Can I recover from spinal fusion with just visiting nurses?

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backpaingirl

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Hi,

I'm new here and need some advice I'm 31 yrs old and need a L4/L5 and L5/S1 TLIF spinal fusion (I've now had 3 opinions).

I do not have frienRAB and family in my area and do not want to relocate to another state for my surgery.

For those of you who have had a spinal fusion, do you think it will be possible for me to recover at home, by myself, with only visiting nurses? I would have a faimly meraber for the first week and, most likely, on weekenRAB.

I've been in extreme pain for 5 years and have a very modified lifestyle already. I can only walk or stand for 30 seconRAB at a time and never bend over or lift anything heavier than 8 pounRAB. I work from home and seldom leave my apartment except for dr. visits, grocieries, and the library.

I would appreciate any opinions or advice. I read the post-op tips thread, and that was great.
 
I'll let you know in 3 months or so. This board has helped me so much. Going through different procedures over the years someone was always here to help. Some of the other senior merabers must have gotten much better but in 2002 there were a bunch that helped me including Ibake.
 
I had a three level fusion done. I had complications and ended up in a nursing home for a month for rehab. The day I was discharged they discovered a clot that went from my lower calf to my groin. I ended up in the hospital for a week on heparin and cumadin.

Anyway, IF you are going to be alone there are a couple of things I would suggest.
*Get a hospital bed in if you can, and get the hanging triangle that allows you to pull yourself up to shift around.
*Get a lift for the toliet seat so you can get on and off without any help.
*Get a grabber that will pick things up off of the floor. You can find them in any good drugstore.
*Get a chair for the shower if you feel that you won't be able to stand for that long.
*get meals delivered in if you can. You won't have the strength or energy to cook for yourself.

I would also get someone who will sit with you for part of the day. perhaps from 9-4? Just so you have help for part of the day. It might be pricey, but you really need help for the -oh-first three to four weeks. And they will want you up walking every day and you can't be doing this alone until you are stable and confident that you won't fall. There will be nothing worse than falling and not being able to get back up!

Good luck!
 
Hi, ME TOO! I'm going to have an ALIF on L5-S1 in 1 1/2 weeks. This information is very helpful. I too, am going to be alone. My son will have left for college (out of state) the day before my surgery :( . Aside from a sister who is nursing a very sick husband, I don't have any family in the state in which I live. My support won't be much more than a ride to and from the hospital and dr's checks. I have to have the surgery now because my better insurance runs out at the end of the month - (won't be able to afford it otherwise). I won't be able to have any home nursing care and want to make certain I am prepared. I'm working on stocking up on food, supplies, and meRAB and have things arranged at waist level or higher. I have a shower chair and a grabber claw but will I need a walker? I've had four levels fused in my neck (C3-4, 4-5, 5-6, & 6-7) and wonder if anyone can compare the pain, functioning issues, etc., of cervical surgery with lurabar surgery. How far will I be able to bend? Is reaching for the lower level of my frig. out of the question? Will I be able to reach into a washer and dryer after a couple of weeks? I'm thinking that getting in and out of my shower might be a problem. It has a high step-in. Would a step-stool be a help or a safety hazard? I have a macaw bird who weighs 4 lbs. (he'll have to be boarded at the vet while I'm in the hospital). He's a very good baby (14 months) and pretty much stays where I put him and is good at keeping me company with his "give me kishhhhh" and wolf whistles. :) Will I be able to lift that much weight in the first couple of weeks?
Prayers to all

ankylosing spondylitis
2 anterior cervical discectomy surgeries
1 posterior cervical discectomy
fusion C3-4,4-5,5-6, & 6-7
cardiac pacemaker
bronchiectasis
 
1Manager, Thanks for sharing. Hope all continues to go well with you. My big day is this coming Monday (two days). Despite my increasing anxiousness, I have hope that I can do this alone. Oh, I will definately ask my doc about someone coming in to help me!!!
 
Sometimes reading all of the information makes it all seem worse than it is!! Hang in there, you CAN do it!! I am glad that you have a new church. My church has been very supportive and such a blessing of prayers.

