runner's surgery blog, L4/5, 2008

[runner]

Phylly,

I guess you just have to take it easy and not worry about the pain meds too much. After my surgery, it took a while to get off the pain meds and I weaned off them slowly according to how my pain levels were and not someone else's or a schedule.

I know the ESIs encourage my appetite but that lamb chop did look good. Right now I am hungry for shrimp cocktail---I love seafood. And then throw in the Gabapentin and you want to eat the refrigerator.

I am glad that you are feeling better, seems like you are making a quick recovery.

So you got hit with the SCS too? I never thought I would hear those words. Of course, I never thought I would have backpain that I couldn't get over and then have surgery and have the pain come back. Actually, i should say that the pain I had before surgery is gone and a new one is in its place.

Unfortunately, I don't feel any great relief from the ESI so far. When i was at church today, sitting in the chairs, I still had my feet and legs falling asleep and had backpain. I did cut back on the medications I was taking for 3-4 days after the ESI but I am still taking the pain medications. Just a few months ago, I didn't take pain meds every day and now I do.

Things do progress slowly and I feel like I am in some kind of time warp, waiting to start my life sometime in the future. It is difficult to plan when you don't know how you will feel next week or next month. I am keeping busy with other things and I have my kids to keep me busy as a new "crisis" pops up here and there.