Post-op week #3

Hey everyone,

I know that I haven't posted in a while. Still having bouts of being very tired and most days, typing just isn't on my list of things I want to do after exercising, being up and trying to increase my stamina. No offense to anyone who is reading and keeping track of my miraculous recovery!! :-) Please know that I appreciate your continued support.  I think I have decided to post just once a week unless something out of the ordinary happens (good or not so good).

Let's see...what has been happening this past week. I feel some stronger. Walking isn't an issue for me so that is great. Sitting...it is slowly getting better and I am able to remain in a sitting position with minimal repositioning. I would say that I'm comfortable for about 1-2 hrs, though 2 hrs is definitely pushing it right now. My left leg is also improving, but not a great deal yet. I can lift it off the floor much easier while standing, but if I'm in a sitting/laying position, I can barely lift it without great pain. Still waiting for my hip to pop. Hoping that will help and looking into more range of motion exercises that might help.

Today, my decision was made for me regarding whether or not I'm going to go to PT. In looking at the exercises given to me by Dr. Clavel prior to leaving Spain, they were exercises I had either done prior to this surgery at PT or I did after my first surgery and am familiar. So, I spoke with my case manager for my long term disability case and he advised that they want to know who I'm going to be using for PT since they will want to track my progress. So...since it needs to be documented, I guess I will figure out what I'm going to do. I have been doing my exercises twice daily and walking so adding the weekly increase wouldn't have been a problem for me, but that decision is out of my hands so I will suck it up and do what I need to do to keep that money coming into the household.

Surprisingly at week three, my pain is very controllable. As I stated last week, I was going to trial cutting down my pain meds and I have been able to do that successfully...yay!! :-) I have been able to cut my ibuprofen down to q12 and I have cut my vicodin dosage from 7.5mg to 5mg and the frequency down to q12. Actually, today I didn't have to take anything until about 3pm and confused myself a little because I couldn't understand why I was hurting, then remembered that I hadn't taken anything yet. Another reason I was a little more sore today was I was decorating for Christmas yesterday and I know I did more than I should have...but that is because I'm a bull headed German and that's how it goes with me!! :-)

I have to say that for being at this point post-op, I definitely didn't think that I would be doing this well and I'm happy to be where I'm at. Things aren't perfect and of course, I need to slow down a little, but mentally it helps to know that I'm going to recover and be better for making one of the most difficult decisions of my life. Oh, and on top of it...my incision looks great! I'm so excited because my posterior scar from my previous surgeries is U..G..L..Y and this one...well, maybe someday I will be able to wear the 2 piece I said I would not be able to wear after this surgery! :-) One can dream!

I think that is about it for now...

Hope y'all have a great week,
Kim

When it's Good...

I can't believe it, but today...was a good day. Minimal pain. Haven't had to go lay down all day. Though uncomfortable at times, sitting wasn't terrible. Mark and I went for our "regular" pre-surgery walk with Augustus this p.m. and it went well. I was a little tired at the end of the walk, but I was happy that I didn't need to stop and rest at all. 

Had a visit from my good friend, Maureen, tonight. She brought me a TENs unit tonight to see if I can get any relief from the pain I'm still having in my left hip. Maybe if I can stimulate the muscles, I can start to lift my leg again. As I stated in my last post, I'm encouraged because I can lift my foot now about 4-6 inches from the floor, but I can't left from my knee yet no matter how much I yell at my leg to move! :-) I better make sure that Mark doesn't get a hold of the control though because who knows what he will do if he is in control!! :-)

I think that I am going to call it a night and end on a good note! I'm kind of tired and think that now I have earned that comfy spot in my bed!

I hope everyone has a great continuation of the holiday weekend!

K

Milestone #2-Post-Op Week 2

Well, I'm only 2 days late, but it wasn't my fault! :-) I tried to post from my new Kindle Fire on Wednesday night, but to no avail. Of course, it wasn't user error...so I am a few days late.

First, I have to say...I can believe that I went through major surgery only 2 weeks ago and I can already tell that I'm on the road to recovery. I can walk better, sitting is still uncomfortable, but not unbearable (for the most part) and I'm able to lift my left leg about 4-6 inches off the ground now so...I can see progress.

