for clipping. Again,

you see...it isn't the back bending anymore...it is every other

muscle and ligament giving you the abiltiy to get where you are

trying to go!

My source of inspiration these days is Ellen Kiley. I haven't done

her workshop, an don't even know yet how much I will be allowed

to " push " it in the coming year, I guess it mostly depends on how

the CT scan goes next week....but here is a websiet of the woman I

mentioned who was fused to the sacrum during salvage surgery by Dr

Boachie-Adjej, down in NYC:

www.scoliyogi.com

She didn't get " there " overnight...and I may never even get

close....but I am going to set the bar high and see what I can

achieve.

Hope this helps. Cam

[Guest guest]

Dear Jolynn,

If I had to make a guess I'd say the fusions, but I do have a lot of

hardware. You can look up my x-rays they are on the site under misc. Since

the majority of my spine is fused, only the cervical are left unfused, I

guess that makes me a little less mobile. I know from my first revision T-5

to

S-1, and my second revision T-1 to S-1, there seems to be a difference in

mobility and stiffness. Having just that little more fused seems to make me

more stiff in the torso, can affect your balance till you get used to it,

especially after being so twisted for so many years. I always get comments

on my beautiful posture since surgery, sometimes I'd just like to slump,

those days are over, I have metal and fusion induced good posture. Like I

said before, the whole not bending thing is really minor in the scope of

things!

[ ] Mobilty limitations after surgery

>>

>>

>> > What are the mobility limitations from revision surger? Can you

> twist

>> > and bend the same or are those things very limited? Not that I

> plan on

>> > doing gymnastics but I am just wondering if your whole body has

> to

>> > turn toward something.

>> >

>> > I know that not being in pain would outweigh the limitations but

> I am

>> > just wondering what they are.

>> >

>> > Jolynn

>> >

>> >

>> >

>> >

>> >

>> > scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates

>> >

[Guest guest]

Wow Cam and ,

Thanks for the very eye opening responses. Because of the Marfan

syndrome I have this causes my dural sack (the sack that holds the

fluid around your spine and brian) to weaken tremendously. I would

never be eligable for spinal injections for pain management and

orthopedist would be hesitant to touch me if it gets too weak (which

it will with age). I may already be at that point but only the DR

will know what he is capable of and whether or not it is too risky.

I don't know that I am in as much pain as others here seem to have

been/ be, but I have a pretty high pain tolerance so you never know.

I am just stuck between a rock and a hard place. I think my biggest

concern is will the revision last me until I am 70 or will 10 years

later they find some issue with that such as the harrington rods.

Only time will tell.

This is all so much to absorb. 2 months ago I was convinced my pain

was from wearing the wrong kind of shoes for 5 years (LOL). The

surgery and recovery would be a much bigger risk even 10 years down

the road for me. I am just really trying to wrap my brain around

everything. Can you go on a roller coaster or lay comfortably on the

beach? Sorry for the insesant questions. I am just trying to figure

out as much as I can before I go to the dr so I can get the most out

of my 7 minutes (the average amount spent actually with the DR).

Thank you all for reading and responding,

Jolynn

[Guest guest]

Joylynn,

It is all alot to absorb...but try to remember it is elective

surgery and even though you have a different timeline than most of

us, you still have time on your side since you are starting early.

Unrelenting, white hot pain is what got me to surgery....and I too

have a high threshold for pain. But your other questions will need a

serious chat with the Doctor....and if you consult Rand, I believe

you will find he gives you a lot more than 7 minutes...so I would

recommend you write down everything you want to ask.

If it is any confort...we all wonder if this " fix " is going to last

to the end of our days. I am 49...got 33 years out of the first

one...so if this one does as well....I should be okay. But I think a

lot will depend on being able to maintain a good weight and good

muscle and bone health. It's not all the docs doing.

I was never a roller coaster type...and though I suppose there is a

point in the future where it is possible...I would feel like there

might be a fair amount of chance of hurting something up where I am

not fused now since that is the only part of my back that could whip

around....so I probably wouldn't. I was on the beach all summer last

year at 5 months post op...no problem...boating too.

Ask as many questions as you can think of...we are here for you.

Take Care, Cam

[Guest guest]

---

Jolyn,

You can expect that Dr.Rand will spend more than 7 minutes with you.

