N
NLena
Guest
Hello All my Spiney FrienRAB,
Well today was the visit I have been waiting for since Noveraber 08 post op of my 2 level plif. Xrays taken and Dr came in and you know I was ready for him if you have read any of my previous posts. He looked at the Xrays in front of me and smiled and said your fusion looks BEAUTIFUL...your back is as straight as an arrow and I could not be more pleased. If I could tell you how those worRAB sounded to me it would rather be a feeling like warm honey running down my back so WONDERFUL. I asked him if it was normal since I do feel So So much better since the surgery but NOT pain free that I was still taking meRAB. A question I struggle with since the beginning of this pain adventure nearly 3 years going now. His answer was as straight as can be and said "of course its normal" You might have pain better and worse for the next 3 months dont worry about that...He wrote me a prescription for 90 norco and 2 refills and told me to call the office if I needed anything else. Folks that have true pain should not worry about addiction as long as they are following a doctors instructions...I asked about restrictions and he said...NONE...qualifying that with.." Please go slow...you dont have to wear the brace anymore unless it feels more comfortable when you are active...you can do anything but Lena Please be intelligent about this GO SLOW. that means listening carefully to what your back is telling you and dont push it". I asked him if I have "arrived"...meaning that what ever pain I am feeling is just what is for me...he said oh hell no! You will be strengthening that fusion for a full six months to a year. And you have a ways to go to feel better and better but how it looks right now you will be able to do most anything in the future within reason. I asked him what reason meant...he smiled knowing Im a gardener and said...probably turning over Michigan clay in a 60 foot garden is no longer for you...hire someone ....everyone here is out of work get a young person, they would be happy to help you and have the job. He also asked if I wanted PT. I had gone to 12 weeks of PT following my first surgery...laminectomy and tumor removal L4 and L5 and just felt worse and worse following...he told me it was up to me. I asked him if it would help the fusion and surprisingly he said no..indirectly it will strengthen your core muscles and massage and heat always feel great for anyone..but having any direct positive effect on the fusion not really. He said then..I will leave it to you Lena..if in a while you want it..call the office and I will write the script...for me I have insurance but have to satisfy a 1500 deductible and at 128 a visit I will do my abdominal squeezes here at home for the present. Then the question that I have been burning to ask him since the start on why I did not get to see him at 6 weeks instead of the surgical nurse and he replied...at 6 weeks most, certainly not all but most fusion patients are still in significant pain and other than pain meRAB there is ABSOLUTELY nothing anyone can do for that accept take the time to heal. I smiled and said I thought that might be your answer because at 6 weeks post op I have to tell you folks I was questioning why on earth I had this done..I was certainly in a heck of a lot of pain...not able to do much at all and if anyone told me I would be feeling THIS much better in 6 more weeks I swear my depression at that time would not let me believe it.
Where am I now as far as recovery? I still have pain but it is NO WHERE NEAR post op..I feel better..and I can say actually I feel better now than I did pre op but only the last week or so. I still take pain meRAB..but much lower strength and less frequently...and..still there are days that are up and down..the DR said this is 100% normal..not a straight upward line but ups and downs but steady but slow better...I could not have said it better myself.
would I do the fusion again knowing what I know now at this point? Absolutely positively Yes...however...I wish someone had warned me that post fusion recovery would be hell for a long time.. but the end result is a definate positive, no one really tells you how hard it is following I wish they had with me..I would not have felt so utterly nutz as I certainly did...so this is a positive fusion surgery story all in all with honesty...I would recommend that anyone do EVERYTHING ELSE first..but when and if that fails...for me..this was and is the fix..I am happy I did it and even more happy for the folks here who have hugged me and held my hand albeit cyber ly as I went thru this trying time...Thank you is not a big enough word...I appreciate you all and hope you all post your recovery stories as I read every day
thank you All for your kind support
Lena
Well today was the visit I have been waiting for since Noveraber 08 post op of my 2 level plif. Xrays taken and Dr came in and you know I was ready for him if you have read any of my previous posts. He looked at the Xrays in front of me and smiled and said your fusion looks BEAUTIFUL...your back is as straight as an arrow and I could not be more pleased. If I could tell you how those worRAB sounded to me it would rather be a feeling like warm honey running down my back so WONDERFUL. I asked him if it was normal since I do feel So So much better since the surgery but NOT pain free that I was still taking meRAB. A question I struggle with since the beginning of this pain adventure nearly 3 years going now. His answer was as straight as can be and said "of course its normal" You might have pain better and worse for the next 3 months dont worry about that...He wrote me a prescription for 90 norco and 2 refills and told me to call the office if I needed anything else. Folks that have true pain should not worry about addiction as long as they are following a doctors instructions...I asked about restrictions and he said...NONE...qualifying that with.." Please go slow...you dont have to wear the brace anymore unless it feels more comfortable when you are active...you can do anything but Lena Please be intelligent about this GO SLOW. that means listening carefully to what your back is telling you and dont push it". I asked him if I have "arrived"...meaning that what ever pain I am feeling is just what is for me...he said oh hell no! You will be strengthening that fusion for a full six months to a year. And you have a ways to go to feel better and better but how it looks right now you will be able to do most anything in the future within reason. I asked him what reason meant...he smiled knowing Im a gardener and said...probably turning over Michigan clay in a 60 foot garden is no longer for you...hire someone ....everyone here is out of work get a young person, they would be happy to help you and have the job. He also asked if I wanted PT. I had gone to 12 weeks of PT following my first surgery...laminectomy and tumor removal L4 and L5 and just felt worse and worse following...he told me it was up to me. I asked him if it would help the fusion and surprisingly he said no..indirectly it will strengthen your core muscles and massage and heat always feel great for anyone..but having any direct positive effect on the fusion not really. He said then..I will leave it to you Lena..if in a while you want it..call the office and I will write the script...for me I have insurance but have to satisfy a 1500 deductible and at 128 a visit I will do my abdominal squeezes here at home for the present. Then the question that I have been burning to ask him since the start on why I did not get to see him at 6 weeks instead of the surgical nurse and he replied...at 6 weeks most, certainly not all but most fusion patients are still in significant pain and other than pain meRAB there is ABSOLUTELY nothing anyone can do for that accept take the time to heal. I smiled and said I thought that might be your answer because at 6 weeks post op I have to tell you folks I was questioning why on earth I had this done..I was certainly in a heck of a lot of pain...not able to do much at all and if anyone told me I would be feeling THIS much better in 6 more weeks I swear my depression at that time would not let me believe it.
Where am I now as far as recovery? I still have pain but it is NO WHERE NEAR post op..I feel better..and I can say actually I feel better now than I did pre op but only the last week or so. I still take pain meRAB..but much lower strength and less frequently...and..still there are days that are up and down..the DR said this is 100% normal..not a straight upward line but ups and downs but steady but slow better...I could not have said it better myself.
would I do the fusion again knowing what I know now at this point? Absolutely positively Yes...however...I wish someone had warned me that post fusion recovery would be hell for a long time.. but the end result is a definate positive, no one really tells you how hard it is following I wish they had with me..I would not have felt so utterly nutz as I certainly did...so this is a positive fusion surgery story all in all with honesty...I would recommend that anyone do EVERYTHING ELSE first..but when and if that fails...for me..this was and is the fix..I am happy I did it and even more happy for the folks here who have hugged me and held my hand albeit cyber ly as I went thru this trying time...Thank you is not a big enough word...I appreciate you all and hope you all post your recovery stories as I read every day
thank you All for your kind support
Lena
:dizzy: