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rmaynard

My Spine Surgery

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ACman

Glad to here everything is going great . The less pain pills the better ( I.m.o. ) keep moving . Hope to to see you in June . :handgestures-thumbupright: With my plates and screws in the back of my throat , I get the worst brain freeze . Let's start a titanium club registry , maybe get a picture of some of use together at the show . 

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rmaynard
13 hours ago, shallowwatersailor said:

Wow, those are some impressive screws. They put mine to shame. Does it appear that the hardware will be visible under your skin? I know where my plate is. It rubs across the rocker panel every time I get out of a car. Luckily it doesn't on the truck.

So far I can't feel the hardware. I'm sure there is a good layer of muscle over top of it.

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Buzz

Hey Bob I'm sorry I just noticed this post but I haven't spent much time on here or with my 'Horses lately. I'm glad that you're on the mend but keep a close eye out for infection. I had a laminectomy in the same area last Dec. 8 and within 12 hours was walking and actually climbed steps. A week after coming home the incision started weeping and next thing I knew I was back in the hospital with a raging fever and a bacterial infection. Had another surgery to clean everything out. The 2nd surgery really kicked my butt. Spent the Christmas holidays in the hospital and lost 25 lbs. and most of my strength in  2 weeks. They said it might take a year or longer to recover. Made it to the show last year but was really dragging. Feeling a lot better and finally getting some ambition. Other than that my back in almost like new and almost pain free.

 

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rmaynard

I remember reading about your experience last year. My hospital has a new protocol to prevent infection. Two weeks before surgery you shower twice a day using anti-bacterial soap. On the night before surgery, you use a special prescription soap that they provide. I comes in an 8 oz bottle. Use half the night before, sleep on fresh laundered sheets, then use the other half of the bottle in the morning. As soon as I got to pre-op, an IV was started with a heavy duty antibiotic. Of course all of the operating room sanitary procedures were in place, then after surgery the IV antibiotics were continued for 24 hours. So far it has been a little over two weeks since surgery, I had the staples removed, and the doctor said that the wound is completely healed on the exterior. There were no signs of weeping or drainage, and I didn't even bleed when the staples were removed.

 

So far, so good.

 

I'm glad you are doing well now.

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SylvanLakeWH
On December 16, 2015 at 8:37 PM, rmaynard said:

Had my 2 week follow-up today. Everything looks great according to my surgeon. Here's a picture of the hardware, which will be my entry into the Titanium Club.

 

Bobs_spine1.thumb.png.537ddee5ff3361af03

Glad to hear you are on the mend...

Anyone notice that if you put the right X-ray on the left of the other one, then rotate it 90 degrees counterclockwise, it spells "WH"?

Just sayin'

 

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elcamino/wheelhorse

Not being a smart A , SylvaLake you have toooooooooooooo much time on your hands. Get another horse to keep you busy. Or the local paper may have a front Page  headline. " Local Man loses his mind , all he see are W & H ". Not one knows what is going on in his brain. A tumor is suspected,  he is being transported to the Mayo Clinic immediately .

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SylvanLakeWH
3 minutes ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said:

Not being a smart A , SylvaLake you have toooooooooooooo much time on your hands. Get another horse to keep you busy. Or the local paper may have a front Page  headline. " Local Man loses his mind , all he see are W & H ". Not one knows what is going on in his brain. A tumor is suspected,  he is being transported to the Mayo Clinic immediately .

 

Hmmm... You might be on to something there...All I need is another WH?

 

I'll check with the wife and get on it...

 

:ROTF:

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elcamino/wheelhorse

checking with wife causes whole of problems. Just say it followed home, it is a parts tractor for my wheel horse.

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rmaynard
1 hour ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Glad to hear you are on the mend...

Anyone notice that if you put the right X-ray on the left of the other one, then rotate it 90 degrees counterclockwise, it spells "WH"?

Just sayin'

 

back1.png.acfcd6d0ddf8fcfcff4697425ddbe8

 

Amazing.

