11 replies to this topic

[Beautiful]

I have to have two surgeries this year. I think I'm going for an overall personal record, haha.

The first one I'm having as soon as possible. My pelvic obliquity is 30 degrees and my surgeon wants to correct it. He's going to be putting screws and whatnot into my pelvis. I'm a pro at spinal fusions now (have had three!) but I don't know about going into my pelvis. I do have screws in my sacrum, but the pelvis seems so much more complicated. I told my doctor I was worried about how much movement I'll lose, and he said that it wouldn't be much at all. I don't know if I believe him though, haha.

Has anyone had this type of surgery done?

Edited by Beautiful, 04 February 2012 - 01:25 AM.

[Terrible Texan]

 Beautiful, on 04 February 2012 - 01:25 AM, said:

I have to have two surgeries this year. I think I'm going for an overall personal record, haha.

The first one I'm having as soon as possible. My pelvic obliquity is 30 degrees and my surgeon wants to correct it. He's going to be putting screws and whatnot into my pelvis. I'm a pro at spinal fusions now (have had three!) but I don't know about going into my pelvis. I do have screws in my sacrum, but the pelvis seems so much more complicated. I told my doctor I was worried about how much movement I'll lose, and he said that it wouldn't be much at all. I don't know if I believe him though, haha.

Has anyone had this type of surgery done?

no, but in the past year i've had 6 surgeries myself. 5 flaps & 1 flap repair. i'm in the hospital now for another week, maybe less. have had 11 surgeries since my accident.

[Priscilla]

 Beautiful, on 04 February 2012 - 01:25 AM, said:

I have to have two surgeries this year. I think I'm going for an overall personal record, haha.

The first one I'm having as soon as possible. My pelvic obliquity is 30 degrees and my surgeon wants to correct it. He's going to be putting screws and whatnot into my pelvis. I'm a pro at spinal fusions now (have had three!) but I don't know about going into my pelvis. I do have screws in my sacrum, but the pelvis seems so much more complicated. I told my doctor I was worried about how much movement I'll lose, and he said that it wouldn't be much at all. I don't know if I believe him though, haha.

Has anyone had this type of surgery done?

I have had a total of 21 surgeries since my car wreck, including one of which was to put a plate in the back of my pelvis with screws. My pelvis was absolutely crushed during my wreck. I have not noticed a lack of movement because of my pelvis. The worst came with my spinal fusion-talk about losing flexibility back there. I just notice the plate in my pelvis when I sit down on a hard chair. The plate always feels like it is trying to come out of my back, though it could be a function of pressing up against the rod in my back. However I do not notice it if I sit on a cushion or bed at all. Good luck!

[Beautiful]

Thanks so much, Priscilla. Yeah, my rods and screws go down to my sacrum. If I lean completely over, I can feel them pop to move along with me. Then when I sit back up, they pop again; even if I lean far to one side, they'll pop to follow me, haha. I know what you mean about flexibility! I can't curl my back at all. I had a different PT one day because my regular one had a family emergency. She was trying to make me do sit ups and I'm like "I can't curl my back at all, lady!" It was super painful too. You can feel the screws along my spine and some poke out as well.

I hope I get a similar outcome as you with my pelvis. I would losing what little flexibility I already have down there...

[Priscilla]

Beautiful, I would really be surprised if you lose any more flexibility all because of your pelvic surgery. But I do know after I had my pelvic surgery it did not seem to help my balance at all. Of course that could have been a function of my spinal cord injury. Who knows...

[Beautiful]

So then, are you able to twist? I mean, I know it's probably limited because of your back, but sometimes when I am in bed I will leave my legs where they are and then twist my torso to reach the remote or grab a drink, or something. I really am concerned about this! Lol. Yeah, my balance and core are awful. I thought they were great since I've been paralyzed 16 years, but when I went back to PT in December, I realize how bad it really was! Last Friday I went to PT again and they said it would be best to stop until after surgery, because I'll just lose the majority of it because I won't be working on it anymore. So after my surgery I'll go back and work on it again, along with all the other PT I'll need from having my lumbar, sacrum, and pelvis operated on, ha.

Again, thank you so much.

[Priscilla]

 Beautiful, on 07 February 2012 - 12:39 AM, said:

So then, are you able to twist? I mean, I know it's probably limited because of your back, but sometimes when I am in bed I will leave my legs where they are and then twist my torso to reach the remote or grab a drink, or something. I really am concerned about this! Lol. Yeah, my balance and core are awful. I thought they were great since I've been paralyzed 16 years, but when I went back to PT in December, I realize how bad it really was! Last Friday I went to PT again and they said it would be best to stop until after surgery, because I'll just lose the majority of it because I won't be working on it anymore. So after my surgery I'll go back and work on it again, along with all the other PT I'll need from having my lumbar, sacrum, and pelvis operated on, ha.

Again, thank you so much.

Yes I have no problems twisting. In fact I always work on trying to swing my legs along with my back and pelvis to flip over in bed. That is the quickest way to hurt my back by keeping my legs straight and twisting over to grab something. It just does not work for me and my back to keep my legs straight and try to twist.

[munkypoop]

Before my accident I had two surgeries, both my knees. At 23 I broke my neck. It's been five years now and I've had over a dozen surgeries easily! I have a kidney stone surgery every year. Last year I had three for one stone the summer before that, I had five kidney stone surgeries in a row and it did not let me enjoy a single of the summer!

[ClaraTaylor]

Beautiful, on 04 February 2012 - 01:25 AM, said:

I have to have two surgeries this year. I think I'm going for an overall personal record, haha.

The first one I'm having as soon as possible. My pelvic obliquity is 30 degrees and my surgeon wants to correct it. He's going to be putting screws and whatnot into my pelvis. I'm a pro at spinal fusions now (have had three!) but I don't know about going into my pelvis. I do have screws in my sacrum, but the pelvis seems so much more complicated. I told my doctor I was worried about how much movement I'll lose, and he said that it wouldn't be much at all. I don't know if I believe him though, haha.

Has anyone had this type of surgery done?

Gosh I must have missed this thread first time round.

When are you going in Beautiful? Have they set a date yet?

[Beautiful]

I was supposed to go in on the 20th of March, but the weeks before it I began hearing unsettling things about the assisting surgeon, so I canceled. My original surgeon (who has done all my surgeries, even the neck and back one from the car accident) called me up and was like "okay, B... what's going on? What can I do that would make you feel more comfortable with all this?" I told him my concerns and he asked who I was wanting to see instead, and maybe he would be willing to work with my surgeon. When I told my surgeon that I was planning to see Dr. _____, he was like "OH?! *insert first name*?! Him and I are great friends! I've worked with him before! Go see him and we'll coordinate!"

So. Here I am. 3 weeks later. Still waiting. These two surgeons are the absolute best in the area, so I'm lucky to even be able to get one. I just hope I'll have a summer to enjoy, and not be sitting in bed all day. Today I should be getting a call from the surgery coordinator.

[greybeard]

Good luck with it.

[Edinburgh Colin]

Good luck Bre, fingers crossed for you.
EC