Post Op Days 3 & 4

I was still taking a shower every morning with someone nearby in case I were to fall, etc. I always took my shower immediately after getting up and before I took any meds. They shower, drying hair and getting dressed would wear me out to the point that I would be shaking all over. I [...]

Read Full Post »

Post Op Day 1

I did get up and take a quick shower. I had someone else in the room with me, just in case I got dizzy or needed help. I was OK, but worn out just from a very quick shower. The bandage that covered the Steri Strips is waterproof, so showering is OK. I was just [...]

Read Full Post »

Day of Surgery

Everything was exactly as it had been explained to me. As I mentioned before, I had my surgery at a spine surgery center, not the regular hospital. I think this had huge advantages! I went to my “suite” (large room w/sitting area and TV, bed and bathroom). The nurse came with me. I had been [...]

Read Full Post »

Pre-Surgery

I was incredibly impressed with both my surgeon and the anesthesiologist. The surgeon called me with the results of the myelogram. He said he did not feel there was any need for fusion, just laminectomy/discectomy. He spent at least 30 minutes on the phone with me answering all the questions I had about the surgery [...]

Read Full Post »

Lumbar Laminectomy/Discectomy

Well, I finally had to have surgery. Lumbar Laminectomy/Discectomy. The short description is a small vertical incision was made in my lower back (L5-S1 area), a small piece of bone (lamina) was removed, nerve and muscles moved out of the way and the herniated portion of the L5/S1 disc was removed. Internal stitches were used, 3 Steri [...]

Read Full Post »

Surgery Monday

After the Myelogram Hell week, the surgeon said that he is confident that lumbar laminectomy/discectomy surgery is all that is required. He sees no indication for fusion. So, that was the upside of Hell week. I am having some massive anxiety over the thought of surgery. However, I do believe that this is the right [...]

Read Full Post »

Myelogram Hell

Well, decompression didn’t produce any real changes in my pain and nerve problems. It might have if I had discovered it a year or more ago. Finally after a couple of weekends of just about constant misery I decided to consult a neurosurgeon about my back. He said surgery was a definite, but the upside [...]

Read Full Post »

2/21/09

The decompression therapies seem to leave me very tired. I feel as if I’ve been to the gym afterward, and all I want is a hot shower and a warm bed. I attempt to give myself that, but always takes more time than I think it will to get home and do the few things [...]

Read Full Post »

Today 2/18/09

Since memoirs are personal accounts of the author, I thought that an appropriate name for this category. I’ve not posted in MONTHS. I’ve been dealing with chronic back pain and all the “crap” that goes along with chronic pain. Decided to try writing some short memoir type posts.
Other than work, my life has become comsumed [...]

Read Full Post »