Today is a kind of bittersweet and very nostalgic day. Exactly one year ago, on March 25, 2009, I underwent 14 hours of spine surgery to correct my scoliosis. I will forever now have 12 vertebrae fused together, and two foot-long chrome rods and 23 screws attached to my spine. Still makes me cringe to think about! Kind of cool, too... =)
I remember the morning of my surgery as if it were yesterday, and how much I was FREAKING OUT about going paralyzed, blind, or even never waking up. So, it’s weird to think I was experiencing all of those crazy waves of emotions exactly 365 days ago! Honestly, not a single day has gone by where I don’t think about my back and everything I have gone through – not only on that day, but for the weeks and long months that followed. This surgery was truly life-changing (some parts good, some parts bad! Good? Having perfect posture all the time. Bad? Not snowboarding for a year and countless movement limitations). For example, imagine, from the base of your neck to about waist-level, having a back that doesn’t flex, extend, bend, twist, or articulate in any way…and then add in the extra couple of pounds of metal in there….and that’s what I experience on a regular basis. The recovery was by far the hardest thing I’d ever gone through in my life (couldn’t have done it w/out my wonderful family and boyfriend and friends!), and I don’t think I ever realized how much a person’s spine affects the body in so many ways. But, as cheesy as it sounds, I would do it all over again…because I am now a million times stronger than I ever was. Not only do I have an impressive pain tolerance these days, but because I was SO motivated to get my strength back post-surgery, I’ve been working out more than ever before and I am currently in the process of becoming certified to teach pilates so I can show others the benefits. Today, I feel happy, grateful, relieved and bionic! =)
3.25.2010
6.29.2009
3 Months Post-Op
It's been about three months since my first surgery, and about a month and a half since my pleural effusion diagnosis. For the past month or so, I have finally begun to feel like myself again. :) Matt came out and visited me for a week in early June and we went on a mini-vacation to Steamboat; it was so nice to finally get away for a bit! My family and I also went on a Caribbean cruise vacation for 10 days in June, and I don't think I've ever needed a vacation so badly. Despite my huge list of restrictions while on the ship and on the islands, it was a relief to be -- for the most part -- pain free. I also think that being at sea level helped me to breathe better, which was nice. And, of course, all the food helped me to finally put on some weight. :) It's SO great to have an appetite again! Yum!
Today marked my first day back at work. It feels so weird to be back in the work force after three long months off, and I know it's going to take awhile to get back into the swing of things! I am also moving back into my condo this week. While I know it's going to be a little rough adjusting to the "real world" and living/doing things on my own again, it's encouraging to have my independence back. Sometimes I get discouraged when I think about all the things I still can't do, but looking back, there was a time when I couldn't drive, shower, prepare food, sit at the kitchen table without a pillow tucked into my chair, get into bed, fall asleep, walk the dog, lift myself up from the couch, or even walk without assistance, so it's crazy to realize how far I've actually come! It has been an especially breath of fresh air to finally be able to laugh and cry again without excruciating pain! (Sneezing is another story...it is very scary and painful to sneeze due to the extreme force exerted on the raw soft tissues that are healing.) Other than the painful experience of sneezing, I feel pretty good. Although there are still times when my back gets stiff and sore and spasms and itches like crazy; it's tolerable, and I know it'll only get better from here... :)
Today marked my first day back at work. It feels so weird to be back in the work force after three long months off, and I know it's going to take awhile to get back into the swing of things! I am also moving back into my condo this week. While I know it's going to be a little rough adjusting to the "real world" and living/doing things on my own again, it's encouraging to have my independence back. Sometimes I get discouraged when I think about all the things I still can't do, but looking back, there was a time when I couldn't drive, shower, prepare food, sit at the kitchen table without a pillow tucked into my chair, get into bed, fall asleep, walk the dog, lift myself up from the couch, or even walk without assistance, so it's crazy to realize how far I've actually come! It has been an especially breath of fresh air to finally be able to laugh and cry again without excruciating pain! (Sneezing is another story...it is very scary and painful to sneeze due to the extreme force exerted on the raw soft tissues that are healing.) Other than the painful experience of sneezing, I feel pretty good. Although there are still times when my back gets stiff and sore and spasms and itches like crazy; it's tolerable, and I know it'll only get better from here... :)
5.13.2009
A cause for all the pain...
