Re: -recovery

[Guest guest]

,

I know you are having a crummy day. If it is any consolation, I was

warned, and I have warned others, that there often is a 6 week " wall "

that a lot of folks hit. I don't really know what it is but it seems

fairly common. I remember Lorrie posted about the 6 week blues too. I

had to go back and look and count and I see that you are just coming

into your 6th week. Hmmm.

You know it is really a transition time coming on. You are just about

over the trauma part of your surgery. You are healing, your body has

gotten through a huge, huge physical assault and is still dealing with

rebuilding bone and blood. A huge task. And you feel tired and have

all the side effects from the drugs to deal with. And for some crazy

reason, even though everyone was hopefully well warned that you would

be recovering for a year or more....at 5 weeks they are a little

bored or tierd of dealing with " the needy patient " , or so it

seems, and you find yourself having to actually ask for help. And you

are hurt and surprised that people's memories are soooooo short.

Didn't you just have a near death experience for cryin out loud?

That is why we are here. To cheer you on and help you help yourself.

Do not let other peoples expectations bring you down. You know

yourself what you have gone through and what the doctor told you to

expect in healing. And you have the benefit of all our experience. Not

one of us was up and back to our lives at 5.5 weeks!!!

I wanted to look back so I reread my own log entries befor I posted to

you tonight to make sure my memory is correct. It was great to have a

written record to look back on and I encourage you to post often about

your specific recovery (or write it privately to just yourself if you

prefer), so that you can see how far you have come. I do think it

gives everyone help in seeing these kinds of posts.

It is a post for another time....but here I am at 15 months and I have

had yet another uptick in strength and ability....and it is

noticible...so please do not get discouraged so early on. You have a

lot of healing ahead of you and it will happen in fits and starts,

Days will go by when nothing seems to change and then all of a sudden

that deep bone ache/pain in your spine when you jiggle in the car will

be gone and you will wonder when it happened. It just does. Very

Slowly. All of it.

Be kind to yourself. Take it slow and easy, and know that we are all

here to listen and help.

Cam

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

First off, everything you are feeling right now is totally normal, just

hard. I was teary, I just think it was my bodies coping skill for handling

the assault to my body. I became peri-menopausal during my healing and I'm

sure it made me pleasant as hell, hot flashes, and moody. I remember about

this time period after surgery just shaking a fist at God and telling him "

What next! " Thankfully it did pass, but the six week stage was like hitting

a wall for me. Everyone expects you to be " All Better " , but with this large

surgery, it just flat takes more time. Better days are coming, easy for me

to say, but true.

What Cam says about healing is so true, I'm three and a half years out now,

and things like energy, coping skills with a very fused body, and even

numbness are still at this point getting better. This last month my very

numb back following my last surgery, has gotten very much better. Kumar said

my back was numb due to nerves being assaulted during my total of four

spinal surgeries through the years. He said if it didn't come back in six

months it was very unlikely it would. Well first my shoulder blades came

back, and then last week my sides of my back came back. Now I only have

numbness running down my incision area and about three inches out on both

sides. A huge inprovement for me!

This healing thing unfortunately isn't a sprint but a marathon. They'll be

up's and downs, and then magically you'll hit a spot where you are

remarkedly better. I wish I had kept a journal like Cam, but you all going

through this are sure blessed by having her's to go back to on the site.

Know that we all have been there, but it's just a bad stage. Hopefully

you'll get over your sinus infection, I'm sure thats drawing down your

healing right now, hopefully they have you on some good antibiotics for

that. I'm sending you a hug over the internet, you sure sound like you need

one! Have someone rent you some funny movies, laughing through this always

helps.And vent with us, nobody " Gets it " like we do, and we are always here

to support!!!!

[ ] Re: -recovery

,

I know you are having a crummy day. If it is any consolation, I was

warned, and I have warned others, that there often is a 6 week " wall "

that a lot of folks hit. I don't really know what it is but it seems

fairly common. I remember Lorrie posted about the 6 week blues too. I

had to go back and look and count and I see that you are just coming

into your 6th week. Hmmm.

You know it is really a transition time coming on. You are just about

over the trauma part of your surgery. You are healing, your body has

gotten through a huge, huge physical assault and is still dealing with

rebuilding bone and blood. A huge task. And you feel tired and have

all the side effects from the drugs to deal with. And for some crazy

reason, even though everyone was hopefully well warned that you would

be recovering for a year or more....at 5 weeks they are a little

bored or tierd of dealing with " the needy patient " , or so it

seems, and you find yourself having to actually ask for help. And you

are hurt and surprised that people's memories are soooooo short.

Didn't you just have a near death experience for cryin out loud?

That is why we are here. To cheer you on and help you help yourself.

Do not let other peoples expectations bring you down. You know

yourself what you have gone through and what the doctor told you to

expect in healing. And you have the benefit of all our experience. Not

one of us was up and back to our lives at 5.5 weeks!!!

I wanted to look back so I reread my own log entries befor I posted to

you tonight to make sure my memory is correct. It was great to have a

written record to look back on and I encourage you to post often about

your specific recovery (or write it privately to just yourself if you

prefer), so that you can see how far you have come. I do think it

gives everyone help in seeing these kinds of posts.

