My 2nd post-op!

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone!

I endured the two hour(each way!)car ride to Boston yesterday for my 2nd post-op

visit with Dr. Glazer! The ride up was uneventful and the sciatica in my right

leg only started to bother me when we were only about 10-15 minutes before

arriving. Dr. Glazer showed me the xrays and of course, gave me pic's. He says

that everything looks really good, but too early to tell if fusion is

solidfying. He went over the surgeries again in detail, explaining that I ended

up being a very, very complex case and that I gave the whole OR team a run for

their money! All three times! He say's I'm " unique " ! I told him that I'd take it

as a compliment!! Ha! Ha!

The best part of the visit was receiving the news that I can start to " wean " off

the brace! YEAH! He said to start for just an hour a day and keep increasing. I

expressed my shock that I am able to do this so soon, but he said although the

brace has it's purpose, the downside is that it really does create atrophy

within the core and our core is what we really need strong, so it's a tricky

situation. I asked him how long I should take to stop wearing it completely and

he said a week or two. So by August 1 at the latest, I'll be rid of my armour!

The next best news I received is that he gave me the thumbs-up to drive!! Very

short distances to start and remember, NO twisting. Beth, he like Dr. Rand, gave

me the ok to bend at the hips when brushing my teeth, but that's it! Other than

that exception, he said don't do it! Of course, he mainly gave this approval

because I am no longer on Oxycontin. And speaking of Oxycontin, I just want to

go on the record for anyone new on the board who is preparing for surgery, and

may have any fears of weaning off of Oxy like I was. Well.........it was

completely, and I mean completely, uneventful. I never experienced withdrawls of

any kind, not even behavioral issues. Nothing. Dr. Glazer had assured me that if

I did it very slowly, that this would be the case and he was right. I had been

somewhat apprehensive about the process as I had been on it for over 3 months,

but it turned out to be yet another thing I wasted energy on worrying about

(Story of my life!).

Lastly, here is another interesting tidbit to remember - ALWAYS double check

things with your doc instead of assuming. When I was brought to my rehab

facility (which was not part of the hospital, but in fact a 2 1/2 hour ambulance

ride to reach) closer to home, I was started on PT on my 4th or 5th day there.

Basic stuff, but it was there that the PT convinced me that it was ok to bend at

the hip " because the hip has nothing to do with the spine " ! Hmmm....really? I've

basically only done it while brushing my teeth (to avoid toothpaste running down

my shirt or brace) and never thought to ask him about it until after reading

Beth's post. Now, when I came home, the Rehab facility told me that I would be

receiving home health care through a nurse, a CNA and a PT. The nurse came for a

while til she realized she wasn't needed and I eliminated the CNA's as soon as I

was able to shower on my own, but the PT I assumed Dr. Glazer would want me to

have until he deemed it unecessary. Now, I know all of you are saying, " PT?? She

shouldn't be doing PT! " but this particular PT just so happens to be friends

with my sisiter-in-law and made it her job to elarn everything she could about

Flatback and my surgeries, including reviewing my xrays and reading my OR notes.

She, up until 2 weeks ago, has done nothing more than some simple stretches,

basic leg exercises (like raise on your toes) and edema massage on my legs and

feet. However, two weeks ago she started to do some hip flexor stretches.

Although they didn't hurt and I never felt any pain after, I was still leary

that Dr. Glazer may not approve of this! So yesterday, I was explaining the

particular hip flexor exercise and his eyes grew big and said, " What? NO!! Why

do you even have a PT coming to your house? " and I said, " Beats me? I assumed

you requested it? " . Well, he did not. In fact, he had no idea that I was

receiving it nor did he, or would he, approve it. We were stumped for a minute

and he said, " the doc at that Rehab must have put in the request and approved

it! " . But neither Dr. Glazer nor I would have known that. So here I was ASSUMING

that Dr. Glazer had approved this and he had not. So another lesson

learned........ask, ask, ask, ask, ASK! How was I to know? I just went along

with what they asked or provided. How was he to know? If he hadn't approved it,

how would he know that I was receiving it? Communication is key.

Anyway, I just wanted everyone to know that I am doing great, I'm on the mend

and thank you so much for all of your support and love. I'M FEELING GREAT!! I

LOVE LIFE!! And to anyone reading this that is " on the fence " and scared about

the preparations and the long recovery, DON'T! I waited SIX long and painful

years....and I'm only 2 1/2 months post-op from the 3rd surgery in two months

and I am telling you..........IT IS SOOOOOOO WORTH IT!!!

Love and hugs to all my scoli friends --

D (RI)