Re: My follow-up with Dr. Boachie

[Guest guest]

Lorrie,

I am so glad to hear that your check up went well! It chokes me up

when I hear how great you are doing. You, of all of us, had

the " badest " surgery, and still, here you are doing a-okay at your 8

month. I think you are going to be really surprised in the coming few

months at how much better you are going to feel. You are just starting

to get over the healing part and you will begin to notice how much

stronger you are. You should have seen me tonight...I was " sherpa cam,

lugging all kinds of things onto the beach in one load.... bad me. No

harm done....(I hope)...but as I was cresting the hill I was thinking

how impossible it would have been last year. So I feel sure good

things are ahead for you!

Congrats, Cam

[Guest guest]

Good news, Lorrie!!

Bonnie

[ ] My follow-up with Dr. Boachie

Hi Everyone - My husband and I just went for my follow up with Dr. Boachie this past Friday. As of that day (July 28th) I am 262 days post op - approximately 37 1/2 weeks. As a re-cap I am fused from T6 to the Sacrum. Anterior/Posterior Surgery with Thoracoplasty. Osteotomy from T10 to L2. Screws into Right Hip and a cage at L4-L5. Pedicle Screws at L3, L4, L5 & S1 (rt side) L4, L5 & S1 (Left side). Also removal of 9th rib during anterior surgery. I had breathing complications after the surgery and had to be intubated twice, with a collapsed lung a couple of times and I developed pneomonia. All in the past now.My pain medication now is approximately 3 oxycodones a day (5/325).Dr. Boachie was very happy with my x-rays. Bone is filling in nicely at the osteotomies sites and around the cage. He showed me all the whitish areas. He had me bend forward and I said "I'm scared". I wasn't doing any bending and always squatted to get something off the floor. He did say that was good practice, but encouraged me to bend from my hips - which I did to almost 90 degrees. Dr. Boachie isn't surprised I still have pain. I told him I feel as if I was just cut and he said that there is still a lot of healing because so many muscles, nerves and ligaments were either cut or are in such different positions than they have been. I told him it still hurts to breath, cough and sneeze. He told me to do aerobic activity - swimming, walking and riding my stationary bike. I do as much as I can. He also told me to continue to use the little breathing thing the hospital gave me with the 3 balls - I exhale as much as I can and then breathe in on this and all the balls go up. It really does help. I just have to do it!We looked at a lot of my old x-rays. He even had one of me at 10 years old before my spine really decided to twist and then I needed to have surgery at the age of 12 by Dr. Levine. It is amazing how quickly my spine curved during my growth spurt. Dr. Boachie excused himself and said he would be right back and left the room. He came back with x-rays of a 13 year old boy he just had in the office for a follow-up. He operated on this boy and showed me the before and after x-ray. The boy was quited curved - probably one curve was about 75 degrees. The after picture showed him perfectly straight with rods on both sides of his spine. Dr. Boachie said he would never have the problem us "Harrington Rod" survivors have with flatback because of the newer instrumentation. It was amazing to see this beautiful straight spine (sigh!!!!)Dr. Boachie also told me he operated on the boy's mother. Obviously she didn't have a Harrington rod and it was her first surgery. I imagine he also got a fabulous correction on her.We talked a little longer and Dr. Boachie agreed with me that at the time (1973) my parent's choice for me to have surgery with the Harrington Rod was a wise one. I would not have had a good quality of life without it up till the flatback problem I developed over the past 10 years and the increasing pain the last 2 years. That was apparently "state of the art" then. Without the surgery I know I would have been a mess.I have to return in 6 months for another follow up. I am feeling better everyday. My energy is increasing, although I do get tired here and there - but I am better. I also just went to my primary care physician who is monitoring my pain meds. He wants me to not take the Oxycodone first thing in the AM - but to wait till I may need it at about 10 or 11 AM - kind of get down to 2 a day instead of 3. My spine isn't the painful thing at all - it is the right side of my chest and my back between my shoulder blades. He said all that will get better when my muscles get stronger and the nerves calm down. So there we are - Lorrie SnyderEllicott City, MD

[Guest guest]