It is a post for another time....but here I am at 15 months and I have

had yet another uptick in strength and ability....and it is

noticible...so please do not get discouraged so early on. You have a

lot of healing ahead of you and it will happen in fits and starts,

Days will go by when nothing seems to change and then all of a sudden

that deep bone ache/pain in your spine when you jiggle in the car will

be gone and you will wonder when it happened. It just does. Very

Slowly. All of it.

Be kind to yourself. Take it slow and easy, and know that we are all

here to listen and help.

Cam

scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates

[Guest guest]

Dear susan,

Thanks for the camaraderie. Three years out and you are still

posting to the newbies, I think that is so wonderful. The only time

I think of the numbness is when my hunnie washes my back. There are

whole sections of my back that have no feeling. To bad though we can

feel the incision and what is going on underneath that. I was

somewhat familiar with numbness though because it took three years

to get the sensation back on the tip of my nose after reconstruction

so I am not sure on the six month deadline. So, Ok, I hit the wall.

I will drag myself back up and hopefully, I will feel better soon.

The antibiotic, Z-pac seems to have broken up the mass in my sinuses

at least it is constantly running now. I have high hope of it

clearing soon. I am a strong believer in God and just this morning

at 3am, while damp with sweat was I thinking; I had let a bit of my

prayer life go, while in this misery and prayed for getting it back.

It is the hardest marathon I have ever run. I even think, in some

ways it is harder than what I went through with the first surgery.

Emotionally, I think it is harder but definitely not harder in any

other way.

Anyway, thanks for the vote of confidence and support.

>

> Dear ,

>

> First off, everything you are feeling right now is totally normal,

just

> hard. I was teary, I just think it was my bodies coping skill for

handling

> the assault to my body. I became peri-menopausal during my healing

and I'm

> sure it made me pleasant as hell, hot flashes, and moody. I

remember about

> this time period after surgery just shaking a fist at God and

telling him "

> What next! " Thankfully it did pass, but the six week stage was

like hitting

> a wall for me. Everyone expects you to be " All Better " , but with

this large

> surgery, it just flat takes more time. Better days are coming,

easy for me

> to say, but true.

>

> What Cam says about healing is so true, I'm three and a half years

out now,

> and things like energy, coping skills with a very fused body, and

even

> numbness are still at this point getting better. This last month

my very

> numb back following my last surgery, has gotten very much better.

Kumar said

> my back was numb due to nerves being assaulted during my total of

four

> spinal surgeries through the years. He said if it didn't come back

in six

> months it was very unlikely it would. Well first my shoulder

blades came

> back, and then last week my sides of my back came back. Now I only

have

> numbness running down my incision area and about three inches out

on both

> sides. A huge inprovement for me!

>

> This healing thing unfortunately isn't a sprint but a marathon.

They'll be

> up's and downs, and then magically you'll hit a spot where you are

> remarkedly better. I wish I had kept a journal like Cam, but you

all going

> through this are sure blessed by having her's to go back to on the

site.

> Know that we all have been there, but it's just a bad stage.

Hopefully

> you'll get over your sinus infection, I'm sure thats drawing down

your

> healing right now, hopefully they have you on some good

antibiotics for

> that. I'm sending you a hug over the internet, you sure sound like

you need

> one! Have someone rent you some funny movies, laughing through

this always

> helps.And vent with us, nobody " Gets it " like we do, and we are

always here

> to support!!!!

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Cam

I definitely hit the 6 week wall, maybe a little early. It must be

pretty bad when I am telling hunnie not to bother to try and make me

laugh. Let's see besides being pinned to the house which drives me

crazy. I was always an out and about type of gal. Home is rest,

sleep and food, all else takes place somewhere else and I can't get

there. I have to ask hunnie to take me for a ride. Oh ya, and who

prepares you for the 24/7 with the same person, in and out. I love

him to death but I was not prepared for it. The new meds, work if I

take 2 which is allowed. I still have the weepies but then again, I

know now that is depression. And yes, having to have to ask my

family to come see me or take me out is way too hard for me. I can

not help but be disappointed at them for getting on with their lives

and leaving me here, especially now that I can leave the house. I am

just too embarrassed to ask. Even the ones who were giving my hunny

a break, helping clean or taking my son for a while have stopped.

They still manage to call though and let me know what fun they are

having.

Unfortunately, instead of looking at this as oh, 6 weeks, half way

there to the initial 3 months oh, there is light. I think, oh my

God, how will I ever get through the second 6 weeks of this madness.

I hope all you say is true Cam. I hope the pain will dissipate. I

hope I can drive soon. I hope I can work at least 10 hours by mid

June. I hope to get to my camp soon. I just want to feel better.

>

> ,

>

> I know you are having a crummy day. If it is any consolation, I

was

> warned, and I have warned others, that there often is a 6

week " wall "

> that a lot of folks hit. I don't really know what it is but it

seems

> fairly common. I remember Lorrie posted about the 6 week blues

too. I

> had to go back and look and count and I see that you are just

coming

> into your 6th week. Hmmm.

