Great stuff High!
Using you, Angela and Clare as my inspiration lol.........keep the good progress going!
Best of luck
Rob
Post-op Day 2
Well I finally had my op on Sunday, after the previous date was cancelled due to equipment failure:(. In the end my disc was tackled bilaterally as two weeks before my op I developed sciatica on the other side as well, for the first time since my problems started back in January. This will supposedly mean a more difficult recovery, but right now I feel fine. Coming round from surgery I was severely dehydrated, and drank so much that I ended up having to get up no fewer than seven times the first night, and had no problems mobilising to do that, it just meant next to no sleep and constantly buzzing the nurses. After just one night in hospital I was sent home yesterday and was fortunate to find the stairs were no problem. A bigger problem for me will be my offspring, who now that I am home, think everything will be back to normal instantly. My middle child greeted me with a "when will we be going shopping for all my uni stuff?" He took the answer very badly! Last night I had a very relaxing sleep and didn't get up once 🙂 I even went downstairs to make my own cup of tea at 6.30am as my husband was still sound asleep! I know it is early days and that there are so many drugs still in one's system from the op itself, so things may get more difficult in the next few days pain wise, but right now I just want to encourage others who, like myself, were/are fearful facing surgery. I am currently taking codeine/paracetamol because the nurse advised that it is easier to keep the pain away than it is to get on top of pain which re-emerges because someone has not been taking their pain relief. Maybe I have just hit lucky with a highly-skilled spinal surgeon, whose reputation goes before him:).
Thats great news!! And long may the rehabilitation continue! Where did you have your surgery if you dont mind me asking?
Good luck with everything!
Hugh thanks for update.
RosefSharon Great news and glad it went well.
I am now day 11 and the first 9 days passed with no real pain - just occasional stiffness or mild ache. I really could not believe how easy it had been. By day 9 I could walk upright again, no pain, could lift my foot about 80 degrees up off bed instead of one inch as before, walk upstairs with only one foot on each stair (though not yet coming down) and stand to have a shower and dry and dress myself without a chair. I had cut out my walking stick in the house. I could not do any of these things pre op. My op was not particularly straightforward as I had a laminectomy, decompression of spinal canal and discectomy.
I was possibly getting over confident and was enjoying walking outside again - not far but far enough for my .wheelchair previously
Then horror I woke on day 10, went to the bathroom and as I stood up to come back I got this dreadful sciatic pain from hip down to knee - much worse than pre op but fortunately only in one leg. It took 40 minutes to ease off the first 20 being in agony. Three hours later on visiting the bathroom again exactly the same thing happened. I had no doubt in my mind that it was somehow my own fault - had I stood up from the toilet too quickly or twisted in some way. As you can imagine I took great care standing up the second time yet exactly the same again. I think on more reflection I might have the answer. Preop after using the toilet I would twist to the left and hit the flush on the cistern with my right hand (even more of a twist). With my new found confidence I think I have reverted to this. Scary - I am terrified of getting such dreadful pain again but realise how easy it is to bend or twist when you feel so much better. I have not had the pain like that again but have a much lesser nerve pain in the back of my leg today. It has definitely set me back
Angela
Im sure it is only a one off! From reading so many other peoples progress, it looks like we take 3 steps forward, two steps back in the first few weeks. Take things easy for a bit, im convinced you will be much better soon!
Love Rob x
Rob
Are you working at present or off sick?
Angela
Im off sick. Not worked since Friday 30 August. Applied for ESA but it only went off yesterday. No idea if im entitled to it though.
Lay on bed most the day and get up every half hour for a stretch and wander around the house.
Play Candy Crush on FB all day to get me by but thats getting boring!
I also try and cheer Clare up on FB, and when im not doing that winding her up lol!
How you feeling this afternoon?
Regards
Rob x
Hi Rob, sorry to hear you are struggling so. May I send Healing to you?
Send all the healing you can, and along with it a case of Kronenburg 1664, a kebab with extra chilli sauce and a stunning 6' blonde with big.......................feet!
I still got my sense of humour!! lol
Thanks Caz x
:005: :rollaugh::rollaugh::rollaugh: - like this?
- don't drink it all at once - doesn't mix too well with analgesics :011:
with this
Though it could do with a heap more salad to help reduce the inflammation, chilies are OK though ..... Oh and will she do?
Well dream on .............................
Don't know what you'd do with her in your current situation mind ........ but
Love, Light and Healing on its way to you now. Hope it makes a difference, you have a good sleep and wake feeling a bit better.
Haha, thanks Caroline..........very kind of you indeed! The kebab went down a treat and all washed down with the beers! Now all i got to do is work out what to do with the 6' blonde............by god, she's got big feet!
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
Take care and have a great day y'all!
Rob x
Rob Sorry to hear you are off work. I was wondering how the driving was going and the loading of passengers' luggage and thinking it would be impossible. How far are you on hospital route - any light at end of tunnel?. I phoned Clare for a chat this morning and was sad to learn she is bedridden again, Tell you what I think we should forget that night out. It would currently be better if the three of us had a pyjama party! I said this to Clare and she suggested that instead of alcohol we could all put our medications in the middle and have a tasting session.
I am quite a lot better though still have a sort of pulling nerve pain up back of my thigh. Tomorrow I start sitting for 15 mins at a time. Only occasional couple of mins up to now. I have largely been.lying down and walking. Raining today so up to now not had my two outdoor walks today just paced the flat. Go to MRI tomorrow for physio assessment which to me seems a little early.
Angela
Ha ha, that would be fun although my pyjamas dont extend much beyond a pair of boxer shorts and i wouldn't want to be accused of making you and Clare throw up, lol!
As for how far down the operation route, to be honest i have no idea. I spoke to my GP about a week ago who was going to contact the surgeon but as yet ive heard nothing. Ill give it a few more days before i chase them up.
Hope the MRI goes well and the pain you are experiencing begins to wane sooner rather than later!
All the best
Rob x
Sorry I forgot you were not local - in this case MRI is not a scan but Manchester Royal Infirmary our local hospital
Angela
Sorry to hear you have had a bit of a set back Angela, hope you start to pick up again. I have definitely been more sore today, not helped by having to go back to the hospital for a wound check - I did find the journey difficult in the car.
Rob - my surgery was at BMI Woodlands (blessed to have been covered by my husband's insurance policy), where the standard of care was excellent. The surgeon I was under takes NHS referrals there for sciatica/discectomy and is worth his weight in gold. I believe that under the Choose and Book system we now have the right to ask our GPs to refer us to anyone in the country. I did a lot of research before asking my GP to refer me to him, he has very high success rates and the loveliest bedside manner I have ever encountered in a consultant :).