i am new here and looking for a place to help... i am SO AFRAID of my upcoming spinal fusion surgery. it's a COMPLEX surgery... and the risks are high and frightening. first surgery will be 4-6 hours and is L2-S1 anterior spinal fusion, graft placement. they go through my stomach to do this surgery.

the second surgery will be 2 days later and is: T10-S1 posterior spinal fusion, T10-illium, L1-5 decompression. the risks are high here (will need blood transfusion and will be in ICU for 2 days). this surgery is estimated to last from 8-12 hours.

i will then go to my room and will begin walking on day #3 with a walker. home after 7-9 days in the hospital, although they could send me to a care home (they can't, i'm a single mom, with no family except my children). no driving for 2 months, etc.

i'm in a TOTAL PANIC. i am thinking i need to endure the pain for a few more years, delay the surgery.. my children are still so young (14 and 12) and i've got pets depending on me.

i really need to talk to others who have had spinal fusion surgery and can help alleviate my concerns or maybe help me make the decision to go through with the surgeries, or not.

lastly, the doc wants to do my cervical fusion approximately 3 months after this lumbar fusion is doing, depending on how i'm doing.

PLEASE HELP ME. i don't know how to post... hope this goes through. i need to post more, i think, so i can chat? how does this work? i'm so overwhelmed.

Hi Tina, I am new too. I hope your surgery went well. I had C5-6 and C6-7 spinal fusion in 1990 with artifical bone. I have done very well until lately.
Just had surgery on July 19 and 21.

Hi... my surgery is COMING UP ON August 30 AND Sept 1. Two days of surgeries. I've had surgeries... but I'm not as young as i used to be... and this seems so invasive. the doctor is talking ICU for 2 days... blood transfusions... etc.

i'm so scared.

Nice to meet you. I just had surgery myself last Fri. and I'm already moving around and feeling much better. At 14 and 12, your kids can take care of you and themselves too I am sure. I will say a few prayers for you and your family.

Hi Tina,

You have to take a deep breathe and try to remain positive. You have some scary weeks ahead, but with a positive attitude you will do much better.

I had a cervical fusion on March 2nd, C5, C6, C7 with titanium plates and 6 screws. I spent 8 1/2 weeks in a hard cervical collar, and weaned myself off some pretty high doses of narcotics during that time. I won't candy coat it, it's a rough surgery, and it takes a VERY long time to heal and feel normal again. I still hurt, I'm better then I was before surgery, but I'm by no means back to normal, it's been 4 months. I didn't drive until I was out of my collar, and after that only very little. So you will need to be prepared before you go in for everything you need.

Your kids are old enough to have things explained to them and have them help, just prepare things before your surgery and make lots of frozen meals and lists!! (I have teenagers also). What I did was make little baskets of things I would need, set my bedroom up as a recovery space and premade and froze soups and stews for quick microwave dinners.

Prepare to be out of it for a while with all the meds you're on. Ask if you can get some home care sent to the house to help with groceries and extras that your kids can't do.

Set yourself up on a schedule right away with pain meds, don't wait until you hurt, it's too late to get out of pain then. Keep a little basket with everything you need within arms reach, and have lots of pillows around you.

I wish you a quick recovery, and if you have any more questions of what to expect please give me an email and I will try to help with answers from my experience. I was pretty panicky before my surgery also, but I'm expecting that you need all these surgeries and shouldn't put them off if the doctor's are wanting to do them back to back. Sometimes the nerve damage for prolonging surgery can be worse then the surgery itself.

God bless.
Cathie

In the last four and half years I have an two X-LIF90 minimum invasive surgeries on L3/4 and L4/5; three arthroscopic surgeries and a full knee replacement; fusion at C6/7 and three surgeries (2 revision - one about five days ago) on C5/6. The cervical surgeries are easier than the lumbar as you can lift your head with you hand etc. But, with the Lumber surgeries, I would suggest that you get a trapeze over your bed so that you can life yourself up to a sitting position. I didn't realize how wonderful it was to have one until my second revision surgery on my lower back.

Your kids can definitely help out. They are used to making charts in school, so make a chart of what meds you are on and when you are suppose to take them and have them write down the time of when you took them. This will make them feel so helpful.

They can probably also fix you Gingerale and toast since your appetite won't be the best in the beginning. Put a big box of Kleenex and a waste bin by the bed b/c you will be coughing up junk from being under for so long. MY revision surgeries were 7 hours or more long. It's five days now and I am still spitting up stuff. You will feel like you were hit by a truck but eventually that will go away.

My doctor always uses Dermabond on my incisions so I take a shower when I get home or the next day and it puts you in a better frame of mind. As others have posted, put everything you think you will need around your bed as that will be your command post for a while. I always do all of my bills and balance the checkbook etc before surgery so I don't have to worry about that.

As for driving....hmmmm....you could hire a 'at home care giver" for an hour or so who can run to the store for you or cook up a few meals for you. I had one once when no one in my family could stay with me for a day.

There are a million things I want to tell you but it would take forever. You will be surprised at how well your children will do. The roles will be reversed and they will be true champions. Oh, I would teach them how to do laundry if they don't know how already. My son was 14, now that I think about it, when he helped take care of me. Of course, now that he is 18 and can drive etc. he can shop, get meds, clean, cook etc.

Remember to keep your chin up. Always manage your pain medicine correctly, don't try to be a trooper....if you are in pain, take your meds. Use a cane to walk to your bathroom etc b/c you will be dizzy and it's good to get out of bed and get circulation.

Oh, and I would not put off the pain any longer. You will be surprised at how good it feels to finally be fixed. I had been in pain for 13 years before finally finding the right doc. My lower back fused in a year and it's wonderful.

Good luck and I will check back here to see how you are doing. Where will the kids be when you are in the hospital for 7-9 days? If they are with friends, I think you are going to find that your friends will be there to help...

This is a very nice post Madison5, positive and upbeat.

I can sympathize with Tina 1960 having kids and pets and etc. Tina, if you are involved in a church, or have friends who are, ask around about meals ministries. A lot of churches have them. The people basically take turns bringing your meals for up to 3 weeks. This way you are not living on Top Ramen and cereal and can get the balanced meals you need for healing.