Re: Surgeons must be very careful

[Guest guest]

Great Poem . I too am a big fan of Poetry. I even dabble in in

creating some myself from time to time. : )

I am a little concerned recently with a spasamed, sore and painful muscle in my

lower left side of my back lately.

I had my revision 3 years ago, and have been pain free now for about 2 years. A

miracle in my books. It was " Stellar " results as you said. But this week, I

have been experiencing noticeable pain Exactly in the spot(muscle) that I

noticed when I started getting the flatback syndrome in the first place. CI

even have had to take Aleve OTC pain killer these last 4 days. I haven't taken

any pain killers in 2 years.

I know I am over due for a visit to my orthopod, and I will now be making an

appt with him at NYU in short order..

I guess I am wondering if anyone has had this experience 3 years or so out of

revision and what might this mean? Could it be a loose screw or something? Or

something to do with the fusion? Or worse yet, the beginnings of a new and awful

scoliosis deformity that might be brewing as a consequence of Scoliosis/flatback

syndrome, God forbid. Maybe I am over reacting, but I have just been through

way too much to take anything for granted. This new symptom is eerily similar

to when my flatback deformity and symptoms first began. Could this be the

beginnings of scoliosis deformity part 3? IDK? It's a little distressing

after having such " stellar " n results so far from my revision surgery.

Guess that other shoe may be dropping? IDK? Sometimes I feel like the grim

reaper follows close behind so that us scoliosis sufferers might never really

get free or be completely pain free from this persistent deformity/disease.

Reminds me of the movie called " The Perfect Storm " when the captain just

couldn't get out of the storms because they kept converging. ?

I am just kind of frustrated with this, and was hoping against hope that maybe,

just maybe , it would let me be pain free a little longer, and to PLEASE let me

out of this storm/Nightmare?

I will be calling to make an appt soon and will update my results here on the

Feisty site.

Carol <NY>

>

> Dickinson's writing has certainly stood the test of time. I had

> forgotten the one below but just came across it at the Poetry Foundation

> site and thought some Feisty members might enjoy it: Surgeons

> must be very careful

>

> by Dickinson

> Surgeons must be very careful When they take the knife! Underneath

> their fine incisions Stirs the Culprit - Life!

>

[Guest guest]

Carol,

I too am three years post-op (at NYU) and know exactly what you are talking

about. For me, it was an inflammation of one of the screws. My doctor gave me

a steroid injection right at the site of the pain and anti-inflammatory

medication for 30 days and it took care of it. That was about one year ago and

I think it may be coming back. We did discuss removal of the screw at the time,

but since the treatment worked, I moved on. I too need to make an appointment

since I've been taking Advil almost on a daily basis. Removing the screw is

" minor " compared to what we had and I believe only requires day stay surgery.

You should get it checked. Hope this helps!

Donna

> >

> > Dickinson's writing has certainly stood the test of time. I had

> > forgotten the one below but just came across it at the Poetry Foundation

> > site and thought some Feisty members might enjoy it: Surgeons

> > must be very careful

> >

> > by Dickinson

> > Surgeons must be very careful When they take the knife! Underneath

> > their fine incisions Stirs the Culprit - Life!

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks so much Donna;

I am about to make an appt with my Doctor and get it checked out. At least now

I am armed with a little information . I haven't been back since my post op

visit. I know, my bad. But my back really has had no trouble whatsoever until

now. It feels like a very sore muscle and deep ache in a small section of my

lower left back.

I did have a " stent " in my left shoulder area for a strange condition called

Subclavian Steal Syndrome " just last June.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/418203-overview

My left subclavian artery was 95 per cent blocked. They say this was a very rare

condition.? It was a one night stay at NYU and a 2 hour surgery. Not nearly

as bad as the spinal surgery for sure. It was still painfull none the less. But

it was mercifully foreshortened compared to the scoliosis surgery.

Ironically, I did run into my scoliosis revision surgeon in the pre-op waiting

area ay NYU when I was getting my stent surgery last year. It was awesome

seeing him there. Gave me a sense of comfort to see him again. He was there to

perform surgery on someone else. He came in to say hello, wished me well and

went on his way. It was very unusual to run into him at that place at that

exact time. Some people say, " Their are no coincidences in life " . In this one

instance, I have to agree. : )

Thanks again for chiming in on this subject. I will be relieved to find out

that this pain is probably something minor.?

Carol. <NY>

> > >

> > > Dickinson's writing has certainly stood the test of time. I had

> > > forgotten the one below but just came across it at the Poetry Foundation

> > > site and thought some Feisty members might enjoy it: Surgeons

> > > must be very careful

> > >

> > > by Dickinson

> > > Surgeons must be very careful When they take the knife! Underneath

> > > their fine incisions Stirs the Culprit - Life!