Very good news Lorrie! You must feel relieved knowing that all is well. Take good care. ettebellmore1960 <Lorriesnyder@...> wrote: Hi Everyone - My husband and I just went for my follow up with Dr. Boachie this past Friday. As of that day (July 28th) I am 262 days post op - approximately 37 1/2 weeks. As a re-cap I am fused from T6 to the Sacrum. Anterior/Posterior Surgery with Thoracoplasty. Osteotomy from T10 to L2. Screws into Right Hip and a cage at L4-L5. Pedicle Screws

at L3, L4, L5 & S1 (rt side) L4, L5 & S1 (Left side). Also removal of 9th rib during anterior surgery. I had breathing complications after the surgery and had to be intubated twice, with a collapsed lung a couple of times and I developed pneomonia. All in the past now.My pain medication now is approximately 3 oxycodones a day (5/325).Dr. Boachie was very happy with my x-rays. Bone is filling in nicely at the osteotomies sites and around the cage. He showed me all the whitish areas. He had me bend forward and I said "I'm scared". I wasn't doing any bending and always squatted to get something off the floor. He did say that was good practice, but encouraged me to bend from my hips - which I did to almost 90 degrees. Dr. Boachie isn't surprised I still have pain. I told him I feel as if I was just cut and he said that there is still a lot of healing because so many muscles, nerves and ligaments

were either cut or are in such different positions than they have been. I told him it still hurts to breath, cough and sneeze. He told me to do aerobic activity - swimming, walking and riding my stationary bike. I do as much as I can. He also told me to continue to use the little breathing thing the hospital gave me with the 3 balls - I exhale as much as I can and then breathe in on this and all the balls go up. It really does help. I just have to do it!We looked at a lot of my old x-rays. He even had one of me at 10 years old before my spine really decided to twist and then I needed to have surgery at the age of 12 by Dr. Levine. It is amazing how quickly my spine curved during my growth spurt. Dr. Boachie excused himself and said he would be right back and left the room. He came back with x-rays of a 13 year old boy he just had in the office for a follow-up. He operated on this boy and showed me the

before and after x-ray. The boy was quited curved - probably one curve was about 75 degrees. The after picture showed him perfectly straight with rods on both sides of his spine. Dr. Boachie said he would never have the problem us "Harrington Rod" survivors have with flatback because of the newer instrumentation. It was amazing to see this beautiful straight spine (sigh!!!!)Dr. Boachie also told me he operated on the boy's mother. Obviously she didn't have a Harrington rod and it was her first surgery. I imagine he also got a fabulous correction on her.We talked a little longer and Dr. Boachie agreed with me that at the time (1973) my parent's choice for me to have surgery with the Harrington Rod was a wise one. I would not have had a good quality of life without it up till the flatback problem I developed over the past 10 years and the increasing pain the last 2 years. That was apparently "state of the

art" then. Without the surgery I know I would have been a mess.I have to return in 6 months for another follow up. I am feeling better everyday. My energy is increasing, although I do get tired here and there - but I am better. I also just went to my primary care physician who is monitoring my pain meds. He wants me to not take the Oxycodone first thing in the AM - but to wait till I may need it at about 10 or 11 AM - kind of get down to 2 a day instead of 3. My spine isn't the painful thing at all - it is the right side of my chest and my back between my shoulder blades. He said all that will get better when my muscles get stronger and the nerves calm down. So there we are - Lorrie SnyderEllicott City, MD

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[Guest guest]

Lorrie,

What a great post op..good for you.

>

> Hi Everyone - My husband and I just went for my follow up with Dr.

> Boachie this past Friday. As of that day (July 28th) I am 262

days

> post op - approximately 37 1/2 weeks.

>

> As a re-cap I am fused from T6 to the Sacrum. Anterior/Posterior

> Surgery with Thoracoplasty. Osteotomy from T10 to L2. Screws

into

> Right Hip and a cage at L4-L5. Pedicle Screws at L3, L4, L5 & S1

> (rt side) L4, L5 & S1 (Left side). Also removal of 9th rib during

> anterior surgery. I had breathing complications after the surgery

> and had to be intubated twice, with a collapsed lung a couple of

> times and I developed pneomonia. All in the past now.

>

> My pain medication now is approximately 3 oxycodones a day (5/325).

>

> Dr. Boachie was very happy with my x-rays. Bone is filling in

> nicely at the osteotomies sites and around the cage. He showed me

> all the whitish areas. He had me bend forward and I said " I'm

> scared " . I wasn't doing any bending and always squatted to get

> something off the floor. He did say that was good practice, but

> encouraged me to bend from my hips - which I did to almost 90

> degrees.