So, it turns out the excruciating, knife-stabbing "rib" pains I've been experiencing for the past few weeks weren't rib pains after all. On Friday, May 8, I saw my doctor because the pains were becoming so debilitating; not only was I huffing and puffing after going up half a flight of stairs, but absolutely NO narcotic or muscle relaxer I was taking was providing pain relief. I remember going for a walk with my dad the day before I went to the doc, and after walking a 1/4 of a mile, I nearly collapsed on the front porch from being so short of breath. I also began to cry because walking seemed to intensify the sharp pains in my side SO much, but crying just made the pain absolutely unbearable. At that point, I think we just KNEW that this pain was more than just severe "muscle spasms" near my ribs, which we'd been previously told. I can honestly say that I had never IN MY LIFE experienced such intense pain, not even with my back surgery! The shortness of breath/pain was not only causing me to "relapse," but it was also making me extremely depressed. Under ordinary circumstances, I would have certainly gone to the ER in such a situation, but because I was only a few weeks post-major back surgery, my family and I (and even my doctor), attributed everything to just an unfortunate side effect of the operation.
Anyway, after my doctor reviewed a few more x-rays and CT scans taken of my back/chest taken prior to my my appt. on May 8, I was finally given an accurate diagnosis--I was told that I had a very large pleural effusion. A pleural effusion is an abnormal, unsafe amount of fluid between the layers of the membrane that lines the lungs and chest cavity. The extreme amount of fluid collection in my left lung cavity was causing intense pressure in my chest (resulting in shortness of breath) and severe inflammation (my misdiagnosed "muscle spasms" near my ribs). My doctor didn't feel comfortable sending me home that day, and admitted me to the hospital next door to see a pulmonologist (I ended up being stuck in the hospital for another seven days!!!). The weird thing is, is that I had had a pleural effusion -- albeit, less severe -- while recovering in the hospital from my back surgery. That time, though, the fluid went away on its own (so we thought... now I'm beginning to question that) so nothing was ever really done about it. This time, the fluid wasn't going away! That afternoon, the pulmonologist decided to do a procedure called a thoracentesis, which is an invasive procedure to remove fluid and/or air from the pleural space. Basically, they used an ultrasound to guide a hollow needle into a specific area between my ribs (right where my pain was already very severe, in fact...it was great), and then suctioned out 1,300 mL (two lbs worth!!!) of fluid. The needle part didn't really hurt, but the rapid suctioning of fluid caused my lung to re-expand so quickly (I essentially had a collapsed lung due to all the fluid), it felt like I was having a heart attack (not that I'd ever had one, but this is what I imagine one would be like)! LOTS of painful pressure that extended from my left shoulder to my clavicle down to my ribs. Ouch!! And, they even stopped suctioning before removing ALL of the fluid because I couldn't breath and the pressure/pain was too much to handle. I actually couldn't really breathe properly for a few hours, but with the help of some heavy narcotics administered intravenously, it got easier. By the next morning, though..... all the fluid was back! I wasn't surprised, though, because I actually could "feel" my breaths begin to minimize again throughout the night. I knew something wasn't right... :-/
So, the next day, they decided to insert a chest tube. Let me begin by saying I wouldn't wish a chest tube on my worst enemy. They suck (slight pun intended,haha) and are very uncomfortable. Luckily, I was pretty drugged up during the insertion process, but it was very painful afterward and I had to carry the damn vat - which was collecting all my fluid - around like a purse. I felt like an old lady; getting out of bed with this thing in hand just to go pee in my bedside pot or brush my teeth. The good news is that a lot of fluid was drained within the first few hours of insertion, and it really subsided after that. The bad news is that somehow I also developed a pneumothorax (basically a pocket of air that gets in between the two layers of the pleura and the lung), so they couldn't remove the tube even with the little-to-no fluid output that was accumulating. Instead, they had to increase the suctioning power of my chest tube for a few more days, which would HOPEFULLY give the little "pocket of air" a chance to go away on its own once the tube was finally removed (best feeling ever). I think what helped the fluid to effectively drain this time--and to actually stay away--was that it was drained gradually and so they were able to get ALL the fluid out and also have my lung re-expand at a not-so rapid pace. In other words, I believe a few days of having a clear cavity gave the membrane in my lung time to "heal" and repair itself. Hopefully, the air pocket will do the same!
