Guest guest Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 Lorrie Best of luck with your upcoming surgery. It sounds like you should do fine. By the way, I had my original surgery done at HSS also. I didn't have Dr. Levine, but a lot of other gals I met did. I met quite a few people during my 92 day stretch there. Dr. Doherty operated on me. I had my surgery in 1969. I'm glad that you got your old Xrays. I was told a few weeks ago that my surgical notes were not available anymore, that it had been too long. That makes me feel really old! Take care, Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2005 Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 Hi Bill, Thoughts and prayers are going out for you and your family! Ken.cammaltby <cammaltby@...> wrote: This is Bill (Lorrie's Husband) for those of you that don't know who I am.Lorrie was taken in to surgery at about 8:15am this morning. The Doctor said he will take a break at about noon and let me know how things are going. If all is good he will continue and finish today. Otherwise the surgery will be continued in about 10 days.-Bill FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 Dear sweet Lorrie, You make my heart ache I feel so badly that you are having a rough time. I hope after you get a chance to sit with Dr Boachie and go over your pain you will find a degree of confidence going forward. Even though I never had much post op pain, I do think the recovery is just the longest road...and if you are not feeling good and overwhelmed with Jill's needs, well, no wonder you feel blue. I don't really know anything about it, except what I have read here...but if you suspect anti-depressants might help...there is the added bonus that some combinations of pain meds work better alongside the anti-depressants...not because they treat underlying depression...but because of some magical drug interaction.....kinda like the Ambien thing and others were talking about. Maybe it is time to consider seeking more definitive help from a pain clinic if you don't feel you are getting anywhere soon? And I worry that you are not doing your walking or other prescribed rehab if you are feeling like caca and not covered with a babysitter...remember the endorphins are your friends!!! Don't let a downward spriral set in. At least spring days are only a few weeks away. Sending best wishes your way, Cam > > > Well, I worked from 10 am to 3 pm today and it went pretty well. > > I > > > am sitting in my recliner at present (and enjoying it) and waiting > > > for the temp to drop before I walk. I can't believe I am typing > > > that - it's gorgeous outside (81 degrees at 4:45 pm)! > > > > > > I have been having a lot of trouble with my sleep schedule and was > > > very concerned I'd be exhausted today. I tried the Ambien on Friday > > > night and couldn't necessarily tell if it made any difference until > > > Saturday morning - slept through my alarm and awoke to a phone call > > > inquiry as to why I wasn't at my 9 am appt. Ugh. Also, I think that > > > it gave me a headache. Saturday night, I cut the pill in half, but > > > still had a headache. Now it could be that the headache is a result > > > of the herbal cleanse that we started on Saturday, so I'm not > > giving > > > up completely, but I took a Tramadol (Ultram) last night instead of > > > my Norco and skipped the Ambien and I've felt really good all day. > > > So, it looks like I'm done with the narcotics for now and I'm > > > definitely holding off on the Ambien until our 10-day cleanse is > > > over. > > > > > > I'm scheduled to do a seminar on Wednesday, but have an alternate > > in > > > case I'm not up to it. Then, it's back to St. Louis on Monday for > > my > > > follow-up appt. Can it be? Amazing how quickly time flys. Of > > course, > > > I would have argued that two weeks ago... > > > > > > Today, I report that life after revision is pretty darn good! > > > > > > kam > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 Lorrie, Cam makes a good point. Some anti-depressants are actually used as stand-alone pain meds. Elavil is one that has helped me a lot. I haven't taken it FOR depression, but when I first started reducing the dosage I started feeling depressed, so I guess it was having some anti-depressant effect, as sort of a side-effect. Sharon [ ] Re: Lorrie > Dear sweet Lorrie, > > You make my heart ache I feel so badly that you are having a rough > time. I hope after you get a chance to sit with Dr Boachie and go > over your pain you will find a degree of confidence going forward. > Even though I never had much post op pain, I do think the recovery > is just the longest road...and if you are not feeling good and > overwhelmed with Jill's needs, well, no wonder you feel blue. > > I don't really know anything about it, except what I have read > here...but if you suspect anti-depressants might help...there is the > added bonus that some combinations of pain meds work better > alongside the anti-depressants...not because they treat underlying > depression...but because of some magical drug interaction.....kinda > like the Ambien thing and others were talking about. Maybe it > is time to consider seeking more definitive help from a pain clinic > if you don't feel you are getting anywhere soon? > > And I worry that you are not doing your walking or other prescribed > rehab if you are feeling like caca