Travel after revision surgery

August 28, 2008

Hello all,I haven't posted in a while but I really appreciate being able to read everyone's thoughts and great advice -- it has been so helpful to me. I have spent the last year getting my mind around the fact that I need revision surgery, and trying to find the right surgeon. I liked Dr. Boachie but just could not do it because he doesn't take insurance (which I still find appalling). I have now settled on Dr. Bridwell in St. Louis and I feel comfortable with his plan. I'm going to have surgery on January 27. (I would love to hear from anyone who had surgery at and can tell me what to expect.)My problem is that I live over 1,000 miles from St. Louis. I know no one there and don't have a place to stay or someone to care for me there. I have

3 small children and my husband will be busy taking care of them and trying to keep them going in their regular routines. I have to have my old rods removed because they broke badly (T4-L4), a bunch of osteotomies, and then a new fusion from T3-S1. Dr. Bridwell doesn't send people to any form of rehab. He said I would be in the hospital about 7-10 days and then released. He would see me a week after that and if I'm healing fine, then I could go home.How long after surgery have you been able to travel? I would have either an 18-hour drive or a 4-hour plane ride with a stop in Chicago (no direct flights). I know that after my last surgery I could not sit up straight for many weeks, not for more than 30 minutes anyway. I'm terrified about getting in a car or a plane before I'm ready, but I have to think about childcare plans and my own care, which would be much, much easier at home. I would

love to hear any advice or experiences with traveling soon after the surgery.Thanks so much for your help and for being so generous with your time talking things through with scared patients like me!Eve

August 28, 2008

I had surgery with Dr Bridwell in March, 2007. My husband took a

month off work and we got a one month rental of a furnished apartment

just a couple of blocks from the hospital. He ended up spending most

of the time I was in the hospital in the room with me, though. We

stayed in St Louis for two weeks after surgery because part of my

incision was bleeding the day we were planning to go home. We had an

8 hour drive to get home and we made a point to stop and let me get

out and walk around about once every hour or two. The most painful

thing was that I was very badly constipated and needed to go to the

bathroom badly, but couldn't get anything out. I think I would have

chosen to fly if I had been facing an 18 hour drive.

I love Dr Bridwell and am very happy with my outcome.

>

> Hello all,

>

> I haven't posted in a while but I really appreciate being able to

read everyone's thoughts and great advice -- it has been so helpful

to me. I have spent the last year getting my mind around the fact

that I need revision surgery, and trying to find the right surgeon.

I liked Dr. Boachie but just could not do it because he doesn't take

insurance (which I still find appalling). I have now settled on Dr.

Bridwell in St. Louis and I feel comfortable with his plan. I'm

going to have surgery on January 27. (I would love to hear from

anyone who had surgery at and can tell me what to expect.)

>

> My problem is that I live over 1,000 miles from St. Louis. I know

no one there and don't have a place to stay or someone to care for me

there. I have 3 small children and my husband will be busy taking

care of them and trying to keep them going in their regular

routines.

>

> I have to have my old rods removed because they broke badly (T4-

L4), a bunch of osteotomies, and then a new fusion from T3-S1. Dr.

Bridwell doesn't send people to any form of rehab. He said I would

be in the hospital about 7-10 days and then released. He would see

me a week after that and if I'm healing fine, then I could go home.

>

> How long after surgery have you been able to travel? I would have

either an 18-hour drive or a 4-hour plane ride with a stop in Chicago

(no direct flights). I know that after my last surgery I could not

sit up straight for many weeks, not for more than 30 minutes anyway.

I'm terrified about getting in a car or a plane before I'm ready, but

I have to think about childcare plans and my own care, which would be

much, much easier at home. I would love to hear any advice or

experiences with traveling soon after the surgery.

>

> Thanks so much for your help and for being so generous with your

time talking things through with scared patients like me!

> Eve

>

August 28, 2008

Hi Eve,

I had revision surgery with Dr. Bridwell on April 8th of this year. I can't

begin to tell you

how happy I am that he did my surgery and that I am feeling so well. He and his

staff are

top notch, and I think you made a great decision by chosisng him to do your

surgery. He

told me to just walk for physical therapy, and that's exactly what I have done.

I'm now

back at work, and I can walk at least 2 miles a day with no problem. My pain is

so

minimal that I hardly ever notice it now...sometimes at bedtime, my muscles go

into

spasms because they have been working hard during the day, but it I never

thought I

would be free of that horrible pain that I lived with for so long...no pain meds

needed,

either!! I know that I am very blessed to have such a good outcome, but I have

talked with

other patients of his, and he seems to have really good success.

I was very lucky because my daughter and her husband live in a suburb of St.