The most frustrating part about this whole process is that docs were constantly testing my fluid (and unnecessarily poking and prodding me for blood work morning and night) for every disease and infection under the sun. From the get go, I KNEW the pleural effusion was a result from my surgery (I've never had lung issues in my life), but just because it's so rare and it hadn't happened this severely to anyone before, they were just so determined to find an exact cause as opposed to just pegging it a "complication from surgery." Needless to say, 87 billion tests later, nothing unusual was found. I don't have Lupus, or cancer, or even the slightest bit of infection. All those tests just to rule out anything serious and to safely say it's "likely" my pleural effusion was a result of "extreme spinal manipulation." Well, duh... !
This pleural effusion also had bad timing, as I was supposed to fly to Tucson for my sister's college graduation this week. Not only am I still in the hospital as I'm writing this, but the airplane pressure was also apparently not the best idea if I didn't want to aggravate my lung anymore. I was REALLY looking forward to going to Tucson because the whole family was going (even Matt!) and it was my first outing/vacation since surgery (which I definitely needed). It was my six-week mark, and I didn't think in a million years that I'd be back in the hospital with some rare complication at that point (especially since my back had/still is recovering
so well! In fact, I think I will be off ALL pain meds after this little setback!). It was definitely a bummer having to miss the trip to Arizona, but an upside is that I did manage to convince Dr. Bess to bring his pitbull/boxer pup, Leroy, to the hospital to visit me. I was actually supposed to go outside to the hospital's park area to play with Leroy, but couldn't because I ended up being stuck in my bed, attached to suction. Soooo, instead, Dr. Bess brought Leroy to my window & had him jump up and down! awww. My parents also flew out my Aunt Jayne from NY just to come and keep me company, and to help out with things while they're away. It is definitely nice to have her here (and eat the delicious NY bagels and cookies she brought with her!) Another perk to all of this is that my pain tolerance has skyrocketed through the roof. It's funny how after undergoing back surgery and experiencing such debilitating pain as a complication, that the prick of a needle no longer makes me flinch to even the slightest degree. I no longer have sympathy for people who complain of back pain after a day of sitting at their computer or playing golf, and I will want to crack your skull if you ever have the nerve to complain about something as trivial as a pulled muscle in front of me. hahaha. All of this has literally redefined my definition of pain. ;)
Anyway, after my doctor reviewed a few more x-rays and CT scans taken of my back/chest taken prior to my my appt. on May 8, I was finally given an accurate diagnosis--I was told that I had a very large pleural effusion. A pleural effusion is an abnormal, unsafe amount of fluid between the layers of the membrane that lines the lungs and chest cavity. The extreme amount of fluid collection in my left lung cavity was causing intense pressure in my chest (resulting in shortness of breath) and severe inflammation (my misdiagnosed "muscle spasms" near my ribs). My doctor didn't feel comfortable sending me home that day, and admitted me to the hospital next door to see a pulmonologist (I ended up being stuck in the hospital for another seven days!!!). The weird thing is, is that I had had a pleural effusion -- albeit, less severe -- while recovering in the hospital from my back surgery. That time, though, the fluid went away on its own (so we thought... now I'm beginning to question that) so nothing was ever really done about it. This time, the fluid wasn't going away! That afternoon, the pulmonologist decided to do a procedure called a thoracentesis, which is an invasive procedure to remove fluid and/or air from the pleural space. Basically, they used an ultrasound to guide a hollow needle into a specific area between my ribs (right where my pain was already very severe, in fact...it was great), and then suctioned out 1,300 mL (two lbs worth!!!) of fluid. The needle part didn't really hurt, but the rapid suctioning of fluid caused my lung to re-expand so quickly (I essentially had a collapsed lung due to all the fluid), it felt like I was having a heart attack (not that I'd ever had one, but this is what I imagine one would be like)! LOTS of painful pressure that extended from my left shoulder to my clavicle down to my ribs. Ouch!! And, they even stopped suctioning before removing ALL of the fluid because I couldn't breath and the pressure/pain was too much to handle. I actually couldn't really breathe properly for a few hours, but with the help of some heavy narcotics administered intravenously, it got easier. By the next morning, though..... all the fluid was back! I wasn't surprised, though, because I actually could "feel" my breaths begin to minimize again throughout the night. I knew something wasn't right... :-/
