Upcoming surgery w/Dr Zeegers

henry4956 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-08-2014, 03:37 AM

I am finding that maybe my most difficult part of this recovery is the pure exhaustion I feel from simple walk etc. My body has become so weak from my lifestyle (last 3 yrs). I am intentionally taking a day off tomorrow to help my sore knees and sore feet from the walks. I've been working hard for 3 weeks and deserve a break. I am starting to tentatively plan a Labor Day party to celebrate my rebirth. I have found out who my true friends are thru this ordeal. I have no room in my life for the fair weather friends who abandoned me in my darkest hour. My own brother, some from my wife's family etc. That's why this gathering will be a joy. True friends who are genuinely happy about my comeback

Maria · #2 (**permalink**) 05-08-2014, 03:26 PM

I was thinking when you mentioned your foot/feet prob (since I have posterior tibial tendonitis that I made much worse over a period of 5 years) that you may want to break up your walks into shorter walkers more times a day or do what you're planning on doing such as skip a day or however you need to do it. Like you said "slow and steady." Your whole bod has to get back into shape including any other injured or weak areas.

henry4956 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-08-2014, 06:26 PM

That's exactly what I plan on doing. I have been doing (1) 1 hour walk in am, and (1) 30-40 min walk in pm. As determined as I was NOT to do too much too soon, I may have overdone it slightly. I am going to limit my walks to 30 minutes and do 2/day. Soon I will be back in the pool 3/week and I will supplement my exercising with aqua therapy (some walking in water and some light conservative cardio work in pool) Still waiting for incision to fully heal (almost there).

Maria, you should be applauded for your kind, supportive words. It seems that you lend your support to everyone who comes here.

God Bless
Henry

Maria · #4 (**permalink**) 05-08-2014, 07:11 PM

Once a nurse always a nurse? Hope your recovery is such that the patience you take with getting your new back together and your body as a whole will yield long lasting excellent results you'll enjoy the rest of your life!

Re overdoing.. I seem to only realize I'm overdoing when I've overdone

henry4956 · #5 (**permalink**) 05-23-2014, 06:27 PM

I am closing in on 5 weeks now and all is going very well. Pain levels keep getting better, med levels keep going down. Dr Zeegers fixed me. The surgery report validates my decision and Dr Zeegers diagnosis. It feels so good to know I had the right thing done. Most US neurosurgeons would not have done anything for me. I'm in that category of people whose mri did not reflect the amount of pain I was in. I am so grateful that doctors like Willem Zeegers are out there. So for any of you who are going thru hell with spine pain and not getting a clear consensus of opinion or perhaps are not getting any significant recommendation, I suggest you see Dr Z. He's a spine saver.

Maria · #6 (**permalink**) 05-23-2014, 07:35 PM

So glad to read about your improvement and your satisfaction with your decision and surgery!

I only wish that more people had the choice/opportunity to utilize an out of country provider whether it would be due to needing $ or having insurance that won't approve an out of country provider/surgery.

It's great when one reports $ invested was worth every cent and probably way more in terms of ability to recover a life/lifestyle!

Thanks for the update Henry and please do continue to update and uplift! And of course thanks to Dr. Willem Zeegers for the incredible work he does!

Maria

mmglobal · #7 (**permalink**) 05-24-2014, 02:24 AM

Henry, glad to read that you continue to do well.

It's not only that our films look too good to support our reported pain levels... people who are down as hard as you were are look at as malingerers, drug seekers or psych problems. Most of us who are down that hard actually do have a substantial component of depression that is part of our pain syndrome. Sadly, a huge percentage of spine surgeons dismiss us. They do have political cover to do so because those of us who are that severely disabled actually do have a lower chance of success/higher failure rate. But people like you and I would have our lives thrown away because we are dismissed based on our 'demographic' instead of actually looking past the depression and severity of our disability and our 'too good' looking films.

OK... I'm off the soap box now!

Thanks for keeping us posted.... this is why I keep doing what I do... you have just recharged my batteries.

Mark