I'm home again.

TruWrecks

TruWrecks

Banned
I just got home from the hospital to get my back fixed. I'm lounging on my sofa for the next week as the doctor ordered.

Surgery was scheduled for 1.5 hours. I was under for about 5 hours. My ribs are so sore I can barely take a deep breathe. The surgeon said that there was a lot of scar tissue tangled around the nerves. My L4-5 disc was touching 3 root nerves and pushing against my spinal cord. The surgery was done through a 1.5" incision. I don't even feel that part right now. The rest of my body feels like it was body slammed on the ground and trampled a few times.

Now for the road to recovery. I have been ordered not to drive or lift anything over 5 pounds for the first week. I was also ordered to do bed rest as much as possible during that week. My right foot is feeling better now. My left foot and leg are still feeling nerve pain from the scar tissue and pressure damage.

Now that the hardest recovery day is done, I'm on the road to getting well again. Hopefully I won't have to do this again. There isn't anything left to remove from L4-5. I already hit vertebrae to vertebrae if I land on my feet to hard.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. I am thankful to all my friends and family that have been and are being supportive during the last year.

I love you peeps.
 
Get well soon, I commiserate completely, understand exactly what you're going thru,
recovering from surgery myself. They yanked out the biggest, most fkdup thyroid on record. But just think of all the fun we will have chowing down on all these pain pills!
mmmmmm. Best wishes
 
Happy Healing Doug. Thoughts are with you from the right coast my brother!
 
I was just thinking about you this morning. Glad things are heading in the right path. You still got my number. Use it any time
 
Glad you are on the mend bro, have been thinking of you. Keep your head up.
 
No if the Dilaudid will kick in so I can get some sleep. I didn't get much last night. My roommate at the hospital went into tachycardia and had respiratory distress at 3AM. My thoughts are with him.
 
Doug, I hope the operation will provide you relief from your pain. :please:
 
Glad things went well for you!!! I will keep you in my prayers for a speedy recovery!!! Truely a day of Thanksgiving! :thumbsup:
 
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I feel your pain, I had c-5 & c-6 done about ten years back. It was hell. Do what the docs tell you, and god speed to you:thumbsup:
 
Excellent news on the successful operation, Doug.

I'm really glad to hear it.

Funny what it takes sometimes for us to realize there is lots for which to give thanks.

Be well, brother! :beerchug:
 
Great news! Hopefully you will be back up and running soon. Take it easy and follow doctors orders.
 
TruWrecks said:
Now for the road to recovery. I have been ordered not to drive or lift anything over 5 pounds for the first week. I was also ordered to do bed rest as much as possible during that week.

I love you peeps.
Click to expand...

Hello, I wish you the best and I know I am not a doctor. I did a search and found the best surgeon on the east coast. However I have had 2 back surgery. and I am well aware of what you have been through. I was told the same thing after my first surgery about lying in the bed and I built up soooo much scar tissue on my nerve that I am still suffering from it and that was in 1997... Now I had my 2ND surgery in 2006. I had 2 plates and 6 screws and a disk replaced that time. My Dr told me that most of my nerve damage came from scar tissue that was caused by me laying in the bed after the first surgery. He said that it was the worse thing anyone could for themselves after surgery. I was told to walk as much as i could and to sit as little as possible. I have to admit I am still having back trouble but it is not nerve trouble that's for sure. I know how it fells to have your leg and foot go to sleep and hurt so bad that you have to drag it to walk. Most Dr's have never had anything like this and are just going off of what others tell them is best. I am telling you this because I have been there and I would never want to see anyone have to go through what I have been through since 1985. Please,Please seek all info that you can and try to keep moving around as much as possible. For me it was much better the 2ND time around. I wish you the best and if you ever need to talk about it feel free to let me know. A concerned friend, Doug
 
mr8Ball, My doctor isn't saying "stay in bed for a week". He said "Get a lot of rest for the rest of the week", meaning the first 3 or 4 days. Then walking 20 minutes at a low stress pace until my first follow-up. Then I can go about light duty for and increase activity as much as I feel comfortable with.

Most of the scar tissue in my back wasn't all from the first surgery. I was from many years of herniate, heal, repeat, repeat, repeat.

This time I will be doing more each day as I can tolerate pain wise. I was strictly told not to do any bending over for the first week, more than what is required for dressing myself and personal hygiene.

Thanks for the well wishes everyone. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it's not a train this time.
 
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