Re: [QUAD-L] my flap surgery

[Stacy Harim]

I am paraplegic from the T 7 level.  With my long torso it is right below my chest.  I'm scared about losing strength so I won't be able to do the transfers, push myself, etc.  I know muscle atrophy sets in within a couple of weeks.   Stacy ----- Original Message ----- From: tahouston To: Stacy Harim Cc: quad-list@eskimo.com Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2006 9:14 PM Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] my flap surgery The type of bed that I was lying in allowed me to lie on any side or my butt without being turned.  Working with an OT and a PT, I reinforced upper dressing skills, dental hygiene and shaving, and washing my upper body independently in front of a face bowl.  As time went on I get on the elevated mat and practice my balance while sitting on the edge of the mat, remove my hands in my shoes while sitting up in long sitting, and self transferring so that I would not create another bed sore on my butt from neglect of not having any one to help me into bed.   I am not strong enough to do effective pressure reliefs in my electric chair and my original PT had me opt out on a tilt chair.   T. Houston C5-C6 ----- Original Message ----- From: Stacy Harim To: tahouston Cc: quad-list@eskimo.com Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2006 5:30 PM Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] my flap surgery What kind of rehab did you get while laying on your side of stomach? or did you have to lay on your side.  Thankfully my sore is smaller than that. It's less than 2cm wide and long, however, it's almost 8cm deep ----- Original Message ----- From: tahouston To: Stacy Harim Cc: quad-list@eskimo.com Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2006 5:28 PM Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] my flap surgery I had a flap surgery done in February 2001 one my rear end.  I was in the hospital for a day and a half was released to a rehab hospital where I stayed on bed rest for three months on a clinictron bed.  Somewhere near the sixth or seventh week I was allowed to sit in the chair gradually increasing my times from one-hour to four hours per day.  The sore on my butt was deep enough to hide a baseball.  I was told the coccyx bone was in view.  However, there was no other cutting on my body.  I enjoyed the nursing rehab because I was fed three meals a day, bathed and showered regularly, received physical therapy while I was there and additional occupational therapy also and was treated like a king (well may be like a prince).  It was almost like mini vacation.   T. Houston C5-C6 ----- Original Message ----- From: Stacy Harim To: disabledofamerica ; Quad-List Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2006 2:53 PM Subject: [QUAD-L] my flap surgery OK, so I finally decided to go for the flap and it is on Wed.  I'm really nervous.  The sore is tiny but deep so he is cutting my leg to move the muscle to the sore which is almost to my butt.    So I have questions.  I didn't realize how much he's going to cut me.  He said he is going to cut a v then a straight line towards my knee which is a long cut.  I don’t have feeling but I do feel the pain from this sore and I have a bad reaction from morphine through IV so I'm scared of the pain and healing time.  The doc says about a month.  Have any of you gone through anything similar to this?  Also the sore is on my left side and in the past my bowel program only worked on that side.  I'm concerned about that as well with all of those staples in my leg.    Any advice or information I might be missing out on I would love it.  My bday is July 3 and I would love to be healed by then.  I am staying in the hospital one to two weeks then coming home.  My neighbor who helps me with the waiver is going to make sure I have meals.  She only works a minimal amount of time with me but between her and her mom, they are going to make sure I'm taken care of.  THANK GOD I DON’T HAVE TO GO TO A REHAB OR NURSING FACILITY.  Whenever I go for testing at the hospital the staff is really nice so I hope the nurses are as well.   Oh and if you pray I would appreciate them,   Stacy .