So, the next day, they decided to insert a chest tube. Let me begin by saying I wouldn't wish a chest tube on my worst enemy. They suck (slight pun intended,haha) and are very uncomfortable. Luckily, I was pretty drugged up during the insertion process, but it was very painful afterward and I had to carry the damn vat - which was collecting all my fluid - around like a purse. I felt like an old lady; getting out of bed with this thing in hand just to go pee in my bedside pot or brush my teeth. The good news is that a lot of fluid was drained within the first few hours of insertion, and it really subsided after that. The bad news is that somehow I also developed a pneumothorax (basically a pocket of air that gets in between the two layers of the pleura and the lung), so they couldn't remove the tube even with the little-to-no fluid output that was accumulating. Instead, they had to increase the suctioning power of my chest tube for a few more days, which would HOPEFULLY give the little "pocket of air" a chance to go away on its own once the tube was finally removed (best feeling ever). I think what helped the fluid to effectively drain this time--and to actually stay away--was that it was drained gradually and so they were able to get ALL the fluid out and also have my lung re-expand at a not-so rapid pace. In other words, I believe a few days of having a clear cavity gave the membrane in my lung time to "heal" and repair itself. Hopefully, the air pocket will do the same!
The most frustrating part about this whole process is that docs were constantly testing my fluid (and unnecessarily poking and prodding me for blood work morning and night) for every disease and infection under the sun. From the get go, I KNEW the pleural effusion was a result from my surgery (I've never had lung issues in my life), but just because it's so rare and it hadn't happened this severely to anyone before, they were just so determined to find an exact cause as opposed to just pegging it a "complication from surgery." Needless to say, 87 billion tests later, nothing unusual was found. I don't have Lupus, or cancer, or even the slightest bit of infection. All those tests just to rule out anything serious and to safely say it's "likely" my pleural effusion was a result of "extreme spinal manipulation." Well, duh... !
This pleural effusion also had bad timing, as I was supposed to fly to Tucson for my sister's college graduation this week. Not only am I still in the hospital as I'm writing this, but the airplane pressure was also apparently not the best idea if I didn't want to aggravate my lung anymore. I was REALLY looking forward to going to Tucson because the whole family was going (even Matt!) and it was my first outing/vacation since surgery (which I definitely needed). It was my six-week mark, and I didn't think in a million years that I'd be back in the hospital with some rare complication at that point (especially since my back had/still is recovering
so well! In fact, I think I will be off ALL pain meds after this little setback!). It was definitely a bummer having to miss the trip to Arizona, but an upside is that I did manage to convince Dr. Bess to bring his pitbull/boxer pup, Leroy, to the hospital to visit me. I was actually supposed to go outside to the hospital's park area to play with Leroy, but couldn't because I ended up being stuck in my bed, attached to suction. Soooo, instead, Dr. Bess brought Leroy to my window & had him jump up and down! awww. My parents also flew out my Aunt Jayne from NY just to come and keep me company, and to help out with things while they're away. It is definitely nice to have her here (and eat the delicious NY bagels and cookies she brought with her!) Another perk to all of this is that my pain tolerance has skyrocketed through the roof. It's funny how after undergoing back surgery and experiencing such debilitating pain as a complication, that the prick of a needle no longer makes me flinch to even the slightest degree. I no longer have sympathy for people who complain of back pain after a day of sitting at their computer or playing golf, and I will want to crack your skull if you ever have the nerve to complain about something as trivial as a pulled muscle in front of me. hahaha. All of this has literally redefined my definition of pain. ;)
4.27.2009
Woo Hoo! I get to begin Physical Therapy!
