Wednesday, April 30, 2014

The Recovery

Today makes one week since I came home from the hospital.

I am just documenting the events here, so I can remember them.

I really have felt pretty good overall.  Tuesday morning, while still in the hospital and after another dose of anti-nausea and the decision with the PA to switch from Norco to Percocet, they helped me in to a chair and left me to eat my breakfast. The breakfast wasn't all that tasty and it hurt to sit up. Before I had a chance to lay down, I was off for an X-ray, that wouldn't have been a big deal, the ride in the wheelchair all over the hospital was rather interesting.  But, the problem was when they asked me to lay on my back on the metal X-ray table.  Ummm, I don't think so!  I hadn't even been 24 hrs post surgery at this point.  I managed to get on the table, but it hurt!  It hurt to lay on the incision and I had a shooting pain going down the back side of my right leg.  I was shaking from the pain and the tech was very nice, but insisted that I hold still.  You have got to be kidding!   After one on the back, they had me turn on my left side which was much more tolerable.
Once back in the room and before I could get back in bed, the physical therapist showed up.  So, I did my first lap around the hospital wing.  I did pretty good considering that walking 150 ft was one item on the checklist to be discharged from the hospital and on my first try I walked 120 ft.   I could have done more, but the therapist had other patients to walk. :)
It felt good to finally get a chance to rest. 
Tuesday I had many visitors come.  It was fun to visit with everyone and made the day fly by.   Throughout Tuesday, my right thigh developed a huge and painful cramp.  Early Wednesday morning, like 4:00 a.m. it was so bad I asked the nurse to please let me walk it off.  My bed had an alarm on it, so I couldn't stand up on my own, or get off the bed without setting off what sounded like a fire alarm. I know that if I could have walked more, the cramp would have eased sooner.
Wednesday morning I was allowed a shower.  Man, did that feel good!  Even though I had to sit for the shower and the chair had a big hole in it like a toilet, it felt amazing.  Not long after I was dressed in another lovely hospital gown, the doctor came in.  I told him I was feeling great ready to go home a day early!
He looked at the board and noticed that Tuesday afternoon I had walked 300 ft and done the stairs.  He was impressed and I was soon discharged!
Before I could actually leave, I did another walk with the PT.  This time we went much farther, including a trip to the rehab room at the hospital.  I had the catheter removed, got dressed and waited for my discharge instructions.
Getting in to a vehicle was interesting.  I am not supposed to bend or twist and I still haven't figured out how to do that while getting in a car.  Then, on our way home, we stopped and Home Depot and Boyd ran in to buy a grabber tool.  It has been well worth the money!

Once home, there was a bit of adjusting. My mom and husband have been so good to help.  My sister and niece came over and helped clean the house on Saturday.
I improve by leaps and bounds everyday.  I can walk farther and faster each day.  I made 1/2 a mile walk yesterday in one go round.  I walk out to the dogs and goats a couple of times a day at least.  I walk all over the house.  I went to church on Sunday (not sacrament) and a Stake meeting last night.
I have decreased the pain meds and only take 2 percocet per day.

One of the most painful things actually is this blister on my thigh.  It happened from the rubber part of the TED hose.  It rubbed the whole first night, I could feel it, but couldn't do anything about it.  The next morning, I tried to carefully separate the rubber from the TED hose from my skin.  OUCH!
The bruise on the inside of my right wrist from the arterial line.  I guess they use this to have constant information on my blood pressure.

We have also made a few adaptations.
I took over one of the chairs from the office and use it at the kitchen table, to roll and open the freezer, etc.
Boyd placed a bale of straw under the dog food cans and now it is so much easier to get to the food.
 And, we bought this grabber tool (on the left) even though we had this old coal clinker remover that we could have used (on the right). :)



All things considered, I am recovering quickly.  I am so blessed and thankful!!!

Monday, April 28, 2014

The Surgery

It has been one week since my spinal fusion surgery.  A week that went by very fast!
Here are the details of the surgery day as I remember them :)

4:00 a.m. -  The time the alarm was set for to get us to the hospital by 5:50 a.m.  What really happened is that I hardly slept for the pain and was already up.  And, because of me being up, so was Boyd.  We were already packed, so it was just a matter of showers and dressing, feeding all the animals and we were off.

5:30 a.m. - Arrived at the hospital.   Boyd dropped me off at the door and went to park.  We met up at the elevators and headed upstairs to the surgery check-in where there was already a family including  a couple of kids playing board games?????  Really? 

5:50 a.m. - Checked in, completed yet more paperwork and got our restaurant buzzer.  Seriously, they hand you a deal that is just like what you get when you are waiting to be seated at a restaurant.  It buzzes when the doctor is ready to talk to you, etc.   Then we waited and people watched as the area quickly filled up with an interesting assortment of people.

6:15 a.m. -  After watching many people get called back ahead of us, it was finally our turn.  We made our way over and around the corner only to find we were waiting in a line.  A line!  It made me laugh.  We were all waiting in line to be weighed. A line of people who would soon be sliced open and man-handled and were doing it willingly and waiting their turn for the chance.  We were then taken back to a room for the vital checks, etc. and then placed in a room with a bed.

