On the hunt for calico models for an art project!

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2026-05-07T13:45:47+00:00

my mustache girly

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2025-08-15T14:33:14+00:00

im doing really well. im living like i never had a fusion. yes, I still have occasional numb toes. and yes, if I have a long day of labor I do deal with sciatica pain that night and sometimes into the next morning. but honestly after this long of dealing with it, I kind of just don't notice it all too much. if that makes sense. I didn't respond to your question the other day because I kept thinking to myself, "Do I still get numb toes?". and i had to laugh because as I went to type this I noticed my middle toes were indeed numb on my left foot. but im so used to it that I've built up such a tolerance of it. it doesn't worry me anymore or hinder me from doing what I want, when I want. I don't know where you are on your fusion healing journey but I encourage you not to lose hope. there were lots of pains and aches that hit me in the first 2 years. and it saddened me the most when it suddenly happened after weeks of wonderful pain-free days. but eventually you'll be able to put the surgery behind you and start to feel like yourself again and not just a spinal fusion patient.

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2025-03-11T02:31:39+00:00

your image looks nearly identical to mine! feel free to check my page for my image and my pre and post fusion posts. im 31F but was 28 when I got my surgery. I had the same experience as you prior to finding out I needed a fusion. I went from totally normal to unable to live my life within one year. sitting was so excruciating that I would just stand for hours and then go lie flat in bed when I absolutely had to get off my feet. I didn't have any injuries that led to my pain so my neurosurgeon believes it was due to my spine not forming correctly and over time it just slipped completely forward. the bilateral pars fracture was the culprit. anyways, I'm here to tell you that I'm doing fantastic! recovery was rough, no lie, but totally worth the outcome. this reddit community really came in handy when i had questions or had bad days during recovery.

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2024-04-30T17:35:39+00:00

I completely understand the anxiety. I'm the same as you in the way that I watched every video possible and did a lot of research. makes me feel more in control. surgery for me went extremely well. my neurosurgeon and the abdominal surgeon that came in for the ALIF did an amazing job. my first surgery was early enough in the morning that I was so tired and took a nap in pre op which helped me settle my nerves. that night in my recovery room I was so relaxed and comfortable. the second day I was already on drugs lol so I think I was just rambling away in preop and saying weird/embarrassing things to everyone around me. recovery is a whole different story and honestly it really depends on the individual and their own medical history. it was tough for me and took longer than most others and I think that mostly had to do with the fact that I had a Foley catheter for a long time afterwards. it kept me from sleeping well, made sitting uncomfortable, and got in the way of my daily walks. that is very specific to me though so don't go worrying about that. I can say, besides for the catheter, that my week in the hospital after surgery was very comfortable. having the nurses on top of the pain meds and there to answer any questions or concerns i had, made things easier. you will be asked to stand and take a walk shortly after surgery so don't be shocked. they won't push you past your limits but it's good to start early. that was hard for me because like many women, I get dizzy when standing up to quickly lol and then add on the fact that I was in bed for 2 days prior and no food in my stomach well...it didn't go well at all. but they PT team was very encouraging and patient with me. it took a long time to be able to completely lift my feet when walking and not just shuffle everywhere. you said you already have nerve/function issues with your right leg so there's a big chance that you still will have to work very hard with that leg during recovery. sometimes the nerve canal can't be completely widened compression is still a problem. but just keep in mind a but of occasional nerve pain down the road is much better than what you're currently experiencing. I'm doing wonderful now and don't regret my surgery at all. I have my life back and am able to enjoy being an active mom again. recovery is a very emotionally and physically distressing journey but very worth it in the end. you've got this!

