Re: Update on my recovery from Down Under!

[Guest guest]

,

Congrats on a good first check up. It is nice to hear that the first 6 weeks

havepassed and everything is looking good isnt it? My guess is you are finally

beginning to feel a little more at home in your home environment and even in

your " new " body. I hope you were not in the way of the scary typhoon that passed

through a few days ago!

Its wonderful that you are seeing benefits and reduction in pain levels now that

you are standing tall. Does DrCree say that he will address the continued

sciatica in a subsequent surgery if it doesnt resolve itself?

I dont want to bum you out....just fair notice that you are now entering what is

often the gloomiest period of recovery. After you are healed from the trauma of

surgery, and the brace goes....those around you may start having expectations

that you are a long way from being able to meet....and they may tire of your

continued long recovery time line ....but try to accept that that is their

problem and keep doing as your surgeon suggests...and we suggest. Take it slow

and only do chores as you are confident you can continue to do. For instance, if

you get bored and decide to try to do laundry, it is likely that is a chore that

will fall back in your lap sooner than you are ready for it as a full time

responsibility. Same with grocery shopping etc.. Just be patient and you will

get there!

Will you have any kind of PT for core strengthening? I wasnt given any until

later in the first year and couldnt believe how utterly decimated my abs were!

We started with a few weeks of just 100 kegel exercises a day...something I

could do sitting in my chair. Point is, even though I didnt start doing much

formal PT until much later, and eventually...I got to " there " . I was allowed to

plop around in the water at the pool after about 8 weeks and that was wonderful.

Please keep us up to date.

Take Care, Cam

[Guest guest]

Congrats ,

Remember slow and steady wins the race. You sound great and an added bonus with

the pain reduction. I remember my surgeon promising me a 50% reduction in pain

and how grateful I was when I found I had 80%. It was a blessing. Take care down

under and heal well. C

>

> Hi everyone

>

> I have been reading so many brave recovery stories in all your postings, I

want to say that we should all be very proud of our courage and our strength in

getting through these very big and painful surgeries.

>

> I am doing well, I am now 2 and a half months post surgery, and I saw my

surgeon (Dr. Cree) for my first check up on 21 January. He said he is

very pleased with my progress and everything is looking good, he still wants me

to be very cautious as my bones are soft and he doesn't want anything to go

wrong. I have to carry on wearing my brace full-time until next week and then

start weaning myself off it so that my core and back muscles don't become too

weak. I have to admit I am very nervous about being without the brace, I am just

going to be very careful and take things nice and slowly.

>

> I have noticed a reduction in pain (already!) in some of the areas of my body,

I had extremely painful hips and hip flexor muscles before the surgery with the

flatback, and that pain is much less, and also the pain in my shoulders and arms

is much less. I still have a lot of pain in my back where the fusion is, and my

sciatica is definitely not gone but I am delighted that I am already noticing

some pain reduction simply from being nice and upright!

>

> I am able to walk about 3km now each day, still very slowly and carefully, and

Dr. Cree has said no exercising, bending, lifting or twisting until April when I

see him again.

>

> I hope everyone else who is recovering is also doing well and finding each day

a little bit easier!

>

> Warm wishes

>

>

[Guest guest]

, It is so good to hear you are recovering well and able to get out and walk. Thank you for reporting in as it is encouraging to those of us contemplating the surgery. I hope you will continue to steadily improve. Wishing you all the best, Kate

From: bekkernicole@...

Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 12:53 AM

Subject: [ ] Update on my recovery from Down Under!

Hi everyoneI have been reading so many brave recovery stories in all your postings, I want to say that we should all be very proud of our courage and our strength in getting through these very big and painful surgeries.I am doing well, I am now 2 and a half months post surgery, and I saw my surgeon (Dr. Cree) for my first check up on 21 January. He said he is very pleased with my progress and everything is looking good, he still wants me to be very cautious as my bones are soft and he doesn't want anything to go wrong. I have to carry on wearing my brace full-time until next week and then start weaning myself off it so that my core and back muscles don't become too weak. I have to admit I am very nervous about being without the brace, I am just going to be very careful and take things nice and slowly.I have noticed a reduction in pain (already!) in some of the areas of my body, I had extremely painful hips and hip flexor muscles before the surgery with the flatback, and that pain is much less, and also the pain in my shoulders and arms is much less. I still have a lot of pain in my back where the fusion is, and my sciatica is definitely not gone but I am delighted that I am already noticing some pain reduction simply from being nice and upright!I am able to walk about 3km now each day, still very slowly and carefully, and Dr. Cree has said no exercising, bending, lifting or twisting until April when I see him again.I hope everyone else who is recovering is also doing well and finding each day a little bit easier!Warm wishes

[Guest guest]

Hiya ,

Well done!!!! How fantastic for you. We just finished our 7 weeks in Sydney and

really enjoyed ourselves, it was a shame we couldn't catch up but I did think of

you often while I was there.

The humidity was a problem for a while but we did get more used to it, the

warmer weather will certainly help with your healing. The cold always makes me

tense up.

Take care and keep us informed.

Kind regards

Robyn

> >

> > Hi everyone

> >

> > I have been reading so many brave recovery stories in all your postings, I

want to say that we should all be very proud of our courage and our strength in

getting through these very big and painful surgeries.

> >

> > I am doing well, I am now 2 and a half months post surgery, and I saw my

surgeon (Dr. Cree) for my first check up on 21 January. He said he is

very pleased with my progress and everything is looking good, he still wants me

to be very cautious as my bones are soft and he doesn't want anything to go

wrong. I have to carry on wearing my brace full-time until next week and then

start weaning myself off it so that my core and back muscles don't become too

weak. I have to admit I am very nervous about being without the brace, I am just

going to be very careful and take things nice and slowly.

> >

> > I have noticed a reduction in pain (already!) in some of the areas of my

body, I had extremely painful hips and hip flexor muscles before the surgery

with the flatback, and that pain is much less, and also the pain in my shoulders

and arms is much less. I still have a lot of pain in my back where the fusion

is, and my sciatica is definitely not gone but I am delighted that I am already

noticing some pain reduction simply from being nice and upright!

> >

> > I am able to walk about 3km now each day, still very slowly and carefully,

and Dr. Cree has said no exercising, bending, lifting or twisting until April

when I see him again.

> >

> > I hope everyone else who is recovering is also doing well and finding each

day a little bit easier!

> >

> > Warm wishes

> >

> >

>