6:30 a.m. - I got changed into the lovely gown and then even had someone come in to put on the ever so comfortable thigh high, bright white, TED compression hose.  Then we began the search for a vein that would work for the I.V.  We told them from past experience to not use the numbing agent because someone once said that it caused my veins to shrink.  So after much searching a location was chosen on my right hand.  It was crazy to watch her insert it and then watch my wrist just puff up.   Yep, major fail!  Here is a photo of the spot a few days later.  It has gone through a rainbow of colors and now it is even more brown and covers about 4 inches of my arm. 
They brought in a few more people to help find a better place to poke me again.  After a bit of debate and opinion sharing, they finally and successfully found a good location.  YAY!  (After the surgery, I remember noticing that I had not one, but two I.V. spots.  I guess they like two  in case one fails, but wait to do it until after you are under. )

7:15 a.m - In came the anesthesiologist to discuss what would be happening next.  We talked about how last year I threw up twice, once each time they gave me a new dose of Dilaudid.  So, they decided to just add an anti-nausea medication and still give me the Dilaudid.
The doctor came in a marked my back and the outside of my right leg with a purple marker, told my husband that he expected the surgery to take 3.5 to 4 hours and I was off.

7:45 a.m. - I took an exciting ride through the halls of the operating rooms.  We found out that McKay Dee has 18 operating rooms.  When I entered mine, I immediately felt the cold and saw all kinds of devices and walls of stuff including an X-ray machine. The operating table itself was something else!  I found a few pictures on the internet that look similar.
 The head goes in the white cushion-y deal in the middle.  I also had on goggles and vaseline or something like it.  They warned me that my eyes would be swollen after surgery.  But, not only were my eyes swollen, but my lips as well.
 Here is a poor soul in position.  No wonder that right on my ribs I felt so bruised and tender when I woke up.  You can see where the one roller fits right under his arms.
 This is a blurry image, but shows how they could just slide the X-ray machine over the patient to easily take X-rays.
 After having a little conversation with the people in the room and having them explain some things to me, I heard the anesthesiologist say, "Good Night".  And, all those friendly faces became instantly blurry and I was out!

8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. - Or something like that, I don't know I was rather unconscious during this time.  :)  I think my mom showed up around 9:30 a.m. and the waiting game began.  Boyd said he enjoyed people watching. It was after I had been in surgery for more than four hours and my husband and mom were wondering when the doctor would appear that they called a Code Blue and included the word spinal somewhere in the code. They were both a bit worried, but soon figured out that it couldn't be for me.  At some point the doctor finally came out and Boyd said he looked so worn out, like he had been in a wrestling match. My surgery was actually 5 hours long.  The doctor said that he used a tool that always works on even the toughest cases, but it would not fit in the opening because my stenosis was so bad.  He had to go down two more sizes just to get it to fit in where ever it was supposed to go. He spent a lot of time getting the nerves to do what was needed.   He also couldn't get things to 100% because of my muscles being so tight still, but he felt good about the 90% straight he managed to achieve.

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ? - After the doctor spoke with them, they sat for about 45 minutes and then someone gave them a room number.  Once they got to the room, they waited another 45 minutes or so for me to arrive. I remember very little of the recovery period.  I just remember noise, clanking of equipment and people talking.  Next thing I know, I can smell Doritos.  I am not kidding!  That is my first memory of getting in the room and that is because my husband, who had packed enough food for an army, hadn't really eaten anything until he got to the room where he chose to bust out the Doritos.
Somewhere along the line someone decided that instead of giving me Dilaudid, I would get morphine.  Well, I don't know if it was the 5 hours on that crazy surgery table or the morphine, but I could not move.  Couldn't lift my arm, couldn't move my legs, couldn't open my eyes, couldn't move my lips.  I could hear people trying to talk to me and all I could do was give a thumbs up or down.  I remember feeling like puking and Boyd and my mom asking them to give me something for it. 
Yes, a very flattering picture indeed.  
And another that shows my swollen eyes and lips.
 My mom left once she figured out that I would not be coming out of my drugged stupor any time soon.  I don't blame her!  Boyd stayed for a couple of hours before he left to do my chores.   Poor guy!

