bending

[Guest guest]

Carol,

IT IS NOT BENDING....IT IS LEANING!!!!You will never bend again

after surgery/fusion to the sacrum. Leaning pulls on the sacral

implants (and stresses the other hardware) and is why the docs do

not want you doing it.

I do think it is good you are noticing the kind of things that are

going to be a challenge for you in the early healing. It will permit

you to think of some creative solutions!

Getting things out of the bottom of the cart is a challenge early

on...but there really are solutions. You may have to look around,

but some stores use shopping carts, or have a different design for

the physically impared or people that use walkers, that do not have

a deep bin design. If you can find a store that uses or has them you

might have to switch stores, at least temporarally. The other

suggestion is to find a kid in your neighborhood who is willing to

be your " mother's helper " for a few hours a week. It really doesn't

take more than the abilities of a supervised 9-10 year old to get

things off a low shelf and help unload the cart and then into the

car. A lot of kids would like to earn a few bucks for their next

Nintendo purchase, so look at it that you would be doing them a

favor!

I recall that my eariest " outtings " after surgery were to the

grocery store in the company of my husband. This was good for a few

reasons. Where I live there are no malls and the weather precluded a

lot of safe outside walking venues....so a trip through the store

was theraputic. (On the other hand, remember what you have also

probably noted....stores do no have places to sit if you need to

rest, and I remember the first time I went I almost passed out!).

Anyway, my husband had to drive to the store anyway, so he came in

with me and I think when he realized what things I needed help with

he pretty much agreed to accomany me until I told him I would be

okay alone. is right, you can use a grabber too, and as

suggests the store may help. You could even go to the manager before

surgery and explain your situation and see what solutions they might

already have in place.

I know you are worried about the difficulties of housekeeping after

surgery....but my feeling is after you are in recovery you are going

to be a lot less worried about how stuff gets done....and you will

probably feel more like " if they want it done,(eating or shopping

for instance) they can darned well do it themselves! " .

Eventually you will heal and the " new normal " will emerge!

Take Care, Cam

[Guest guest]

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

[Guest guest]

Peggy,

I cringe when I see the word " bending " ...as I see it there is no such

thing as " bending " now that I am fused to the sacrum. There is only

leaning forward from the hip. I found it helpful to lose the idea of

bending altogether by removing the word from my vocabulary. I now lean

down to get something instead of bending over to get it. Small

semantics but a world of difference!

Kam did demonstrate some very flexible joints at the retreat....but

most of us can barely lean down far enough to touch our calves....I

think it is unlikely you will touch your toes at 3 months! I assume the

manual you have is generic and written for all spine patients...not

just those with a fusion as extensive as yours?

Take Care, Cam

>

> 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

>