He will answer all your questions as many times as you ask them. He

does not rush you. I think you will be very happy with him. Just come

armed with all your questions...,PA

In , " leominsterhsg "

<leominsterhsg@...> wrote:

>

> Wow Cam and ,

>

> Thanks for the very eye opening responses. Because of the Marfan

> syndrome I have this causes my dural sack (the sack that holds the

> fluid around your spine and brian) to weaken tremendously. I would

> never be eligable for spinal injections for pain management and

> orthopedist would be hesitant to touch me if it gets too weak

(which

> it will with age). I may already be at that point but only the DR

> will know what he is capable of and whether or not it is too risky.

>

> I don't know that I am in as much pain as others here seem to have

> been/ be, but I have a pretty high pain tolerance so you never

know.

> I am just stuck between a rock and a hard place. I think my biggest

> concern is will the revision last me until I am 70 or will 10 years

> later they find some issue with that such as the harrington rods.

> Only time will tell.

>

> This is all so much to absorb. 2 months ago I was convinced my pain

> was from wearing the wrong kind of shoes for 5 years (LOL). The

> surgery and recovery would be a much bigger risk even 10 years down

> the road for me. I am just really trying to wrap my brain around

> everything. Can you go on a roller coaster or lay comfortably on

the

> beach? Sorry for the insesant questions. I am just trying to

figure

> out as much as I can before I go to the dr so I can get the most

out

> of my 7 minutes (the average amount spent actually with the DR).

>

>

> Thank you all for reading and responding,

>

> Jolynn

>

[Guest guest]

Just to add to Cam's great response...

I am curious if others have experienced this....My thigh muscles keep

getting stronger (and bigger-- boo hoo)as I compensate. Sorry I don't

know what muscle group that is. My jeans are all too tight in the

thighs. I hate it.

Shopping for shoes is kind of interesting for me...I totally toppled

over in Marshall's one day. It was pretty funny-I must have looked like

a turtle on its back--flailing about to right myself. I have a shoehorn

with a long handle that helps at home. I need to track down a nail

clipper with an extension. I can manage to groom every toe, but

two...maybe if I work on my stretching....

I have almost no movement at all side to side but I can still bend at

the hips backward and forward. Do people really bend at the waist? I'm

serious. I don't remember...it's been so long. I think if that is so, I

lost the ability in my original fusion. When I was a kid, I could put

my toes on my chin, so I guess I did bend that way before.

If I forget who I am and run for the phone or something, I feel it

immediately. I guess I could run if it was an emergency. It would just

hurt.

I had problems getting in the car at first and sometimes now if I am

having a bad day. Not often.

I have found, for me, I need to find a balance between not enough

exercise and too much. When I walk or exercise too much I feel it

mostly in my SI joints. When I don't do enough I feel bad all over.

Water exercise is SO good. PErsonally, I have an extremely hard time

getting myself in the pool during the winter months.

I live in a third floor walk up which is starting to become an issue

for me. It hadn't been..probably because of those thigh muscles. This

may be due to my slacking off during the winter or it may be my SI

joints but regardless, I am now looking for a new home.

This is me at 11 months. It's different for everyone...Even though Cam

also has trouble trimming her toe nails, she just climbed a mountain in

snow shoes!! I also still take 10 mg of oxi 3x/day and she takes nada.

Best, Ann

[Guest guest]

Do people really bend at the waist?

Ann,

I had to question this myself, so I asked my husband to come in and do it. The answer is YES...and it looks really weird. He can actually bend only from the waist. BUT, he can't NOT bend at the waist, so I feel a bit of oneupmanship right now.

kam

[Guest guest]

Hi...

I couldn't find a picture of an xray of someone bending forward, but I

found plenty of photos of people bending by doing a Google image

search. They really all show that people bend at the hips and not the

waist (in the forward plane). (People without fused spines do bend

somewhat in the side and back planes.) Here's a typical picture:

http://www.spinalcareonline.com/images/toe_touch.gif

And, here's a drawing of a scoliosis patient bending forward:

http://www.fotosearch.com/LIF145/ped16021/

I think that if you think of it in terms of sitting, you'll see that

no one bends at the waist. If they could, they would be sitting on

the top part of their butt and not the bottom.

> Do people really bend at the waist?

>

> Ann,

>

> I had to question this myself, so I asked my husband to come in and do

> it. The answer is YES...and it looks really weird. He can actually bend

> only from the waist. BUT, he can't NOT bend at the waist, so I feel a

> bit of oneupmanship right now. []

>

> kam

>

[Guest guest]

People don't bend at the waist per se, not like a hinge, but notice in the picture posted of the normal woman bending, her lumbar spine is arched in what is effectively a kyphosis. So, while most of the bending is done at the hips, she is flexing her spine like a gooseneck lamp.

