Re: Three Week Surgical Follow Up

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Great report! Thanks for giving us the update.....my only question is did

anything change about your brace? Were you able to get it adjusted?

Try not to worry too much about your return to work date. Even though it seems

daunting now, my guess is you will be very surprised with each passing week how

much stronger you feel. And it sounds like your employer will be happy to make

any necessary accomodations...which really rocks!

Take Care, Cam

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I am not surprised about the bone stim. When I had surgery in 2006, my incision

was t1-s1, all old hardware out, all new hardware in, they started at the top

with the bone stim and I (actually somebody else had to) move it an inch down

everyday and continued to cycle like that for 120 days. They were saying then

there had to be a better way to get better coverage, so two bone stims doesn't

surprise me. I was surprised after I saw my back after the bone stim had been

working, it looks like a huge paint splat which was actually bone growth, so I

assume they solidify the anchoring of new hardware with bone growth. How do you

like Jeff? C

>

> I had my three week surgical follow up with Dr. Glazer's assistant

> yesterday morning. Of course it wasn't with Dr. Glazer himself because

> he was probably busy doing Chris's surgery at that time. For those of

> you familiar with Dr. Glazer and his associates, I saw Jeff.

>

> I had x-rays taken, which I then got to see (the before and after).

> The work he did looks quite extensive! The discs were removed at three

> levels, and in addition to the fusion material, he used a spacer at

> one level and cages at the other two. He said they look good, and the

> instrumentation appears to be screwed in securely. My incision appears

> to be healing well.

>

> PT is going extremely well. After my next surgical follow up, I will

> likely switch to outpatient PT instead of in home. My Tuesday PT

> session went much, much better than the one prior (Thursday or Friday

> of last week).

>

> My return to work estimate has become sooner than anticipated. I know

> I'm doing better and better every day, but returning to work two

> months from now sounds quite overwhelming. Though part of me hopes

> that my recovery goes that well that that would be possible, but it's

> still a bit scary. My employer is willing to set up a gradual return

> to work, so that will definitely help.

>

> A couple of changes were made during my follow up appointment. One of

> my pain medications were changed because the original one was

> upsetting my stomach. The new one seems to be helping.

>

> The other change is that I was given a bone stimulator -- actually

> two. I was told I needed two because the fusion area was so large. But

> that confuses me. I was fused from L3-S1. But Dr. Glazer also removed

> old instrumentation above that to T7, and replaced it with one simpler

> rod. (The reason for doing this was that the old rod was surgical

> steel, and the new instrumentation he was using below that was

> titanium, so he was concerned about a reaction between the two

> metals.) Would those levels from T7-L4 involve some fusion as part of

> installing the instrumentation as well? I have yet to set it up and

> begin using it, though they did show mw how to use it during the

> appointment.

>

> I'm working hard at doing more and more by myself, and making a lot of

> progress. I'm actually doing a bit to help around the house and with

> our daughter (but don't worry, I'm not overdoing it). It feels great

> to be less helpless, and more independent.

>

> I've written a ton, but still wonder if I forgot anything. Thank you

> all for your support throughout this process.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I think you probably can have a sexual encounter long before you can have

intercourse! Just use your imagination. There is a link to a book on the topic

in our links section...entitled Sex after Back Surgery. It may even be available

as a download now.

I recall getting the go-ahead for full body contact intercourse at my late 8

week checkup....with a precaution that I could not bear any weight on my body.

Your mileage may vary!

Take Care, Cam