Well, I just called and got a tentative date for my surgery. The coordinator said he had dates available in December, but that is to soon for me. I'm scared out of my mind ------ I'm not even going to make a joke about that comment now. LOL
He had the 13th of January available and the 22nd. So I took the January 22nd slot. Hopefully I wont freak out between now and then and hopefully I will not stay in denial and procrastinate between now and then. There is a lot I need to get done and prepare for.
I did not cut my hair prior to surgery. My doctor only took about a 3-4 inch long and 1 inch wide strip. It was easily covered when my hair was down! I'm not sure how different it will be with the fusion but unless you just want a snazzy new hairdo I wouldn't rush to cut it! :)
I cut my hair, only because a) I could finally afford it (thanks momma!) and b) I wanted as easy as possible hair care because I knew I wouldn’t be able to shower a lot and short hair is easier to wash in a sink I find.
It’s all about what you are comfortable with.
I wanted to show off my incision/scar because I had a lot of people who thought I was faking so I was being a jerk, and getting all up in their koolaid with my surgery.
Thanks Rebecca!! My hair gets super greasy too if I don’t wash it every day, and dry shampoo used to make my longer hair nasty and cakey? That’s the best word I can think of to describe it… so I tend to keep my hair shorter… easier to manage.
I'm going through the same thing and feel the same way. My surgery was going to be in January then my insurance told me to have before the new year since I've met my out of pocket and deductible. So it got bumped to December and my doctor had other engagements he forgot to put on his schedule now I'm having it this month on the 21st. Its a scary thought that someone is going to cut into my head and brain, and I have made tons of jokes but I'm scare shitless( pardon the language).
That list is awesome thank you Abby & Beebe it helps.
Rebecca good luck with your surgery hopefully everything goes great for the both of us.
That's great you have a date, but I wish I had done it sooner because the wait was excruciating! Also I had to factor in the deductible with my insurance starting over in January!! You will be fine and everything will be great! Deep breaths because it's the possibility of relief! I decided I had the easy part because I just sleep through it and wake up with great meds and comfortable!! My family was far more anxious than I was because I was confident that God would take care of me. (I hope you're religious! :) )
Also, I only had to wait the two days (while in the hospital) to not shower. I was able to shower as soon as I got home, I just can't let water hit it directly ((I WAS SO RELIEVED!!))
My hair is about half way down my back and I am so glad I left it long. It's easy to do pigtail braids and it keeps it from tangling for days when you don't feel like washing/combing but then it will also cover that awkward growing back patch. I've had no problem with it like getting stuck in the stitches or anything either.
Take comfort in newer! I totally freaked myself out looking and researching blogs before my decompression!!! In the early 2000s, they were taking bone grafts instead of using titanium mesh. The incisions were like the middle of the head to the middle of the back and the whole head shaved!!!
In medicine new is usually better, less invasive and more useful! Just trying to give ya some positives!
