Tag Archives: Decisions

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Counting Recovery

It is not quite 2 months since my surgery.  If you count days of the month, then tomorrow is 2 months.  If you count weeks, today is the end of the 9th week of spinal fusion recovery.  If you count weeks another way, Monday marks the start of the week 9-10 of recovery.  It’s kind of like vertebrae and disks – if the day is the vertebrae – and the disks are weeks – there is a week before and a week after.  I think at this point, I’m ready to just start counting MONTHS.

So I’m at 2 Months post op.  As I sit here today recounting my recovery, and reflecting on my progress – I feel “pretty good”.  I’ve made tons of progress of course, like I talked last week – no more walker, cane, back brace.  My discomfort is manageable.  I recognize that I have physical limits on what I can do, and my body does a good job of telling me when I’m pushing those limits.  But if I don’t do a bit of pushing, I won’t make progress, and I understand that too.

What am I doing?  Well, since you asked…I’m using a fitness tracker app to track my steps and other activities throughout the day.  It varies by day, but I generally get some combination that adds up to 6500 or so steps.  I don’t know the algorithm or logarithm that tells it that 15 minutes of stretching equals 1321 steps, but I look at it from an “overall activity level” .  For the record…that’s up from 250 steps a day the first week after surgery! Ha!!!  Anyway, I got on my exercise bike yesterday for 10 minutes, I did a 20ish minute yoga video and about 5 minutes of additional back stretches, and ended the day with a grand total of 6618 calculated steps for the day.  I try and use my lunch hour at work to go for a quick 10-15 walk, and then a gentle yoga video and some stretches.  The rest of what I do is just my moving around at work and home.  I’m trying to get into a routine of getting on my exercise bike more – since that is easier on my feet than tons of walking.  But mornings…ugh.  Trying to find the discipline to get up a little bit earlier every couple of days and pedal while the coffee brews…that’s my goal.  I enjoy my yoga during lunch time as well.

Last year while considering my fitness level, and my back pain level, I was researching yoga – but honestly, as a Christian, I was feeling a little bothered by the “Eastern Philosophy of Yoga” – the chanting and ooooohhhhhmmmmm – the stereotype I assigned in my head to what I thought about yoga.  And then I stumbled on a website that was Christian yoga practice.  Lots of information, some time in prayer, and a few websites later, I had reset my internal bias, and was ready to spend some focused time on a yoga mat WITH GOD.  And so for the last many months, I have been combining bible study, prayer, and yoga to my lunch time routine.  My favorite website and “teacher” is at www.carolinewilliamsyoga.com .  I’ve even exchanged emails with this beautiful woman, and she is by far my favorite Christian yoga video instructors.  A few of her guided meditations got me through a couple of rough nights early in my recovery, too.  Having that spiritual, faith-filled connection was vital when I needed to get through a pain flare.  Anyway, there is actually quite a community of Christian yogis out there.  If you too have been reluctant to think about yoga – I encourage you to do your own research, but I would hope that just watching one of Caroline’s many videos and listening to her bible study and prayer in EVERY PRACTICE, will convince you that just maybe, yoga might be a good fit for you too.

Alright, so next week I have my first appointment with my physical therapist.  She incidentally is also a yoga instructor, just FYI.  When I worked with her before for an issue with my upper back/shoulder she had me doing some yoga stretches then as well.  I hope that while working with her, I can get some tips about what modifications I can make to some poses, as I regain some strength, stability, and flexibility in recovering from this surgery.  I’m sure she’ll have me doing more than just yoga, but I’m hopeful we can work towards a sustainable long term plan to help me keep my back as strong and comfortable as possible.

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Follow Up Appointment Day 18 Post Op

It’s  been a busy few days – I’ve been to town a couple of times. My parents, Uncle, and 2 Nephews all stopped for an overnight camping visit – and I had my post op follow up with my doc.

So let’s back track – Day 16 I ventured into town (25ish miles) for x-rays and groceries.  My mother-in-law came and picked me up with all my “stuff”.  Pillows, cooler bag with ice packs, bag of medications, water bottle, cane, back brace, wallet, and the discharge note from the doc saying get x-rays please before your followup.  Well, turns out I was early and the docs office hadn’t sent the “order” down to the hospital yet, so the nice lady called up to the docs office and took my phone number and said hopefully they’ll get that to us soon.

