Bending

[Guest guest]

I went grocery shopping by myself yesterday, and I realized that even

if I went to a store that bagged the groceries and carries them out to

the car for me, I still won't be able to shop by myself after the

surgery. You still have to bend over to put the groceries on the belt!!

That didn't make me too happy!!

Carol V.

[Guest guest]

Carol...

While there’s no question that you’ll be very limited in what you can do in the early postop period, you can actually use your grabber (which will become your best friend) to get things out of a shopping cart without bending. And, I’m guessing that most grocery stores would be happy to have an employee help you as well.

While I think it’s OK to complain about what you won’t be able to do postop, I have some concern about you going into surgery with really negative feelings about what you won’t be able to do. If, indeed, you feel like your family isn’t going to step up to the plate to help you after your surgery, I think you should think long and hard before signing up. Maybe you can convince your husband to talk to another member’s spouse, to see what you can and cannot do in the early postop period.

Regards,

On 10/22/06 6:58 PM, " Carol " <dcvaughan@...> wrote:

I went grocery shopping by myself yesterday, and I realized that even

if I went to a store that bagged the groceries and carries them out to

the car for me, I still won't be able to shop by myself after the

surgery. You still have to bend over to put the groceries on the belt!!

That didn't make me too happy!!

Carol V.

[Guest guest]

Dear Carol,

Hard to say, but in recovery you just have to ask for help. Our full service Grocery store still takes the groceries from the cart for you, but at a store like Albertson's who have the conveyor belt, but bags and takes it to the car, you will just have to ask for help unloading the cart, the baggers will be more than happy to do it, I know from experience, all you have to do is ask. Carol, I know going into this whole thing is scary, loss of independance seems really hard, but it's only for a awhile. Don't let it get the best of you, in a lot of ways the anticipation of the loss is worse than what actually happens. I had three recovery periods in two calendar years, and with a little adaption I made it through. Believe me the reduction in pain this surgery provides far outweighs the the sacrifices in independance that you go through in recovery. When you are fused to the sacrum you will always after surgery have to make adjustments for a very fused body. I unload my groceries sometimes in my car, but never allow the baggers to put groceries on the bottom rack that would reguire me to do a deep knee bend to get them. The stores I shop at are well aware of my limitations, and if I get a new person I just explain. Unfortunately, after revision, you will have some limitations, but for me having the pain gone was worth the limitations, and while I'd love to be able to bend, it's not worth fretting about and I deal with what I have left. Carol, know that people who get the opportunity to help you grow from giving the help, that now that they know someone who needs the help you do they will be kinder to the next person they know that needs help. Your family will surprise you, they will step up to the plate, they will have to. If they need someone to talk to thats been through it, I'm sure my kids and husband could answer their questions by e-Mail.

[ ] Bending

I went grocery shopping by myself yesterday, and I realized that even if I went to a store that bagged the groceries and carries them out to the car for me, I still won't be able to shop by myself after the surgery. You still have to bend over to put the groceries on the belt!! That didn't make me too happy!!Carol V.

[Guest guest]

Dear Carol,

I know the type of grocery store you speak of, we had something like it when we lived in Modesto, I believe it was called Food4Less. We have Grocery Warehouse out here, but they are an Albertson's with less frills, and the prices are the same. California of all the states we have lived in have tons of Grocery options, glad it seems they have more than one that might fit your need during the recovery process. I know what you mean about the loss of independence, hard for me, I'm kinda a type A personality, no one can do things around the house as well as me. I guess with five years under my belt with being fused to the sacrum, I have the advantage of knowing it all works itself out. There is very little I can't do, or won't do because I will hurt myself. I was VERY limited on what I could do before the surgery, could only walk to the end of my short driveway to get mail, and then I had to sit down to have the pain resolve on a bad day. I couldn't wait in line at the store, standing was way too painful, had been known to leave because the pain was too bad and the line too long. So I understand. Now after the surgeries, I wait in line, and walk all I want, and my head is up level and I can see the pretty sky we have out here in Colorado, all such gifts! You have to keep your eyes on the prize. The others stuff while difficult, works itself out with tools and adaption. I'm actually able to do more after surgery than I could before ( like walking, and standing), and so I can't bend, not a big letdown in the scope of things. Carol it's good to plan and know what things will be like afterwards, this is a huge recovery, and it takes a good long while. I think it's easy to get caught up in the" I won't be able to do's", but know the " I will be able to do's" far outweigh those for me. I feel like I got back my ability to live a full life. Pain changes a person, and for me very negatively, and I'm so thankful to Dr. Kumar for his skill that let me lay that burden aside. Being way on the other side of all this surgery and recovery allows me to see it all in the grand picture, you are just at the beginning so I see how it's hard to get your brain wrapped around it. Take your recovery one day at a time, and know for most it's better each month, you can do more and feel better. As I always say this recovery is a marathon not a sprint, and time brings gifts.

