Long Overdue Update

OK...so, here it is. I have been "gently" harassed and chastised by my husband to sit down and update the blog! :-) I have been remiss again and I apologize for not keeping in mind that people might actually be looking at the blog to see my progress.

Week #5- pain (avg daily 4-6)
I started to drive again. I didn't realize that it had been over six weeks since I had driven last. It was a little difficult to find a comfortable position in my seat because several different people had driven my car before I took control again, but once I got the seat and mirrors where I needed them, it was more comfortable for me to drive than be a passenger. I cut back on the pain meds. Still only using them for assistance with sleeping. I think the Cymbalta is helping some with the neuropathic pain, but I was still so tight that I couldn't really tell.

Week #6 pain (avg daily 3-5)
I cut out pain meds all together. I'm taking Ibuprofen 800mg PRN. Only med I'm taking daily is the Cymbalta, but I had to adjust the time because I was taking it too late in the morning and it was keeping me up all night. That is another reason I stopped the pain meds. I could tell that the stimulant in the Cymbalta and the depressant in the pain meds were warring and I was the one losing because I couldn't sleep. I stopped the pain meds Tuesday night and I have been better ever since. I had my first PT session on Tuesday. The assessment went well. My left leg is definitely weaker than my right but I am able to lift it off the floor now with no problem. However, my IT band is extremely sore because it is so tight. Also, my internal rotation is pretty much non-existent right now. I'm having pain when I try to increase my stride length. It hurts when I'm roll to the ball of my left foot and push off to the right leg. It will get better, but it is a little annoying with trying to regain a more normal gait. I got another massage. Have gotten a few since being home. Not really sure that it is helping, but I can't see that it is hurting either so...I'm going to con't for a few weeks and reassess the efficacy to see if I notice a difference.

I made a radical decision...I cut all my hair off! My surgery in 1998 ruined my hair. Prior to surgery it was very think and curly, but after having 2 surgeries in 2 weeks...it completely changed. I lost my curl for over 6 years, but I never regained the thickness. I was hoping that it wouldn't be the same scenario this time, but I could see that it was heading that way. Starting at about week 2, every time I took a shower, I would end up with the drain completely covered with the hair I was shedding. Sad, but true!!! Prior to surgery, my hair was in the middle of my back. I had 4 inches cut off prior to leaving for Barcelona. When I made the decision to cut it...I knew that I wanted it cut OFF! So...the day I went to the salon, my hair was a few inches past my shoulders and now...it is tight to the back of my neck. Had I thought about it prior to the 4 inches being cut, I should have waited until I came home and donated to Locks of Love...but unfortunately, I wasn't thinking that far ahead. Needless to say, there was a lot of hair on the floor when she was done!!! I love it and it is so much easier!! No hair dryer. A little product and go. It's good for a low maintenance chick like me!! :-)

Week #7 pain (avg daily 2-3)
Started PT for real this week. Tuesday was my first session was on land because there were some issues with the pool's temperature being too cold and not ready for aqua sessions. My therapist Lisa said that she can tell that I'm going to be very functional more quickly than most, but still she didn't want to push me too much my first session. She is the aqua director and advised that she knows that the first few weeks she will be able to do more with me in the pool. Many of the stretches she could tell easily that I'm very tight and will need a while to loosen up. I just hope that I will start feeling the tightness lessen soon because I would like to move past this part to really start regaining what I have lost over the past 13 years. Walking and sitting are getting better daily. She had me ride the recumbent bike for 10 minutes and I was able to do that with no problem which was encouraging. I didn't know that it would be that easy. Thursday was my first aqua session and it is amazing even in the water I could feel all the muscles screaming that they didn't want to move! :-) I definitely was able to move a little easier and I walked on the treadmill in the water for over 15 minutes. The goal there was to try to walk with as "normal" a gait as possible knowing all the problems I'm still having with my left hip. I could tell that I had worked my muscles when I was done, but I was able to push myself which was good. I thought that I would need some meds when I got home, but all I needed was to lay down for a little while and I was better.

I have to say that at week #7 I didn't think that I would be doing as well as I am. I have relatively little back pain. It is more muscle tiredness or positional issues right now. I know that I'm not supposed to bend or twist yet, but I'm doing a little to see what I can handle. Haven't really lifted too much to this point. I will increase as I feel comfortable, but more in the PT setting for now.