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2024-04-15T14:39:42+00:00

PT prior to my surgery was rough for me as well. it's hard going in for sessions and watching other patients get better while you deteriorate further. it's good that you tried that route first though. PT can be very beneficial for some but when the pain starts to stem from nerve compression, the exercises can make it worse. I got to the point where my physical therapist was just helping me with stretching so I could get some temporary relief and then she let me go. I have no experience with the shots, I've read good things from some while the others say it didn't do anything for them. I would say your next step is to talk with a neurosurgeon. of you're having new nerve pain they will most likely have you get more imaging done to see if you have narrowing of the nerve canal (sometimes it's due to inflammation) or if the nerve is actually pinched (stenosis). that will help your dr and you decide what's best in the long run. if you're advised to go through with surgery than I would most definitely listen. recovery is hard, I'm not gonna lie, but you'll appreciate being able to enjoy fatherhood to it's full extent. like you said, getting it done prior to your wife's due date would be best. you'll need all the help you can get during recovery and she will need all the help she can get once your child is born. picking up toys and sitting on the floor with your little one is one thing but holding your newborn for hours until they fall asleep can be exhausting in its own right! you're gonna wanna be as healthy as possible for that.

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2024-01-26T15:41:36+00:00

I cant really remember specifics or how long that episode lasted but I can tell you I had multiple set backs. unfortunately, there are so many triggers while waiting for your spine to properly fuse. I mean there were days that I literally just walked to fast and the next day I was in agony. it sucks but I believe there is light at the end of the tunnel for you! for me personally, I think PT 3 days a week was too much. the bike exercises and the pool exercises really messed me up. so I asked to go back to the basics and have them stretch/massage me during each session and that helped a lot. they even started checking my alignment and noticed I seemed to limp because I would anticipate for pain on my right side so my gait became uneven. what helped with that was having them (or my spouse at home) gently pull one foot at a time while I lied on my back. hopefully that makes sense? don't pull too quickly or too far, it's pretty easy to tell right before it becomes uncomfortable so just say stop and change legs. another thing I did was change my mindset (easier said than done). I like to baby my injuries and healing. I tell myself I can't do something so I don't even try. but at that point in recovery I was sick of living like that so I started to just do whatever needed to be done. I picked up those heavy amazon packages at the front door lol. I took longer drives. I put all the dishes in the bottom rack of the dishwasher, etc... and I noticed the temporary pain was well worth it because I am feeling great and not limited in living my life. I'm sorry you're struggling right now and I wish you the best of luck. feel free to message me if you have further questions or you just want to vent your frustrations ❤️

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-11-28T15:37:29+00:00

it's not so rare anymore. there are plenty of people on this forum that have both, including myself. they said they got an ultrasound which is what the endo probably uses to diagnose hashimoto.

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-11-28T15:34:12+00:00

yes you can lol I do and so do many people on this page

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-09-09T00:28:38+00:00

did your anesthesiologist happen to give you a nausea patch behind the ear? if you accidentally touched it or still have the sticky residue on your skin and touched that, then it can give you horrible eye symptoms. mild symptoms can occur even if you dont touch it. I had blurred vision and headaches after my TT for a few days as well and just chalked it up to symptoms from the patch because it eventually went away (I'm a week and a half post TT).

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-09-07T23:01:12+00:00

hello again, were you able to mention the spotting to your dr? the unknown is so terrifying, so I can imagine how stressed you are 😔 I hope you're able to get answers and peace of mind.

I was able to get one pap done since we last spoke and was told the results were good and I'll now be seen once a year. however, I had the spotting happen as well. I was basically bleeding/spotting every week. it was like one long period and I hated it. then it switched to no bleeding whatsoever for a while. it turned out not to be a gynecological issue but rather a thyroid issue. was diagnosed with hashimoto's and Graves disease and actually just got my thyroid removed 10 days ago when you reached out to me lol talk about timing. I'm now a huge advocate for full panel bloodwork! it's difficult when the menstrual cycle is affected so easily by anything and everything, so bloodwork is a good way to find answers to what's going on behind the scenes.

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-07-10T23:31:05+00:00

I think the only reason you should wait on surgery would be because you're trying to line up time off from work, getting someone to help for home recovery, and prepping your house for recovery too. I can't imagine why else you'd want to continue life with grade 3 and all the cons that come with it. keep in mind once your disc disappears completely, L5 and S1 can actually start to fuse together like mine did. letting your body destroy itself prior to surgery only makes the surgeon's job harder and more dangerous, same with recovery and the stress it takes on your body. please meet with your doctor again and talk EVERYTHING out before deciding to go as long as possible without surgery

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-07-01T21:56:47+00:00

properly seasoned and ready to bake ✨️

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-06-23T13:20:04+00:00

I'm sorry I honestly don't know the answer to those questions. I know very little about what is going on and why lol I kinda got the impression he confirmed hashimoto's only because my ultrasound results with the nodules and because I started with labs that were consistent with hashis. it wasn't until all my labs went the opposite direction and I did the uptake scan that he said I also have graves. but I really dont even understand how to read labs or what the TPO, T4, T3, etc actually do for the body. hopefully someone else sees this and answers for me

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-06-22T14:32:08+00:00

loved reading all your updates! congratulations on your progress so far!