One problem I can see already is not stopping myself from doing "things". If you do know me or haven't caught on from any of my postings...I can't sit still for long. Or when it comes to others doing for me...I'm really not used to having to rely on others for help. Through everything in Barcelona and since we have been home, Mark has been wonderful to help me with whatever I need and now my parents are staying with us until after Christmas.

Where am I at physically? I'm walking fairly well. I compensated so long with having to limp through my gait from the left side, I am trying to make sure that I keep my stride straight and not limp on the left. Otherwise, my gait has improved significantly. Sitting as I already stated is still uncomfortable, but with shifting positions, I can usually alleviate the problem for a while. I'm not requiring many retreats to the bedroom to lay down. Still taking Ibuprofen 800mg q8, Vicodin 7.5mg q8 (starting to experiment with taking only 2x/day), and the sleeping pill that Dr. Clavel prescribed (blanking on the name).

The plan for next week is to look into aquatic v. traditional PT. Have a call into my PCP to discuss starting the physical aspect of my recovery and discuss medication refills.

So far so good...

K

Wow...Can You Say Jet Lag?

Howdy folks!

I'm sorry for being remiss and not posting since I have been home, but I have been completely wiped out and have had no energy for anything. Also, being home and being able to sleep in my bed has been wonderful, but like everything else, it has been a painful adjustment.

So...Mark, in his last post, advised that I would give details about our trip home and the wonderful experience at the airport. Well, the flight really wasn't too bad. The first leg from Barcelona to London was quick, thank God, because they were regular business class seats and had the flight been longer than the hour and a half, I would have been in trouble. I took a pain pill....so, all was good! :-) When we arrived in London, it was nice to be able to go to the British Airways lounge and wait for the connecting flight. I was able to lay down and "veg" for a little while. Also, I was able to use the caregiver card to get Jeff in as well, even though he wasn't seated in business class. The flight wasn't bad. I took another pain med once we got on the plane and was able to sleep for a while and then I watched a movie and read. Landing went well. Everything was good, that is, until we hit Hartsfield! Who would have thunk that it would take almost 2 freakin' hours to get out of the airport? There was a fiasco trying to get a wheelchair to get through the airport. I actually got kicked out of the wheelchair because the worker didn't think that I needed it. He had the audacity to say, "Do you really need this?", then he laughed!!! Yep, he actually laughed. I thought Mark was going to blow a gasket. Then, we actually had to wait over 45 minutes to get through Customs. Picked up the luggage, only to find out that we needed to put it on another conveyer belt to re-pick up at baggage claim. After that, then we had to go through security again. Needless to say, the wheelchair was not very comfortable and I hadn't taken any pain meds for over 9 hrs. Had I known it was going to take so long to get through the airport, I definitely would have drugged up! :-)

The drive home was horrible! I was hurting so bad and finding a comfortable position in Mark's car was impossible. I couldn't get out of the car fast enough to be able to "run" to the bedroom to lay down on my bed. I knew that Augustus wasn't going to understand what was happening, but at that point, I just needed to lay down, no matter what! As soon as my body hit the bed, I immediately started to cry. I couldn't stop it. Mark held me and told me it was ok because I needed to cry through the pain. I took a pain pill and fell asleep fairly quick once the throbbing was under control.

Sunday was a pretty good day because I was able to sleep. That was the first time in 2 weeks that I actually slept. I woke up Sunday and felt relatively good. However, I stayed up most of the day and didn't stay on my med regime so...by the end of the day, my hips were killing me from sitting too long and the pains in my legs was worse.

Yesterday, the jet lag was starting to really effect me. I was sooo tired and had a hard time doing anything. I completed my exercises and walked a lot inside, then went for a walk with Mark and Augustus in the neighborhood in the evening. Other than that, I was just trying to block out the pain and get through the day.

Today, a little more of the same. I had to take some pain meds late this afternoon because the leg pain got to be too much to handle. I decided that I was going to spend a good portion of my day laying on my heating pad to see if some of the hip pain would subside. It has helped some, so that is good. Also, I have definitely felt the storm coming in today so maybe that is what is making me so uncomfortable.

Well, there it is. Nothing to glamorous. I'm just taking everything day by day and trying to read my new body. I have to say that I'm so excited to be home and happy to be able to spend the start of the holiday season with many family members so...things couldn't be better, despite my current challenges.

Have a good night,
Kim

HOME!

