Well I have made my appointment for surgery. I will go under the knife on July 15. Am I scared? You darn tootin' right I am. This man will be cutting into my back, my spine. How would you feel if someone had to cut into your back.
For those of you who do not know me, I am hunched over like an 80 year old woman. And the funny thing is, is that I had never seen myself. Meaning, I had no idea what I looked like in the hunched over position. Oh my stars. I look pitiful. No, I really mean...I-Look-Pitiful!
I spend thee entire day in Miami. I started with an MRI, then walked(not literally) around to the Sylvester Center for the rest of my day and the rest of my tests. Which included but were not limited to a CT, x-ray and a bone density scan. I cried through nearly thee entire MRI. I could not get comfortable and it was something I had to do. Same thing with the CT. It was only a 5 minute test, but I cried through it all. Suffice it to say I was relieved when the x-ray tech told me that I would be standing. that is not to say those tests were pain free, but they were a whole lot better than anything that had me on a table...no matter how they had my legs positioned.
The doctor saw me directly after lunch and he was a very straightforward kind of man. He told me what was wrong with me, and told me what had to be done. What was I going to say, "No, I want to be in pain the rest of my life?" I don't think so. So surgery it is.
My sister had had back surgery and hers seems to be very similar to mine, but I know that every surgery and everyone is different. I may sail through my recovery and then again, I may not. I won't know til I get there. I will be in the hospital for approximately 4-6 days, but hanging to the latter. then I will stay in Miami until they remove my drains and I see the doctor for my first post-op visit. And then he has to release me for a 2 hour drive home. Boy, I am really looking forward to that ride home...NOT!
I have not gotten the reports yet, and the lady who hands them out is not back from vacation until 6-25...that is tomorrow. Once I have the report I will let you guys know exactly what is wrong with my back.. But I can tell you this much...it is messed up.
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8 comments:
You got a lot coming up! You weren't hunched last time I saw you. Things must have progressed really fast. :(
Denise
back surgery does sound scary. we will all be hoping for the best for you. the few times i've had back pain it has been terrible.
Bless your heart! Maybe I should have said back? Praying for you!
Have you gotten a second opinion from another medical doctor and also from a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy) or chiropractor? It would be comforting to have confirmation that surgery is the only option.
God bless.
We'll be thinking about you. Hope everything goes OK.
Anonymous
I saw a nuerosurgeon a year ago and he said that surgery was possibly in my future, but only as a last resort. Since seeing him, my condition has worsened. Those herniated disks now have one that has torn and rutured.
The surgoen here said if all my alternative optiosn of healing did not work(which none of them did) then I would need surgery. But he suggested physical therpay, chiropractor, traction, epidural injections and none of theose options gave me any relief. So since I can no longer stand upright or do any of my normal, daily activities, then my options have become limited.
I am the first to try alternative methods of medicine, but I am beyond that point. And Western medecine does have it place.
I have been in poor shape for two years now. I see people who walk around hunched over and I know I do not want to end up like that. My bad leg is started to atrophy, my gait is effected, and I have lost an inch in my height. So do I want to get righted? You darn right. Am I looking forward to the recovery? Uh No!!
We all do what we have to do to get ourselves better. Believe you me, the last thing I wanted to do was go under the kinfe, but it is what it is.
Sending (gentle) hugs!
Thanks for the update ..
I know an MRI can be really obnoxious ..and totally unbearable on a stressful day.
I wonder how your sister’s recovery went ..could be telling ..then again you’re right ~ everyone’s different ~ try not to look ahead ~ it’ll also be different than what you think.
Keep me posted ~ Lee
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