Can I recover from spinal fusion with just visiting nurses?

  • Thread starter Thread starter backpaingirl
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BackPainGirl....

Hang in there. As said before, all the research and reading can really get you anxious. Just try to stay focused on the goal here!!

The first week, it really was hard for me to bath and sleep and do some other personal things due to the pain. My pain med regiman has really been helpfull. Stay in touch with your doctor so he knows how to adjust for you if needed.

Week two has been challenging because I started getting pain in my left hip and leg and very painfull abdominal burnig sensation on the left side as well. I was scared, but after my post op appointment, my ex-rays were good and the doctor increased my med intake. Also, you will feel a lot better when you have the staples removed too!! It has only been a day since my appointment and I am feeling so much better. Just pamper yourself and take care of you insicions as much as possible. I have been in the right frame of mind so to speak as well and that has made a huge difference. Since I am at home with my little girl, I dont have much time to rest wich is hard, but it keeps me going ya know.

I will post at three weeks. Please feel free to send me a personal e mail if you need to. I could use the support as well.

Keep me posted and if needed look into that home health care I posted earlier. I have looked into this and should have a little help by next week. Thank goodness. I need to sit down once in a while. Hardest part is trying to explain to my 2 year old why mommy cant pick her up, but we are making it one day at a time. Just try to focus, focus, focus and dont let all of the negative posts get you down and scared!! :)
 
I can tell you that for the 1st couple of weeks, everything is just a blur. probably due to pain meRAB. Pain meRAB are great when you need them but the drawback is, they work well enough that you feel like you can do more than you SHOULD do. Follow your doc's orders and do get the help you need. Make sure you get one of those grabber things so you can pick up things that are too low for you. That's my best friend these days. There is a post up top that is titled something like "post surgery tips" and it's really good. make sure you read that. Get yourself a raised potty seat or better yet one of those pottie chairs that has raised handles. if you can get a hold of a walker, get one. Although my doc doesn't think you need them, when you are wobbly and unsteady, it will give you secure feeling. God bless...
 
Thanks so much, ivorylassie,

Nobody else mentioned the hospital bed or the rolling hospital table/tray, so I was not sure if that would be needed. I'll definitely be doing tv dinners, as I don't know how to cook anything other than oatmeal anyway! The baby wipes are also a great idea. I wash my hanRAB a lot, and had not really thought about not being able to reach the sink, as I consider it at the correct height--but I guess the bending towrd the sink would be bad.

I'm leaving for the doctor in 30 minutes to set my surgery date.
 
Hi Picnica,

Thanks for your reply. I think I can get a family meraber to come from out of state for the first 8 days--that's when they will take out the stitches, I'm told.

Did you find that you needed help mainly due to inability to move, pain, or being "stoned" on pain meRAB?

I'm looking for any information I can get about the recovery process.

Also, did you have a graft bone taken from your own body, or use a donor bone? My doctor thinks that he can use my floating bone piece (called a gill fragment) for the graft, but I' don't see how that's enought bone to go around!
 
Hi everyone,

I set my surgery date today for next month. I feel much better now that I have a definite date. Turns out I might be able to stay in a rehab facility for at least a week after my surgery because i have some other medical problems. I'm going to start a new thread to see what an inpatient rehad center is like00I have absolutely no idea.

Manager, how are you doing? Are you taking care of your daughter by yourself?
 
Hi Backpaingirl,
When is your date? I thought of a few other things that might help you:
If you are going to be by yourself - you might want to invest in the MedicAlert pendant so if you fall and can't reach the phone to get help, you press it and they'd get help for you
Bath brush - to be able to reach past the knees
Have your hair cut a little shorter than usual right before surgery so by the time you are able to go again it won't be completely unmanagable
Have your toenails done - you won't be able to reach them for a while after surgery
Get in the best shape you can before your surgery - especially leg squats - you'll be doing alot of them
Abdominal Binder
Cup or the emison basin from the hospital to rinse your mouth after you brush your teeth - unable to lean over the sink to spit - tried it once, didn't work
If you aren't doing it already, practise the log roll to get in and out of bed and also practise doing things without bending, twisting or stooping - think of your back as a plank of wood
Place items you'll be needing at a height between your hips and shoulder - use the grabber for everything else
Various sizes/thickness pillows
Books or movies
Good recliner that you don't need to use your legs/back to recline or come back up
Hope some of these help and best of luck with your surgery and recovery
 
Hello again,
I am now 10 days post my ALIF at L5-S1 with bone marrow from my hip and anchoring to my illium and sacrum. I am surprised I can sit long enough to write this. Thank goodness the pain med is working a little bit for once. I have been in a lot of pain. It is hard to do much at all. Mostly, I sleep and fall asleep to the tv or radio. I've been running a fever around a 100 deg., mostly in the evenings. I am on antibiotics for cellulitis due to an infection from a blood draw in the arm so the fever might be from inflammation. This has been the hardest surgery, although it is my 4th spine surgery and 3rd abdominal one. doing this by myself is hard, and very lonely. I think the loneliness has been the worst part of it all. I had a visiting nurse for an hour a day for a few days, but my (better) insurance ran out at the end of the month. I miss having the cooling pad - can't fill and empty the ice box by myself. Can someone tell me how long to expect to hurt 24 hours a day? When will the pain not be a constant thing? When is a fever too much? is 101 deg. about the level when you go back to the hospital? I don't want to go too early/unnecessarily as it will be very costly for me. I hope that all this effort is worth some payoff in the end. I'm glad that others have been able to get through this; you are an inspiration. Take care.
yakkwak in Dallas
 
Hi Backpaingirl. I saw your post and wanted to see if you had your surgery yet? If so, how was it? Hope your receovery is going well.

I am in a similar situation- that I have been in chronic pain for the last 2 yrs and am looking at ALIF surgery- and don;t have any frienRAB or family near. Only I have an 18month old. I am trying to see how long I will not be able to lift her or care for her.

Any info would be of great help. My doctor says a few weeks, but I think that is not realistic.

Thanks!
 
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