The past three days have been excruciatingly painful. Out of nowhere, I started to experience severe pains in my ribs/diaphragm area. The pain is so debilitating that it makes it impossible for me to lie down because of either stabbing pain or pressure which makes it hard to breathe. At first, the pain seemed to only be affecting me at nighttime, but yesterday, during the day, I couldn't even get comfortable while standing. Of course, it's impossible to sleep and it has been making me very depressed. It still puzzles me that this pain came "out of nowhere," as of a week ago, I felt well on my way to recovery. It also worries me that I can't take any deep breaths, or even cough or yawn or laugh if need be, without agonizing pain. At times I start to cry, but the involuntary reflexes of crying intensify the pain so much, I can't even do that! :'(
I did visit my doctor again just to ensure the pain I was experiencing was nothing serious. Dr. Bess seemed to think I was just experiencing very severe muscle spams and/or nerve pain, and he said the Valium I was currently taking *should* be providing spasm relief. I told him that not only does the Valium provide me with little pain relief, but it also turns me into Chatty Kathy when it's supposed to induce a tranquilizing effect. Anyway, I think he thought that was strange, so he told me to stop taking the Valium and he prescribed me Skelaxin and Lyrica...which, by the way, are still providing little relief! Argh...
One thing that does help ease the pain quite a bit is a nice massage, so I've been having my parents massage my back, and I could actually feel certain kinks/soreness in particular parts of my ribs. The heating pad has also become my new best friend. I told my dad that the heat feels so good that a hot tub would feel like heaven (hint hint), but he didn't budge. Damn. :/ Anyway, though, after sending an e-mail to my doctor last night about how much pain I was in, blah blah blah, he said it still seems like muscle pain and he said I could begin physical therapy this week. While I am beyond excited to begin PT, I do find it a little strange that my doc originally said I couldn't begin PT until eight weeks. I am beginning to think that he just wants to get me off his back (pun intended) because I'm such a nuisance. haha. Whatever the case, though, I'm happy because I think the physical therapy will help sooo much in regards to regaining my strength and motion. :)
I did visit my doctor again just to ensure the pain I was experiencing was nothing serious. Dr. Bess seemed to think I was just experiencing very severe muscle spams and/or nerve pain, and he said the Valium I was currently taking *should* be providing spasm relief. I told him that not only does the Valium provide me with little pain relief, but it also turns me into Chatty Kathy when it's supposed to induce a tranquilizing effect. Anyway, I think he thought that was strange, so he told me to stop taking the Valium and he prescribed me Skelaxin and Lyrica...which, by the way, are still providing little relief! Argh...
