Major surgery for family member tomorrow.

[onlinebiker]

Very good news indeed!

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Finally a call.   The surgeon said he was able to straighten her spine more than he expected and she is showing some movement in her feet and hands so hopefully that's a good sign.  The surgery lasted a long time and they are having to give her quite a bit of blood.  We should get an update tomorrow...husband and sister-in-law's aunt is with her at a Mayo Clinic in Florida.

Wonderful to hear it!

Boru

[arewethereyet]

Husband just got a text from his aunt. His sister is understandably in a lot of pain and there's a lot of swelling. I have never heard of the pain medication they are giving her but apparently it's not enough. Hopefully the swelling starts to go down and the pain starts to subside soon. I pretty much expected a rough go of it after a nearly 12 hour surgery.

[Brian37]

My sister-in-law had a rod inserted in her back when she was a preteen because of scoliosis.  It probably should have been replaced decades ago after she finished growing but it was never done.  Somehow she has lived with severe pain for the last many years.  She was supposed to have surgery today but it was postponed until tomorrow.

I saw some X-rays.  The rod is too short but is straight while her spine is severely curved to one side.  The surgery is expected to take eight hours and the doctors aren't 100% sure how much they will be able to do because of the rod being there so long.  There's a risk of nerve damage and paralysis.  She is in her early 50s so that rod has been in her a long time.  They will again open her up from her neck to her butt to try to give her some relief.

Can't imagine living like she has for so long or having to make the choice to do this.

Never easy to see a loved one go through pain or having to take such risks with surgery. Hopefully it will go fine and she will get the relief she needs.

[arewethereyet]

Thank you everyone.

[arewethereyet]

Sister-in-law is struggling with the pain of recovery and physical therapy but is progressing nicely. Husband got sent a picture of an X-ray taken in the last couple days and it's amazing. Her spine was really curved...like almost to the side of her body. Organs were all moved around. The new X-ray - her spine is almost straight. There's a little bit of a curve that looks to be between her should blades but the difference is amazing. She's probably three inches taller...or more.

Medical science is amazing.

[brewer]

That's very good post-op news.

[arewethereyet]

Sister-in-law got home yesterday. The plan had originally been for her to stay a week or so in the hospital and then be transferred to an inpatient rehabilitation facility. Instead, she did so well with PT at the hospital that they decided she doesn't need it as long as she continues with the exercises they taught her to do.

Pretty remarkable to have such an extensive surgery and to be home in just over two weeks to recover in her own home.

[brewer]

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Sister-in-law got home yesterday.  The plan had originally been for her to stay a week or so in the hospital and then be transferred to an inpatient rehabilitation facility.  Instead, she did so well with PT at the hospital that they decided she doesn't need it as long as she continues with the exercises they taught her to do.

Pretty remarkable to have such an extensive surgery and to be home in just over two weeks to recover in her own home.

Innit just? I have an auntie who had both knees and hips replaced in the same surgery and was back to golfing and driving in under a month.

Boru