>

> You know it is really a transition time coming on. You are just

about

> over the trauma part of your surgery. You are healing, your body

has

> gotten through a huge, huge physical assault and is still dealing

with

> rebuilding bone and blood. A huge task. And you feel tired and

have

> all the side effects from the drugs to deal with. And for some

crazy

> reason, even though everyone was hopefully well warned that you

would

> be recovering for a year or more....at 5 weeks they are a little

> bored or tierd of dealing with " the needy patient " , or so

it

> seems, and you find yourself having to actually ask for help. And

you

> are hurt and surprised that people's memories are soooooo short.

> Didn't you just have a near death experience for cryin out loud?

>

> That is why we are here. To cheer you on and help you help

yourself.

> Do not let other peoples expectations bring you down. You know

> yourself what you have gone through and what the doctor told you

to

> expect in healing. And you have the benefit of all our experience.

Not

> one of us was up and back to our lives at 5.5 weeks!!!

>

> I wanted to look back so I reread my own log entries befor I

posted to

> you tonight to make sure my memory is correct. It was great to

have a

> written record to look back on and I encourage you to post often

about

> your specific recovery (or write it privately to just yourself if

you

> prefer), so that you can see how far you have come. I do think it

> gives everyone help in seeing these kinds of posts.

>

> It is a post for another time....but here I am at 15 months and I

have

> had yet another uptick in strength and ability....and it is

> noticible...so please do not get discouraged so early on. You have

a

> lot of healing ahead of you and it will happen in fits and starts,

> Days will go by when nothing seems to change and then all of a

sudden

> that deep bone ache/pain in your spine when you jiggle in the car

will

> be gone and you will wonder when it happened. It just does. Very

> Slowly. All of it.

>

> Be kind to yourself. Take it slow and easy, and know that we are

all

> here to listen and help.

> Cam

>

[Guest guest]

,

Well, I am not a doctor, so I can't say for sure....but each and

every one of us has felt better over time...so I am pretty confident

you will too!

I had my husband home 24/7 for 3 months after surgery because he

triggered his FMLA leave....at about 2-1/2 months he would have gone

back to work...as a pilot and away for 3-5 days at a time...so I

figure you can't be far off from that.

If you are going stir crazy, and no one is available to take you

somewhere, call a cab and go to the hair salon or nail salon for a

pedicure and waxing. Do something for yourself....you deserve it!

How 'bout a babysitter and the honey and you go to a movie this

weekend. Bring a good sized squishy pillow and go see something new!

Or another fun thing we did when I was early in the healing was get

a recent release of a DVD and all get in bed for family movie night.

Add a little popcorn and voila! Party.

If your incisisions are all well healed and you have permission from

your doctor, maybe a family trip to the nearest fancy hotel that has

a nice pool/spa? If they allow day use, your son and husband can

swim and you can enjoy a hot soak in the hottub.

Or, if you can't go to the party, the party will have to come to

you. Invite a couple or two over, order up chinese and put out the

paper plates. No one is going to fault you for your

housekeeping...so take advantage of it!

I know I am a " half full " kind of person, and I know not everyone is

built this way, but if you are feeling out of sorts, I still

recommend focusing on what you CAN do...not what you can't.

Before you know it, summer will be here, school will be out, you

will be driving and you will begin to see a whole new level of

progress.

Take care, Cam

[Guest guest]

Cam,

I am sure better days are ahead but sometimes knuckleheads like

myself get stuck in the emotional moment. Thanks for the support and

suggestions.

>

> ,

>

> Well, I am not a doctor, so I can't say for sure....but each and

> every one of us has felt better over time...so I am pretty

confident

> you will too!

>

> I had my husband home 24/7 for 3 months after surgery because he

> triggered his FMLA leave....at about 2-1/2 months he would have

gone

> back to work...as a pilot and away for 3-5 days at a time...so I

> figure you can't be far off from that.

>

> If you are going stir crazy, and no one is available to take you

> somewhere, call a cab and go to the hair salon or nail salon for a

> pedicure and waxing. Do something for yourself....you deserve it!

>

> How 'bout a babysitter and the honey and you go to a movie this

> weekend. Bring a good sized squishy pillow and go see something

new!

> Or another fun thing we did when I was early in the healing was

get

> a recent release of a DVD and all get in bed for family movie

night.

> Add a little popcorn and voila! Party.

>

> If your incisisions are all well healed and you have permission

from

> your doctor, maybe a family trip to the nearest fancy hotel that

has

> a nice pool/spa? If they allow day use, your son and husband can

> swim and you can enjoy a hot soak in the hottub.

>

> Or, if you can't go to the party, the party will have to come to

> you. Invite a couple or two over, order up chinese and put out the

> paper plates. No one is going to fault you for your

> housekeeping...so take advantage of it!

>

> I know I am a " half full " kind of person, and I know not everyone

is

> built this way, but if you are feeling out of sorts, I still

> recommend focusing on what you CAN do...not what you can't.

>

> Before you know it, summer will be here, school will be out, you

> will be driving and you will begin to see a whole new level of

> progress.

>

> Take care, Cam

>