So, back to the car, and we decided to go do our grocery shopping trip while we waited for the call back.  I hadn’t been shopping in probably 3 weeks, so the fridge was pretty empty.  I managed to get through the shopping experience without too much difficulty.  But remember, I’m not supposed to lift anything over 5 pounds.  I did pretty good I think – but by the end of it…I was tired…ready for a pain pill…and some lunch.  Mom in law had a bunch of stuff too, so we got it all out to the car and loaded in the back.  As we were finishing up the hospital called and said I could come get my x-rays.

Back to the hospital, checked in, and got called back for my x-rays.  It was the same tech as before my surgery, and so I sweet talked him into letting me take pictures of the x-rays too – he laughed at my nerdy-ness but let me.  I wasn’t really surprised by them, I mean I’d googled plenty of pictures of spinal fusion x-rays – so I knew pretty much what to expect, but it was kinda cool to see it with my own eyes.  But…I wasn’t quite sure what I was seeing, and wanted to confirm with my doctor before I shared them.

We finished out our trip to town with A&W root beer and burgers, and headed home.  Unloaded groceries and I then blissfully sat down with some ice and just relaxed – probably dosed off for a bit – for the next couple of hours.  Fixed some french dip sandwiches for dinner and went to bed – exhausted.

Going to town is more tiring than I expected.  Not sure why exactly, but it is.

When I got up Wednesday morning, while making coffee, I got a text from my mom.  They were leaving Anaconda, MT and headed our way.  Whoops…I thought they were coming on Thursday….oh well – they would be here in 8ish hours.  I did some light housework that didn’t require me lifting anything over 5 pounds…and tried to rest and ice throughout the day.  We had a great visit, mom and dad made us a simple but yummy dinner, they were impressed with my mobility 17 or so days after spinal fusion, and the boys…whew….well behaved…but go, go, go….always doing something.  Bella enjoyed the distraction and people to play ball with her!!  Silly dog!  We all headed to bed about 10…and yep….I was TIRED.  This healing thing apparently takes a LOT of energy.

Got up and made coffee, walked the driveway to get the blood flowing, and visited with everyone for a bit on a crisp Idaho morning.  Uncle Steve got started on breakfast (BACON!!!) and visited with an eye on the clock.  Had a quick breakfast with them, and then it was off to the shower for me so I would be ready with mom-in-law showed up to chauffeur me to town for my doc appointment.  Got me packed up with ice, pills, pillows, back brace, cane, wallet, etc.  Gave hugs and kisses all the way around – and off we went to town.

Doc was pleased with my progress.  He pulled the mesh off my incision, and proclaimed it looked perfect.  I can’t see it without a mirror, so I’ll take his word for it until I can examine it nekkid in the bathroom mirror – or convince someone to take a picture.  Ever tried to take a selfie of your lumbar spine???  Yeah…I wouldn’t recommend it…LOL

I am supposed to continue to rest – healing takes energy.  I’m supposed to walk lots – I’m doing about 5000 steps a day, but am supposed to listen to my back and DON’T OVER DO IT.  It’s time to wean off the back brace – so that my muscles can get stronger.  Continue to ice every hour if possible, again, listen to my back – don’t over do it.  Continue to wean off the pain meds too – but be smart about it – no points for being a hero in pain.  I’m not at risk for worrying about liver damage or becoming addicted – healing takes time, and pain slows down progress.  I asked about transitioning to tylenol and he strongly encouraged it, but to pay attention to the 4000mg per day dose – as I taper back on the pain meds, I can take more of Tylenol – but he again assured me – I’m young and healthy – stay ahead of the pain, be smart, and listen to your back.  Rest.  Also, stay on top of the muscle relaxers – they will be the biggest help through this transition.  What I’m feeling nerve wise is totally normal, and should continue to diminish each day.