Well we made it home. Kim appeared to do ok on the 8+ hour flight from London to Atlanta. The lie flat seat was definitely needed and was a life saver. However once we landed in Atlanta the nightmare started. Kim will probably describe her ordeal so I will just give an overview. Wheelchair fiasco, Immigration delay, TSA screening BS! and the ride home. All this made for Kim arriving home with extreme pain that had her on the bed crying. I felt so bad watching her and Augustus did not have a clue what was going on and he did not like "mommy" being like that. He did get up on the bed with her and started to softly lick her face to help. He even felt bad. Even with the pain meds the pain lasted about 10-15 minutes but felt like an hour. Kim did manage to get some restful sleep (your own bed helps ALOT) with only a couple of "move the dog" moments. Augustus would not leave her for most of the night (the great protector).  Kim woke up feeling much better.  So we are home and Kim can start to truly heal her body and begin her recovery. She has a long way to go but she is tough and can handle the task. Just watching her move around the house today encourages me about her future. So this may be my last post as Kim will be updating for those who want to follow her continue healing process.
I want to thank everyone for the love, support, comments, and encouragement that has been coming for Kim as well as me. I knew going into this journey it would not be easy. I could not have done this alone and having the support of everyone back home made it better. The most gratitude has to go to my brother Jeff. I really don't know how I could have handled this without him with me. He was a lifesaver! All his help with everything from just helping with luggage to cooking, bringing food to the hospital, hanging out bored stiff instead of seeing Barcelona. He did get to see some of the sights and met some of the nicest people. I can not even start to tell him how much he means to me and how grateful I am and will be for all his help.

Mark

First Leg Down.

Well we made it to London without much trouble. Kim was making every effort to get comfortable and she looked like she did for about 20 minutes total. That was the tough leg. Hopefully the lie flat seats on the next flight will help. Sitting in the BA Lounge having lunch and a drink waiting for our flight. Be home soon!

Mark

That did the trick!

Slept better last night with the assistance of the prescribed sleeping pills. Didn't do too much today. Feel somewhat better. Pain med scheduling is helping control everything. But most of all, the sleep really set me back on the right track!

Mark, Jeff and I ate dinner at a recommended restaurant called La Bodega. Awesome atmosphere, great service and good food. Unfortunately, very uncomfortable chairs. I had to leave midway through the entree and Jeff was kind enough to bring dessert home. I wanted to try and do something tonight to thank Mark for not complaining one bit about being sequestered with me this whole time.

One great note to the trip- we have made some great friends that own a bar two doors down from our apartment. The restaurant/ bar is named Twins and is owned by twin sisters Joaquina and Teresa. It has a "country" theme and is quite quaint. But more than anything, it is very busy. They serve hamburgers, fries, etc. and are very "free" with their pours on mixed drinks. They have been wonderful and so sweet. Today, I wasn't able to go on the "untourist" tour that Jeff got today, but whenever I have been able to get out and stop by, they are great. The language barrier has been a little hard to traverse sometimes, but it has all worked out in the end. They would like to come see us and we would like to come back here. We have all promised to work on our comprehension for the next time! We will work on our Spanish and they will work on their English.

Better get some sleep. I'm sure that the morning is going to come very early!

Good night America! We'll see you tomorrow!
K

All Clear

I had my post-op follow up appointment with Dr. Clavel today. He said the X-rays looked great. I am walking well. Incision is healing. He is, however, concerned about the pain and weakness in my left leg stemming from my left hip. He feels that it is probably muscular, but can't be positive that there might not be a problem with my hip. I'm hoping it just needs to "pop" back into place and will happen soon. Who knows? We'll see. We discussed the fact that I'm getting very poor sleep and he gave me a prescription for some meds so...tonight, sleep, here we come! I plan to spend a very lazy day tomorrow getting ready for our early flight home on Saturday. The thing I look forward to the most, besides seeing my furry boyfriend, is my bed and a very long, hot shower! :-)

As far as how I feel today...about the same. But that's ok, I have good support and will make it through all this. One day at a time!

K

Milestone #1- survived first week post-op!

Well folks, I have to say that went fast even with all the trials and tribulations. I was going to post yesterday, but it wasn't a very good day for me. I was going to title it "Pity Party- Table for One". Everything struck me all at once yesterday and I had what I called a mini-meltdown (Mark said I just needed to cry through the pain).

