ajfinsand

jdog,

I know what you mean. In the hospital after my surgery they had me in PT to learn how to do stuff without bending my spine during the healing time. But then when I got home and was 'supposedly' getting back to normal I just went ahead and tried to do all the same old stuff and it just did NOT work! I couldn't reach down to put my shoes on without hurting.....bending over to spit while brushing my teeth hurts.....getting a pan out of the lower cupboard is a struggle. I have to stoop down to pick things up instead of bending, but then it's hard for me to stand back up with stuff in my hands and I am really off balance. With the straighteneing they did of my spine it really threw my equalibrium off. I would literally bump into the walls in my own home.....I didn't know where my shoulders were anymore and just couldn't guage the distance!

They should teach us 'tricks' for how to do the everyday stuff when it's time for us to return to life. But, I'm guessing they don't because thye have NO IDEA how many adjustments and compromises there are that we really have to make. Or how frustrating it is when it takes us twice as long to get half as much done!

I was getting along okay while my sone was still living at home and had him here to do the heavy stuff for me.

I've learned to ask the cashiers at the grocery store to 'pack my grioceries lightly' so the bags aren't too heavy. They always offer to have someone help me load them in my car; and I politely explain that it's not getting them into the car that is the hard part....it's getting them from the car to the house that I need them to not be too heavy for. I always get this astounded look from them....like they had never thought of that before!

I've learned to break the vacuuming down into two different days........and I just don't bend down to get the dust and dog hair up off the baseboards until it gets really bad.

I let the dishes pile up on the counter a bit so that I don't have to open and close the dishwasher door as often because it is hard on my back.

I'm fused in my cervical/thoracic area so my lower back isn't the problem. Still, I can tell I am straining my lower back if I am not careful and I don't want to blow it out and need to have more fusion surgery at a later time.

I can't afford to pay someone to mow my lawn for me so I do it myslef. Found that if I do it before it gets too long that it is easiest. I have a self-propelled mower and it has a 'key start' becasue pulling the cord to start it was the hardest part for me with my back.

You know what might be helpful for you for stuff like getting the newspapers out for recycling????? Hve you seen those little wheeled luggage carriers? It's like a little folding portable handtruck.....my dad has one that he straps his luggage into when he travels. It's small and lightweight and easy to pull. I'm guessing you would buy them wherever they sell luggage. Might be worth looking into.

Even once you figure out how to make all these physical adjustments, there are the emotional adjustments to deal with....that 'lazy-lame-0-worthless' that seems to settle in so often. That 'mourning the loss of our former' self. I TRY to focus on the things that I can STILL do instead of the things that I no longer can....but it's hard when I am reminded of the loss of function every minute of every day. Carrying a basket of laundry to the garage.....throwing the frisbee for the dog....pulling out the garden hose to water the lawn........all used to be thoughtless and easy tasks. Not anymore. I miss being able to do something without having to give it a second thought. My brain gets tired of having to re-think the way I do every little thing!

sigh......

I guess we jsut have to figure it all out as we go along. Share what we haved learned along the way with others here; and hopefully make the way easier for others who are in our shoes in the furtue.

love and prayers,

aj in Oregon



------------------
~ 48 year old female; currently self-employed as an artist/designer/woodcrafter.
~ Previously worked in the restaurant biz for 27 years (not so good for someone with a bad back!)
~ Hereditary and congenital scoliosis, but it never caused any problems until I was 40+ years old.
~ 76 degree curvature had increased 2 degrees in two years 1999-2001; indicating surgery was necessary.
~ Surgery in March of 2001.
~ Fusion and insturmentation of C7 - T9.
~ Fourth rib removed; 5th and 6th rib cut back halfway; removed ribs were morselized and used for the grafting, plus additional bone harvested from hip.
~ After tthe hardware was attached, spine was straigntened 20+ degrees.
~ 2 weeks in the hospital.
~ Brace worn for five months. Bone growth stimulator device also worn several hours per day.
~ PT 5 mos. after surgery caused increased pain.
~ Follow-up surgery to remove hardware scheduled for Feb. 2002.
~ Round 2 of PT 2 mos. after hardware removal.
~ Medically released to return to full activity in July 2002.
~ Increased pain upon returning to regular work schedule.
~ Round 3 of PT in April/May 2003; continually increasing pain.