Daughters soon back surgery

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Precious55

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My 34 year old daughter is having back surgery on the 18TH of this month. She has a disc that is blown in her lower back, and fragments are cutting off her nerves. She's hardly able to walk a few feet without being in extreme pain all the way down her leg.
I understand the Dr.s are going to fuse the disk together.
Here is my question. My daughter will be spending 3 days in the hospital, and after she comes home, how much care is she going to need? She lives with me and my husband.
Also, she's going to have 2 neurosurgeons and one orthopedic surgeon in the room for her surgery. The one neurosurgeon is top in the area and his father will be there also. Is this a serious surgery? What kind of care will my daughter need when she gets home? How can we arrange her room? Any suggestions from someone who has been there would be greatly appreciated.
 
Yes, it's a major surgery and I won't hide the fact that lurabar fusion surgery is painful. So expect her to have a fair amount of pain. Does she have a room on the main floor? If not, maybe have stuff in her room for her to easily access (such as snack type food especially for when taking pain medications). While she's in the hospital ask teh nurses and physical therapist what you can do at home for her, anything they suggest you have for her such as a toilet riser. See if you can get her pain medication prescriptions filled before she gets home so she has immediate access. Pain meRAB work best when taken on a regular schedule. So if they are prescribed for "every 4 hours" you may want to help her make sure she stays on schedule. By staying on a pain med schedule you ward of some severe moments of pain by keeping a therapeutic level of pain medications in your system at all times.
 
Thanks for the information Spine AZ. Yes, her room is on the bottom floor. That Toilet riser you mentioned, is that something I can get at a medical supply store?
 
Yes, if you go to a medical supply store just let them know she'll be having back surgery and you want to see what options they have for toilet risers.

The other thing I forgot to mention....I bought a shower chair from a large chain drug store. I've used it after my back, knee and neck surgeries. Makes showering easier and is pretty reasonable ($25 or so). We've used it for all different things since.
 
You didn't say what level she is having fused. She will need to learn the BLT. No Bending Lifting or Twisting. That is the mantra for fusion patients until they are fused. Remeraber it can take 6 months before you see fusionb. At first I thought I couldn't have my favorite sandwich! She will probably be fitted with a soft brace that will help her hold herself straight-if this is a lurabar fusion. She will also learn to roll like a log to her side then work her way to a sitting position before she stanRAB up.

A grabber would also be a useful purchase. You can get them from Walmart, any drug store, hospital supply. They are great for getting those things that drop on the floor that you can't reach.

Have her get her toe done before her surgery as she won't be able to do them for awhile and having them done ahead of time takes that off of her plate.

Be prepared for the pain. It is worse than she is expecting, and worse than the doctor will tell you. When you bring her home, make sure that they give her meRAB a half hour before you leave so that they have time to get into her system.

I had three discs removed, cages put in, roRAB, pins, screws, etc. My back broke the next day...long story short. I am now fused from T9 to my sacrum. So I have been through this.... good luck!

BTW There is a stsicky at the top of the page that is "post surgery tips". It is full of good ideas that have comes from all of use that have lived through this. Take time to read it and take to heart what you need.
 
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