Bouncin' BACK

Hello Everybody!

I am officially 6 MONTHS POST OP! WHOOO HOOOO! Honestly, time has flown by crazy fast, and it seems surreal that my surgery was 6 months ago.

6 month ago, I had 20 something screws drilled into my spine, 2 titanium rods attached to the screws, and grew 2 inches—all in a span of 4 hours.

To be honest, life is still more difficult after the surgery than it was prior. Recently, I have had the worst back pain flare-ups. It has gotten to the point where I am crying out and in tears from the pain. I am not sure as to why that happens, but luckily it doesn’t happen too often.

I am currently still in physical therapy. It definitely helps to stretch my muscles and gain mobility, but I am still unable to walk up stairs, sit without a pillow, and bend down.

Personally, my recovery seems to be behind schedule, so I am unsure as to what limitations are normal at 6 months.  Despite some setbacks, I feel like my surgery has inspired me to focus my energy and time into my schoolwork and school activities.

I was also able to get rid of my hospital bed awhile back! For a while, I slept on the couch because it was firmer, but we bought a piece of plywood for under my bed mattress to make it more comfortable.

At this point, I can do almost everything I did before, but I get tired quicker—which is understandable.

My school is still working great to accommodate me as well! I continue to leave class 3-5 minutes early because it takes me longer to get to the next class. Also, I tend to be trampled, shoved against walls, beat up, etc. if I don’t (that may be dramatized). Honestly, huge shout out to my backpack buddy, Rachel, and my blog editor and assistant backpack buddy, Caitlin. Without them, I would’ve died like 5 months ago.

Cant wait till things get all betterJ

⚓️Alaine⚓️

not quite BACK to normal

Hello!

Thank you so much for all of the support and encouragement, especially through my blog.
It has been over a month since my last post, so I have a lot to share! This coming Tuesday, 12/30, I will be 18 WEEKS post-op--which still has me in shock! I have some accomplishments and setbacks I wanna post on here...

Accomplishments:

 I was able to fully stop using my walker as of 11/11! It honestly still hurts to walk without it, but I feel the strength in my back increasing. I still cannot climb stairs without sharp pains, so my teachers are continuing to accommodate me, by letting me use the elevator :)

I have also turned 16 (yay!) and was able to get my license! Although it hurts my back to sit continuously in the car for awhile, short drives are tolerable. I feel so great to be able to drive because one if my earlier goals was to not let the surgery keep me from driving.

I have also been able to stop using my hospital bed for sleeping. The setback of not having the firm bed leads to more back pain, so I often sleep on our coach.

Setbacks:

I am still taking at least 1 or 2 pills a day for pain. I feel I am still constantly aching, which makes days nearly impossible to get through without rest or medication.

 I continue to bring an ice pack and a pillow around (especially where there are hard chairs). This helps me the most to be comfortable, and, while I look like I'm going to a sleepover every time I go to school, it helps so much!

Finally, I have to start physical therapy tomorrow because I am unable to achieve pre-surgical movement that other kids regain.


Despite my setbacks, I feel so much better than the initial weeks following my surgery. I know those of you still following my progress are probably wondering why it's taking longer for me to heal than what I have said earlier. It's mainly that every individual heals at a different time, and, though it may not seem like it, I am trying very hard to bounce BACK. Thank you for supporting me and listening to my complaints :)

I'm almost BACK to normal!

⚓️Alaine⚓️

P.S I will write about my 4th month post op experience on January 2nd.
P.P.S I will also write a what you need to know for surgery updat for those who are interested :)

My BACK Story-9 weeks post op!

Hello Everyone! 

So for those of you who have come across my blog because you are having (or interested in having) spinal fusion, I want to reintroduce myself! My name is Alaine, and I was diagnosed with double scoliosis in April of 2014. I have made this blog as a way for my family and friends to watch my recovery. I had spinal fusion on September 2nd, 2014 and have been blogging about the experience. To see my other blogposts scroll downward on the home page and have fun reading:)

ANYWAY:) ONTO MY PROGRESS!

I have survived 9 weeks with titanium rods in my back! My doctor has made it very clear that my rods will not be able to break or shift, so I kinda have an indestructible back...groovy, right?! I often have this scenario in my mind where I wonder if my back were to be hit by a car ( morbid, I know) which would be broken-the car or me?  My bet is on me. 

