Recovering From Back Surgery - Not as Easy as it Looks! Week 2

Previously I shared the story of my ten-year journey to discovering that I was in need of a microdiscectomy (technical term for having a disc in the lower lumbar region removed).  Three to five weeks was the projected recovery time - but they do not know me!  I do nothing on a normal pace or in a typical fashion.  I am sharing a week-by-week breakdown of the fun I have experienced thus far in the Lifestyle section of this site.  It has been a bumpy ride, but I would not have it any other way.

Week 1 was filled with spinning rooms, highs & lows, and a shopping deal.

Week 2
Monday 10/23 - Hello Emergency Room!  & My New Bed. 

Mom and husband in a zombie-like state 3 hours into the 7 hour ER visit.
Shortly after this photo was snapped they discovered the free coffee station.
Sadly, it did little to recover their tired brains. 

A 2:30 am trip to the Emergency Room sounds like a good way to start off the week. No? My weak bladder woke me up just a few hours after settling into bed.  As I attempted to pull myself up I noticed a swollen and darkened left arm.  In my rush to the bathroom (just barely made it this time, phew!) I bumped my arm on the door jam.  Like any normal person, I attempted to sooth the pain by rubbing it.  That is when I noticed a grape-sized bump on my outer forearm.

The ER had the operational efficiency of a Chick Fil-A drive thru during a weekday lunch rush.  Our bums never touched the chairs in the waiting room, and we were moved directly to a private room after the initial vitals check.  A sonogram confirmed that I was the lucky recipient of a superficial blood clot, which seemed like the grand prize to me as I was terrified that it was a DVT.  The difference you ask?  A superficial is the result of inflamed veins just below the skin.  A Deep Vain Thrombosis is the deadly one that can move through the veins and affect vital organs. I will keep my superficial all day long, thank you!

"While I am here doc..." (and getting every penny worth of my $250 co-pay out of this visit) "can we talk about my sinus issues?"  Hello Flonase!  "Well in that case, can I get a dressing change on my surgical incision too?"  These two issues I would later regret asking for assistance on.  More on the Flonase later.

The nurse assigned to change my surgical incision dressing seemed very nervous, as if I were the first human that she had been assigned to.  I honestly wish that I could say that I was surprised when the replacement dressing

The dark brown metal of  the bed matches the Mahogany butler that
sits in the corner diagonal from it.  Bonus!

was not sealed across the top.  I did not realize this until I showered and felt the clear plastic protector filling up like a fish bowl hanging from my lower back.  Lovely!

My new bed arrived late this evening.  The delivery team tried to convince us that we were getting the fancy model as ours was a power bed as opposed to hand-crank.  Um... ok?!?  We were thrilled to find ourselves the recipients of a brand new, still in the box, bed and mattress.  We are renting this and assumed that there was a bank of equipment that made the rental rounds.  I was pleasantly surprised.

Tuesday 10/24 - NOT a Good Night's Sleep! & My Head is going to Explode!!!
The 3-inch foam mattress laid over the half-inch solid steel frame was NOT a comfortable sleep at all.  Who would have thunk?  The leg portion of the bed does not rise very high at all, and definitely does not elevate my legs over my heart.  Getting in and out of the bed should have been easier as it is much taller and has hand rails - it is not!  The motors for the head and foot elevation are so loud.  On a positive note, the mattress is waterproof.  Should my bladder not be contained I can expect a flood to flow off of the bed and onto the floor.

I thought that I had sinus pressure last week, apparently that was the minor league as I am in the major league today!  Logically it is impossible to attribute this to the medieval torture device that is my current bed, but as I laid down I had a sense that pressure was immediately building in my head. When I get up, the pressure slowly decreases.  After 7 hours of laying down I woke with the most pressure I have ever felt in my skull.  Sitting in a chair and crying for 3 hours did not help.  I have called up Dayquil from the bench.

Wednesday 10/25 - This Bed is Killing Me!!!  Craftapalooza Over Does It
Night #2 in the medieval torture device was no better than the previous night.  Getting in and out of the bed is almost more painful than it was with my original bed.  I promised my husband three nights, I have one to go.

Three doses of Dayquil seemed to have restored some normalcy to my cranium.  The pressure is present, but not near the levels of yesterday.  What does one do with their new found mobility and ability to stand without the room spinning?  Craft!  Several hours at the computer working on fonts and layouts for a sign project for my mom was too much.  My legs are so incredibly swollen, they are throbbing, and they hurt.  I did not think this through very well.  My crafting space is on the second story of our home.  I have no idea how I will get back downstairs.

The real salt in the wounds to this whole day was spending the time and putting the wear on my body only to discover that my $500 and less than one-year-old laser has died.

