Hi Cyrs,
Wow, I feel your pain. Sounds like you got more going on than me. I will say the pain sounds similar. Yes they went posterior meaning my long incision is on my back next to my spine. They thought they might have to cut the front to get to the tumor but the doctor's were able to do it from the back. They retracted my lung as well. It sounds like you have a two level fusion? They fused T-2 through T-6 on me. I don't know the sizes of my rods. I know I have a lot of screws I saw them on the x-ray. I am now five weeks out. I am doing a little better since I wrote last. I am on percocet for pain. I also take flexeral for the muscle spasms. My fear also is that I will have to do this again. Like you this surgery was horrible and I had a reaction to the pain pump after surgery so they took it away from me. I was in severe pain until I could hold oral pain medicine down. I still have pain in my chest on the left side and pain under my armpit. That is the side they retracted to get to the tumor. I talked to my doctor about having to have more surgery in the future. He told that the vertebra that are not involved in the fusion have to take more stress. He said that the percentage of needing another fusion goes up three percent each year. So in thirty years it becomes a 90% chance. That would put me around seventy. He said that not all people have symptoms and I might be able to live just fine with the degeneration of the above and below vertebra of my fusion. I just can't think about that now. I am young and strong and I bet you are to. My doctor said I will be able to go back to my job and live my life as normal. He said I will probably be up to that when I am twelve weeks out. I sure can't imagine that now. Just a short walk and my back hurts so bad between my shoulder blades. I am really looking forward to my appointment when the doctor will tell me he can see fusion starting. I want to hear that real bad. Every movement feels like my screws are coming loose. The last x-ray showed they are fine. Have you showed fusion yet? I don't have to wear a brace but I know the brace you are talking about. I also know the stress you have over the money. We are used to two incomes. When i do go back to work it will be very part time. What is your occupation? please keep me informed of your progress. I wish you well.
Cheryl