>

> Dr. Boachie isn't surprised I still have pain. I told him I feel

as

> if I was just cut and he said that there is still a lot of healing

> because so many muscles, nerves and ligaments were either cut or

are

> in such different positions than they have been. I told him it

> still hurts to breath, cough and sneeze. He told me to do aerobic

> activity - swimming, walking and riding my stationary bike. I do

as

> much as I can. He also told me to continue to use the little

> breathing thing the hospital gave me with the 3 balls - I exhale

as

> much as I can and then breathe in on this and all the balls go

up.

> It really does help. I just have to do it!

>

> We looked at a lot of my old x-rays. He even had one of me at 10

> years old before my spine really decided to twist and then I

needed

> to have surgery at the age of 12 by Dr. Levine. It is

amazing

> how quickly my spine curved during my growth spurt. Dr. Boachie

> excused himself and said he would be right back and left the

room.

> He came back with x-rays of a 13 year old boy he just had in the

> office for a follow-up. He operated on this boy and showed me the

> before and after x-ray. The boy was quited curved - probably one

> curve was about 75 degrees. The after picture showed him

perfectly

> straight with rods on both sides of his spine. Dr. Boachie said

he

> would never have the problem us " Harrington Rod " survivors have

with

> flatback because of the newer instrumentation. It was amazing to

> see this beautiful straight spine (sigh!!!!)

>

> Dr. Boachie also told me he operated on the boy's mother.

Obviously

> she didn't have a Harrington rod and it was her first surgery. I

> imagine he also got a fabulous correction on her.

>

> We talked a little longer and Dr. Boachie agreed with me that at

the

> time (1973) my parent's choice for me to have surgery with the

> Harrington Rod was a wise one. I would not have had a good

quality

> of life without it up till the flatback problem I developed over

the

> past 10 years and the increasing pain the last 2 years. That was

> apparently " state of the art " then. Without the surgery I know I

> would have been a mess.

>

> I have to return in 6 months for another follow up.

>

> I am feeling better everyday. My energy is increasing, although I

> do get tired here and there - but I am better. I also just went

to

> my primary care physician who is monitoring my pain meds. He

wants

> me to not take the Oxycodone first thing in the AM - but to wait

> till I may need it at about 10 or 11 AM - kind of get down to 2 a

> day instead of 3. My spine isn't the painful thing at all - it is

> the right side of my chest and my back between my shoulder

blades.

> He said all that will get better when my muscles get stronger and

> the nerves calm down.

>

> So there we are -

>

> Lorrie Snyder

> Ellicott City, MD

>

[Guest guest]

A belated "Wow," Lorrie, on hearing your account of your visit with Dr. Boachie. It is interesting that Cam referred to your surgery as "the 'badest'" one of all. Yours was the one to which I first was exposed when I signed on board last November. I am glad that you have come so far.

Kim

In a message dated 7/31/06 11:08:26 PM, cammaltby@... writes:

Lorrie,

I am so glad to hear that your check up went well! It chokes me up

when I hear how great you are doing. You, of all of us, had

the "badest" surgery, and still, here you are doing a-okay at your 8

month. I think you are going to be really surprised in the coming few

months at how much better you are going to feel. You are just starting

to get over the healing part and you will begin to notice how much

stronger you are. You should have seen me tonight...I was "sherpa cam,

lugging all kinds of things onto the beach in one load.... bad me. No

harm done....(I hope)...but as I was cresting the hill I was thinking

how impossible it would have been last year. So I feel sure good

things are ahead for you!

Congrats, Cam

[Guest guest]

Lorrie,

SO HAPPY to read your report. I'm reminded of a song I learned in

elementary school (one of the many quirky things about me, I remember

just about every song I've ever learned). It goes like this...

Little by little by little by little by big things get done.

Little by little by little by little by battles are won.

Little by little by smile by smile. Inch by inch and mile by mile.

Little by little by Little by little by lot.

I'm amazed by your tenacity and positive attitude. You are a true

champion!

kam

[Guest guest]

Kam – aw shucks – I’m no

champion…. Loved your “little ditty”!!!!

Thanks –

Lorrie

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of advokam

Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2006

9:14 PM

To:

Subject: [ ] Re: My

follow-up with Dr. Boachie

Lorrie,

SO HAPPY to read your report. I'm reminded of a song I learned in

elementary school (one of the many quirky things about me, I remember

just about every song I've ever learned). It goes like this...

Little by little by little by little by big things get done.

Little by little by little by little by battles are won.

Little by little by smile by smile. Inch by inch and mile by mile.

Little by little by Little by little by lot.

I'm amazed by your tenacity and positive attitude. You are a true

champion!

kam