Here's a quick run down of yesterday. I think from my last blog you can tell that I'm having a difficult time sleeping since I was up blogging at 0430 the other morning. Well after blogging, I went to bed and took a pain pill to see if I could rest. I slept a few hours and didn't feel too bad yesterday morning, however, I kind of had that med hangover haze. So I get up and BAM-
I get hit in the face with the scent of breakfast and am immediately nauseated by the smell. Jeff had made what would have on any other day been a wonderful scrambled egg dish for breakfast, but all I was thinking was that I couldn't get away from the smell fast enough. I am scent sensitive normally; anything too strong gives me headaches immediately, but especially when I've had previous surgeries, I'm hypersensitive. When I was in the hospital it seemed that's every single person had some perfume/ cologne on and it drove me nuts.

So...I get past the nausea part, done. I go to take a shower and the dizziness comes back that was troubling me at the hospital. At this point, I'm thinking seriously, what else is going to happen today? But I didn't let that bother me because I was looking forward to getting out and taking a walk. The beginning of the walk went really well. Obviously, I was feeling off and the fact that it was raining wasn't helping, nonetheless, things were looking ok. Then...the sidewalks were getting uneven and it wasn't all flat. Also, we turned down a road that took us farther away from the apartment than I realized. We walked something between 1/4 to 1/2 mile (I forgot my pedometer to monitor) and not to far from the apartment my incision started burning and i felt so much pressure, it took my breath away. We stopped so I could get my composure back and give me a minute so I could make it back the rest of the way. We made it back and I immediately went to lay down. The bad thing for me is it isn't like I can simply stop by a cafe and take a rest because sitting hurts me just as bad as everything else does at this time so...taking a load off and having a cappuccino isn't an option.

The rest of the day and night I was useless. I couldn't get comfortable. I couldn't get rid of the pain! I just couldn't....and I was so frustrated and mentally exhausted that I just started to cry. I cried because I'm exhausted, I'm hurting and at that moment, I just wanted it all to stop and couldn't see the end in sight. Logically, prior to coming, I psyched myself up for how painful this would be and that living with pain daily for over half my life, surely I could handle it. Boy, was I wrong! I didn't factor in the incisional pain, the fact the the bed here is no where near being comfortable, not being home, etc. Also, I didn't factor in that I can't use all my old tricks in finding a pseudo comfortable position. I had my portfolio of funky movements and contortionists maneuvers to try and get comfortable during the day, but either they don't work now or I'm afraid that if I do something "funky" that now that I'm fixed, it will cause problems. So needless to say...yesterday was a very bad day.

Now for today...I'M POST-OP WEEK 1! Mark and I had a long talk last night and I'm changing my strategy. I need to keep ahead of my meds. Yes, we we all know that I despise taking them, but mentally, this isn't the kind of pain that I can block right now. So...better living through pharmaceuticals for now. Plus, no more sitting on the living room furniture. IKEA has some nice looking stuff, but let's face it, it isn't designed for tall people (that's another problem with the bed, it's IKEA). I'm going to take shorter walks for now and try to work on more restful sleep. I consciously am not trying to do too much, I guess my brain is just saying I can do more and I want to see improvements daily since now I'm "fixed". My main goal right now is to get to a point where I can survive the plane ride home, then the rest will come once I get home and feel "right" again with my surroundings.

I have to say...even with all the incredible love and attention from my wonderful husband and all the help from my brother-in-law Jeff, this has still been one of the most difficult things in have done in my life. I certainly hope that it is going to end up being worth it in the end! But hey...I'm one week post-op!!!

Onward and upward!
K

Ouch!!

Well as you see below Kim did not get much sleep last night and when she did it wasn't very good sleep. It was raining pretty good here today and that in itself bothers Kim's back. Add the surgery and the incision and that makes for some hurt. Kim was determined to walk outside today so she did. We walked around the block stopping a couple of times. The incision is really bothering her. When we got back to the apartment Kim went to lay down and it hit her. The incision pain was bad. She tried to get up a little later but not for long. She went back into bed, took a pain pill and is hopefully still asleep. I hope she sleeps through the night without any problems. It is going to be rainy here again tomorrow so we will see how things go. We may try a different plan of movement and rest. Kim is really looking forward to getting home in her own bed. More later.

