Going to the hospital at 8. They are removing a disc between L4 and L5 and fusing the two vertebrae together.

It's a three hour surgery.

I'll post here probably in a few days.

12/8/2011 7:08:42 AM

Hope you dont die!

12/8/2011 7:19:27 AM

GOOD LUCK for real.

I know a guy who has fused discs at 21 and he seems to be thriving in what he does. Even lifting heavy still.

12/8/2011 8:34:33 AM

good luck guy

12/8/2011 8:56:17 AM

Good luck, man. Hope everything goes well.

12/8/2011 9:21:08 AM

Good luck!

12/8/2011 9:37:05 AM

get well soon, b!

12/8/2011 9:37:56 AM

Good luck - Surely they'll give you some fun drugs. Enjoy!

12/8/2011 9:38:39 AM

Good luck and get well soon!

12/8/2011 9:50:09 AM

Thanks to everyone.

It went well enough. Obviously I'm in some pain and hooked up to everything.

They have me on some drug that starts with a D.

Physical therapy starts tomorrow, and I am NOT looking forward to that!

12/8/2011 5:18:34 PM

Glad you're doing well

12/8/2011 5:19:18 PM

good luck, I know that if you work hard pretty soon you will be able to Tubgirl PAIN FREE!!

12/8/2011 5:20:19 PM

Ill give you a drug that starts with a D

12/8/2011 5:21:52 PM

good luck. be careful with them pain meds during recovery

12/8/2011 5:22:21 PM

what is D?

Updates please :-)

12/9/2011 3:12:57 PM

did he died?

12/9/2011 3:25:28 PM

My Mom is having a three-level fusion at the end of this month. How long are you going to be in the hospital? They estimated 5 days for her. I'd be interested in your observations or helpful hints as you're going through things. I think things would be a little clearer to remember if you posted about them, versus waiting until after you'd fully recovered to go through these things, as a lot of people do.

Good luck. Are you going to be wearing a back brace? How long are you out of commission?

12/9/2011 3:34:10 PM

Definitely.

Reminder for me to slow down.

12/9/2011 3:36:17 PM

Dilaudid - hydromorphone

Also giving me Percocet for pain, Zophran for nausea, Pepcid for heartburn, and an anti-biotic.

Reeeeal sleepy right now.

Slept in 30-minute spurts all through night. Took catheter out today.

Physical therapy today: Roll on side, sit up, put back brace on, stand up, walk (w/walker) 20 ft in hallway.

Almost threw up. Finally went pee, and it was difficult because mind was arguing with body of whether catheter was still in.

Ate a banana for b-fast, one for lunch.

Another set of PT this evening. So close to throwing up it was crazy.

Okay...finishing dinner, removing drain, resting.

12/9/2011 5:11:59 PM

do you poop?

12/9/2011 5:14:10 PM

good luck with your recovery.

12/9/2011 5:20:19 PM

Haven't pooped yet.

Thanks!

12/9/2011 7:38:02 PM

lol

that's a very important question since you're on some drugs that can make you constipated.

I was on oxycodone(made me constipated as hell) for pain for my L5-S1 bulge and prednisone(contstant bloating) which I thought defeated the purpose while my disc was trying to heal. Y'know the straining during hard poop session and bloating can put pressure on the back....

12/9/2011 8:19:50 PM

Quote :

"HARD POOP SESSION"

12/9/2011 8:21:36 PM

YES
I
JUST
TALKED
ABOUT
POOP

12/9/2011 8:22:12 PM

Quote :

"VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION"

12/9/2011 8:23:20 PM

WANNA
FIGHT
?

12/9/2011 8:24:29 PM

no

12/9/2011 8:25:21 PM

Yes, pooping is important.

I haven't had a lot of solid food, so I'm worried about going yet.

12/10/2011 12:09:58 AM

If you're on narcotics, they'll give you a stool softener to make you poop.

12/10/2011 12:10:57 AM

that didnt do anything for me.

but it was OTC maybe that's why?

Just generic colace

12/10/2011 12:33:47 AM

Sorry, NOT worried about pooiong yet.