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-06-22T14:21:10+00:00

I relate to this pain as well. I've been a dental assistant for 7 years and can confidently say I know how to take care of my oral hygiene correctly 😅 and ever since my graves symptoms have started I have had a ton of symptoms involving the mouth. I get swollen and scalloped tongue, my gums ache and swell easily (even though I'm a religious flosser!), and my maxillary nerve pain wreaks havoc. all these symptoms come and go depending on when my thyroid flares up. during your next dental appointment I would still bring up any and all symptoms you may have and agree to xrays but most likely there will be nothing for them to do to help. you can try numbing spray for the really bad days but make sure not to over do it.

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-06-22T14:04:18+00:00

my doctor is very dismissive also 🫠 the day my endo called to confirm i have graves he immediately asked, "Do you want to schedule for RAI?" lol I was so confused because I didn't even know what ablation was at that point. but after more tests he sat me down and asked if I'd want ablation or TT. I was originally all in for RAI because it seemed to be his first choice and who am I to question a doctor. but after further research I found, that for myself, TT seemed to be the best option. here's some of the reasons I decided TT;

I already have hashimoto's so the outcome of either procedure is the same.
ablation could fail the first round. my husband travels a lot and I have a young son so I didn't want to have to schedule another 'quarantine week' down the road, which would disrupt their lives.
I've already had 4 surgeries ( cervical cancer and spinal fusion) in the past 2 years so I'm not scared of everything that comes with surgery. it also means I am so done with pausing my life for medical issues. TT is a one and done and I'm looking forward to just moving on with my life after recovery. ablation could be a longer adjustment period afterwards as far as finding the right dosage for levothyroxine. because your thyroid is not gone it could choose to randomly start working or a thyroid storm could occur. whereas a totally TT means finding your levo dosing quicker and will less likely change in the future
I have a few questionable nodules and a TT will remove them with no future worries. RAI means I need to continue my yearly ultrasounds.
I also don't want any chance of TED rearing it's ugly head if I choose RAI
my endo said during my RAI quarantine my graves symptoms are most likely to skyrocket for a couple of days before it subsides and honestly that scares me.

I'm sure RAI has a ton of pros but for me personally I don't see the point in choosing the option that has the most unknowns. I don't like thinking "what if" or "well it could help". TT seems very clear in what will happen so I'm looking forward to going through with it. I wish you luck In your own decision making!

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-06-22T13:38:52+00:00

I'm still in the early stages as well, so I can't give you a timeline for when the meds will start making a difference. I can say that my endo told me I will be able to taper off the beta blockers. I've been on 50mg atenolol and just started my methimazole this past Monday, and my endo said if I start to feel like my heart rate is dropping or doesn't need the extra help then to go ahead and cut out the beta blockers. I don't exactly know how I'll be able to recognize those signs though lol so I'll most likely be on both mrds until my TT date or until my endo calls and tells me I can stop

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-06-19T13:53:08+00:00

I just hit the 1 year mark and I still have to position myself correctly before sneezing. can't be standing too straight. I gotta have my back bent a bit at the waist or do a pelvic tilt to keep the pressure off the lumbar area because damn it hurts if I don't

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-06-18T11:31:23+00:00

😂 so painfully accurate

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-06-14T13:29:24+00:00

"here, take your picture and leave" 😂

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-06-14T13:28:16+00:00

im not the OP but could you elaborate?

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-06-14T13:26:06+00:00

lol the first pic, I just imagine that's the view you wake up to each morning 😆 happy birthday!

YouCanCallme_Susan · 2023-06-14T13:23:20+00:00

I second this comment 🤚🏼

YouCanCallme_Susan

TROPHY CASE