One thing that does help ease the pain quite a bit is a nice massage, so I've been having my parents massage my back, and I could actually feel certain kinks/soreness in particular parts of my ribs. The heating pad has also become my new best friend. I told my dad that the heat feels so good that a hot tub would feel like heaven (hint hint), but he didn't budge. Damn. :/ Anyway, though, after sending an e-mail to my doctor last night about how much pain I was in, blah blah blah, he said it still seems like muscle pain and he said I could begin physical therapy this week. While I am beyond excited to begin PT, I do find it a little strange that my doc originally said I couldn't begin PT until eight weeks. I am beginning to think that he just wants to get me off his back (pun intended) because I'm such a nuisance. haha. Whatever the case, though, I'm happy because I think the physical therapy will help sooo much in regards to regaining my strength and motion. :)
4.21.2009
Long Road to Recovery
It's been a little over three weeks since my surgery, and overall, I am feeling pretty well (at least during the day, when I'm medicated). I do get extremely stiff/sore from time to time, so I try to fight the urge to lie down like an immobile blob on the couch and instead go for walks everyday. Last week, I went on a three mile walk and also engaged in some "gentle" pilates. Anyway, I told my doctor this, assuming he'd be very impressed with my mobility, but he instead chastised me for "overdoing it." ugh. He told me I need to take it down a notch and get more rest. He also told me to keep bulking up on the protein, since I lost so much blood during surgery - and also 10 lbs! I must say, it's been fun gorging myself with cookies, veggie lasagna, ice cream, shakes, Mexican food (LOTS of guacamole), pizza, etc., to gain weight per my doctor's orders. :D
I am also beginning to try and wean myself off of the heavy meds, but because nighttimes are still so horrible (finding a comfortable position, stiffness, knife-stabbing muscle spasms, cramping, pressure on my chest, difficulty taking deep breaths, etc.), I think I will need to continue to take Valium and/or Percocet for at least a few more weeks. I've even been sleeping on my parents' special body-molding memory foam mattress, so I can't even fathom sleeping on a "regular" bed at this point...ouch. SHOWERING is also still an extremely difficult process. Standing still for even 10 minutes puts a lot of pressure on my back, and I think I have taken a total of five showers since my surgery (not even kidding) because they're so painful. Thankfully, though, my mom was able to score a good deal on a nice shower chair (thank you Craigslist), which has helped immensely, but it still hurts like an effin kick to the teeth when I raise my arms to wash my hair and stuff. Hopefully, showering will become easier as time goes on... or I may have to start to embrace the closet hippie in me! ;)
That's about it for now. While it's definitely been fun having friends/Matt visit and spend time with me, having my parents whip up my favorite meals for me, catch up on movies and cheesy daytime television, etc., I do miss not being able to go "out" and even...drive. On another note, I was finally able to catch a small glimpse of my scar (keep in mind I cannot "twist" my body, plus I had to wait for some of the steri-strips to unravel themselves) and it looks sooo badass. After all I've been through, I'd better have something to show for it... and I am really excited to proudly display my 15-inch "badge of honor" this summer! haha.
P.S. My main "curve" on my spine has been reduced to 15 degrees and my lower, less severe curve is now 0!!! Soooo happy with the results!
I am also beginning to try and wean myself off of the heavy meds, but because nighttimes are still so horrible (finding a comfortable position, stiffness, knife-stabbing muscle spasms, cramping, pressure on my chest, difficulty taking deep breaths, etc.), I think I will need to continue to take Valium and/or Percocet for at least a few more weeks. I've even been sleeping on my parents' special body-molding memory foam mattress, so I can't even fathom sleeping on a "regular" bed at this point...ouch. SHOWERING is also still an extremely difficult process. Standing still for even 10 minutes puts a lot of pressure on my back, and I think I have taken a total of five showers since my surgery (not even kidding) because they're so painful. Thankfully, though, my mom was able to score a good deal on a nice shower chair (thank you Craigslist), which has helped immensely, but it still hurts like an effin kick to the teeth when I raise my arms to wash my hair and stuff. Hopefully, showering will become easier as time goes on... or I may have to start to embrace the closet hippie in me! ;)
That's about it for now. While it's definitely been fun having friends/Matt visit and spend time with me, having my parents whip up my favorite meals for me, catch up on movies and cheesy daytime television, etc., I do miss not being able to go "out" and even...drive. On another note, I was finally able to catch a small glimpse of my scar (keep in mind I cannot "twist" my body, plus I had to wait for some of the steri-strips to unravel themselves) and it looks sooo badass. After all I've been through, I'd better have something to show for it... and I am really excited to proudly display my 15-inch "badge of honor" this summer! haha.
P.S. My main "curve" on my spine has been reduced to 15 degrees and my lower, less severe curve is now 0!!! Soooo happy with the results!
4.02.2009
Why have one surgery when you can have two?!
