runner's surgery blog, L4/5, 2008

[runner]

Hi Maria,

Yes, we really don't know what we will wake up with because in surgery, if one thing does not work, they'll use or do something else.
I really didn't know if my surgeon would do the ADR. I was prepared to rethink what I was going to do or get a second opinion. I had all my rebuttal questions prepared.

Don't wait so long that you time yourself out from doing an ADR. Are you getting any treatments for the bone density? I have heard, too, that they will do surgery with mild to moderate facet hypertrophy and then i have read that MRIs may not be the best test to determine facet hypertrophy.
It is very controversial.

So if you were told screws did not have to be used, then they would have done an ALIF and just put in cages?

The dentist chair for me was uncomfortable, when I had them put an extra small pillow in the small of my back, it was better. However, it must have really irritated my back. It is funny, I can be laying down and not much seems wrong with my back and i will get up and walk around and start having back pain. The pain has been increasing and I notice it when the pain pills wear off. I walk slowly and carefully because of the back pain. Now, I get pain lying down, too, and not just with sitting and walking.

I am just hanging in there until the surgery date. It is surprising how fast the pain can increase, but I really should have expected this increase of pain post disco because this is what happened last time.

This time, the dentist didn't completely get the tooth numbed, but he tried. All I was thinking, was, "Come on already, get out of my mouth. Don't be such a d@@n perfectionist." I was also thinking how I could have used some nitric oxide or something. I don't know if I am hypersensitive or what but it takes a load of anesthetic to put my teeth to sleep.

I know when i had my last surgery that my surgeon thought my post-op pain levels were on the high-side. But here they cut your abdomen open, move things, scrape out your disc, rough up the endplates, and then cut into your veterbral bone to put the keels in. Yeah, that hurts.

I know you have to consider your father, but is there anyone else to temporarily look out for him while you have surgery? You say that you can function with the pain but you have to look at physiologically, and not just mentally, what the pain does to your body. Pain is not good for us.

[runner]

Memorial Day weekend,

Just about six weeks from surgery.
I was just wondering if anyone had a similar symptom to me. For the past couple of months, I have been experiencing different leg symptoms. I know that my reflexes (patellar and ankle) have decreased but besides the numbness and sciatica, my right ankle has started turning by itself. It happened again today. I was standing talking to someone and I wasn't moving and all of a sudden my right ankle turned out. I was on dirt so I naturally looked down, thinking i had stepped in a hole or an indentation in the dirt and there was nothing. It also happened when i was locking my house door and just standing there. So it has only happened a handful of times but my ankle is sore afterwards because essentially it is like spraining an ankle.
I told my pain doc but not my neuro doc and I am really not concerned about that. I hope it is something that goes away after surgery.
I presume it is from the decreased reflexes.
Someone told me it could be a component of foot drop.
Anybody else out there have this happen to them??

Runner

[runner]

Five weeks and counting.

Oh boy, I am anxious to get things moving.
Not sleeping great. Had a disturbing encounter with some people and my whole family was effected. So I did not sleep that night. Made up some hours with a two-hour nap, however.
Last night, I tried to get to sleep early but got looking at my hs reunion stuff and then I had constipation issues which kept me up. I got to sleep late and had a hard time functioning today.
I have a list of things to do and I am crossing things off that list. Slowly but steadily.
I think June is going to be a busy month.
I need everyone's prayers and good wishes that things look good for the next few weeks. I had a horrible week last week and need things to go my way or at least good things to happen.

Runner

[dshobbies]

You have whatever you need from us, many times over. The waiting game is filled with its own set of problems but getting through them is easier if you keep posting and telling us what's going on. Jumping out of your skin and living on the edge is part of parcel of this whole experience. Hang in there, not that you really have other choices but you will get through.

You have our support and well wishes. More important, we're with you, every step of the way.

Dale

[runner]

Dale,

Thanks. I have been off the board for a short while and didn't see your post. It means a lot.
Time is creeping by.
Three weeks and five days to go, but who's counting.
I had another big increase in back pain today and the meds are not holding me today. I called the PM office but they didn't call back.
He is out of town (I think) and i am thinking if I don't get a hold of the office staff, that I will call my surgeon.
I was not too comfortable. I was supposed to see the PM guy on Thursday but they had to change that (due to his being out of town that day). Now, it is next week and I think i cannot wait to see if they will change the meds.
I feel like I will be bothering my surgeon, but I think I need to be on the longer-acting med with short-acting coverage for breakthrough pain.
I want to get some stuff done and I spent most of today lying down.
Personally, things went better the past two weeks. They couldn't have gotten much worse.
Happily, they got better.
Yes, I am starting to periodically "freak out".
I think it has more to do with my daughter's upcoming graduation than anything like an upcoming date in July. Yeah, sure.
I just have an incredibly large amount of things to do and little energy to do it. I have deadlines and such.
I have to order a flower lei, and I have to do this and I have to do that...
I mean it never ends.
Seem to be dealing with a lot of stress. I will have to see how I feel in the morning--which will be here soon. Try to get some sleep. I didn't expect the pain levels to go up again and that is preventing me from thinking clearly.

Thank you for your support.

Runner

[Cindylou]

Runner, my best to you with your upcoming surgery. I think the last few weeks waiting are the hardest. You just start hanging on by a thread. That's how I felt, anyway. Hang in there as best you can. My thoughts are with you.

[runner]

Thanks CindyLou,

Doing ok. In a lot of pain today.
Am kind of looking forward to surgery.
Start all my preop things next week.
Like giving blood for the surgery and preop tests.
I already had an EKG, but I need chest x-ray and blood tests.
See vascular surgeon on Monday.
Still it all seems unreal to me---I guess I am in denial and I don't mean the river in Egypt.
Monday, I have to stop certain meds and herbs.
So no more smooth move tea.
Since it has herbs that are verbotten before surgery.
My senior graduates in two days and I cannot get the things done, I was trying to get done. Too tired, in too much pain. Too much to do.
You know the drill.

Runner