Thursday 10/26 - Back to the old bed.  Walking every 20 minutes
I was feeling enough pressure relief in my head that I opted to catch up on some of the content on my DVR.  Getting in and out of my old bed is much easier than it seemed just a week ago, which was all the permission that I needed to switch back to the old bed.  I do not recall ever being this excited for a night of sleep ahead.

My hospital discharge orders included instructions for me to walk a minimum of twice hourly in order to avoid blood clots.  Being the overachiever that I am, why not go for three?  Do you have any idea how annoying it is to stop what you are doing every 20 minutes?  Even if you are only stopping for 2 minutes, it becomes problematic.  Mental focus and adjustments have been made.  I am now focusing on the walks as my hourly priorities and the other stuff is just what I do in between.

Friday 10/27 - A Good Night's Sleep & Damn Break
Ahhhh!  My bed and I have only been together for a few months.  My 20-year-old adjustable base and my 14-year-old Original Tempurpedic mattress were put out to pasture in May.  The replacement is a cheap solution that I picked up on Amazon, and I have grown fairly fond of it.  The overnight visit was so nice that I decided to spend some of my morning watching TV in bed.

I dressed and returned to bed after breakfast as I was merely waiting for our departure to a mid-morning doctor's appointment (surgical follow-up).  The moment I turned to push myself up from the bed I heard both my mom and husband exclaiming, with a sense of horror, "What happened?!?!?!"  Apparently my incision had decided that it could hold on no longer.  The amount of fluid that had burst out managed to create a 12-inch stain across my back - through all layers of clothes as well as the sheets.  Enter my winning endorsement for the SafeRest Premium Hypoallergenic Waterproof Mattress Protector.  It is everything that the manufacturer promised that it would be.

The doctor advised that the incision was 95% healed, with just a small opening at the bottom.  It may have been a small opening, but the tap was turned on high and it was flowing like a low-flow shower head.  We have now been instructed in the ways of applying a pressure dressing, which will have to be done several times daily.  Heading to Wal-Mart for more supplies - yay me!

More good news for me - I get to experience the excitement of home healthcare for the first time.  The bandage changes are going to be so frequent that I will need help during the day.  This should be fun.

Saturday 10/28 - Heed the Prescription Warnings! & Retirement Home Starter Kit
Mom has not visited Florida in 8 years.  Previously we had a ritual of splitting our holidays, one year in Atlanta and one year in Orlando.  At some point we transitioned to all holidays in Atlanta, and as a result mom has missed some of the great antique shops that we have here.  It seemed cruel to send her home without a trip to Renningers.  In spite of my best intentions, it was an absolute disaster.

Most of my medications advise to stay out of the sun.  I assumed that shopping in the shade while dipping in and out of booths would be sufficient.  It was not.  What began as a slowly building sinus pressure quickly became reminiscent of Tuesday's massive pressure spell.  I recall very little of the day other than laying my head back in the car and praying for the pain and pressure to stop.

A five-hour nap was enough recovery to make me presentable.  I woke in time to help mom pack and found that she and my husband had been discussing the various tools that would be beneficial for me during the remainder of my recovery.  The upcoming week is going to be my first few days of long hours unattended.  (Announcer voice) "Tell them what she has won Alex!"

The Grabber!  This device offers you the reach and access to things above, below, or further than your range of grasp. 
Ideal for someone who cannot bend or twist!

Two!  That is right, two of these amazing gel cold packs. 
When your doctor advises rotating ice packs on your lower back this is the way to go!  

The Original HurryCane!  If you have watched daytime cable news then you have seen the advertisements. 
The revolutionary design allows this cane to stand upright on it's own, ensuring that it is ready when you are. 
(Disclaimer- upright on hard surfaces.  Good luck to you if you live with carpet!)

Shower safety is paramount for folks with compromised mobility.  This product is the April Fool's version of a shower safety tool.  The suction cup handle easily attaches to solid surfaces, and gives the sense of being firmly connected.  In fact, you can even use it multiple times and grow a false sense of confidence that it will support you when you need it.  Eventually, and likely when you need it the most, it will pop off of the wall with the slightest amount of pressure - both cups at once. Pop! 
Ladies and gentlemen, this is a lawsuit waiting to happen.  Good luck to you!

Thank you for all of the safety gadgets mom.  :)

Sunday 10/29 - And then there were two....
You have no idea how much bending, stretching, and twisting you do in a day - not until you can no longer do any of that.  I am more careful than before as I do not want to strain my surgical incision any more.  We are currently managing with 3-4 dressing changes per day and the goal is to decrease that.  All of that said, mom had to return home today.  It is now up to my husband.  Goodness help us! 

The family member that is going to miss my mom more than my husband currently does - our cat, Ella.  When mom arrived she took one look at Ella and called her "fat!"  She was not fat, she just has a full body with a tiny head.  It is an optical illusion.  Then mom discovered how cute Ella can be when it comes to treats.  Ella is NOW fat - thanks mom!