I first vented about excruciating back pain in this post, then announced my impending back surgery here…I thought I’d come back one last time and let you know how it went, and how I’m doing now.
The surgery, a microdiscectomy, was last Thursday, December 20. Let me say, getting to the hospital was horrific. For good measure, it seems, the day of the surgery was about the worst pain I have experienced in all this. I couldn’t even crawl anymore. Sitting in a reclined car seat was still excruciating. When we got to the hospital, they’d told us the day before to send DeathLlama in to let them know I’m here, and they’d send a gurney out for me (I couldn’t walk, and sitting in a wheelchair was worse). He was met with a huge runaround that infuriated him–the nursing supervisor said nope, can’t do it, against protocol, if she can get in the car she can get in here, they have nonemergency transport, it’s a liability issue, etc. DeathLlama was infuriated and kept saying he was doing just what we’d been told and that in the meantime, I’m in pain.
While all this is going on, I just couldn’t take the pain from sitting in the car anymore and called him from my cell, and told him (through clenched teeth) that I was going to try to walk to the lobby–it was a good 150+ foot walk–where I could lie on a couch. He ran out to meet me, and helped me painfully hobble to the lobby, grunting and groaning in pain every now and then. When I finally got on the couch, I yelped, and started crying from the pain. Then…voila! A gurney. Of course. :rolleyes:
But that was really the only negative occurrence. The nurses were excellent, positive, and helpful. It really was a pleasant experience, all things considered.
Of course, I was initially quite sore from the incision…but I’m amazed at how much better I feel already. Apparently another piece of disc had broken off since the MRI, so there was even more to remove–and that explains why things got as horrible as they did. These last few days, I couldn’t sit, stand, walk, crawl, or even bathe myself. It was awful. But the morning after the surgery, when I got up to use the restroom (with the nurse’s assistance, of course), I was amazed…I stood up, and I could stay standing! I kept waiting for that awful crippling wave of pain, and it never came. And I could sit! For the first time in a month, I was actually able to sit without nerve pain. There is some of it left because the nerve needs to heal and regenerate itself, and it’s going to take some time, but I was amazed (and relieved) at the difference just 24 hours after surgery.
Because this is my second surgery, they’re extending my time off work to make sure everything is okay for when I do come back. Right now I’m off for 6 weeks, then the doc will re-evaluate me to see if I need 2 more weeks. I have the usual restrictions–no bending, lifting for than 5lbs ( RuffLlama is 30lbs), etc. for two weeks. Then I see the doc for my post-op and we go from there. And believe me, I am being careful. I never want to go through that hell again.
Now a week post-op, I have very little pain of any kind, though I am quite weak. My body did almost nothing for nearly a month, so things have turned to Jello a bit. Right now, the challenge I’m having is not just getting up and doing everything I’m used to doing–since I’m out of pain, I want to vacuum, empty the dishwasher, drive to the mall, groom my horses, pick up my son…but I know better. Usually.
Hopefully this surgery will “stick” better than the first…if I reherniate again, it means fusion, and that scares the bejeezus out of me.
Thanks all for your interest and support. Nine years on this board (in one form or another) and I feel like I’ve truly made friends.
Now, I’m off to take my make-me-stupid-but-eliminate-pain pills.