Mark

It's me! :-)

What better thing to do at about 4:30 am Barcelona time than blog? I made a fatal error tonight and didn't realize why I can't sleep until about 4:00 am. I drank Coke before going to bed! Me and caffeine don't see eye to eye at night? So...here I am typing away on FB, responding to blog messages and posting a new one.

FYI-Mark and I are going to tag team the accounting of this journey because I'm sure that there are days I'm not going to be up to the task, but he thought that it would be good for me to put my first person voice on the blog, as well. So here I am! He also said he is going to be the BS meter to my roses and sunshine! :-)

As you've been reading I'm experiencing some expected post-op pain. Some more expected than others, but nonetheless, they are there. I have to say, I wasn't expecting the barrel me over abdominal pain, but they are there. I feel like I have a hernia and if I push it in, it hurts less. Now, the left hip pain. I have to say, OMG! I'm used to right hip/leg pain not the left and let me tell you, it is painful. So much so that I can't lift my leg off the bed straight up. If I bend my hip out and slide my leg down the bed, I can get it straight. Mark literally has to lift my leg off the bed to get my socks and shoes on. This I have to admit is quite annoying!

I've been really good about no bending, lifting or twisting so far. My reacher has come in handy many times so I don't feel so helpless. I know Mark and Jeff will help with whatever I need, but I'm just not built that way and I need my independence back, however small, ASAP! Don't worry though, I'm not delusional, independence is still down the road, but I'm hoping to be able to grab a little piece back every day.

Ok ladies and gents, I'm sure I have babbled for far too long in my tired state. I need to try and get a few hour of something resembling sleep because by God, I'm gonna see some more of Barcelona than the two blocks surrounding the apartment.

Night all,
K

Day 5 Post-Op

Kim took it easy today moving between the chairs and the bed today. She walked around the apartment a lot to try and work out her hips. She did manage to take 2 pretty good walks outside also. She is having incision, low back, leg and hip pain. All normal for this point and she is trying to handle with only taking pain meds when she absolutely has to. She will probably take one before bed tonight. She is using heat on the back and hips. She seems to be moving well in and out of seats and bed. Requiring less help. She just told me " Tomorrow will be a better day". I told her all her tomorrow's will be better and better. I am very proud of her for the way she is handling this and tell her everyday. She's a champ!

Mark

First night in Apartment

Well Kim made it through the night. She needed a couple of pain pills and a middle of the night walk around the apartment. She found a sweet spot in the bed around 7-7:30 and she was out! She got up about an hour ago and was feeling ok. It's rainy today but we still plan on a little walk in the neighborhood. Kim is still learning the new language her body is talking and after many years it is all foreign and going to take a bit. Keep the prayers and support coming.
More later.

Mark

Slow down you move too fast

Well as you know Kim got discharged today and we made it back to the apartment. She took a little nap and then went for a walk in the neighborhood. She walk about a block and a half. We got back home and my brother made dinner. Kim was trying to find comfortable positions in bed and chairs. She did ALOT of walking today. This all hit her about 30 minutes ago. She found out just how far she can push before her body pushed back. Her hips started hurting real bad. These have been out of whack so long the don't know what to do. Muscle relaxer and a pain pill and the futon cushion on the bed she is sleeping. We will see how she feels when she wakes up tomorrow.

Mark


Joey Sue- Everything is moving again so let's hope that keeps up.

That taxi ride wasn't so bad.

Well Dr Clavel came in this morning. Checked Kim's incision and stomach. Everything was fine. Talked about Kim getting a shower and then x-rays and said she could leave Monday. Now we know this wasn't good enough for Kim so she said she wanted to get out of the hospital today. Dr. Clavel asked her some questions about dizziness and nausea etc. Told her she could leave after lunch. Well we showered, took x-rays and waited for lunch. Kim decided to take a walk around the hospital floor, should have worn sneakers she would have walked longer. Lunch showed up, Kim ate, took her pain pill and we checked out!!!! Taxi to the apartment and Kim is now resting in bed here at the apartment. Hopefully she gets a little rest and we plan on walking around a bit later if she is up for it. I asked her how the cab ride was since he hit a few bumps on the way. Thus the title. I am happy to be out of the hospital but not nearly as much as Kim. We got a copy of the x-rays and I will try and post them on here later. Let the real healing begin!

