Speedy recovery to both of you.
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Speedy recovery to both of you.
Seconded.Quote:
Originally Posted by brutal
Big thanks to everyone...and my apologies to Gman for jumping on his thread! I don't usually post about this stuff and found it quite a coincidence that a fellow member was going under as well.
I might as well jump in too. I am having back surgery tomorrow, not as major as Gman though.
Good luck and prayers for a speedy recovery!Quote:
Originally Posted by newracer
With all the old and broken bodies around here, maybe this should be a stickie?
Seriously though, hoping for a speedy recovery for all. [Beer]
Prayers going out for ya' newracer!
I'm finding it difficult to walk since my feet are numb. That's supposed to be a temporary thing. The nurse was kind enough to snap a picture of the surgical site when they changed the dressing. I'm a little disappointed. It's not as impressive as it feels.
Surgery went well. Doctor said it was worse than the MRI showed. I already have a lot of relief.
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Great that it went well, not so great that it was worse. Glad you're feeling better.Quote:
Originally Posted by newracer
I think we need a "COAR-15 Gimpy Old Bastards Club". At least hats or sumpthin'......
I'm hoping to break out of the hospital today.
Put me down for one!!Quote:
Originally Posted by rondog
Hope you get out today Gman! I was only in for a couple of hours thank god, and it was driving me nuts. Probably had to do with me being there due to complications and kind of ruined my day!
I have a doctors note.Quote:
Originally Posted by rondog
Just a quick update:
I was able to escape the hospital on Sat. Lots of pain in the surgical area and numbness in my feet and legs. I have to use a walker to get around the house. I had a pretty positive recovery day yesterday and was up and moving quite a bit. Having a rough day of it today. It sure would be comforting to get the feeling back in my legs and feet since I didn't have this issue prior to surgery.
Don't push it too much, you can over do it no matter how good you feel. Sunday, I was just chilling with the wife in the living room and next thing I know my bandage is saturated with fluid! Had to go in on Monday and have them re-do the darn thing. I hope you get the feeling back in your legs and feet ASAP! Keeping everyone in the prayers!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gman
The surgeon had put in a drain, which is why I had the extra day in the hospital. Sounds like you had some drainage on Sunday.
I slept really deeply last night. Today things feel 'different'. I'm having some weird pains shooting down my right leg every so often. I'm getting the impression that the nerves are healing.
Thanks for the encouragement and you hang in there cableguy. You're in our prayers.
Yep, had a drain since they opened me back up. Hopefully it comes out tomorrow! I feel ya, those pains move around and feel weird as heck. I have a pain that feels like a bruise that moves around on me, but no bruise. Its amazing how the human body heals itself. The technology today is something else too. Stay strong and thanks for the prayers!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Gman
Thanks for updates guys.
Hang in there.
Make sure that you've done your research in selecting a neurosurgeon. Don't settle for someone that is too busy to give you the attention that you deserve.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hummer
Just a heads-up, but depending on severity, it really is a process. I've never had something this disabling in my life before. I could usually just 'tough it out'. I get glimpses that I'm healing, but it's not something you just power through. This is something that just takes time, so try to focus on the positives and don't push yourself beyond what your Dr. expects from you.
In hind-sight, I wish I'd have known that I'd be dependent on a walker just getting around the house. I would have re-arranged some things in the bedroom while I could. You might want to have a conversation with your doc to understand the potential circumstances around your recovery. My pain and leg weakness issues ramped up really quickly, so the urgency to get me in for surgery had a pretty short time-line.
I wish you the best in getting some relief!
Gman, thanks for the update and the advice. You're at 10 days which I imagine is early to expect any reduction in pain or increased mobility. I don't know what all the recovery process involves but my doc said it would be ten months to a full year. And I'd be restricted to lifting no more than 10 lbs. during that time. Taking a year out of my active, hard working life seems to be a crazy thing to enter into voluntarily. Even with the continuous pain and leg burning. I've had it for 35 years and it's getting worse. Your experience is very sobering but it's also what I've imagined and feared. Do I take the chance of 15% serious complications, permanent disability or death at age 65, or should I wait until 70 when healing will be harder?
I'd like input from others who've gone through this and are now at one, two and three years after. I want to know about their resulting abilities, range of motion, conditioning and strength. I'm no Seal but have always been a tough hard working guy and have engaged physical life adventures with zeal. I'm reluctant to give that up. The past two days I've been wading the river with a chain saw to remove some very large spruce trees that had fallen across. Tomorrow i work on the roof. They're some of those things I can't do in recovery, and maybe never again.
Prayers for you guys! That seems like a life changing surgery for quite awhile. All I did was have my hip replaced and doing the other one in November. I had to go back under due to an infection. The second one set me back on my recovery. Still have stitches and a drain in my leg.
Hummer I made my decision based on pain...hasn't been 35 years, but my left hip has hurt for well over 5 years. To the point that it is hard to sleep and night, walk around, bend over, put on shoes/socks, and just move around. Probably doesn't compare to the problems you and Gman are having. I looked at it as a quality of life. At 45 years old how long did I want to go like this? If I waited how well would my body recover at a later stage in life? Talked to a bunch of people that had a hip replacement and it was all pretty much good news and people were glad they did it. So I went under the knife.