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Carol,

I agree - there are no coincidences in life! I'm curious to see what your

doctor says. For me, it was sort of like walking around with a pebble in your

shoe - it's a constant " distraction " and sometimes very painful. Keep me posted

and by the way, who is your doctor? Mine is Dr. Errico.

Donna

> > > >

> > > > Dickinson's writing has certainly stood the test of time. I had

> > > > forgotten the one below but just came across it at the Poetry Foundation

> > > > site and thought some Feisty members might enjoy it: Surgeons

> > > > must be very careful

> > > >

> > > > by Dickinson

> > > > Surgeons must be very careful When they take the knife! Underneath

> > > > their fine incisions Stirs the Culprit - Life!

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Carol,I write poetry too. I was just looking at one of my older paperbacks the other day, Poetic Medicine. I have also been reading more of Oliver. She was featured in the March issue of Oprah's magazine (which got panned by some poetry critic in the New York Times -- a gratuitous elitist naysayer, IMO -- for trying to mix poetry and fashion). I like this new "guerilla poetry" movement -- people posting poems on subway walls, public buildings, park benches all over the world. I also enjoy poetry raps, which began here in Chicago. (I can't afford cable anymore and don't know if is still on HBO with that Brooklyn poetry rap show, but that was wonderful -- healing and sustaining. I like how he used to end the program by saying, "Thank you for blessing us with your presence" -- a poem in and of itself. I believe that in the deepest sense, we all bless one another with our presence.)I feel very bad about your new symptoms and hope tremendously that none of your dire concerns are justified! I know how easy it is to fear the worst when any new thing goes wrong with our backs. I sure hope you have seen a highly qualified spinal specialist by now.> >> > Dickinson's writing has certainly stood the test of time. I had> > forgotten the one below but just came across it at the Poetry Foundation> > site and thought some Feisty members might enjoy it: Surgeons> > must be very careful> > > > by Dickinson> > Surgeons must be very careful When they take the knife! Underneath> > their fine incisions Stirs the Culprit - Life!> >>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Well, I didn't make it to my Scolio apt. Unfortunately my 81 year old Auntie

passed and so I cancelled my apt with my doc that week. My symptoms really

aren't anything earth shaking so I figured I could stall just a little bit

longer.

I saw an interesting clip yesterday on my local TV station about how certain PT

docs can strengthen certain muscles on patients who have different types of back

pain. By strengthening some targeted muscles they claim that sometimes it can

reduce or eliminate pain. I have been to Physical therapists in my distant past

and they didn't help much at all. But this guy claims to even work on scoliosis

patients . Also, on people who have had various back surgeries or accidents,

etc. already.! He says he can help them quite a bit. That we don't necessarily

have to always go under the knife for every ache and pain.? It's a different

philosophy than the docs who only concentrate on the answers being only with

surgery.? I figure I have had more than my share of surgery so maybe I will

give this theory a second look.

I have been through 2 scolio surgeries, so I am in no hurry to go under the

knife again. Also, I had " Stent " surgery for Subclavian Steel Syndrome last

June at NYU. They actually discovered the blockage in my vein 3 years ago after

I had my revision surgery and I was recouperating there. They found it

" accidently " by taking my blood pressure and it kept coming out very different

in both arms.

The vascular doctor asked me if I wanted to address it then? I said " No way " . I

am here for scoliosis surgery. Plus I was pretty drugged up on pain killers. I

had no idea what he was talking about. LOL So, denial runs deep. Ha Ha. But

the darn conditioned reared it's ugly head..symptom wise 2 years later and so I

got " stented " in my left subclavian artery last June. Only a one day hospital

stay. Painful as hell though at the time.

This is the website of this Particular PT Dr and his explanations of his muscle

and pain connection.. .http://www.mitchellyass.com/

It looks interesting. Maybe worth a look see? I am trying to keep all my

options open. Luckily, the small ache I have does come and go. It's not constant

yet or very painful but we know how that can change over time. So I will

definitely still get thoroughly checked out by my scolio doctor first to make

sure all my rods, screws, etc are still in place. It feels weird saying

that...rods, screws, etc?? But that is my new normal for 3 years now.

I love the idea of that " guerilla poetry " movement you spoke of.? I'll have to

look into that. That's fascinating.!

Carol

> > >

> > > Dickinson's writing has certainly stood the test of time. I

> had

> > > forgotten the one below but just came across it at the Poetry

> Foundation

> > > site and thought some Feisty members might enjoy it:

> Surgeons

> > > must be very careful

> > >

> > > by Dickinson

> > > Surgeons must be very careful When they take the knife! Underneath

> > > their fine incisions Stirs the Culprit - Life!

> > >

> >

>