Louis. My

husband and I live in Springfield, MO which is about a 3 hour drive. I was in

for a

week, and then I stayed at 's house for a week. She was able to work from

home

and take care of me....what a role reversal!! Dr. Bridwell gives you plenty of

pain

medication to keep you quite comfortable, and I slept quite a bit the first few

weeks. I did

get up and walk, also. He wants you to be walking a mile a day by the end of

one month,

and two miles a day at the end of 2 months, etc!!! I was in such agony before

the surgery

that I didn't dream that it would be possible, but it truly is! I am walking

about 2 miles

most days after work, or else I do water walking. I am jumping around a lot

here in my

message, but I want to encourage you. We don't all have the same outcomes, of

course,

but I think you have made a wise choice. The drive home at about 2 1/2 weeks

post

revision was painful, but not as bad as I thought it would be. I certainly

remember EVERY

bump in the road! I was also concerned about getting in and out of the car,

but it wasn't

a problem, really. A good tip is to put a plastic trash bag on the car seat,

then just back

up to the seat, sit down, and then move your body in as you move your legs in.

Dr.

Bridwell has you take stool softeners from the first day after surgery, and I

didn't have any

food for almost a week (they give you nutrition through an IV, so you aren't

hungry) and I

didn't have a problem with constipation, but I kept taking the stool softeners

and finally

had my first movement at about 12 days post surgery. Drinking lots of water

helps, also.

I think that would be able to help you find a place to stay post op. We

were very

pleased with the care that I received there. I was in a private room, so my

husband was

able to stay with me all night, and then he and my daughter took turns until I

was

released. I think it is a good idea to have someone stay with you, at least for

the first few

days and nights. The nurses are short staffed, and it really helps to have an

advocate there

with you. Dr. Bridwell expects his patients to be treated well, and the staff

really jumps to

attention when he is on the floor.

Please feel free to email me....I will be glad to give you my phone number and

talk with

you any time. I found this site to be so helpful with wonderful information. I

actually

made a notebook with lots of the tips from others that are listed in the files,

and also

some of the positive experiences that really made me feel encouraged. I think I

would

plan on flying instead of the long drive, also, but you can discuss that with

Dr. Bridwell's

nurse, Bernie. She is wonderful and can really guide you in your decisions.

You can always

call her, leave a message, and she will call you back. I was just in their

office on August

18th for my 4 month check-up...it's amazing to see how far I've come in my

recovery, but

I know that this is only the beginning, and that it will get better and better.

My email is cemrie@.... Don't hesitate to get in touch if I can help

you with

more information. We were all at the point where you are now......there is so

much

knowledge here on this site....it was a lifesaver for me!

The best to you!

>

> Hello all,

>

> I haven't posted in a while but I really appreciate being able to read

everyone's thoughts

and great advice -- it has been so helpful to me. I have spent the last year

getting my

mind around the fact that I need revision surgery, and trying to find the right

surgeon. I

liked Dr. Boachie but just could not do it because he doesn't take insurance

(which I still

find appalling). I have now settled on Dr. Bridwell in St. Louis and I feel

comfortable with

his plan. I'm going to have surgery on January 27. (I would love to hear from

anyone who

had surgery at and can tell me what to expect.)

>

> My problem is that I live over 1,000 miles from St. Louis. I know no one

there and don't

have a place to stay or someone to care for me there. I have 3 small children

and my

husband will be busy taking care of them and trying to keep them going in their

regular

routines.

>

> I have to have my old rods removed because they broke badly (T4-L4), a bunch

of

osteotomies, and then a new fusion from T3-S1. Dr. Bridwell doesn't send people

to any

form of rehab. He said I would be in the hospital about 7-10 days and then

released. He

would see me a week after that and if I'm healing fine, then I could go home.

>

> How long after surgery have you been able to travel? I would have either an

18-hour

drive or a 4-hour plane ride with a stop in Chicago (no direct flights). I know

that after

my last surgery I could not sit up straight for many weeks, not for more than 30

minutes

anyway. I'm terrified about getting in a car or a plane before I'm ready, but I

have to think

about childcare plans and my own care, which would be much, much easier at home.

I

would love to hear any advice or experiences with traveling soon after the

surgery.

>

> Thanks so much for your help and for being so generous with your time talking

things

through with scared patients like me!

> Eve

>

August 29, 2008

Eve,

I would have to advise the plane ride if you can afford first class.

If you have to drive, I would think it would be very uncomfortable

and you would have to stop often. I don't mean to pry, but where do

you live that you cannot find a revision surgeon closer to home? You

mentioned you went to Dr Boachie - are you in the east coast? I''m

sure you are comfortable with Dr. Bridwell, but January is a long way

off and maybe you should investigate someone closer. You will also

need post-op visits so keep that in mind.

I live in NJ and has surgery in NYC (not with Dr. Boachie) and my

ride home was about one hour and that was about all I could tolerate

at that time. I took a train ride to Boston three months post-op for

my daughter's graduation and that was tolerable because I was able to

get up and walk around and I had a first-class seat which was very

comfortable (a four hour ride). My first airplane ride was at four

months and it was first-class for four hours and I tolerated that

well.

Hope this helps!

Donna T.