KathyEarhart; Active L; L4/5; March 2009

[Kathy]

Ok, I have slowed down. Spent most of the day in the lazy boy. I did do some shopping; but didn't bend. Had my mom come over and clean up the house for me. No kids tonight, going out to eat with my hubby. So quiet and so nice! I told my hubby that you guys said I had to slow down. Problem is, the doctor told him all this 'liberal recovery' stuff and he doesn't get it. I explained to him that you all have done this and the general consensus is to take it easy. I'd rather be too cautious than not enough and end up messed up. I am still on the percocet, down to 6 a day. I may try switching to vicodin next week. Not sure, or maybe I will break them in half. I could do muscle relaxers and be able to handle it; but I would just sleep all the time. Narcotics make me very hyper, so it is easy to get crazy with doing stuff.
Thanks so much for all the care and concern,
kathy

[fuzzy]

Moving is good but rest is good too. Steady progress is the key. At 3 weeks out I started visiting construction sites and was ready to climb some stuff but I was held back by everybody and it was echoed what the surgeon said to me: "Always use the handrail" (this was said by Dr. Zeegers) and not take a chance on slipping, stumbling, falling, miss stepping. Anything jarring on the spine. He told me to pretend to be very old and not to worry about what others think. It was hard but at the same time I had read the progress reports and comments on these pages as well and there is one consensus. Careful and steady progress, just a little more every other day. Listen to your body if it hurts, then stop.

I really kile lazyboys, my wife bought me an electric one before surgery because I could not pull levers or rock back etc. I wish I had one where ever I go.

The breaking the pill in half strategy sounds excellent if that works for you. I would rather try that then switch to a different med unless nessesary. you could even start with 3/4 pill.

[treefrog]

Yes, there is a big difference between walking and cleaning the house. Take it easy, but that doesn't mean lay in bed all the time.

No lifting, bending or twisting. All things that are part of cleaning house, unless you are very, very, very cognizant of what you are doing at all times, and don't lift, bend or twist. I would rather not try and clean the house, if there is a possibility that I will do one of those things, without thinking about it. It's just too easy to do.

[Kathy]

Yeah, I am finally 4 weeks post op!

I am feeling really good overall. My muscles are still pretty stiff; but it is not the same pain as before. The pain now will be more in my butt, legs and one-sided and higher in my back (before it was more center back). I am stil taking percocet 10mg, 4 or 5 a day and the pain is well controlled. I could take muscle relaxers and control the pain; but then I would want to sleep all day and not move around or walk (which would just make it worse) Before surgery I was on Kadian (morphine) 20mg, 2 a day and Vicodin 10mg 5 or 6 a day and I was still in tons of pain.

My incision is healed except for a little scab on the top and one on the bottom. Everytime my 3 year old, Ava, sees it, she asks "mommy you hold me now? you back better?" It is so sweet and sad. She loves sitting on my lap in the rocker and loving on me. My 5 year old, Emma has been really good at understanding and helping me. She has helped clean the house and helping with her sister. I am super proud of how well the two of them are doing. They love it that I need to walk, been taking them to the duck pond in our neighborhood, feeding the duck and getting to see all the spring babies.

I still get tired very easy; but am not sleeping great either. I was taking Ambien, after surgery; but that has run out. I now take my muscle relaxers sleep. I slept good last night; but some nights I wake repeatedly (needing to pee, which is rare for me to wake up for that). My muscles will be very stiff and then I have a hard time getting back to sleep. Sometimes, I get up, take a percocet, sit on the heating pad watching tv and wait for the medication to kick in. I then go back to bed.

Well, I think that is all for now, I'll probably think of something else later....

Kathy

[Cindylou]

Kathy,

Overall, it all sounds good. Refresh me...did you have 1 or 2 levels done? I didn't see it in your signature. Obviously, we had completely different surgeries, but I am 5 weeks post-op, so we are just one week apart in our healing. Who is following you for your aftercare? Sorry you are having some difficulty with sleep. Have you ever tried melatonin? When I am off my sleep cycle, I take it and it does wonders. I'll take it for maybe a week, to re-regulate my sleep, and then when I stop it, I have no problem sleeping through the night. Just a thought. It's over the counter.
All in all, you appear to be doing remarkable. Again, I think your young age is definitely working in your favor. Before you know it, you'll be power walking and enjoying a spring bicycle ride.

My best to you,

Cindylou

[Kathy]

CL- I had one level done, L4/5 Active L. I am going to be able to be followed at my original surgeons office (Texas Back Institute). They were also investigators in the Active L trial, so they are taking me as a transfer (sort of, since I was already a patient there). I wasn't able to have surgery there in the trial, as they had done the max number of surgeries allowed per location. I saw Dr. Zigler before surgery and will see Dr. Blumenthal for follow up.

I will have to try the melatonin for sleep. It couldn't hurt to try it and see if it helps. We are a week apart on recovery, so we are going through the same ups and downs of recovery. Yesterday was pretty rough for me. I think I was too sedentary and was extremely stiff. Today, I worked my rear off. My friend and I are having a garage sale next weekend. My neighborhood does a community one twice a year, so tons of people come out. Last year, her and I sold out in 4 hours, made lots of money. I was going to skip this year, since I knew I couldn't do what was needed to prepare for it. Well, she came over and cleaned my attic for me, helped me go through my kids clothes and is helping me mark all of the stuff. I have a ton of stuff to sell, as I am selling all of my baby stuff and stored clothes, that my girls outgrew but was holding onto in case I had another baby. It is unreal the sheer volume of clothes my children have. I could clothe a girl for years and she would never have to wear the same thing twice! I also have my stuff, furniture, and more. We have everything out of the closets, attic and everywhere else. Now, we have to price and mark it all, then arrange by size, then set up the sale. We are hoping that if we work tomorrow and Friday, we will have it all labeled and sorted. That will give us next week to go get tables and set them up in the garage and get the stuff on them (so we just have to pull them out on the day of the sale). She is doing all the lifting, bending and such. I still had to go through and decide what was getting kept and what was being sold.

How are you feeling?

[cls]

Kathy,

I don't post much but I have followed many folks over the past 6 months and given what I have read from others recovering from ADR it sounds like you are really doing well. I am excited for you and pray that you will have your "old life" back soon. Chronic pain is draining and it seems like it sucks the life out of a person. I realized yesterday that it has been nearly one year ago that my disc ruptured entirely. I had acute problems off and on for 7 years but this past year it has been EVERY SINGLE DAY. I was sickened thinking about how much of my life I lost for me and my family. It is hard enough to feel like you have wasted so much of life on back issues but it is doubly hard when you have little ones who need you and want to have fun with you. My son is 9 and one day he actually referred to me as disabled. I nearly cried - not for me but for him. I really don't want him to remember his childhood having a disabled Mom. Anyway, I can't wait for you to be back enjoying a normal, pain free life without any limitations. It will be great when you can fly out the door with your girls and go have fun without thinking of what you can and can't do because of your back!!!!