I made it back in one piece.
Just thought i'd drop everyone a line to tell you that the surgery is over... and I'm on the road to recovery!
On Friday, October 19th, my Dad took me to the hospital to get my surgery done (a transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion - or TLIF - for those keeping score). The surgery took several hours but went pretty well. The waking-up was pretty traumatic, but the recovery went pretty well, the food was terrible...and I don't think I would have made it without the TV (that had only 10 channels - but luckily Turner Classic Movies was on 24 hours a day - I think I developed a "thing" for Norma Shearer!).
All I want now is the worldand Norma Shearer...
I was in until this Tuesday, and last night was my first night in my rented hospital bed. I slept for 12 hours.
I am doing pretty well, walking as much as I can. I'm supposed to stay home for the first week, but I feel like taking my walker outside and running around! But then, it's not a 'runner' - it's a 'walker' I am still very sore in the spot where they did the operation. It feel like my spine is being held together with a piece of twine (instead of what it's REALLY held together with, which is some pins and screws!). I am going to be good and stay home and walk up and down the hallway till I scream.
But the big question is... did it work??? I have to say that - at the moment - the answer seems to be yes! The crippling sciatic nerve pain is gone! GONE! I sat in a chair for the 45 minute ride home from the hospital, and, as anyone of you who dealt with taking me to one of my appointments knows, just the thought of spending 3 minutes seated in a chair would have driven me to tears. I do have a significant amount of numbness is in my right foot and leg - but it has gradually diminished from the date of the surgery - and I'll take numbness over searing pain any day! It should - hopefully - continue to diminish. I'm already taking about half the pain medication I was taking before the surgery - and that's with the incision pain!
I have to thank my Dad and brother Dan for all of their help, to Judy and Stacey for taking care of me in the weeks leading up to the surgery, and to Swirly as always for putting up with me and helping out. and thanks to all of you. I really feel like I've turned a corner on a very rough couple of years, and I appreciate all the support and good wishes you all have given me. I feel like I am getting my life back.
Oh, and thanks, Norma, for getting me through those first few days! XOXO
Norma Shearer photos, and lots of other cool stuff, from Divas - the Site
No comments:
Post a Comment