and not covered with a > babysitter...remember the endorphins are your friends!!! Don't let a > downward spriral set in. > > At least spring days are only a few weeks away. > > Sending best wishes your way, Cam > > > > > > > > > > > > >> > > Well, I worked from 10 am to 3 pm today and it went pretty > well. >> > I >> > > am sitting in my recliner at present (and enjoying it) and > waiting >> > > for the temp to drop before I walk. I can't believe I am > typing >> > > that - it's gorgeous outside (81 degrees at 4:45 pm)! >> > > >> > > I have been having a lot of trouble with my sleep schedule > and was >> > > very concerned I'd be exhausted today. I tried the Ambien on > Friday >> > > night and couldn't necessarily tell if it made any > difference until >> > > Saturday morning - slept through my alarm and awoke to a > phone call >> > > inquiry as to why I wasn't at my 9 am appt. Ugh. Also, I > think that >> > > it gave me a headache. Saturday night, I cut the pill in > half, but >> > > still had a headache. Now it could be that the headache is a > result >> > > of the herbal cleanse that we started on Saturday, so I'm > not >> > giving >> > > up completely, but I took a Tramadol (Ultram) last night > instead of >> > > my Norco and skipped the Ambien and I've felt really good > all day. >> > > So, it looks like I'm done with the narcotics for now and > I'm >> > > definitely holding off on the Ambien until our 10-day > cleanse is >> > > over. >> > > >> > > I'm scheduled to do a seminar on Wednesday, but have an > alternate >> > in >> > > case I'm not up to it. Then, it's back to St. Louis on > Monday for >> > my >> > > follow-up appt. Can it be? Amazing how quickly time flys. Of >> > course, >> > > I would have argued that two weeks ago... >> > > >> > > Today, I report that life after revision is pretty darn good! >> > > >> > > kam >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision > candidates >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 Lorrie, I really didn't realize to recently how much work you had done. I just want to say again that I am happy to hear that you are doing better. Ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 Ann I know! I was also surprised at how much my surgery entailed. I'm doing better but sometimes my body absorbs a little too much of the Fentanyl patch I'm wearing for pain. Yesterday I felt nauseous and had a terrible headache. It happens once in a while - my skin must absorb more than it should. I asked my GP about it and he said in a perfect world it would dispense an even amount over the 3 day period I wear the patch but sometimes the capillary action or the PH of my skin may make it absorb differently. I can't wait to go down in the milligram of the patch. I see the GP in 2 weeks and I want to go down to the 25 mg. and take percocet when needed. Thanks for keeping up with my saga. Lorrie [ ] Re: Lorrie Lorrie, I really didn't realize to recently how much work you had done. I just want to say again that I am happy to hear that you are doing better. Ann scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 Lorrie, if you don't mind sharing, I'm curious as to why your revision required thoracic work. Do you know? Sharon [ ] Re: Lorrie > > Lorrie, I really didn't realize to recently how much work you had done. > I just want to say again that I am happy to hear that you are doing > better. Ann > > > > > > scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 6, 2006 Report Share Posted April 6, 2006 Sharon - I don't really know exactly why - I should have asked Dr. Boachie that question. I know the ribs grew back in the area where they were taken out in the 1st thorocoplasty - so maybe in order to flatten my back (a pun?) he redid the thorocoplasty. Also, I think he used that bone for my fusion. Since I have hip displasia he didn't want to take bone from my hip. I think he used the rib bone. Lorrie Re: [ ] Re: Lorrie Lorrie, if you don't mind sharing, I'm curious as to why your revision required thoracic work. Do you know? Sharon [ ] Re: Lorrie > > Lorrie, I really didn't realize to recently how much work you had done. > I just want to say again that I am happy to hear that you are doing > better. Ann > > > > > > scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 7, 2006 Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 Sharon, My revision surgery also involved the thoracic region. The HRod was removed and new hardware starts at T-10. Each patient is different. This isn't cookie cutter surgery. Bonnie [ ] Re: Lorrie>> Lorrie, I really didn't realize to recently how much work you had done.> I just want to say again that I am happy to hear that you are doing> better. Ann>>>>>> scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 7, 2006 Report Share Posted April 7, 2006 Bonnie, I know it is far from cookie cutter surgery. I do get the feeling certain docs have preferred ways of operating, and I've noticed that they seem to shy away from thoracic surgery if they can avoid it. My congenital issues start about T9, so I am wondering just what my custom cookie will hold! Sharon [ ] Re: Lorrie>> Lorrie, I really didn't realize to recently how much work you had done.> I just want to say again that I am happy to hear that you are doing> better. Ann>>>>>> scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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