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Ed Kennell

This is the same anti-infection procedure Mrs. K used prior to her fusion of 3.4.and5 and it was 100% effective.    Her surgeon wasn't quite as good of a machinist as yours though.  One of the self tapping screws stripped out and he had to put another in beside it.

Before the surgery, I asked him if he drilled and tapped for the screws.  His comment was ,no, the screws are self drilling and tapping.

I wonder if  The Machinists Handbook should be one of the surgeons textbooks?

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roadapples
27 minutes ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said:

checking with wife causes whole of problems. Just say it followed home, it is a parts tractor for my wheel horse.

Problem is I`m getting more parts tractors than workers

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elcamino/wheelhorse

At least you can find parts tractor, slim pickens in Central Va.

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Zeek

Glad to hear things are going good Bob:handgestures-thumbupright:  Should have had Brian engrave the screw heads with a :wh: before they did the install. Guess it's too late for that now  . . .:unsure:

Edited by Zeek
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rmaynard

UPDATE: Just returned from my 6-week follow-up visit to my spine surgeon. X-rays show everything looking great. I have been released to drive, no more back brace, and physical therapy starts Thursday. Although he said no tractor seat time until after PT has increased my flexibility, that is a small price to pay. So far, I have done everything that he has said, and I am right on track if not ahead of schedule.

 

Overall, a very good day. :thumbs:

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953 nut

Bob, that is great news, we never had a discussion about seat time on the :wh:, but the PT folks did tell me I shouldn't make the bed or vacume the floors; just can't be too careful.  Glad you are doing so well.:handgestures-thumbupright:

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857 horse

Bob ,,we are all happy that you're doing well.....As long as you get a go ahead,,,all we need to know is.....old springy metal seat  or a cousioned one,,,we dont want anything coming loose,,,,,Im not sayin  or pointn a finger,,,,BUT !!!!!!!   We already have our fair share of loose screws.....

nuff said for now.......be safe,,,,watch the flurries coming...

 

Edited by 857 horse
cant spell
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JimD

I'm very happy to hear your good news Bob. Keep doing what the Doc says and keep getting better. :handgestures-thumbupright:

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Ed Kennell

Great news Bob. Thanks for the update. 

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Fun Engineer

I was just thinking of you today Bob, wondering how you were doing. Glad to hear that things are good. 

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WNYPCRepair
On December 4, 2015 at 11:34 AM, ekennell said:

Good advice for the younguns Bob, but I'm afraid it's too late for  most of us.

I'm trying to decide which to have fixed first...back needs fused,  both hands need carpal tunnel, and the left knee needs replaced. I guess the knee should be first, when I walk in the Mall, it pops so loud I see the people in the vicinity ducking their heads.  :hide:



PT will not be fun, but it is key to flexibility later. 

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rmaynard

UPDATE - I had my 12 week follow-up this morning with my surgeon. Everything is looking great. All the hardware is still in place, and the fusion bone is starting to knit with the vertebrae. He said that the healing is right on schedule. However, his prior instructions of "no bending, lifting, or twisting" still remain in effect, and he says, unless I want to look forward to more surgeries in the future, the "no B-L-T" shall remain in effect for the rest of my life. Of course I can bend and lift a little, but right now about 20 pounds is my lifting limit, and I can bend using my hips, not my back. Asked about getting back on the tractors his comment was "okay as long as I drive forward. Twisting to look backwards to see where I am going in reverse is a no-no."  So, with that in mind, it looks like this may be the end of the Wheel Horse hobby for me. I may keep one, but as of now, I feel like selling the rest. :crying-yellow:

 

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Ed Kennell

Glad your healing process is on schedule Bob.  But please don't give up un the horses.     We have mirrors.

Close this window

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roadapples

Glad to hear you`re healing well. And like Ed said, mirrors are cheap....

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Racinbob

That's good news Bob. The healing part, not the tractor part. Surely with time you'll gain more movement and get back on your Wheel Horses...........won't you?

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chorusguy

Might be cool to have the first wheelhorse with a backup camera:eusa-think:

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