I knew that if I didn't have the spinal fusion surgery, chances were good that I'd die a lot sooner than I'd like. Living a rough and tumble youth and decades of sports injuries had taken a toll. I couldn't stand for 10 minutes without severe back pain and weakness in my legs due to nerve compression. I had to make a change. I still have faith that I'll be coming out on the other side of this experience with a much higher quality of life and will be able to get back to activities that I enjoy. The recovery is just part of the process. My surgery was significant (multi-level fusion and removal of facet joints) and others may not have the same experiences that I have.
The idea of actually having a pain free day is now within the realm of possibility. [Ban1]
To address the few who have had or contemplating surgery.
In the long run and bottom line it's All about Quality of Life. When i had my 1st surgery X yrs ago the spouse and i never imagined a simple procedure would result in having my leg amputated, due to complications.
Even post op (surgeries 1-4) my physical limitations forced us to re-evaluate many things. From something simple like brushing your teeth to cooking, not to mention using the bathroom. Yes things one takes for granted can suddenly be a major obstacle for what was an everyday routine
If one decides to have surgery make sure you know what forms of rehab are available, research the PT, the surgeon AND what people who have had the same surgery went through post op.
What's average recovery time how, long will you be unable to resume partial - full chores and work you did prior to injury / return to 100%.
As mentioned look at your home to see what could become a problem. Those food items on shelves used daily, move them. If your freezer is on the bottom... rearrange items for ease of access, same for the entire dwelling. What was an arms reach away could be something the causes you to slip or fall.
MOST OF ALL What types of pain meds & management will you have to do, be it 1-2 weeks or till you can function pain free. AND...what ever the surgeon says will be your recovery time, add an extra month or two. While that surgery might be considered routine. Your recovery time will not be the same as someone else.
Great advice Kazoo, back surgery is serious stuff.
Some 20 years ago, I was having major back spasms (like 2 weeks off work every time it happened ) and found out thru MRI's, and a pleasant spinal tap, that I had a blister on my spinal cord about the size of a plump lima bean. I had an exceptional surgeon and a PT team that I swear was staffed by ex Catholic Nuns! I count my blessings every day that everything worked out.
Its nothing like putting a new transmission in the truck. It can be life changing.
An update from my 3rd week follow-up appointment. My doctor is happy with where I'm at with my recovery. Surprise! My uninformed expectations were unrealistic. For a 5 hour procedure and L-4/L-5 L-5/S-1 fusion, I'm right where I should be. This just takes time and the doc expects it will be 6 weeks before the healing is significant. Unfortunately, we don't always get to choose when the old body just breaks down.
We may go for another round of MRI images to check if fluid build-up around the nerve roots is causing the numbness in my feet. Depending on the outcome, there may be options to drain the fluid and speed up the relief or to just let it reduce over time.
The biggest issue I'm currently having is my inability to sleep comfortably. If you're not sleeping, you're not healing as well as you could.
Thats is great news! Not being able to sleep sucks, especially for a prolonged period of time. Both of my hips WERE bad and it didn't matter what position I would lay down in, I would wake up in pain almost every 2 hours. Now I only have one bad one and just started sleeping on the good side/back a couple of nights ago. Talk about refreshing! Godspeed on your recovery.
Man I am late to wishing you a speedy recovery.
After having both my hips done last year I wish now I would have never done them. Hips are fixed, but because I favored my knees to help with the hips both my knees are shot and the docs want to do knee replacement surgery on both. I haven't been pain free in years and I am sick of it. Boohoo to me.
Sending positive vibes and well wishes to you Gman.
Good news Gman and cableguy11, sorry about the additional surgery 02ducky.
You guys keep plugging though!
Well hell 02ducky prayers your way as well. I will probably need both of mine replaced as well, but I probably have a couple more years for that. My other hip gets done in November. Just got released to return to work on 10/7! Got a clean bill of health today. Got a couple more PT sessions, but that will be it for the left side!
Geez dude, sorry to hear this. You're a young guy to be having all that shit going on.Quote:
Originally Posted by 02ducky
Thanks T!Quote:
Originally Posted by 02ducky
It seems like it's just one thing after another, doesn't it? I wish you the best my friend!
Well, I'm back in the hospital. I started having the worst muscle spasms ever and my fever was over 102. Wife took me into the ER Fri. night. Turns out that I have an infection and fluid between the surgical site and the sutures. I'm getting IV antibiotics. I should be going to surgery again today to clean out the nasties.
Wheeee!
Shit man shit. Get better.
Heal fast !!!
Yikes! Sending positive thoughts for a full and complete recovery!
Aw crap - Hope you recover fast
Good thing you caught it. Get cleaned out.
Cultures came back positive for MRSA. Surgery to clean out at 5:30. 6-8 weeks of daily IV antibiotics. Oral meds for a year.
Sent from my Galaxy S7 Edge using Tapatalk.
I glad they caught that!!