I know this sounds weird, but I don't know what it will be like to be pain free. It's almost like if I don't have "some" pain, will I be able to feel anything anymore? I have had some degree of pain for so long (27 yrs) that I don't know what "normal" feels like.  I don't think I will mind if there is a little twinge because that has been my "normal" for so long that it reminds me that I'm at least feeling something.

Well folks, I think that I have babbled for long enough. I apologize again to those who have been looking for this update. I will be better come the New Year!

Milestone #3-1 Month Post-Op

Hard to believe that I'm already 30 days out from my surgery. All things being considered, I guess I'm surprising myself that I'm doing so well. I'm happy because with a 3 level ADR, I really expected to have muscle spasms because I had read so many posts from others that have had severe pain from their spams. I hope I'm not jinxing myself, but no spasms to date. I thought for sure that I would since L 3-4, L4-5 collapsed and I was gaining the height from having the 3 replaced. Don't get me wrong, I have had other pains to deal with during this recovery, just really glad spasms hasn't been among them.

Let's see...what have I been doing. Walking more. Trying to slowly increase my sitting time since it still is uncomfortable to sit too long. I can lift my left leg higher, but it is still painful to lift it more than about 8 inches off the floor. Still have to manually lift it into my car. I have gone out for a few short outings, but find that I can't really stay out longer than about 2-3 hours without by lower back getting sore. Pain meds, I'm down to take only prior to going to bed. Started Cymbalta this week for the neurogenic/neuropathic pain which seems to be helping some and assisting with not having to take pain meds during the day. My PCP thinks that I have fibromyalgia (diagnosed prior to leaving for Spain) so she thinks that trying this new med will help with some of the residual pain. I didn't believe that Cymbalta was used for this type of thing, I thought it was just for depression, but the pharmacist and the literature included assured me that it was. Go figure! :-)

Still trying to work everything out for PT to start, but I'm not worried. Have been doing my home exercises and am waiting to see what will happen with that. My main goal right now is to try and strengthen my legs and regain some flexibility in them. I'm so tight, it is ridiculous. I thought that getting several Thai massages the 2 weeks prior to surgery would help at least a little to keep me loose...WRONG! :-) Need to look into getting a massage next week to see if that will help.

Well folks, that is about it for this week.

Take care!

Can't believe it!

So...you thought I wouldn't post until next week, huh? Well, I guess I fibbed! :-) This is a good thing so I thought I would post. I was very excited today and I don't know that anyone will really care, but I was happy. My abdominal swelling has gone down to the point that I could wear "real" pants today. No work out pants...a pair with a zipper and button! I still have a little pooch, but it's easily hidden. So either I didn't have a hematoma or the heat has helped it to reabsorb. My incision is very sensitive right now, but I expected that for the first few months so I'll just deal with the weird sensations.

However, something not so good happened today, as well. I finally got a call back from my PCP's assistant regarding my call to her to discuss my pain meds and getting the prescription from her to start PT. Well, unlike what we discussed pre-surgery, she had her assistant tell me that I need to go to a pain specialist now to get my pain meds filled or I need to consult an ortho. As I informed the assistant, it is going to be hard to find an ortho that will follow me post-op. Plus, the 2 orthos I consulted here prior to going to Spain will in no way follow me because I went against their recommendations. This is a complete 180 from the conversation we had in October prior to me leaving for Spain. She advised that anything I needed, including meds, she would take care of for me when I got back because she supported my decision to go to Spain. She advised she knows that there are a lot of treatments that are available and better options for patients outside of the US, so she was on board.

So...my question, what happened between then and now. I told the assistant that I needed to talk to her personally because I'm confused about the change in plan. Hopefully, she will call tomorrow and we can address this issue. The thing that concerns me is I'm close to being out of pain meds at this point. Yes, I'm weaning myself and am almost able to get away with only using one pain pill daily, but still, I'm only 3 weeks post-op and don't want to play around if I need something. Fingers crossed we can work something out without me having to find go to another MD.

Other than that, did some Christmas shopping today and was out for about 3-4 hours with no problems walking and no sitting until we went back to the car. I'm kind of tired, but happy that I did so well today.

Let the good days continue!
K