Back Surgery

      Well I tried to avoid it for over 15 months.  I had ruptured a disc in my back in 2010 and opted for a spinal injection of steroids to try and help my body heal it's self.   The injection was extremely painful and I vowed to never do that again.  The pain and most of the numbness down my left leg mostly got better over time.
      Then in February I had another "incident".  Horrible pain, unable to move a trip to the emergency room.  I then followed up with a neurosurgeon that had been recommended to us.  I went to the doctor 3 days in a row, and had a new MRI done.  Dr. Kopitnik highly recommended going ahead with the surgery to clear the ruptures from now 2 discs.  I had a disc fragment that was impinging the nerves down my left leg.  Dan & I decided that this was probably the best option.  Surgery was scheduled for April 26th.
      I was to check in at he hospital at 10 am on Tuesday.  After I got checked in the nurse let us know that  things were running behind and that it would be quite some time before I went to surgery.  The nurse agreed to get my IV started due to the fact that I was having so much anxiety about it.  Michelle was a wonderful nurse and only had to poke me once, although it still hurt.  I was glad to have that behind me!  And then the waiting began. 
     Finally around 2:30 the anesthesiologist  came in to ask all of his questions.  He also gave me some medicine to help me relax some since I had been stewing for over 4 hours now.  Then finally shortly after 3 p.m. I was taken to the OR.  I remember the OR nurse telling me she was putting leads on my chest and then the anesthesiologist telling me he was giving me sleeping medicine and that it was going to burn. Man alive!  Burn it did, I remember willing myself to sleep...thank goodness it only took seconds.
     I woke up in horrible pain!  I woke on my back and it felt like it was on FIRE.  The recovery nurse moved me to my side and put on ice pack on my back.  She continued to give me medicine to help me be comfortable.  It took hours or so I was told.  I was not moved to my room and didn't see Dan until almost 7 p.m.
     Dan left and brought the girls back to see me.  They were all a bit weepy.  I am sure it's hard to see your Mom in pain like that.  They left since there was school the next day.
    My nurse Iris and CNA Patsy took such good care of me.  They were constantly checking on me.  They were so helpful through the night.  Pastsy set me up with the yummiest broth I have ever had!  She laughed and said it was just because I hadn't eaten in a very long time.  It was a long night and far from pain free!  I was on a pain pump with morphine.  I could push the button as I needed the medicine and sometimes it seemed forever between doses. 
     The next morning the Dr. checked everything and said I could go home whenever I was ready.  So the day CNA Robynne set me up in the shower.  While washing my hair I realized that I have a huge bruise on my head!  How did that happen?   Once I was showered I was completely exhausted!  I took a nap and around noon Dan brought me home. 
     He has me all set up in the bedroom.  It is uncomfortable to sit in my nice recliner in the bedroom, so he brought in a dining room table chair.  I have a table tray with the laptop, my night stand is stocked with meds, drinks, remotes, and phones.  I have to move around a lot to stay comfortable.  I am walking almost 10 minutes at a time now four times a day.  I get tired really easy and then I try and get comfortable in bed.  Very hard to do.
    On Wednesday Dan removed the bandage over my insision  as instructed.  HOLY COW!  It is some much bigger then they said it would be.  My left leg had begun to swell some no matter what I did.  I was getting less and less sleep.  I just couldn't get comfortable.  Finally by Friday I called the clinic due to the pain and the fact the my wound was seeping some.  They had me come out.  I was able to see the physicans assistant who completely took the steri strips off and recleaned everything and then replaced the strips.  She said it looks just fine.  She prescribed a 6 day regimen of steroids to help with the swelling in my leg.  So far I have taken 7 pills and I was able to sleep much more last night, so I am hoping this is just what I needed!
      I am feeling a bit like cabin fever is kicking in but I can't drive yet, and don't quite know where I would go.
     So there is an update on what has been going on this last week.