[ ] Bending> > > I went grocery shopping by myself yesterday, and I realized that even > if I went to a store that bagged the groceries and carries them out to > the car for me, I still won't be able to shop by myself after the > surgery. You still have to bend over to put the groceries on the belt!! > That didn't make me too happy!!> > Carol V.>

[Guest guest]

,

Great words of wisdom..Missy. Glad you passed it on.

> >

> > Dear Carol,

> >

> > Hard to say, but in recovery you just have to ask for help. Our

> full service Grocery store still takes the groceries from the

cart

> for you, but at a store like Albertson's who have the conveyor

belt,

> but bags and takes it to the car, you will just have to ask for

help

> unloading the cart, the baggers will be more than happy to do it,

I

> know from experience, all you have to do is ask. Carol, I know

going

> into this whole thing is scary, loss of independance seems really

> hard, but it's only for a awhile. Don't let it get the best of

you,

> in a lot of ways the anticipation of the loss is worse than what

> actually happens. I had three recovery periods in two calendar

years,

> and with a little adaption I made it through. Believe me the

> reduction in pain this surgery provides far outweighs the the

> sacrifices in independance that you go through in recovery. When

you

> are fused to the sacrum you will always after surgery have to

make

> adjustments for a very fused body. I unload my groceries

sometimes in

> my car, but never allow the baggers to put groceries on the

bottom

> rack that would reguire me to do a deep knee bend to get them.

The

> stores I shop at are well aware of my limitations, and if I get a

new

> person I just explain. Unfortunately, after revision, you will

have

> some limitations, but for me having the pain gone was worth the

> limitations, and while I'd love to be able to bend, it's not

worth

> fretting about and I deal with what I have left. Carol, know that

> people who get the opportunity to help you grow from giving the

help,

> that now that they know someone who needs the help you do they

will

> be kinder to the next person they know that needs help. Your

family

> will surprise you, they will step up to the plate, they will have

to.

> If they need someone to talk to thats been through it, I'm sure

my

> kids and husband could answer their questions by e-Mail.

> >

> >

> >

> > [ ] Bending

> >

> >

> > I went grocery shopping by myself yesterday, and I realized

that

> even

> > if I went to a store that bagged the groceries and carries them

> out to

> > the car for me, I still won't be able to shop by myself after

the

> > surgery. You still have to bend over to put the groceries on

the

> belt!!

> > That didn't make me too happy!!

> >

> > Carol V.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I was feeling so good a couple of weeks ago that I forgot not to

bend. I reached forward to feel if something was wet and as soon as

I bent, it hurt and I stopped.

I had an appointment to see the doctor a couple of days later and he

said my xrays look fine and that everything would probably be ok.

He said " it happens "

I do have a little pain in my lower left hip now if I sneeze or cough

or forget to stand up straight -- like if I duck my head to put on a

shirt or wash my hair since my shoulder hurts. It is just a little

pain and goes away about as quickly as it comes.

I really hope that it didn't cause any permanent damage.

>

> I'm just curious, how many of you after revision surgery, actually

bent over without thinking about and then realized, " Oh drats, I'm

not supposed to do that! " ?

>

> Has everyone actually broken the rule by accident?

>

> Peggy

>

[Guest guest]

I don't plan to bend but yesterday I dropped something and reached down to pick it up without even thinking about it. After I did I felt worried although I never heard anything pop or crack and nothing felt different. It didn't even hurt when I bent over. I figure they put things in there pretty good just in case we slip up so that we don't do damage. I think I need to buy more grabbers so I have one in each room. Some things I leave for my husband to pick up and other things I have to go find the grabber. I just hope I haven't damaged anything! I am pretty flexible like Kam and I can put my ankle on my opposite knee to put my socks on without bending over. I make sure that I feel no pressure in my lower back when I'm doing it too.

Peggy

[ ] bending

I'm just curious, how many of you after revision surgery, actually bent over without thinking about and then realized, "Oh drats, I'm not supposed to do that!"?

Has everyone actually broken the rule by accident?

Peggy

[Guest guest]

I have also noticed that I sometimes sleep with my legs bent at less

than a 90 degree angle -- hopefully not too much

and many places to sit (including the passenger seat of my husband's

car) result in the knees being slightly above the hips. On long

trips, I try to stretch my legs out but I am having a hard time

adjusting to the fact that I can lean back now without pain.

> >

> > I'm just curious, how many of you after revision surgery,

actually

> bent over without thinking about and then realized, " Oh drats, I'm

not

> supposed to do that! " ?

> >

> > Has everyone actually broken the rule by accident?

> >

> > Peggy

> >

>

[Guest guest]

HI Peggy,

I know you're getting this advice from your doc, but it seems so early to me, especially since there are folks who have hurt themselves by bending too early. I mean, why rush it? And I, personally, do not think anyone should have touching their toes as a goal. Why bother? Besides, Kam is the only person I have ever heard of who can touch their toes post op.

Bonnie

[ ] bending

According to my manual, I can start bending on Thursday as long as I don't strain. I can't bend far enough to touch my toes until 3 months post-op.

Peggy