Scoliosis and asthma & other wonderful things...

[Guest guest]

hi

I just found this group and I am so glad I did. I am 48 years old. Recently I

have been diagnosed with having asthma. Sometimes I just can't catch my breath.

I have never smoke because of the scoliosis.

Just wondering if the asthma could be related to the scoliosis. I was operated

on in 1976 with two curves and had a harrington rod inserted.

Up until about six months ago I have been feeling fine but lower back pain has

become daily. I also have burning sensation in left thigh very painful. I

finally got the courage up to go see a scoliosis specialist at the Hospital for

Special Surgery where I had my surgery in 1976. I am seeing a Dr. Bernard

Rawlings on Tuesday. If anyone knows anything about him please let me know.

Last week I also found out that after 18 years of being outside of the

classroom coaching/mentoring teachers I will be back in my own my class with 32

little 8 years on my own starting Sept 8! This has me totally scared as to how

I am going to cope standing and bending all day. I have always kept my

scoliosis quiet as I never wanted to bring any attention to it. One of my

supervisors wants to get rid of all senior teachers so at the ripe old age of 48

I am considered old. So there is no way I can go to the powers that be and state

my case about my health it would only be used against me. Last year she was

able to get rid of 4 during the year. Please don't suggest the union..... they

are understanding but really can't help.

I am hoping the standing and bending and all the physical movement will not

leave me bedridden but I am so scared of it.

I have a total of 27 years in the NYC department of education. More than enough

years to retire I am just not old enough.

All help and support would be so appreciate. Lastly, I know how hard it is to

get SS disability but is it easier to get disability from your employer? Just

wondering. This site is such a blessing.

Ellen

[Guest guest]

You should really go see Dr. Boachie (he is in the same office).

Absolutely the best. Just google his name and you will see all the wonderful

things

he's done. He did my 3rd surgery (revision) back in November 2000. I do

have the typical muscle pain, some scar tissue pain and degenerative disc

above/below the fusioin but that is to be expected. He actually referred me

to Rawlins in June for my neck pain and I wasn't too crazy about him.

Very cut and dry. Said my neck pain was due to the hardware and it should be

removed. He asked me if you can live with the pain there's nothing to do.

Absolutely not that was what got me to Boachie in the first place. After

a partial rod removal from my 1st surgery my whole thoracic part of the

fusion fractured and I was a mess. After interviewing several doctors (even

one in Miami and I am from New York) I chose Dr. Boachie and I am so glad I

did. Great bedside manner. Wonderful office and bedside manner. A real

humanitarian.

Hope this helps.

[Guest guest]

I want to make a comment re removal of rods: I was told by 2 different surgeons

to never remove the rods. They both said it makes no sense because technically

the rods should only be in there to support the spine during the 2 years when

it's fusing then no longer needed. But apparently they've had bad results after

removal. Like with yours, things fall apart, curves return and such. So it's

best to leave them there even if they're bothering you. I did have a connector

removed from my thoracic and I didn't have any negative impact from that.

From: " Khanley40@... " <Khanley40@...>

Scoliosis Treatment

Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2011 5:11 AM

Subject: Re: Scoliosis and asthma & other wonderful

things...

 

You should really go see Dr. Boachie (he is in the same office).

Absolutely the best. Just google his name and you will see all the wonderful

things

he's done. He did my 3rd surgery (revision) back in November 2000. I do

have the typical muscle pain, some scar tissue pain and degenerative disc

above/below the fusioin but that is to be expected. He actually referred me

to Rawlins in June for my neck pain and I wasn't too crazy about him.

Very cut and dry. Said my neck pain was due to the hardware and it should be

removed. He asked me if you can live with the pain there's nothing to do.

Absolutely not that was what got me to Boachie in the first place. After

a partial rod removal from my 1st surgery my whole thoracic part of the

fusion fractured and I was a mess. After interviewing several doctors (even

one in Miami and I am from New York) I chose Dr. Boachie and I am so glad I

did. Great bedside manner. Wonderful office and bedside manner. A real

humanitarian.

Hope this helps.

[Guest guest]

They didn't remove the whole rod. I was having pain on the top portion of

the rod where it was creating bursa sacs. I tried anti inflammatory drugs

and cortizone injections and nothing helped. I have a very petite frame

and they felt the hardware may have been to large for my frame. At that

point I was only fused from T4 to L4 posterior. This started happening about

1-1/2 after my first scoliosis surgery. The thinking now is that I was

probably curving above the T4 area putting pressure on the top of the rod.

After the rod was taken down about 3 inches, 2 months later that part of the

fusion fractuered. Dr. Boachie went in through the anterior, took out the

front discs fused them, flipped me over and cut out the thoracic part of

the hardware, refused and attached new hardware to the lower part of the

hardware and fused me to T1. That was almost 11 years ago and I have been

doing pretty well. It wasn't that they just decided to remove the hardware.

Dr. Boachie said also that some patients need to be fused both through the

front and back. But it is a difficult call because you are never quite sure

how stubborn a curve will be and that is a more invasive and difficult

surgery. Most people do fine just going through the back.

I hope that helps. My real point of that post was that I wasn't too crazy

about Dr. Rawlins.