Never again

Terry Allen Blackburn · #1 (**permalink**) 02-19-2009, 02:18 PM

Phylly:

Thank-you for asking about my health. I am doing fine since my injections. They seem to last me about three months so I am hoping that they last longer this time around. I am almost at the three month mark and feel pretty good still.

I am glad to hear that you are getting around a little better. I sure hope that this is the answer for you so that you get back your quality of life and can move on from being in a pain state.

Hang in there.

Terry

phylly · #2 (**permalink**) 02-19-2009, 03:45 PM

Cindylou,
Thanks so much for your words of encouragement. I know I am only 10 days post surgery but we all have such high expectations of ourselves. Yesterday felt so good and of course today is very painful. I have to learn to pace myself and forgive myself when I just can't do anymore. I seem to remember you going off to your cabin so soon after your surgery? I am not planning to go anywhere soon. I was hoping to go to a few weddings at the end of March and early April but I am not sure about the car rides. How soon were you able to ride in the car for more than 1 hour? I am happy with my progress thus far and I do feel that the walking is great. I am sure the swelling from surgery is still causing some nerve inflammation and I have a long road ahead to come off my high dosages of meds. I do not know how long my Dr. will ground me from driving; i will see. Thank you again for your kind thoughts, they mean so much to me.
Phylly

ImpOssibleOne · #3 (**permalink**) 02-19-2009, 04:24 PM

Hey Phily,

I have to keep reminding myself that the nerves are inflammed from the surgery and will get better. If our incisions are as tender as they still are, (yours better be or I'm leaving and never coming back

) think of what our spines must be like.
We both have a long way to go. And the direction is up, up UP.

Glad to see you are doing well and welcome to the recovery roller coaster.

ans · #4 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 11:27 AM

Phylly and her twin:

I am glad both of you are healing well. This certainly w/take time Phylly. I understand the urge to drive and tool around. It's great that you are walking in fresh air in "the real world" and feeling vivified.

You've been thru a huge ordeal, physically and mentally. Baby yourself too and I love your attitude.

Wishing you my very best.

See you at the Spinal Olympics in a few years.

I hope that you're off the big pain guns now/soon.

Allan

Maria · #5 (**permalink**) 02-23-2009, 07:50 PM

Phylly,
Having high expectations is sometimes difficult to meet. Let your body be your guide not your mind this time and perhaps you can accept a speed that is a bit lower gear for now yet progressive with a few speed bumps thrown in for caution.

To me it sounds like you're doing quite well given your recent surgery date and I hope you continue to progress well as you go ~ as others have said be patient with yourself and kind to yourself just as you would a family member who has undergone a surgery of this magnitude.

Take good care, Maria

Roblin · #6 (**permalink**) 02-24-2009, 03:35 PM

Phylly, It sounds like you are really doing well for no farther out from surgery than you are. I am so happy to hear of your progress. Keep up the walking as you can. If you don't mind me asking, how long were your discs that were removed in and how many levels were fused?
Praying for your continued recovery.
Roblin

phylly · #7 (**permalink**) 02-24-2009, 04:36 PM

Hi Roblin and All,
I am walking around the house and I am taking it easy. I still have to shower when my husband is home so he can tape up my back incisions so I can't wait to have my stitches out tomorrow. I still have a lot of back pain and am pretty dependent on my patch and percocet. I am hoping to cut my percocet down in the next week but when it wears off-ouch!

I feel really blessed at how well I am doing. I had my prodiscs in 1 year and 3 months so it was not too long. I had 2 levels fused L4-S1. I am hoping that I will not be too stiff because I could move so well with the discs. I know it will be a tradeoff and I hope that I will not have the pain I had from bending with the discs. My buttock and leg pain is much better although I do not spend a great deal of time sitting. I remember my BLT's. I still have calf pain too but I am hoping it is just nerve inflammation and will lesson over time.

Thank you all again for the loving support. It means so much. I feel like I have many spiney friends to check in with who understand what happens. I hope I can attend the Spiney Olympics some day along with the Spiney ski trip. That is a lot to look forward to but for now I just want to get through each day and hope for a little less pain as time goes on. I will get my OP report tomorrow so I can share more details on the surgery. Thank you for keeping in touch.
Phylly

runner · #8 (**permalink**) 02-24-2009, 05:46 PM

Phylly,

Way to go. Keep up those walks and wean your medication when you need to not when you think you need to.
It sounds like you are healing nicely, but remember easy does it.

Runner

phylly · #9 (**permalink**) 02-26-2009, 05:14 AM

Hello All,
I went to the Dr. Today for my two week update. I am feeling stronger each day. My stitches came out, and xray was taken, and I got to give my doctor a hug. He feels I am doing very well but I will still have some good and bad days and not to worry if I am feeling bad. He wrote a prescription for Forteo, a bone strengthener. I will need to be followed by an endocrinologist but I am glad because my bones have weakened this last year probably from all the epidurals I have had.

We talked about the surgery and how much bone came out with the prodiscs. He said very little because he was able to take them out anteriorly. He did put in titanium rods and pins in the posterior. He also said that my left leg weakness and muscle spasms were caused by having to retract the psoas muscle and that was normal and would go away. He was very positive about my outcome and will see me again in a month. Dr. Carlson also said that I could drive when I felt up to it which I don't yet. I was surprised about that and don't want to push it.

I was pretty tired when I got home and have been a blob today but in a good mood. Tomorrow I am going for a nice long walk. It seems like I have been able to cut down the percocet a bit and I am going to try to get down a bit more before I see my PM and he cuts it down more. My husband told me that the BMP used in the surgery causes more inflammation in the surgical site and probably a bit more pain for awhile so I feel I am right on track for now and I am not letting the pain get too out of control.

Thanks again for all the wonderful support I have received from everyone.
Phylly