I have officially returned to school full time, but I am still on Hydrochodon (probably not spelled right) and Valium. The pain is still present, and I am still using my walker, but I feel that I have come a long way from my surgery 9 weeks ago!

FIRST, I HAVE A LIST OF MY NEW GOALS:)

-as it is 11/4 today (9 weeks since I became indestructible) I hope to stop using my walker next week (11/11)!

-I want to get my license on my birthday, which is in December, so I want to start driving again (I sincerely hope that I gained some super ability to navigate the roads since my surgery, cuz I'm not the best driver). 

-I have to get rid of my super rad hospital bed (unfortunately), so I need to practice sleeping in my real bed. 

-My final goal is to finish making up all school work!

I am confident in my abilities to accomplish these goals:)

Because I like my blog to share what recovery is actually like, not just unicorns and rainbows, I will share a few setbacks I have experienced:

-I am still unable to walk too quickly or far as it winds me and hurts my back

-I am still getting sick from the medication and the pain 

-it still hurts to wear tight fitting shirts as it hugs my incision site

Speaking of which, MY SCAR LOOKS GREAT! I am so happy with how it looks, and I apply vitamin e oil and scar cream to it to reduce the color!

Funny story actually, my dear family friends bought me this "attachable spine" and, in honor of Halloween, I decided it was a great time to share it with others! Hahahah it got a good amount of gasps and laughs :)

I also want to thank my study hall class of 7th hour-I don't know about you, but I feel like we have truly bonded over my back surgery, and I thank and credit you with many of my back puns:)

I will write a blog post later this week on my tips and tricks to make it through the day after surgery. It will give you a sneak peak into the exciting, adventurous, addicting "life of alaine"

I'll be BACK soon

⚓️Alaine⚓️

(check) up and at 'em

Hello Everyone! 

I am so sorry that I haven't updated my blog for a little while! As the recovery process is slow, I generally wait to write about something exciting happening. Since my last blog post, I have reached 7 weeks post-op and was able to meet with my doctor! 

I feel "pros and cons" are the best way to explain how I am feeling throughout recovery. 

PROs: 

-I have officially have made it through my first full day back at school on October 22nd!

-I have been working with my teachers to make up work, and they are all amazingly helpful!

-My great friend from school, Rachel, helps me get from class to class without becoming high school road kill!

-And, drum roll please......I was able to showcase my Halloween costume at my school's dance! (Everyone asked if my walker was apart of the costume)

ALSO, LOOK HOW FAR I HAVE COME FROM MY SURGERY :) YAY!

CONs: I have quite a few cons (unfortunately). 

-I am still in a TON of pain (instead of easing off my medication, I was prescribed more to help with the severe pain). 

-I am still working to make up all of the assignments that I missed, which seems a little intimidating. 

-I am still reacting poorly to my medication. After my first full day at school, I came home and threw up throughout the night due to the pain. 

-I'm not healing as quickly as I had hoped and expected. 

At this point, I am upset that the pain levels have not decreased as soon as I hoped. I also feel like I need to act "all healed" at school, but the pain is unbearable at times. 

For those of you who have come across my blog while preparing for your surgery, I would suggest purchasing MANY MANY MANY ice packs. I am talking about enough to build an igloo mansion. Heating irritates my back more and the ice takes the edge off my pain. 

Also, upon meeting with my doctor, I am now cleared to take baths, go swimming, ride bikes, etc. I am so glad I am finally getting back to normal (well, as normal as I can be). 

I am so thankful to all of my friends, family, and teachers who are working with me to bounce back. 

I have high hopes of recovering fully soon! 

⚓️Alaine⚓️

BACK at School

Hello!

I know it has been over a week since my last blog update, but I got tons of new information to share:)

The biggest news yet is: I HAVE BEEN GOING BACK TO SCHOOL! (I'm returning to school at 5weeks post-op)!

So far my school timeline has been-

October 3- One hour of School
October 6- Two hours of School
October 7- Two hours of School
October 8- Three hours of School
October 9- Four hours of School

I go to an Arts school, where all of the academics are in the morning and the arts are in the afternoon. Because I haven't been well enough to stay at school long, I generally leave during/after academics. I'm not going to lie, going back to school is tough, so I think it would be best to partition the experience into "pros" and "cons"

PROs:
-I get to see my friends and teachers that I haven't see for over a month
-I get to distract myself from the back pain, which makes a lot better
-I was able to work with my teachers to reduce my workload, saving me a ton of stress

CONs:
-I am constantly in pain (the chairs at my school are not the comfiest, so I bring a pillow to relieve the pain).
-I feel lost/behind going back to school because I have missed a lot.
-It is difficult for me to maneuver my way around the hallways because I am still unstable on my feet, and my walker is quite bulky.
-I have classes on the 1st and 2nd floors of my school, so I have to wait for the elevator a lot.
-The biggest con is STRESS! My teachers and peers have been amazing in working with me, but there is a certain amount of stress that is inevitable upon returning to school after a major surgery.