Without that lumbar flexibility (and to a lesser extent thoracic flexibility), the hips have a lot more work to do. And with the lumbar spine fused in a permanent lordosis, walking is facilitated, but bending at the hips is made more difficult.

Ellen Kiley has made a true accomplishment in that she can now hold her foot in her hand with a fused-in lumbar lordosis. I don't think everyone is able to be that flexible.

Sharon

[ ] Re: Mobilty limitations after surgery

> Hi...> > I couldn't find a picture of an xray of someone bending forward, but I> found plenty of photos of people bending by doing a Google image> search. They really all show that people bend at the hips and not the> waist (in the forward plane). (People without fused spines do bend> somewhat in the side and back planes.) Here's a typical picture:> > http://www.spinalcareonline.com/images/toe_touch.gif> > And, here's a drawing of a scoliosis patient bending forward:> > http://www.fotosearch.com/LIF145/ped16021/> > I think that if you think of it in terms of sitting, you'll see that> no one bends at the waist. If they could, they would be sitting on> the top part of their butt and not the bottom.> > > > >> Do people really bend at the waist?>> >> Ann,>> >> I had to question this myself, so I asked my husband to come in and do>> it. The answer is YES...and it looks really weird. He can actually bend>> only from the waist. BUT, he can't NOT bend at the waist, so I feel a>> bit of oneupmanship right now. []>> >> kam>>> > > > > > > scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates >

[Guest guest]

I just went back to Ellen Kileys site, and on this topic she says

that " I have compensated for rigidity in the spine by maximizing both

strength and flexibility in the shoulders and hips. "

So, depending on how high the fusion goes and what can be gained in

pelvic strength and flexibility, it is still nice to have a mental

picture of her in my head achieving such a fantastic pose. Most of us

never get there....but it is always nice to know there is a fair goal

to work toward! It is an amazing picure of her isn't it?

You gotta have goals...Cam

[Guest guest]

Hi Jolynn and Cam,

I agree with everything you said, Cam, except that bending to pick things up off the floor gets better and better with time. I can do it with the golfers bend and get lightweight stuff off the floor if it sticks up a bit. In other words, I can't get a flat piece of paper off the floor without a grabber, and a piece of ice is almost impossible, but I can get, say a tissue or paper towel if it's bunched up and a piece is sticking up a bit. I would say it took me about two years to be able to do that. But it is a strain and most times I use a grabber. It also took me a while, but I can tie my sneaker laces by putting my foot on the bath tub and bending the other knee down. And, yes, I stretch every day!

Thank you for the duct tape and piece of wood idea! I love it!

Bonnie

[ ] Re: Mobilty limitations after surgery

Jolynn,I will take a shot at your question at 13 months post op. however I will concur that where you end up mobility wise partly depends on where you began...in other words....I suspect that the higher up you were originally fused the less overall feeling you will have of being able to compensate easily for the long fusion.My original fusion was T4 - L4.....but loosing what little flexibility was left by fusing to the sacrum did require an adjustment. I would say that at this point I probably miss the twisting ability more than the bending I have lost. I am guessing that is because I am diligently working on stretching now...recognizing that if the bones won't bend then the only other thing that can compensate is my reach or stretch. Make sense?After fusion, as Kam was remembering the other day, I asked Dr Rand if the amount of lordosis I now have is the same that "ordinary" folks have...and I remarked that it was no wonder that there are so many low back problems because when I now sit in a chair they seem like they are mostly built for VERY slouchy people. He said that he has to make a decision to build a permanant position so he slightly favors the angles required for walking....so sitting, while it feels much better today than in the early going...just doesn't feel like the good old days when you could curl yourself into a cozy position and read a book or watch TV.Fusion to the sacrum means no more bending at the waist....ever. No more simply leaning over an picking up an item on the bottom shelf at the grocery store...dropped items mean you will leave some of them for awhile while you search out a grabber or wait for a helper to pick it up. Some things will fall in public places and you will just look people in the eye and walk away....because you are not going to kneel down in mud, or snow, or a puddle and get it. I can now get my pants, socks and shoes on...and even tie them a little sloppy. I do socks as shoes laying back on the bed and cross my foot to knee and it works. I have a little peiece of wood duct taped onto my razor (I LOVE duct tape) and I can manage my own shaving now. I will continue to baby myself with pedicures in the summer when good looking toes count...but this winter I have been able to stretch just enough to reach the toes for clipping. Again, you see...it isn't the back bending anymore...it is every other muscle and ligament giving you the abiltiy to get where you are trying to go!My source of inspiration these days is Ellen Kiley. I haven't done her workshop, an don't even know yet how much I will be allowed to "push" it in the coming year, I guess it mostly depends on how the CT scan goes next week....but here is a websiet of the woman I mentioned who was fused to the sacrum during salvage surgery by Dr Boachie-Adjej, down in NYC:www.scoliyogi.comShe didn't get "there" overnight...and I may never even get close....but I am going to set the bar high and see what I can achieve.Hope this helps. Cam

[Guest guest]

List to get at the store

1. Grabber (check walmart grab section)

2.duct tape

3. long pieces of wood.