...I woke up in the recovery room feeling pretty good. Actually, my doc told my parents that my first words were "I'm hungry." That was a relief for my mom, and we all know that I don't do well with fasting. ;) During surgery, my parents were in the waiting room getting periodic updates. The surgery ended up taking about nine hours. (My parents were freaking out). At least my mom was. Apparently, my dad fell asleep...typical, haha. Anyway, when my parents were allowed in to see me, I was very happy and told them I felt "straight", and they were surprised how alert I was. I ended up calling my sisters and Matt, and it was nice to talk to them. I was also soooooooooooo relieved I was not blind or paralyzed that I didn't give a hoot about any pain, but, of course, I was on narcotics anyway...
After spending the night in ICU, I was woken up at 5 a.m. by a nurse who made Nurse Ratched seem like a delight (don't even get me started) telling me my doc ordered a CT scan asap (with no explanation). Freaking out, I called my mom at home to tell her the news, still wondering what was happening. My parents were soon on their way, despite a blizzard where over a foot of snow was expected. In the meantime, my doc eventually showed up in my room to explain to me that he was suspicious about a screw that may had been misaligned and may cause severe pain issues in the future, and a riskier operation down the road, if that was the case. (fyi, the x-rays did not show this; a 3-D image was necessary to confirm). Anyway, long story short, after the CT scan confirmed the doc's suspicions, I agreed to have another surgery (better now than later), and was scheduled for that operation that afternoon.
The surgery took about 4 hours this time, and I woke up in a lot more pain than expected. I was extremely weak and uncomfortable. After spending four miserable nights in ICU, I was finally moved to a regular room, but soon started to experience chest pain. A pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs) was suspected. After another CT scan (ugh...enough radiation already!?) ruled this out, it was reported that I had an excessive amount of fluid around my lungs and heart. And, because my blood count had dropped so low between the two surgeries, I was given two blood transfusions overnight. I woke up feeling a bit stronger, and from there, I knew the worst was over with. Although I had trouble sleeping the next few nights due to excruciating pain, difficulty finding a comfortable position, and being woken up every 4 hours for "vital checks" and pain meds, I was still relieved the surgeriES were done with!! The only "upside" of this whole ordeal was snuggling up with "warming" blankets that my mom stole from the nursers' closet every half hour, haha. I spent the last two days in the hospital with the physical therapists, who helped me to practice getting in and out of bed, walking, sitting, climbing stairs, etc. I must say...I was pretty proud of myself after picking it all up like a pro! ;)
After seven LONG days in the hospital, it felt like heaven to finally go home...as a straighter, stronger, and TALLER person. That's right...I'm now a whopping 5'4" and proud of it! hahaha
I'll end this note by saying that, obviously, I am still in excruciating pain (I feel like I've been hit by a freight train)! After all, it's a painstakingly-slow process of recovery from this traumatic surgery, and after virtually every nerve in my trunk and spine has been shifted; assorted pains, jabs, shocks, spasms, stiffness and unscratchable itches, plus lack of sleep, are to be expected. But, I'm grateful for my family, Matt, and friends who have been thinking and praying for me this whole time(especially my mom... who actually slept in the hospital with me every night, even on her birthday!). There is no way I could get through this without them. Going forward, I just have to remember that, throughout this whole process, "pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional" (thanks to Valium, Percocet and Oxycontin!) ;)
After spending the night in ICU, I was woken up at 5 a.m. by a nurse who made Nurse Ratched seem like a delight (don't even get me started) telling me my doc ordered a CT scan asap (with no explanation). Freaking out, I called my mom at home to tell her the news, still wondering what was happening. My parents were soon on their way, despite a blizzard where over a foot of snow was expected. In the meantime, my doc eventually showed up in my room to explain to me that he was suspicious about a screw that may had been misaligned and may cause severe pain issues in the future, and a riskier operation down the road, if that was the case. (fyi, the x-rays did not show this; a 3-D image was necessary to confirm). Anyway, long story short, after the CT scan confirmed the doc's suspicions, I agreed to have another surgery (better now than later), and was scheduled for that operation that afternoon.