Mark

Night 3

Kim's back pain was pretty bothersome last night. She could not find a comfortable position. She slept for an hour and then was up shifting and repositioning for hours without any relief. The pain meds they gave her took a little longer to work than she thought so she also asked for something to help her sleep because reruns on tv weren't doing it and she LOVES football too much to sleep through it so we did not watch that. (smell that..thats sarcasm).  She did manage to finally sleep (although I don't know how well) until the nurse came in a 0600 for vitals. She is trying to go back to sleep so she can wake up to a shower and street clothes and possibly x-rays and a taxi ride to the apartment. That might be a lofty goal but we will see what Dr. Clavel thinks.    Kim's back pain is at the same levels as it was pre-surgery but I expect and hope that getting her walking the pain will start to subside. Dr. Clavel agrees but we all know it won't happen instantly.

Mark

Day 3 Post-Op

Wow what a difference a day makes. Kim was really struggling withe the effects of the anesthesia and meds. I think telling the nurse not to hang the last bottle of pain meds did the trick. Afternoon PT went extremely well, she walked her room twice and sat in her chair for about 10 minutes. That and several trips to the bathroom left her a little stiff and spasms started. She asked for some pain meds to help her get comfortable to sleep. She is now resting as comfortably as is possible for someone in her position. No shower so no regular clothes. She tried to convince the nurse it was a good idea but it didn't work. Nurse said it can happen in the morning. We are hopeful that when Dr Clavel comes in tomorrow and sees her showered and in street clothes he will take her first post op x-rays and then maybe send her to the apartment. She really hopes this happens.

As far as the surgery, I had a nice talk with Dr. Clavel and he was pleased with everything. He did not encounter as much trouble as he thought with her two lowest discs. He said he did not have any problem restoring the disc height and placing the discs. I looked at the inter-op x-rays and remember what her per-op MRI looked like.WOW what a difference. He used to large discs for L3-4 and L4-5 and a medium disc at L2-3.

Kim knows that now she must begin to adjust to her new back and that her old back is going to take time to let go. She is taking it slow and steady. She has already been experiencing different pains in new places. She realizes with a little help from me that she has been out of whack for so long neither her or her body know how to react right now. She will be taking over the updates soon so you can hear it firsthand.

Mark

Its the little things in life

Kim is making small walks to the bathroom and back to bed. Her new goal is a shower and regular clothes. Probably later during the afternoon PT session.  The dizziness and nausea are subsiding too which is a good sign. Signed her up for the Barcelona 5k on Tuesday.

Mark

Hey look we're walking.

Night 3 was better for Kim sleep wise. I think she actually slept for several hours. The nurse did not hook up the last bag of pain meds and Kim did feel better when she woke up. Nurse came in after breakfast and two big things happened. 1- Catheter came out and 2- IV removed. So now Kim is free to roll around her bed trying to get comfortable. She was feeling a little dizzy so no shower today.
While she was getting settled in after the bedding change the PT Tech came in. Kim sat up,got out of bed and...WALKED. She walked about 60 feet to the door of her room and back to her chair, she sat for about 10 minutes until she felt a little pain in her back. She got up and went back to bed. Dr Clavel came in and saw her sitting and was very pleased. Told her she is doing great and we will walk more this afternoon and even remarked that he thought she looked taller.  Dr. Clavel also showed me the inter-op x-rays of the discs he put in. Interesting to say the least. Kim is still having some issues with dizziness at times but it is definitely getting better each day.  More later.

Mark

Momma said there'd be days like this.

Afternoon PT session did not last long. Kim was feeling sick to her stomach and a little light headed so they decided it was best for her to sleep, which she did. FINALLY about 2-3 hours of good sleep. Kim woke up around dinner time and ate most of it. She was feeling pretty good until the next round of pain meds. She thinks those are the culprit. We are asking Dr. Clavel if there is another she can have that may not make her feel that way. Slow and steady wins the race. I think tomorrow will be a good day!

Mark

Joey Sue and everyone else for that matter, Kim appreciates all the encouragement and comments You know what she is going through having been in her position. Thanks!

Dr Clavel just left.

