Re: Having Harrington rod revision by Dr. Bridwell in April

[Guest guest]

, you are in good hands with Dr Bridwell. I had surgery

with him in March and I am thrilled with the outcome.

Immediately after surgery you will have a button you can press for

more pain relief. I used it a lot after the second procedure when I

had a tube down my throat for the first day or two. Dr Bridwell said

I was overmedicated and I told him I intended to stay that way until

the tube came out.

>

> I am 56 years old and had the Harrington Rod procedure when I was

11 and again when I was

> 13. I have had severe pain for several years due to flatback,

etc. I have always said that I

> would never have back surgery again, but I'm at the point where I

have to in order to

> continue living a life without constant pain. I was referred to

Dr. Bridwell in St. Louis

> and saw him in August. He said that I needed to have the surgery

within a year or things

> would be much more difficult. I have finally come to grips with

this and will have the surgery

> on April 8th! I will see Dr. Bridwell for my final consult on Feb.

18th. I'm very blessed that

> my daughter and her husband live in St. Louis, so I can stay with

them for an extra week

> after I get out of the hospital. I am really scared....mainly

because in 1962 and 64, the pain

> control after surgery was not good at all, and I remember all that

stuff. On the other hand, I

> am very excited to be in his hands, and to know that I may have a

much better life ahead. I

> would appreciate any comments that anyone has, and any tips you

could give me for a better

> recovery.

> Thanks so much!

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

          I just saw Dr. Lawrence Lenke (in

practice with Dr. Bridwell) in December.  I told him the same thing –

that I had sworn I would never have back surgery again.  I am 55 and had HR

surgery in 1972 (you can read my story under the files, member stories

section).  Anyway, Dr. Lenke said that those of us who had to stay in bed with

a cast afterwards wait the longest to go back for surgery as an adult but not

to fear as the pain medication is MUCH better now. From all I have read, you

are in excellent hands. Keep us posted. 

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Emrie

Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2008

8:14 PM

Subject: [ ] Having

Harrington rod revision by Dr. Bridwell in April

I am 56 years old and had the Harrington Rod procedure

when I was 11 and again when I was

13. I have had severe pain for several years due to flatback, etc. I have

always said that I

would never have back surgery again, but I'm at the point where I have to in

order to

continue living a life without constant pain. I was referred to Dr.

Bridwell in St. Louis

and saw him in August. He said that I needed to have the surgery within a year

or things

would be much more difficult. I have finally come to grips with this and will

have the surgery

on April 8th! I will see Dr. Bridwell for my final consult on Feb. 18th. I'm

very blessed that

my daughter and her husband live in St.

Louis, so I can stay with them for an extra week

after I get out of the hospital. I am really scared....mainly because in 1962

and 64, the pain

control after surgery was not good at all, and I remember all that stuff. On

the other hand, I

am very excited to be in his hands, and to know that I may have a much better

life ahead. I

would appreciate any comments that anyone has, and any tips you could give me

for a better

recovery.

Thanks so much!

[Guest guest]

-Thanks for encouragement. It's good to hear from others who have had him for a

doctor...I would appreciate any tips or information you can give me.....I'm

excited that I

will be able to have a better quality of life, but afraid of the surgery....but

the quality of life

wins out and I know it will be a huge relief!

-- In , " SB " <bahadreama@...> wrote:

>

> , you are in good hands with Dr Bridwell. I had surgery

> with him in March and I am thrilled with the outcome.

>

> Immediately after surgery you will have a button you can press for

> more pain relief. I used it a lot after the second procedure when I

> had a tube down my throat for the first day or two. Dr Bridwell said

> I was overmedicated and I told him I intended to stay that way until

> the tube came out.

>

>

>

>

>

> >

> > I am 56 years old and had the Harrington Rod procedure when I was

> 11 and again when I was

> > 13. I have had severe pain for several years due to flatback,

> etc. I have always said that I

> > would never have back surgery again, but I'm at the point where I

> have to in order to

> > continue living a life without constant pain. I was referred to

> Dr. Bridwell in St. Louis

> > and saw him in August. He said that I needed to have the surgery

> within a year or things

> > would be much more difficult. I have finally come to grips with

> this and will have the surgery

> > on April 8th! I will see Dr. Bridwell for my final consult on Feb.

