What I wish they'd told me about the surgery

[Guest guest]

Here are few things I wish they'd told me about the surgery I had Dec. 7.

Basically all I was told was that " people heal at different rates " , and

that I could go back to work if I telecommuted Dec. 26th on. I was also

told I could walk up and down the street. And that they would give me

plenty of drugs that would deal with the pain.

What I'd wish they'd told me:

I wish they would have told me more about the pain I would experience

(although that might have scared me off.) Both surgeries were done on the

same day, Dec. 7.

For the first 3 days after surgery, it felt like the shark in Jaws was

crunching my body--the drugs didn't do much. The morphine pump thing did

ease the pain a bit, but my pain level was always high--especially an 8 or

9 level at night.

After that, it was like little sharks crunching!

" You'll feel like you've been hit by a truck from behind--you'll only be

able to sleep 1.5 hours at a time, and due to the drugs given after

surgery, it will be hard to work because your vision is blurry, and you'll

get sleepy even sitting up!

And the walks--they are hardly walks. I slowly shuffle down the street with

someone with me--have to rest at every pole and tree, and so far have been

only able to make it to my corner (I live in the middle of the street.) I

pictured me going up and down the street by now. I find I can walk around

the house fine, but outside is totally different.

Also, that I'd need a lot of " people " help--the grabber tool my mom gave

me, earplugs for sleeping during the day, and lots of afghans to keep my

legs warm, plus two body pillows in the bed, all of these help, but the

person that comes in for 4 hours a day to fix lunch and breakfast, help

with showering, laundry, etc., with a cheerful attitude, is the best.

Relatives may help a bit at first, but they will tire of picking things up,

adjusting blankets, getting icewater, etc.. "

My son actually left me last night to go to a New Years fireworks thing in

the city. I begged him not to, but he's 18 years old, what can you do.

My dad and stepmom were very similar--they tired to helping very quickly.

They refused to postpone their trip to Mexico, so they left Dec. 22.

A friend of mine came to visit, and said, " well, I guess you would be

progressing much faster if you had been in better shape and lost weight

before the surgery " !

Sorry to be such a downer, some days are better than others.

in the East Bay

[Guest guest]

Hey ,

keep a chin up I think you are doing just fine, don't try to rush back just

because people are tiring of you. As you said people recover at different paces.

I have been considering have the surgery myself, they have told me I will have

to think about going on disability and stop working and I am only 26. I also

have painful spurs on my spine, if I turn a certain way or reach up for

something to far over my head and even step wrong I get an awful pain down my

back. The medicine that they are prescribing my body gets use to and doesn't

work.

So I know soon I am going to have to have surgery and I know if you can do it I

can do it too.

Just stay strong and you will be back to yourself in no time..

Rose

NB <wrdtech@...> wrote:

Here are few things I wish they'd told me about the surgery I had Dec. 7.

Basically all I was told was that " people heal at different rates " , and

that I could go back to work if I telecommuted Dec. 26th on. I was also

told I could walk up and down the street. And that they would give me

plenty of drugs that would deal with the pain.

What I'd wish they'd told me:

I wish they would have told me more about the pain I would experience

(although that might have scared me off.) Both surgeries were done on the

same day, Dec. 7.

For the first 3 days after surgery, it felt like the shark in Jaws was

crunching my body--the drugs didn't do much. The morphine pump thing did

ease the pain a bit, but my pain level was always high--especially an 8 or

9 level at night.

After that, it was like little sharks crunching!

" You'll feel like you've been hit by a truck from behind--you'll only be

able to sleep 1.5 hours at a time, and due to the drugs given after

surgery, it will be hard to work because your vision is blurry, and you'll

get sleepy even sitting up!

And the walks--they are hardly walks. I slowly shuffle down the street with

someone with me--have to rest at every pole and tree, and so far have been

only able to make it to my corner (I live in the middle of the street.) I

pictured me going up and down the street by now. I find I can walk around

the house fine, but outside is totally different.

Also, that I'd need a lot of " people " help--the grabber tool my mom gave

me, earplugs for sleeping during the day, and lots of afghans to keep my

legs warm, plus two body pillows in the bed, all of these help, but the

person that comes in for 4 hours a day to fix lunch and breakfast, help

with showering, laundry, etc., with a cheerful attitude, is the best.

Relatives may help a bit at first, but they will tire of picking things up,

adjusting blankets, getting icewater, etc.. "

My son actually left me last night to go to a New Years fireworks thing in

the city. I begged him not to, but he's 18 years old, what can you do.

My dad and stepmom were very similar--they tired to helping very quickly.

They refused to postpone their trip to Mexico, so they left Dec. 22.

A friend of mine came to visit, and said, " well, I guess you would be

progressing much faster if you had been in better shape and lost weight

before the surgery " !

Sorry to be such a downer, some days are better than others.

in the East Bay

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