Surgery is on?

We were back at Dr Tan Chun Ee's clinic two weeks after the last appointment. By that time, we all (mum, sisters and I) were convinced that surgery was the way forward, especially since medicine + physio hardly eleviated the pain. Also, that treats the symptom, not the cause, whereas surgery treats the cause. Medicine (including potentially new ones in future) also has side effects: Celebrex is already causing swelling of my mum's feet. Future medicine.

During the appointment, Dr Tan asked some questions and physically checked mum quite thoroughly. It appeared that even he then leaned towards surgery. Since he already knew our preference, there was no need to explicitly ask whether we wanted surgery or not, especially since I asked more questions about it:

(1) From the shape of the old screws and their configuration, it's highly like that they won't be compatible with the new rod and so these would need to be removed (along with the old rod). Unlike Dr Joehaimy, he didn't think it's a risky procedure.

(2) The insertion of screws and rod isn't a keyhole surgery but it's not very invasive either: about the width of 2 fingers, just large enough for the insertion.

(3) Mum should be able to walk 2 days after surgery (probably with walking aid). The current pain should be gone but of course there's going to be pain from the surgical wound.

(4) It'll take a year for the bones to fuse.

(5) Surgery will take about 2-2.5 hours.

(6) Stay in hospital for about a week for post-surgery rehabilitation, which is what we want anyway. It's good to have mum looked after by professional staff while doing physiotherapy there.

Surgery is set a mere 6 days later. Hope all will go well!

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