Big Steps!

WOW!

What a
breakthrough!

I've taken some
mammoth
strides
since
last week's blog.

It started on Monday when I was doing my daily hike in the canyon behind my home. My eyes were peeled for the Rocky Mt. Big Horn Sheep which like to congregate at mouth of the canyon.

Instead, I was greeted by a couple of fellow hikers and we made our way up the rocky trail. Yep! Lots of ROCKS with a steady incline.
To give you an idea of the trail, take a look at this shot taken of my daughter, her horse and Yours Truly back in the 1990s.

Okay, it's 12 years ago! But it's still MY canyon!

When we got to my This-Is-As-Far-As-I-Go Place, my friends invited me to share their picnic. How serendipitous!

The MEAL, the REST, the PLEASANT CHATTER put fuel back into my tank and I decided to accompany my friends for a few more steps.

Each bend we took, I wanted to go a little farther, because the FALL COLORS were filling my soul. (The shot on the left was taken of the hikers who shared their picnic.)

Before I knew it, we'd crossed over the river 5 times using the 5 bridges built by energetic boy scouts. The 5th bridge represents a climb of 2000 feet from the trailhead.

By the time I was back down to the 'Big Horn Sheep Hangout' at the base of the canyon, I'd hoofed it FOUR miles.

I felt like a kid with my hand in the cookie jar! I'd done something just a bit sinful, in light of my recent Spinal Surgery Maxima! My only consequence = a little nerve pain during the night.

I was ELATED!!!

The next day, I made plans to hike Mt. Timpanogos. Late September is the IDEAL TIME to hike this mountain. This shot was taken from the roof of my home in the early spring.

Notice how bare the peaks are during the fall . . .

I invited the same hiking buddies you saw in the photo with the autumn leaves. (They had fancy pedometers that could tell us our altitude as well as walking distance. Besides, I like them.)

These shots were taken at the Timpooneke trailhead.
NOTE: my dog wasn't thrilled
about doing a photo opt at that moment.

After a mile or two, the view opened up . . .


As we got farther along, the trail got steeper.

Sometimes, the rock formations formed a perfect stairway.

Notice ABOVE that I use my trekking poles.
I am NOT allowed to fall.
since those spinal fusions cost a PRETTY PENNY!
* * *
Higher up, we came across several
spectacular waterfalls packed with vibrant green moss.
No boy scouts had constructed bridges at THIS altitude,
so we picked our way across the streams coming down the cliffs.

Finally, we reached the glacier basin.
over 10.000 FT. ALTITUDE.
5.5 MILES UP
. . . and another 5.5 miles DOWN!

ELEVEN breathtaking miles in one day!
What a MILESTONE for this post-surgery patient!!!

(I solemnly SWORE to my physical therapist that I'd go no farther than the glacier basin and that promise I KEPT. Furthermore, it was ENOUGH. I was thrilled TO THE MAX.)

The last time I did this hike was 15 years ago, when my spine was about 30 degrees curved, not a whooping 65 degrees, as it was before my surgery. In 1993, I took this photo of my son from ALMOST the same location where I stood just two days ago.


With a large curvature, muscles fatigue quickly, working extra hard to hold up a crooked spine. Pain ensues. Movement is limited. By the mid 1990s, this hike was totally out of my reach.

Now, barely four months out from getting "reconstructed", I can do FAR MORE than I could possibly do for years and years.

Dear Scoliosis Friends: I realize my recovery is somewhat remarkable. All that PILATES and YOGA helped. However, the vast majority of "scolis" find that AFTER SURGERY they have a better crack at life, whether it's climbing mountains or washing a huge pile of dishes at the sink. For those of you with twisted spines, please look at these photos and consider the chance to do things you NEVER DREAMED were possible because of your crooked spine. (If you haven't noticed, I'm becoming a Spinal Surgery Evangelist.)

FINAL NOTE: After eleven miles of climbing Timp, I experienced NO nerve pain. Just tiredness. The next morning, I felt great. Maybe I should hike Timpanogos EVERY DAY!

Surprise!

Well, well, well.

I do LOVE surprises

and I got a BIG one!

My New York trip was aborted at the 11th hour!

Here's the scoop . . .

Last week, Dr. Boachie, my most distinguished surgeon, was HERE in UTAH for a conference where he was coronated as the incoming president of the international Scoliosis Research Society.

After four days of conferencing, Dr. B called my cell and suggested that we get together for breakfast in the morning.

I said, "Breakfast? I have a plane to catch early in the morning so I can see YOU in New York City!"

" Well," he responded, "Forget THAT!"

So, there I was, having just zipped up my suitcase, all prepared to LEAVE in a few hours, and SERENDIPITY came my way! Within fifteen minutes, I . . .

