We work jazz standards, currently I am working with Drummer, Guitar and electronic Vibes. My Tenor Sax guy just passed so I will have a rotating chair for a few horn players. Some samples are at myspace.com/jazztimeduluth. Charles Mingus, Oscar Pettiford, Paul Chambers catch my ear. I'll check out your suggestionsbecause I haven't heard them yet.

Hi Phannu, welcome to KA!

Just wanted to wish you the very best of luck with your surgery!!! Really hope you have the BEST possible results and that your recovery won't be too long and difficult. I've met Alan (ineptwill) and he is all smiles.

Hope to hear that everything went well!
mig

Saturday July 03 2010

I had surgery June 18, 15 hours and June 22 9 hours. Corrected 60 degrees. The first time 90% done on a 40 degree osteotmy they began to close the site on the Jackson table, when closed, my electricty shut off in my legs. I am told this lost of function caused great concern. They spread the site open again. at 30 degrees my electricty came back on. They stopped at that point. The problem was coming from random bone chips that fractured on the front side upon closing the site. I had a choice of staying at 30 degrees or having surgery a second time to take care of the chip issues, recheck screws, new rods. I went for the second surgery the addressed the remaining items and they added a 20 degree cut. I reach my goal 0 degrees on the sagital plane. I had the work done at the Mayo Clinic / St Marys Hospital. Out on June 29th. In a TLSO with leg brace. Back to work for very short days. I got 3.5 inches back out of the 7 inches I lost. Still
absorbing the change. Having a hard time adjusting to the TLSO,
where the two halfs of the brace come together the hip. At the moment both sides lay just on my hip points. It creates pressure and rubbing on these hip points. I requested help from the orthotic guy, whom gave some padding. Well now my hips sure hurt worst than the surgical site. I want to just take a jig saw and
saw out a half moon around my hip point area, removing the pressure now. Not sure what the right answer is but I do know that it shouldn't have to be, a new way to suffer. Ouch.

I'm sorry to hear about your hip pain, Phannu, but it sounds as though the surgery has been a success apart from that. What is a TLSO? I'm assuming it's some kind of a brace that is resting on your hips, hence the pressure and pain there. Is it made of something that could be cut away to avoid the pressure point? How long will you need to be in the TLSO? Is this temporary?

I'm also astonished that you're back at work. You must be one tough puppy!

Thanks WendyR, the TLSO is a body brace with a additional leg brace
to prevent me from twisting, bending the osteotmy site. I'll wear it for 3 months. I have gotten two adjustments done to it now, which made it more in line with the body. No more rubbing the hip
points when I walk. I am using work for my PT.

Thanks for asking

Hi Phannu, great to see you back here. How is your posture now?

Are you out there chasing women now that are straight..........lol

Hello ineptwill

The posture is in a neutral position, a renewed view of the world
is being discovered each day. I know it will be alot easier to
kiss those lucky women I find. I started my conversations up with
the nurses before I left the hospital with my transformed body and ego. Looking forward to a playing gig on Aug 07

Now now, bass before women.......wow.......so good to see and hear all has gone so well and that you too have a wonderful new view of the world.

Enjoy the gig....don't forgrt your circle of fifths....lol


wonderful

Hi Paul,

Great to hear from you!

I have been wondering how your surgery went, so I'm glad to hear you are now an upstanding citizen again!

WRT to your brace - putting more padding under the rubbing bits can sometimes just *increase* the pressure at those points. Your TLSO has to be your closest companion for an awfully long time , so you must make sure it is a comfortable fit! Especially cos you're wearing it over the summer...

Keep going back *and back* to the orthotist to get it reshaped / trimmed until it is VERY comfortable, won't you?

Glad you are doing well,

Louise (PT by day, spondy by default! )

Hi Paul - A BIG *Welcome to the KA family. Missed your introduction, and the surgery, as have hardly been on-line for several weeks now. But great to read of the success of the surgical adventure - WOW *What a marathon...! Am full of admiration for stocicism.

Hope your excellent progress and rehab with the physio continues well.

Take care - go well

Molly C (France)
Keeping on Keeping on