So far school is a little crazy and hectic, but I have decorated my walker (it was necessary, of course) and talked to my teachers about making up work!

I am still on all of my medications, as the pain still hasn't subsided, but hopefully I can ease off them soon.

As for any other updates, I have been getting really sick from my medication (AGAIN), and I have thrown up the last couple of days. We also rented a hospital bed for me to use during recovery, and the company is letting us keep it for an additional month (YAY!).  I have also made a point to decorate my house for Halloween!

For those of you who came across this blog because you are having the surgery, I have a few tips I will share at the next blog post :)

Thanks for the SUPPORT ;) and for putting up with my puns.

⚓️Alaine⚓️


Sent from my iPhone

Bad to the Bone-4 Weeks Post Op

Hello everyone!

That's right, I am one month post-op! 29 days ago, my back had two 45 degree curves (causing me plenty of pain). However, 28 days ago is when I went from having double scoliosis to a straight spine--all in a matter of hours. 

Below are a few more images from my surgery:

M

This month definitely has NOT been easy. I wish I could say I am doing better 1 month post-op than I was doing 1 month pre-op, but this blog is supposed to capture an honest recovery. I still struggle with basic functions such as walking, sitting, showering, etc. But, with everyday, I gain a little more mobility, making recovery easier.  I am still using my pain medicine and still throw up from it, but the pain is significantly less than it was in previous weeks. Currently, I am trying to catch up on schoolwork I have missed, which seems to the cause the most stress for me. Because sitting is hard, I have to take breaks to lay down every half an hour. Although recovery is still difficult, I do feel improvement with everyday. 

Now that I have the bad news about my recovery out of the way, I can share some positive things! I will start with last Friday night. My dad took me to my last baseball game of the season, and I was able to sit through 5 innings! I know it doesn't seem like that long, but it was a HUGE sign of improvement for me! The kind workers at the game got me front row seats right behind first base! Additionally, upon leaving the game, they offered me a wheelchair, so I didn't have to walk the long distance to the car. Although I was exhausted upon arriving home, I was touched that so many strangers were willing to help me out. I also was able to decorate my walker this weekend! For those of you who know, becoming president in the 2036 election is a
dream of mine; I decided there was no better way to campaign than using my walker! :)  

I am so grateful for the support everyone has offered me, and I will continue to update my blog as I recover! 

⚓️Alaine⚓️

One Step BACK, Two Steps Foreword:

Hello Everyone!

I apologize from my small absence from blogging; it is difficult to write every couple of days when nothing new has happened. Today is my 3rd week post-op!

So let's start with the bad news since my last post: 

I am still VERY sick. I throw up everything I eat, and this is because of my pain medication. The difficult thing is I am in so much pain that I need the medication, however it doesn't do anything when I throw it up. I have also discovered my center of gravity is off (I am not as well balanced as I thought I was). Last Thursday, I was trying to put on my pajama pants after my shower, I lost my balance, and I slammed my back against the floor. That was probably one of my worst nights. My muscles still ache, and there is still constant pain throughout my body. Now, despite these setbacks, I have some good news to share about my accomplishments. 

Good News:)

Although I am still in a ton of pain, I feel as if I have a lot more mobility throughout my body (when compared to previous weeks). I have moved on to eating more solid meals-as opposed to the apples and carrots I have been eating. Although my sister and aunt left, my grandma came to stay with us to help me. I am so appreciative to have someone looking out for me. I also got to take the steri-strips off my incision, so I can see my scar-YAY! 

Additionally, I went to my first post-op appointment yesterday! MY CURVES IN MY BACK ARE NOW NON-EXISTANT! Additionally, my doctor decided to change my meds, and I was able to get a handicap parking sticker! The only bad news we got is that I have vocal chord paralysis, that caused me to lost my voice really easily. I am also working on my homework (something I didn't do before because of the severity of the pain). 

I feel that information covers the majority of my progress. I will be writing more soon! 

⚓️Alaine⚓️