5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.  -  After I was alone, I remember just sleeping but not being overly comfortable.  Finally, about 7:30, I asked to have some help sitting up.  I could not have been upright for more than 5 seconds before I felt so nauseous and dizzy that I had to lay right back down.  I tried to watch Dancing With the Stars, but the noise and lights were too much.  I remember that they asked if I wanted more nausea medication and I just wanted to say, "Don't ask! Just keep it coming!"  I must have slept again, because around 10:30 p.m. I woke and wanted to try to sit up again. This time I managed to stay upright for about 30 seconds.  Some point during this five hour period, I remember the nurse telling me that as soon as I could swallow a pill, they could switch me off the morphine.  And, I remembered thinking, if you would just stop the morphine, I could then swallow a pill.  But, I am sure that instead of clearly expressing that thought, I probably just grunted.  :) I also remember thinking that I should call and talk to my husband and my mom to let them know that I was okay since I couldn't talk when they were there.  But, just as quick as that thought would enter, I would fall back asleep. 
A special thanks to my husband for hooking up my phone and putting it on the table.  The clock was on the other side and I couldn't roll over to see it.  Knowing what time it was when my eyes opened was somehow comforting.  However, I could also see the number of e-mails I had waiting.  I remember seeing 135 at one point and just moaning.  I DID NOT want to deal with any work issues.

It is so weird to remember things at 8:00 a.m. and then remember nothing again until much later in the afternoon.  Kind of lost a whole day there somewhere.  I felt more discomfort than pain overall. 

The surgery was successful all in all.  I had an L4 to S1 fusion, laminectomy, discectomy and whatever it is called when they clean out all the stuff that is taking up space inside your vertebrae.





Saturday, April 26, 2014

Ready or Not!

I hoped to have the post up before my surgery on Monday (April 21st).  Let's just pretend that I wasn't so busy getting everything ready that I actually had time to post it.  K?  Thanks!

Thanks to my very helpful husband, the garden is basically planted.  I might add a few plants in May and replace a few that don't make it, but everything I wanted to get planted is in!
Of course, it is all tucked away inside a warm Wall O' Water or it would freeze this early in the year.

I tried a Brandy Wine Heirloom Tomato this year.  It will either be delicious or die from disease.  We shall see!
  I cleaned out the goat pen and Jasmine had to give it all the smell test.
 Anyone local want goat poop compost?   I need to get rid of some.
 New straw and fresh stash of hay.




 Buddy watched the goats while I worked.

 They have loved all their browsing time with this gorgeous weather.
 We even got the scarecrow back up in position.  He needs a makeover, but that may not happen.

 A closer view of the Brandywine.  It is some sort of Amish variety from 1888.
Sunsugar cherry tomatoes.  These are delicious!
 Peas that were looking great until we sprayed for weeds.  We covered them well, but alas!
 Along with the peas, I have radishes, lettuce, romaine, cabbage and spinach and a few sunflowers for good measure in my biggest grow box.
 Yep, he looks tough.

 Boyd sprayed, tilled, and line trimmed.  I really couldn't do much for long at all.
 We re-aligned the fencing conglomeration and added a couple of fence posts where needed.


And, a new idea for watering tomatoes.  Put some compost in the bottom and drill a few holes.  Fill with water and hope the plants love it!
I also worked on some things to get the house ready.  By Monday morning, I was more than ready for surgery!

Friday, April 18, 2014

A Start on the Garden

We got a good start on the garden last Saturday.  I really needed to have enough ready to plant the tomatoes before my surgery.   We are ready!
The first thing we did was cut a larger opening in the tire garden containers. 

Okay, the photos didn't load in order and I am too lazy to rearrange them. 
 First, we drilled a starter hole.
 Got the trusty generator and power cord ready to go.

Then, put a lot of shoulder to the wheel.

 And, wa la!  A much larger opening.
P.S. There was no nagging involved to get this task finished.  I have just been asking very nicely and patiently since last fall.  That is not NAGGING!  :)

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Spinal Fusion

Next Monday, I will be having back surgery and I can't wait.  Really, I can't.  I am so exhausted from walking crooked and not sleeping because of the pain.  The pain is always worse at night.  I am up at least three times for up to an hour and go through a ritual to relieve the pain that includes ice and bouncing on an exercise ball and then doing a few yoga stretches.

You can see the curve in my spine. I was supposed to be standing up as straight as possible for this shot.  According to the surgeon, L5 has nothing left on the right side and that is causing a herniation and stenosis among other things.  The plan is to fuse L-4 to L-5 and then L-5 to S-1.  He may or may not have to use bone from my pelvis.  Doesn't sound fun, but something has to change.

Besides my normal hip jutting out and the limp on the right side, I have recently added a forward lean to the whole messed up walk.  Yeah, it's fun!
 
Here are a couple of videos of me walking.






Why would I post these embarrassing videos and images?  So, that when I wake up from surgery, I can remember why I am going through all the pain.
Here's hoping the surgery works and I can stand upright again.  Here's hoping I can tie my own shoe and put on my own sock without screaming in pain.  Here's hoping I can sleep through the night without horrible pain all down my leg.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Spring Walk Videos

Here are the videos I took the other night on our walk.

A Look Out the Window

Sunday night I headed for the sink to reluctantly do the dishes and this is what I saw when I looked out the window.



 Definitely made doing the dishes more bearable.

Monday, April 14, 2014

An Early Spring Walk

Well, a walk for everyone but me.  I rode in style, including cruise control.


 We found the remains of a what was probably a pheasant. Whatever ate it, left nothing but fluff!






Clouds - March 14th