>

> Hi Jolynn and Cam,

>

> I agree with everything you said, Cam, except that bending to pick

things up off the floor gets better and better with time. I can do

it with the golfers bend and get lightweight stuff off the floor if

it sticks up a bit. In other words, I can't get a flat piece of

paper off the floor without a grabber, and a piece of ice is almost

impossible, but I can get, say a tissue or paper towel if it's

bunched up and a piece is sticking up a bit. I would say it took me

about two years to be able to do that. But it is a strain and most

times I use a grabber. It also took me a while, but I can tie my

sneaker laces by putting my foot on the bath tub and bending the

other knee down. And, yes, I stretch every day!

>

> Thank you for the duct tape and piece of wood idea! I love it!

>

> Bonnie

> [ ] Re: Mobilty limitations after surgery

>

>

> Jolynn,

>

> I will take a shot at your question at 13 months post op.

however I

> will concur that where you end up mobility wise partly depends

on

> where you began...in other words....I suspect that the higher up

you

> were originally fused the less overall feeling you will have of

> being able to compensate easily for the long fusion.

>

> My original fusion was T4 - L4.....but loosing what little

> flexibility was left by fusing to the sacrum did require an

> adjustment. I would say that at this point I probably miss the

> twisting ability more than the bending I have lost. I am

guessing

> that is because I am diligently working on stretching

> now...recognizing that if the bones won't bend then the only

other

> thing that can compensate is my reach or stretch. Make sense?

>

> After fusion, as Kam was remembering the other day, I asked Dr

Rand

> if the amount of lordosis I now have is the same that " ordinary "

> folks have...and I remarked that it was no wonder that there are

so

> many low back problems because when I now sit in a chair they

seem

> like they are mostly built for VERY slouchy people. He said that

he

> has to make a decision to build a permanant position so he

slightly

> favors the angles required for walking....so sitting, while it

feels

> much better today than in the early going...just doesn't feel

like

> the good old days when you could curl yourself into a cozy

position

> and read a book or watch TV.

>

> Fusion to the sacrum means no more bending at the waist....ever.

No

> more simply leaning over an picking up an item on the bottom

shelf

> at the grocery store...dropped items mean you will leave some of

> them for awhile while you search out a grabber or wait for a

helper

> to pick it up. Some things will fall in public places and you

will

> just look people in the eye and walk away....because you are not

> going to kneel down in mud, or snow, or a puddle and get it.

>

> I can now get my pants, socks and shoes on...and even tie them a

> little sloppy. I do socks as shoes laying back on the bed and

cross

> my foot to knee and it works. I have a little peiece of wood

duct

> taped onto my razor (I LOVE duct tape) and I can manage my own

> shaving now. I will continue to baby myself with pedicures in

the

> summer when good looking toes count...but this winter I have

been

> able to stretch just enough to reach the toes for clipping.

Again,

> you see...it isn't the back bending anymore...it is every other

> muscle and ligament giving you the abiltiy to get where you are

> trying to go!

>

> My source of inspiration these days is Ellen Kiley. I haven't

done

> her workshop, an don't even know yet how much I will be allowed

> to " push " it in the coming year, I guess it mostly depends on

how

> the CT scan goes next week....but here is a websiet of the woman

I

> mentioned who was fused to the sacrum during salvage surgery by

Dr

> Boachie-Adjej, down in NYC:

>

> www.scoliyogi.com

>

> She didn't get " there " overnight...and I may never even get

> close....but I am going to set the bar high and see what I can

> achieve.

>

> Hope this helps. Cam

>

>

>

>

>

> scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

HI Ann, Cam, Jolynn, All,

I just found a La Cross toenail clipper that has a swivel head. Haven't tried it yet, but I think it will be a big help. Got it at Walgreen's. I am determined never to get a pedicure again. Last Spring, after pedicure I got a terribly infected ingrown toenail that required emergency nail surgery, soaking and topical antibiotic and bandaging twice a day for 6 weeks with my husband's help (you can imagine how much fun that was) and antibiotics by mouth. I couldn't walk properly for a few weeks. I decided that I will let a pedicurist change the color of my nails in the summer and I will do all else myself, somehow.