He said that her hemoglobin levels are back to normal and she looks better today. The nausea is probably due to the anesthesia. They started giving her some meds for it and will continue until she is ok. He said her stomach still sounds good and he will see how the afternoon PT session goes. She told him she just wanted to get out of bed and walk around.
She is now pretending to sleep because my brother Jeff is in with her :-)

Mark

Night 2

Dr Clavel came in around 9 last night. Hemoglobin levels were a little lower than he liked so he had 2 units of blood transfused. So that kept Kim up a few hours last night. She did finally dose off for a few hours but it wasn't very restful. She just feels like she got runover. PT Tech came in for another session this morning. Kim sat up, stood up and walked about 7 feet to a chair. She was able to sit for about 5 minutes but got a little dizzy so she went back to bed. PT Tech said we will do another session this afternoon. Kim knows that this is the start of a long journey.  She just wants to be able to walk around, get something she likes to eat and perhaps begin to use the bathroom like normal.   She appreciates all the support and love from everyone.

Mark

Day 1 Post-Op Review

They took Kim off the pain med pump. She has not really eaten much and all the meds gave her an annoying headache today. Dr Clavel came in this afternoon to check on her. Said her stomach sounds good and she is able to lay on her side if she wants. She was hoping to stand and walk a little today. The PT Tech had her do some exercises in bed then she sat up in bed. That wasn't enough for Kim she wanted to stand so she did. No pain but she did get a little light headed and a wee bit nauseous. No walking today. The PT tech said tomorrow she will try again and it was normal. For now she is getting as much sleep in as she can in between nurse visits. Keep all the good heathy back like thoughts coming.

Mark

Toss and Turning all night.

As expected Kim was in and out last night. Nurses were in regularly for IV refills and stuff. Dr. Clavel came in this morning and turned down the pain meds. Told her he would be back this afternoon to probably get her out of bed. She is resting comfortably. She will be taking over the updates soon.

Mark

Resting.

Kim is back in her room resting as best she can. Hopefully in the morning she will feel up to at least dictating an update. Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers.

Mark

Kim is on the other side. Let the new life begin!!!!!!

Dr. Clavel just informed me that Kim is out of surgery. He said it started a little late. He is very pleased with the placement of the discs and there were no issues during the operation. She is in recovery and I should have her in her room in about an hour or two.

Well here we go!

They just took Kim down for surgery. Dr. Clavel said about 2.5 to 3 hours. I will keep everyone posted as best I can. We did have a real nice lunch overlooking the sea and walk along the beach yesterday afternoon. The water was a little cool so no swimming but if felt good. We have some nice pictures I will try and post later.

Mark

All is well in Barcelona

We got to Barcelona without incident. Except, unless you count having to wait for the luggage forever at baggage claim. Our apartment is nice. A great location and about a mile and a half from the hospital so if I need any assistance, we are close. Had problems connecting to the internet last night, but all is well today. Customer service with the management company for the apartment sent someone to help with getting us connected. We have been able to update family, so we feel better about that.

Last night, we partook in some tapas for dinner and did some walking around. We went grocery shopping today to stock the apartment. We didn't really do too much today because I got hit by jet lag today and ended up taking a very long nap this afternoon. We ate in tonight because our personal chef, Jeffrey (phonetically pronounced Heff ae), AKA my brother-in-law, made a delicious dinner for us tonight.

The plan for tomorrow is:
1. Have my pre-op visit @ 0930 with Dr. Clavel and the anesthesiologist.
2. Explore more of the city in the afternoon-probably go to the Parc Guell.
3. At night, we are going to the casino and have a wonderful dinner on the Mediterranean Sea.

Tomorrow should be fun, except for all the surgery stuff!

British Airways Lounge

Not too shabby! Open bar (partaking of a spicy Bloody Mary!), "free" food, wi-fi, etc. Nice to have a restful place to relax prior to your flight. I'm going to soak it all up since flying first class to Europe isn't going to happen again any time soon! Looking forward to the lay down seating because all the packing has made me very sore and even more tired.

Toughest part of this whole adventure...saying good-bye to my furry lil' boyfriend. He looked so sad before we left...those sad puppy eyes melt my heart. However, he is in very good hands. My best friend's mother, my second mom, Fran, is going to be spoiling him for the next two weeks. 

Looking forward to getting in the air!

Up, up and away

Getting a little anxious. Packing almost complete. I'm sure I will forget many things, but really, who cares. It's all relative. T-minus 17 hours before we leave for the airport.