1. Cancelled the way-too-expensive hotel room.

2. Obtained a $359 "credit" for my flight purchase.

3. Pulled out my blueberry muffin recipe to start breakfast preparation.

(NOTE: Adaptability and speed are my forte, due to twenty years of running a childcare center where everything CAN and DOES happen . . . and you'd better take care of it QUICKLY!)

Early the next morning, I packed up a mostly-prepared breakfast, picked up Dr. B along with two research assistants from their hotel and we headed over to my brother's place.*

*My bro lives closer to downtown Salt Lake City
and it's far more desirable than my humble abode for entertaining.

When we arrived, I put the doctor in charge of figuring out why the stove wasn't working while the research assistants and I cut up the fruit. Eventually, the eggs were scrambled in the microwave and breakfast was served at the bar.
(Dr. B's diagnosis of the stove was that the gas had been turned off while my bro and wife were in Europe. Thus, the microwave.)

After devouring too much good food,
I got my appointment with
the traveling physician who
answered my 1,00,000 questions.

Of course, he needs to review some current x-rays, but everything looked GREAT.

We then took a tour of the gardens around the home, which got these city slickers OOHING and AHHING.


















Since the urbanites seemed to crave NATURE, I suggested a little excursion up into the nearby mountains which was met with GREAT ENTHUSIASM all around.

It only took about ten minutes to be right up in the pines.

Dr. B hiked to some waterfalls not far from the road. His non-gripping shoes were slipping on the wet rocks, but he eventually got the

UP-CLOSE EXPERIENCE

with the elements which he desired.

Soon we reached Snowbird Resort where we boarded the ski tram
that carried us up, UP, UP
to 'Hidden Peak'

. . . over 11,000 ft. altitude.

That was a real TRIP for these flat-landers!
Dr. B and his research assistants

Dr. B and myself with the Salt Lake Valley behind us.

My dear surgeon REALLY wanted to 'HOOF IT' back down to the lodge. He had NO IDEA how challenging that would be!

"I know you specialize in spines, but you gotta think about KNEES here!" I said.

As I was driving my guests back the hotel, we discussed the work in Ghana where my surgeon and sixty other physicians are doing pro-bono orthopedic surgeries on children.

FOCOS is the foundation established by Dr. Boachie to address complex spinal issues on the African continent.

If you would be interested in helping pay for a child's surgery, go here to see the children who need sponsorship. Since the surgeons' time and the medical hardware are donated, these surgeries are performed at a fraction of the 1st World pricetag. A twisted spine is not just a horrible deformity, it's a life of tormenting pain.

Dr. B. encouraged me to come to Ghana and be a part of the support team for the surgeons, when I fully recover. Now, THAT would be such incredibly meaningful service for this little Utah gal who finally . . .

STRAIGHTENED UP!

I'm Off to New York City

In two short days, I will be hopping onto a plane and flying

from the Rockies . . .
NOTICE MOUNT TIMPANOGOS
which I can see from my bedroom window. I can even see it from my bed,
if I twist my spine, which I'm not allowed to do.



to the Big Apple
for a little "check-up" with my surgeon.

NOTICE MANHATTAN:
My doctor's office is located right next to the East River, featured on this map. However, there is NO BEACH, which should lower the real estate, but DOESN'T. It's obscene what I'm paying for a room.

I'm testing my level of recovery with this SOLO jaunt.
Next week, I'll report.

I look forward to walking right by
the Hospital for Special Surgery
and over to Dr. B's office on the next block.
No slippers in an overnight case,
no "Special Surgery",
just a wee little appointment.

Here's a sneak preview of an important message for Dr. Boachie . . .

Even though I'm still "in recovery",

I feel better, better, BETTER
than I did before surgery.
I definitely feel . . .

Specifically, I have less pain. Before surgery, I was popping pain pills quite regularly in order to survive. Now, I take one in the evening IF I overdo during the day.

ONE QUALIFIER: Energy is still an issue, but it's SUPPOSE to be an issue for the first year or two post-surgery, so I shouldn't whine. After all, I'm solidly into middle age, not the best time of life for getting torn apart and put back together. Such shenanagans are definitely long-term ENERGY SUCKERS. Some day, I hope to announce . . .

(No more energy suckers in my life.)

While in New York City, I'll be swapping stories with another post-op patient, Janet, who I met on the on-line scoliosis support forum - see below. We'll share a meal together and a taxi ride back to the JFK airport,
since we are both Dr. Boachie Patients from Afar.

TAKE NOTE: The National Scoliosis Foundation Forum is the BEST resource for anyone with curvature of the spine. That's where Janet and I connected. It's also a place where you can get ANY question answered . . . regarding scoliosis, that is.