Bonnie

I

[ ] Re: Mobilty limitations after surgery

Just to add to Cam's great response...I am curious if others have experienced this....My thigh muscles keep getting stronger (and bigger-- boo hoo)as I compensate. Sorry I don't know what muscle group that is. My jeans are all too tight in the thighs. I hate it.Shopping for shoes is kind of interesting for me...I totally toppled over in Marshall's one day. It was pretty funny-I must have looked like a turtle on its back--flailing about to right myself. I have a shoehorn with a long handle that helps at home. I need to track down a nail clipper with an extension. I can manage to groom every toe, but two...maybe if I work on my stretching....I have almost no movement at all side to side but I can still bend at the hips backward and forward. Do people really bend at the waist? I'm serious. I don't remember...it's been so long. I think if that is so, I lost the ability in my original fusion. When I was a kid, I could put my toes on my chin, so I guess I did bend that way before.If I forget who I am and run for the phone or something, I feel it immediately. I guess I could run if it was an emergency. It would just hurt.I had problems getting in the car at first and sometimes now if I am having a bad day. Not often.I have found, for me, I need to find a balance between not enough exercise and too much. When I walk or exercise too much I feel it mostly in my SI joints. When I don't do enough I feel bad all over. Water exercise is SO good. PErsonally, I have an extremely hard time getting myself in the pool during the winter months. I live in a third floor walk up which is starting to become an issue for me. It hadn't been..probably because of those thigh muscles. This may be due to my slacking off during the winter or it may be my SI joints but regardless, I am now looking for a new home. This is me at 11 months. It's different for everyone...Even though Cam also has trouble trimming her toe nails, she just climbed a mountain in snow shoes!! I also still take 10 mg of oxi 3x/day and she takes nada.Best, Ann

[Guest guest]

I think I am going to get some back episodes of McGyver. In one week I

have figured out a million different uses for my handy dandy cane. I

hate to bend as it is so anything I can do to get out of it am game

for. Seeing all the different ways to adapt who needs bending?

Jolynn

[Guest guest]

Not to mention, with your hyper-mobile joints, once you're fused to the

sacrum you'll probably be able to pike at the hips just fine (after the

fusion is good and solid, of course!)

Sharon

[ ] Re: Mobilty limitations after surgery

>I think I am going to get some back episodes of McGyver. In one week I

> have figured out a million different uses for my handy dandy cane. I

> hate to bend as it is so anything I can do to get out of it am game

> for. Seeing all the different ways to adapt who needs bending?

>

> Jolynn

>

>

>

>

>

> scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates

>

[Guest guest]

I am sure i'll be ok. I have a 5 year old who is already halfway

down so she can be my bender

>

> Not to mention, with your hyper-mobile joints, once you're fused

to the

> sacrum you'll probably be able to pike at the hips just fine

(after the

> fusion is good and solid, of course!)

>

> Sharon

>

> [ ] Re: Mobilty limitations after surgery

>

>

> >I think I am going to get some back episodes of McGyver. In one

week I

> > have figured out a million different uses for my handy dandy

cane. I

> > hate to bend as it is so anything I can do to get out of it am

game

> > for. Seeing all the different ways to adapt who needs bending?

> >

> > Jolynn

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates

> >

[Guest guest]

I use my cane for all sorts. A favourite is upending it and using the handle to pick up a carrier bag of shopping if I've had to put it down for some reason. I also use it in the supermarket to hook things closer to me so that I can reach them, and in general to push thing shut or pull them open - especially on the train commuting, people will insist on leaving windows and doors open, and it saves getting up to deal with them and risking losing my balance if the train lurches.

titch-- " The older I grow the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom. " - H. L. Mencken

[Guest guest]

Titch,

Sometimes I use my cane to help close a car door. The tip of the cane fits well enough into the map slot on the door to bring a wide open door close enough to grab without trying to bend.

Bonnie

Re: [ ] Re: Mobilty limitations after surgery

I use my cane for all sorts. A favourite is upending it and using the handle to pick up a carrier bag of shopping if I've had to put it down for some reason. I also use it in the supermarket to hook things closer to me so that I can reach them, and in general to push thing shut or pull them open - especially on the train commuting, people will insist on leaving windows and doors open, and it saves getting up to deal with them and risking losing my balance if the train lurches.

titch-- "The older I grow the more I distrust the familiar doctrine that age brings wisdom." - H. L. Mencken