We talked about my returning to work….he would really like me to rest as much as possible, but understands that most folks need to get back to work.  He has asked me to take an additional week off.  He also issued me a handicap permit so that I can park closer to my office on campus for the next few months.  Bottom line, I need to be on light duty, very limited lifting, bending, twisting in the work place for at at least another month.  Thankfully I know I can continue to tele-commute some, my boss is being great about that.

My final conversation with him was the nerdy part – what did he actually do, what am I seeing on the x-rays?  He started out sarcastically (making me laugh), telling me about positioning and draping in the OR – but finally got down to the actual surgery part.  He cleaned out the damaged disc tissues and cleaned up the arthritic bone changes between L4-5 and L5-S1, and used “cages” as spacers and then filled in with bone material.  You can kind of see the  cages a bit on the x-ray but I wasn’t for sure.  He also placed 6 screws, 3 on each side, plus 3 rods – 2 vertical and one horizontal as a cross brace.  Bone material was placed all around the area too – kind of like packing it around all the hardware like putty – and it will ultimately fuse to the bone in the vertebrae to create a solid mass of bone in that area.

In 2 more weeks I am to start the exercises he gave me in the “Back owner’s Manual” – some simple stretches in preparation for actual physical therapy.  For now…just walk, control pain and muscle spasms, REST and heal.  I’ll follow up with him again on September 25th.

So here are the post-op x-rays of my back….

   

It is expected with this new stability in my spine that I will continue to have diminished nerve pain, diminished arthritic pain, and be able to physically do more.  Walk more, stand more, exercise more, and just generally just be back to my normal self.  It will happen, I just have to be patient and let the healing take place.

Image result for Isaiah 40:31

 

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Home Sweet Home

Well, after 8 days, I’m finally back to my own house…being loved on by my own kitty and dogs, and working on finding the best set up to relax and be comfortable for the next few days.  I’ve spent the last few days in a recliner at my lovely Pastor’s house, with her family – but we don’t have a recliner here – so the creativity wheels are turning.

I took a spin on one couch – but the seat wasn’t well supported, there was no real recline to it, and my feet on the coffee table was the wrong height and angle for my hips.  But I needed some down time with ice…so it gave me time to snuggle with the kitty and think.

My ride home in the car was actually pretty alright.  I had my anti-nausea wrist bands on…because puking in your friends car is just bad manners…they did their job and I had no nausea on the way home.  We left Pastor’s house with all my gear, and drove over to the doc’s office to pick up an Rx for more pain meds – I’ll need them later this week.  And then off we went headed south.  We stopped about 65% of the way home at a rest stop.  I walked,  went pee, walked some more, and then got situated back in the car for the last stretch home.  We were quite the Laurel and Hardy pair – she walks with a cane following hip replacement this June…I have a back brace and a walker.  I really only need the walker for getting up and down from places, not for support while I walk – but it was all funny just the same.  Anyway, we loaded back up, and headed for my house.  We got home to my big dog whining pathetically, giving me a big sniff over, and my friend unloading all my stuff (no lifting over 5 pounds).  I walked, put away a few groceries I still had, put my ice packs in the freezer, and just generally enjoyed being home all while visiting with my friend.  a couple nice hugs…and I was on my own, my friend headed home.

So I tried couch number one.  As far as a sit up straight and ice my back spot….it worked just fine.  But comfy, hang out and recoup….not so much.  After my foot surgeries a few years back, I spent lots of time on couch #2 with my foot propped up on a pile of pillows….but maneuvering an ailing extremity around is worlds easier than maneuvering around a fused spine.  And then I had an idea….I have a great big sleeping bag stuffed into a sleeping bag tote…firm but soft support, not as tall as the coffee table… so off I tottered to the back room with my walker…and got the sleeping bag…and back to the living room we went.  Couch #2…2 pillows behind my back for most optimal positioning comfort….sleeping bag roll on the floor….fresh ice pack from the freezer…water…laptop…phone… and it’s actually not too shabby for now.  I’m holding out for the bed being the best place to crash overnight…time will tell I guess.

Hubby isn’t home yet, and I’m not up for actually cooking a meal…so we’ll see how he feels about dinner when he gets home.  Several things in the freezer still to choose from I think.

For now…I’m just chilling with the ice pack, and enjoying being in my own space.  It’s been a big day…but I’m glad to be home.