The surgery took about 4 hours this time, and I woke up in a lot more pain than expected. I was extremely weak and uncomfortable. After spending four miserable nights in ICU, I was finally moved to a regular room, but soon started to experience chest pain. A pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs) was suspected. After another CT scan (ugh...enough radiation already!?) ruled this out, it was reported that I had an excessive amount of fluid around my lungs and heart. And, because my blood count had dropped so low between the two surgeries, I was given two blood transfusions overnight. I woke up feeling a bit stronger, and from there, I knew the worst was over with. Although I had trouble sleeping the next few nights due to excruciating pain, difficulty finding a comfortable position, and being woken up every 4 hours for "vital checks" and pain meds, I was still relieved the surgeriES were done with!! The only "upside" of this whole ordeal was snuggling up with "warming" blankets that my mom stole from the nursers' closet every half hour, haha. I spent the last two days in the hospital with the physical therapists, who helped me to practice getting in and out of bed, walking, sitting, climbing stairs, etc. I must say...I was pretty proud of myself after picking it all up like a pro! ;)
After seven LONG days in the hospital, it felt like heaven to finally go home...as a straighter, stronger, and TALLER person. That's right...I'm now a whopping 5'4" and proud of it! hahaha
I'll end this note by saying that, obviously, I am still in excruciating pain (I feel like I've been hit by a freight train)! After all, it's a painstakingly-slow process of recovery from this traumatic surgery, and after virtually every nerve in my trunk and spine has been shifted; assorted pains, jabs, shocks, spasms, stiffness and unscratchable itches, plus lack of sleep, are to be expected. But, I'm grateful for my family, Matt, and friends who have been thinking and praying for me this whole time(especially my mom... who actually slept in the hospital with me every night, even on her birthday!). There is no way I could get through this without them. Going forward, I just have to remember that, throughout this whole process, "pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional" (thanks to Valium, Percocet and Oxycontin!) ;)
The morning of surgery
Wow, it feels good to have this all behind me! ...oh, and just fyi, I'm in quite a bit of pain/high on meds while writing this, so if I start digress/don't make any sense, that is why. =o)
My mom, dad and I arrived at the hospital at 6:30 am on March 25, and I was more nervous than a long-tailed dog in a room full of rocking chairs. After checking in at the hospital, I was soon brought up to the pre-op area. After the nurses took my vitals, put me in my fancy hospital gown and put a warming blanket on my lap (highlight of my day), I knew the worst part was still ahead of me. I was soon hooked up to an IV and was begging for some "happy juice" (which they refused me at this point...I was pissed). I met with my surgeon, my anesthesiologist, neurologist, a few nurses, etc., etc., and my mom asked how many people would be in the O.R. during my surgery and they said 10-12 (woah!). After chattin' a bit with my anesthesiologist about all the risks & complications that may occur (you know me), I almost crapped my pants when he told me this particular surgery is the riskiest/most traumatic surgery/recovery, even more so than brain, heart and transplant surgeries!! AH! Anyway, I soon noticed my mom had been crying, which of course made me cry...and it all started to hit me. Before I knew it, I gave my parents a hug "goodbye," was finally given my "juice," and the last thing I remember is being wheeled into the O.R. and requesting they play some Beatles music...
My mom, dad and I arrived at the hospital at 6:30 am on March 25, and I was more nervous than a long-tailed dog in a room full of rocking chairs. After checking in at the hospital, I was soon brought up to the pre-op area. After the nurses took my vitals, put me in my fancy hospital gown and put a warming blanket on my lap (highlight of my day), I knew the worst part was still ahead of me. I was soon hooked up to an IV and was begging for some "happy juice" (which they refused me at this point...I was pissed). I met with my surgeon, my anesthesiologist, neurologist, a few nurses, etc., etc., and my mom asked how many people would be in the O.R. during my surgery and they said 10-12 (woah!). After chattin' a bit with my anesthesiologist about all the risks & complications that may occur (you know me), I almost crapped my pants when he told me this particular surgery is the riskiest/most traumatic surgery/recovery, even more so than brain, heart and transplant surgeries!! AH! Anyway, I soon noticed my mom had been crying, which of course made me cry...and it all started to hit me. Before I knew it, I gave my parents a hug "goodbye," was finally given my "juice," and the last thing I remember is being wheeled into the O.R. and requesting they play some Beatles music...
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