For those of you that have help with your recovery, that is absolutley wonderful and the way it should be, but for those of us that do not, it will be okay and we will get through it!! :)
 
I can't agree with Ibake anymore, those things are important. You may get away with the eight day. I am 9 days out and can do most things by myself except putting socks on.
I had a very different surgery than everyone, they used some new bone material produced in Eatontown, NJ. The doctor told me it blows away BMP bone graft stuff. I'll have to get you the name of the stuff. My friend is a scientist and he did the trials with the new type of bone graft past stuff and it is very good according to her, I also have a brand new type non pedicale screw device that was used a lot in Japan(L3 to L5). My surgeon thinks it will revolutionize back surgery in America. They call me 2 x a day to see how I am feeling. When I walked into his office with just using a cane after 7 days his office and him were so happy. I'll tell you after 9 days I have no pain at all. Just a little stiff. My body is trying to adjust not having pain in the normal spots. It is very weird.
Some of the things the doctor won't tell you stay away from NASIRAB (advil alieve predisone, celebrex) because they will slow the growth of the bone, also very balanced meal with lots of calcium.
I was very nervous being a Ginny pig I am now glad I tried it. BTW the person you select you better be close too, for the sake of not being crude after a BM some will have to clean you up. Sorry not a pleasant though but it is important.
 
I had a 2 level fusion on L 3/4 and L 4/5 about 6 weeks ago. I had a bone graft taken from my hip. I'm 59 years young and also have Osteoporosis and soft bones plus a recent T 12 fracture. I have a wonderful Neurosurgeon and Orthopedic surgeon. My surgery was 4 hours and my Neuro. did the first 2 hours and my Ortho did the last 2 hours which was the bone graft. My surgery was posterior and all the stitches were the dissolve kind. I did have a drainage tube and a pain pump with morphine. Like everyone said this is a major surgery and you are going to be sore, so it's important that you have someone with you at home. I didn't know I would need a nurse to make home visits until after my surgery. My doctor ordered it. I also had to wear a brace and I had a walker. I still use my walker once in awhile. I'm not fusing very fast because of the soft bones, and I still take pain meRAB every day. The same Drs. did my daughters same surgery and she had less pain and no need for home nurse or walker, so "everyone" is different. They want you to walk the day after surgery, so be prepared. I had to stay in bed an extra day because of my blood count and needed a transfusion. I really encourage you more than anything to have someone with you for the first week at least. Do all that your doctor says, and follow all the instructions in pre-op, and post-op.;)
 
When will you be getting your filter? I assume before surgery. I did not have a history of pulmonary eraboli but still threw a few right after my spinal fusion, and almost lost my life. So, they quickly inserted a filter in the vena cava-and I still have it. This is a very major surgery and a very long one, so it is more prone to complications than a surgery that takes 15minutes to a half-hour. Good Luck!!....Janiee
 
Back Pain Girl, Just went through a spinal fusion there is no way that you could get through it by yourself, without my wife and kiRAB i don't know how I would have made it. My wife had each child in shifts help me for whatever I needed. You should find someone to stay with you for at least the entire first week at the least.
 
Thank you so much for your detailed answers. I will definitely be waiting to hear about that new bone graft material.
 
I have actually been doing some research and most insurance companies including Medicaid and Medicare have home health care plans that should be included. Medicaid has a wonderful plan for home health care. Look into this by calling either your insurance company or some home health care agencies in your area. All that is needed is a prescription from your doctor, in some instances, a prescription may not even be needed!!!

Hope this helps!! Good luck
 
Good luck honey... You can do it, just stay focused and try not to let all of the reading scare you ok..... Yes, do ask about a script for home health care!!!! Keep me posted and hang in there!!!!
 
Hi Backpaingirl,
My surgery - laminectomy and partial facetectomy without fusion at L3, L4 and L5 - was not as extensive as yours, but here are some things that helped me.
Positive attitude
Walker - only used it inside the first week, but up to 4 weeks for walks around the neigrabroadorhood
Raised toilet seat
Grabber
Smaller size containers of milk, pitcher of water, etc. - my weight limit is 5 lbs - 1/2 gallon of milk
Since I have stairs and wasn't allowed to do stairs for first 3 weeks, hospital bed downstairs was great
I made a small tote to snap on the bed rail to hold cordless phone, cell phone and tv remote - no running (haha) for phone calls or losing remote in the bed or sofa
Made another tote to snap on walker to hold cell phone, keys and ID
Plastic garbage bag or similar item for car seat so you can slide/pivot easier
Dry shampoo to wash hair until allowed to shower - not the same but better than nothing - I had to wait 3 weeks since shower is upstairs and not allowed to bend over sink
Baby wipes for the nuraber of times you'd wash your hanRAB during the day - again, I couldn't reach or bend over the sink
Sponge bath towelettes - couldn't bathe, so warm up in the microwave and definitely feel better
Face wipes
Slip on sandals or shoes
Clothes that are easy to get on and off - the first week I had pjs that didn't look like pjs so I could go to the Dr or my walk without having to change
TV tray or hospital type table to keep necessary items close by
Write time you are supposed to take meRAB and then check off when you take them - I learned the hard way - thought I'd taken it but didn't - pain let me know big time - didn't make that mistake twice
I had visiting home nurse 4 visits- all they did was check the incision and my vitals - I was already doing my vitals because the Dr. wanted my temp several times a day for first week and my BP since I have high BP and the meRAB and pain affect it - so the only thing useful was checking the incision since I couldn't see it. Someone to clean house would have been much more useful.
Meals were either made and frozen ahead or some of the healthier frozen dinners
Protein powder or bars - Dr. wanted 55 grams protein per day to promote healing
Accept help offered
Ice packs
Walk as much as you are able
Most importantly, listen to your Dr. and your body
Sorry this is so long, but hope it helps. Best of luck on your surgery and recovery.
 
