almost 3 months post-op from surgery July 9th

[Guest guest]

I am so thankful for this site because reading what you guys are

going through helps me to see how I am not alone...yet different at

the same time in other areas. It's nice to compare and SO nice to

talk with people who REALLY " get it " ! Honestly - you guys are so

right - People really don't understand or get it how long a recovery

this is and how big a surgery it is. BUT - at the same time I don't

want anybody to keep hearing how hard it is and get scared off and

decided it's not for them. Everybody does have to do what is best

for themselves - I for one wanted to know EVERY DETAIL of my surgery

and exactly what to expect and to be prepared for it and I honestly

think that is the reason I have been able to get through this as well

as to be expected. So far - I can honestly say with a pure heart

that even as hard as this has been and the most difficult thing I

have ever gone through....I would do it again if for the main reason

I am standing straight again and THAT in itself has taken a lot of I

pain away. Just wanted to throw taall of that in -as I have been

doin a lot of thinking while " laid up in the bed " so much.

I am almost 3 months post-op and here are some of my issues and some

things I got from doctor as I was preparing for this.

1. They (Orthopaedic and Neurosurgeon) debated about going

Anterior/posterior OR just Posterior with me and decided NOT to go in

my front mainly because I already have had someone go in my front

when I had my original fusion done in '94 (they went in the front and

6 days later they went in the back). My surgeon said there were just

too many blood vessels in there and scar tissue from having gone in

that way before and that they felt they could do it all through the

back - and in this situation - they did and it worked.

2. I can't believe how many different kinds of braces there are for

this and can't understand how a doctor chooses one over the other and

why?...I was looking at pictures of you and some braces are like

small strips that go across here or there and some are in smaller

braces. I know it's up to each doctor and the exact surgery

performed. I am fused from T10 to the sacrum and my osteotomy was at

L2 and L4 and my brace is that hard white plastic thing that goes

right under my armpits and across the chest (front is actually the

shape of my breasts with two humps - and it goes down past my hips

and then I have the leg cuff taht comes down to my knee on my right

leg. It is SO uncomfortable and when I sit it cuts off ciruculation

in my arms and my thighs! It is also so difficult to walk in and

it's supposed to keep my pelvis from not moving as much.

3. I am also trying to step down from the Oxycontin ER - I started

at 40 mg morning and then 40 at night for the first 6 weeks or so and

then went down to 20 mg morning and 20 at night and then this past

Thursday I dropped down to 10 mg but my pain management doctor said

to take it 3 times a day - I have been used to every 12 hours - dumb

me didn't get it that NOW I should be taking it every 8 hours (thus 3

times a day) and I suffered withdrawals Sunday night that I have

never experienced - I had restless BODY syndrome, I was freezing and

had chill bumps all over my body and was sweating a ton at the same

time - My heart was racing and my stomach felt very nervous and I got

diarreah. I also just wanted to cry and felt my first ever feeling of

serious depression like a huge cloud over me - and I got really

agitated with my kids and dog and lost my temper (I apologized to

them) I STILL didn't put it all together that it was my meds doing

this (I am not used to taking Oxycontin ER even though I have had 6

major spine surgeries). So my husband told me I was probably already

addicted to the meds (I read you can get addicted after only one week

of being on Oxycontin) and you can't just stop it cold turkey and you

HAVE to step down...and you can start to feel the withdrawal effects

just 45 minutes after being late etc. So I called my doctor and he

told me to stay on a regular schedule and gave me Xanax (low dosage)

to help with the stepping down. I use Percocet every once in a while

at night for breakthrough. I hate pain meds and my goal is to get

completely off of it all one day soon!

I feel better now - but I NEVER want to experience that again. I

felt terrible! I am feeling my pain more now since I have stepped

down - it's surgery pain - like the bottom of my butt just hurts and

aches (maybe it's the pelvis?? - could it be the screws?? or the fact

my pelvis was moved and turned up with rods and screws holding it in

place)

4. My body is used to that brace and when I take it off to get in

the shower my muscles are weak and I feel like I am going to collapse.

5. I LOVE my posture and my arch. I love to stand with my brace off

(for a second of course) and lean on one hip WITH MY LEGS STRAIGHT

and just standing period! It feels soooo weird now - like I'm

sitting back actually and on my heels and for the first time in so

long my weight is over my hips and its like I'm sitting in my pelvis

and standing at the same time and just feels so comfortable and

BALANCED instead of leaning so forward. THAT really did numbers for

my self esteem.

6. My upper stomach really sticks out...uugghh - I hope that goes

away more with exercise and muscle building. Maybe it has always

stuck out but leaning forward hid it. Now that I am upright I really

notice it. And YES - my butt has a curve now. Clothes fit better

and my old one's fit looser.

7. I agree - your family MUST know and read up on EVERYTHING you are

going to go through - because they have to be with you through the

long haul. I have a great husband and family support - I don't

complain too much (that is just the way I am - but when I need to -

they are patient and listen and encourage me.

8. I could NOT make it without a CNA who comes 4 hours a day 5 days

a week to do my laundry, clean my house, etc etc. I have 3 boys

(12,9 and 6) and it's the ONLY way I feel in control right now. Also

my church gives a meals every Wed and Sunday (Usually two people a

day) so that is about 4 meals a week and they have committed to it

for as long as I am in my brace (6 more months) to help us out. We

just couldn't survive it without that (well I guess you do what you

have to do - so we would - but it sure takes some pressure off) BUT

all of this was done before July 9th and we really prepared for all

of this. I also LOVE this site because it helps me get through this

knowing others are going through the same thing. NObody else really

gets it.

9. I can't shave my lower legs....put my pants on very easy.... sit

and hug my knees anymore because although I have an arch...it doesn't

MOVE. I am still stiff in the morning and when I go to the bathroom

at night....I will probably always feel that.

10 Lastly, I do get discouraged sometimes - knowing I am still just

11 weeks out - BUT - I DO see progress however slow. I have learned

to just EXPECT to not feel better until a year afterwards...and then

if I feel better soon - it will be a big surprise for me and if I

don't after a year then I will say to myself...I'll give it 6 more

monhts because everybody is different - and then after 1 1/2 years

post-op I will start to worry if I still feel really bad! ha ha

Sorry this is so long...thanks for reading! It's nice to talk it

over with others! Just venting.... Thank you!!

Debbie Warren

(Tampa)