> 18th. I'm very blessed that

> > my daughter and her husband live in St. Louis, so I can stay with

> them for an extra week

> > after I get out of the hospital. I am really scared....mainly

> because in 1962 and 64, the pain

> > control after surgery was not good at all, and I remember all that

> stuff. On the other hand, I

> > am very excited to be in his hands, and to know that I may have a

> much better life ahead. I

> > would appreciate any comments that anyone has, and any tips you

> could give me for a better

> > recovery.

> > Thanks so much!

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your reply....It's so good to know that there are others who

understand how

I feel!! I will let you know how things go!

>

> ,

>

> I just saw Dr. Lawrence Lenke (in practice with Dr. Bridwell) in

> December. I told him the same thing – that I had sworn I would never have

> back surgery again. I am 55 and had HR surgery in 1972 (you can read my

> story under the files, member stories section). Anyway, Dr. Lenke said that

> those of us who had to stay in bed with a cast afterwards wait the longest

> to go back for surgery as an adult but not to fear as the pain medication is

> MUCH better now. From all I have read, you are in excellent hands. Keep us

> posted.

>

>

>

> _____

>

> From:

> [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Emrie

> Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2008 8:14 PM

>

> Subject: [ ] Having Harrington rod revision by Dr. Bridwell

> in April

>

>

>

> I am 56 years old and had the Harrington Rod procedure when I was 11 and

> again when I was

> 13. I have had severe pain for several years due to flatback, etc. I have

> always said that I

> would never have back surgery again, but I'm at the point where I have to in

> order to

> continue living a life without constant pain. I was referred to Dr.

> Bridwell in St. Louis

> and saw him in August. He said that I needed to have the surgery within a

> year or things

> would be much more difficult. I have finally come to grips with this and

> will have the surgery

> on April 8th! I will see Dr. Bridwell for my final consult on Feb. 18th. I'm

> very blessed that

> my daughter and her husband live in St. Louis, so I can stay with them for

> an extra week

> after I get out of the hospital. I am really scared....mainly because in

> 1962 and 64, the pain

> control after surgery was not good at all, and I remember all that stuff. On

> the other hand, I

> am very excited to be in his hands, and to know that I may have a much

> better life ahead. I

> would appreciate any comments that anyone has, and any tips you could give

> me for a better

> recovery.

> Thanks so much!

>

>

[Guest guest]

I waited a long time before I was finally ready to commit to having

surgery, and I was in a lot of pain and steadily getting worse before I

finally went to see Dr Bridwell. I chose him after many years on the

flatback forums and hearing nothing but good things about him. His

name is on so many of the research studies that have been done about

our condition that I felt sure that he has made a thorough study of the

best way to help us. You can see the little wheels turning in his

brain as soon as he walks in the room and evaluates the films.

I was hoping for some improvement in my pain levels, but I am happy to

report that the outcomes have exceeded my wildest hopes so far. I not

only stand up straight, but I have very little pain. I went for an 8

mile walk through my neighborhood on Sunday and had some sore feet

afterwards, but that is about it! I never would have thought I could

walk that far all in one walk. In fact, when he told me to add one

mile per day per month after surgery, I assumed that I could quit

adding distance after the 5th month or so. Last week, I walked 3 times

per day and got up to almost 12 miles total in one day. It is totally

amazing to me. I feel really good! I get a lot more distance in my

hour long walks than I did a few months ago, and going up and down

hills doesn't bother me anymore.

I think one reason that walking is such a good exercise is because bone

growth occurs much better when doing some weight bearing exercise. I

am hoping for a really good report when I go for my one year check up

in March.

>

> -Thanks for encouragement. It's good to hear from others who have

had him for a

> doctor...I would appreciate any tips or information you can give

me.....I'm excited that I

> will be able to have a better quality of life, but afraid of the

surgery....but the quality of life

> wins out and I know it will be a huge relief!

>