Hi there.

I just had ALIF spinal fusion with instrumentation S1 L5 on August 3, 2010. I stayed at my mom's house for the first week, and now I am home. I have a 2 year old daughter as well and have no other choice but to do it on my own from here on out.

It is extremely hard emotionally, but with my brace, grabber and a few other home medical devices I am doing it!! In a way, I feel that it can make you stronger with your recovery. I do however have my mother take me to the grocery store and do harder physical things around my house, but all in all I am alone in this recovery. My mom has Fibromyalgia and is in her own pain so she can not help as much as I need her to.

Use a grabber to do laundry, bend down with your knees instead of your waist, try to walk a lot and warm showers have helped as well. I have not been lying in bed a lot as it hurts to lay down, and in keeping busy it helps the time to pass by faster. I try not to do anything to extensive with my daughter, she actually helps me with a few things. So cute, it is hard in the fact that she does not understand why I can't pick her up and hold her.

You can do it!! I would definetly get advise from your surgeon on the recovery restrictions that he wants. All doctors have a different idea of limitations. Keep positive and try to focus on a correct recovery. I get a ride to and from places as I can't drive as of yet.

Are you going to have a post op visit with your surgeon? I am not a specialist at all of this, I just want my life back so it is worth it to me. I have a lot of pain and some some other issues, but nothing too extreme. Please feel free to post as I am here to help. I need support too. :)
 
Hi Jainee,

Thanks for your post. Yes, they will be putting ina removable filter the day before surgery as an out-patient procedure. I'm pretty scared I will get clots again (I had them after a routine out-patient proedure last year), but the filter is pretty much my only option due to the extent of the surgery and the inability to use blood thinners during it, etc.
 
Precious & 1 Manager: I hope your recoveries are uneventful and speedy. Thanks for the inspiration and hope. I will keep saying to myself that I can do this! I am very new to my church but maybe there will be offers to drive me places like the grocery store when I get the clearance to ride, Please keep me posted on your recoveries & will check frequently (if not in a medication stupor) haha. If you think of any specific tricks that you've discovered (I've read the after surgery posts), feel free to pass them along. In the mean time, I'm ironing literally boxes of memorabilia (I had a fire sprinkler leak in two closets - one was my storage for precious items) trying to stop the mildew from killing my things and me (I have a lung disease as well). When it rains, it pours - literally. Waaaa waaa waaa. A little whining is good for the soul :)
Sending good thoughts your way.
 
Hi 1 manager and others who have posted. I was so glad to see that you joined the thread. When I started it I thought I would be the only one in this situation. Seeing that there are other people in the same situation--and surviving the situation well enough to post on the message boarRAB!-- is helping me a lot. Please do post back about steps in your recovery. I check this board twice a day.

When I have my actual surgery I'm thinking about doing daily or almost daily postings as a guide to help other people in the future. I'm really not sure what I will do with my time during recovery, so I think it could be a worthwhile project. I'm going to start another thread about it later and see what others think of "My Spinal Fusion: A Daily Diary" ;)

1Manager, how have you progressed from week 1 to week 2 to week 3?

I'll be thinking about all of you!
 
Hi Picnica,

Thank you so much for the info! I've heard that the pain from the removal of the pelvic bone fragment can be almost as bad or worse than the surgical pain. I have written down this info and will take it with me to the doctor.

This board has been so helpful to me even in the last 24 hours. It's wonderful to find this supportive environment.

Anyone here have any experience with donor bone v. bone from yourself?
 
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