Carla Kay's questions

[Guest guest]

1. When you had revision surgery, did it correct your "uncorrected" scoliosis as well, or was it left pretty much the same as before?I did not get any correction in the coronal plane, but how I look was the least of my concerns going in to the surgery. I have always been told that I "look" very "normal" and people are generally astounded when they see my x-rays.2. Does anyone else have a transverse process (piece of vertebrae) sticking out, & if so, did revision surgery correct that?N/A 3. Do they always fuse you into the pelvis? (that is what was originally recommended for me, but changed during last surgery)Fusion to the sacrum was my number one reason for not pursuing surgery until my pain became debilitating and I found myself wishing for immobility without pain over pain with mobility. When I reached this point, I couldn't fathom not going through with revision. For my situation, this was the only option that was guaranteed to eliminate my pain.4. If you were fused into the pelvis & are a woman near my age (36) has it affected you sexually? (you can email me offlist on this one for obvious reasons)It is still a bit early to tell on this one but I trust that frequency and pleasure will both increase in the absence of the excruciating pain that was inevitable pre-revision.5. Are there any single moms of small children who have had revision surgery while they were single?N/A6. Are the hospital Dr Lenke uses and the Hospital for Special Surgery (Dr. Boachie) "kid-friendly" - that is, do they allow small kids to visit you & are they generous with the amount of visitation time?There were plenty of kids running around on the 7th floor of while I was in the hospital. Dr. Bridwell trained Dr. Lenke and their offices are adjoined. They use the same hospital. BTW, I have heard nothing but glowing reports on Dr. Lenke; Dr. Bridwell has just been at it longer.7. If you are opiod-tolerant, how well was your post-operative pain managed?My pain management has been excellent. I have had some pain flare-ups, but am taking less than half of what I am able to take. I just don't like the way the pain meds make me feel.8. Have any of you gotten any REAL relief from doing Lamaze breathing postoperatively for pain, or is there something wrong with me b/c I don't?Never tried it. The only thing other than pain meds that really helped my pain was having my husband rub my feet - may sound strange, but I respond extremely well to reflexology. Breathing helps to calm me (like to make me more rational), but not to reduce my pain.9. What is this CD everyone is talking about & where can I get one?The CD contains both guided imagery and affirmations for people facing surgery. It is called Health Journeys: A Meditation to Promote Successful Surgery (Audio CD)by Belleruth Naparstek and is available at Amazon and possibly eBay. It is truly intended for people who are just about to undergo surgery, but could be helpful, I suppose for anyone wanting to calm their mind and relax. Other guided imagery/affirmations CDs might be better suited for you. I believe ette mentioned a couple of others.10. Have any of you had posterior only revision & how good were your results?N/A11. With anterior-posterior surgeries, has anyone had them both done on the same day? (I am aware of the potential complications of doing it the same day)Dr. LaGrone and a few others prefer to do same day.It is good you are asking these questions. I agree wholeheartedly that you need to be POSITIVE you are 100% confident you have chosen the right surgeon for something like this. If I had not trusteed Dr. Bridwell so much, I might have really freaked out when he told me I would be having a third surgery. Because of my (and my entire family's) confidence in him, we didn't second guess him for one moment. I literally feel completely comfortable putting my potential pain-free life in his hands. That takes an enormous amount of trust and respect.I wish you the best!kam