The post-op instructions said that I would have to take some milk of magnesia. Knowing my bowel tendency, I expect needing it.

12/10/2011 3:20:43 AM

Quote :

"Knowing my bowel tendency, I expect kneading it."

What is wrong with you?

12/10/2011 4:04:32 AM

pooiong

12/10/2011 6:20:02 AM

Home.

And I must say, the hospital bed is way more comfortable than our spare Queen bed.

12/10/2011 1:32:49 PM

I like hydrocodone.

12/10/2011 1:49:16 PM

feel better soon man

12/10/2011 2:04:45 PM

Thanks.

12/10/2011 5:33:25 PM

are you shorter now?

12/10/2011 6:00:45 PM

was this the result of a prior injury or just bad luck?

12/10/2011 6:54:40 PM

^^ 5mm taller



Prior injury and "repair" resulting in scar tissue as well as weak muscles surrounding vertebrae.

12/10/2011 7:29:25 PM

I pooped today! It wasn't much, and I needed a little...help. It was the first time since before surgery.

I think my bowels are taking longer to wake up than my brain.

Anyway, today was a good day. I got out of bed more, used the brace and walker less, and used fewer Percocet and Flexiril. Today seemed like the first complete "day" I've had since the surgery. The past five days have been blurs.

I had my wife help me take a "bath" and I could actually put a shirt on over my head.

The biggest thing I have to complain about is how dry I have become while taking the Percocet. My sinuses are bone dry, as are my mouth, eyes, and throat. I've got a humidifier in my room constantly running but it can't make up for the dryness inside (probably another reason my bowels aren't moving).

A in-home nurse came Sunday for wound care, one came yesterday for Physical Therapy (which consisted of walking "laps" around my kitchen), one came today for wound care (and advise on the BM issue), and another PT tomorrow.

Sometimes when I arch my back (ever so slightly), I can feel...bumps from where the metal is.

I'm thinking that maybe when I'm all healed up I may get a tattoo back there to hid the scar. It's about 6 inches long straight down.

Anyway, I haven't talked to my Navy doctor yet, as I'm not anywhere near recovered, so the Submarine Officer question has not yet come up.

It can wait.

This is my life and my back we are worried about now.

One very positive thing about all of this is that my wife is starting P90X again, and her folks have been taking walks every day they have been here (helping her out).

So, at least my pain is causing some people to reassess their physical fitness.

And...right after the surgery was over, the doc when and talked with my wife ("He's fine...recovering...you can see him soon...etc."). He said he was surprised I was walking at all before the surgery because, while all of my pain/numbness/tingling was felt (or not) on my right side, my left side had CONSIDERABLE compression to the nerves there. He said it was a little perplexing that I hadn't been in a wheel chair because of it.

Oh...and he's really optimistic about my recovery because I'm so young (33). Most people having this surgery are my folks age.

Okay...it's past midnight and I need to try and sleep, Percocet or not!

12/14/2011 12:10:15 AM

Thanks for the update! Is there anything you would say you're experiencing that you *didn't* expect? Or one thing you're glad to have/do that you wouldn't have known before hand?

12/14/2011 6:25:10 AM

A few things I would recommend.

1. Make sure she has button down shirts, or at least one when she leaves the hospital. I didn't want to risk messing something up by raising my arms over my head.

2. I didn't eat a proper meal until two days after the surgery. I recommend bananas. If she isn't restricted in her diet, get her something she likes to eat. Hospital food sucks, wherever it is.

3. Her mouth is going to be SUPER DRY with the meds they are going to give her. And her eyes are going to be dry. Get some good eye lubricant that she can put in herself. They are going to give her a jug for water.

4. She'll probably have a catheter in until the day she is going to start physical therapy (maybe one or two days after). I know this is , but it was difficult for me to go the first time I had to after the catheter was removed.

5. If she has tingling and numbness in some of her extremities because of nerve compression, she may still have some for a while after the surgery. That's just her nerves getting back to where they should be. My physical therapist suggested some nerve stretching exercises that should help.

6. Tell her that SLOW IS FAST. Meaning, don't overextend herself just because she has some good medicine and can't feel pain. I think I may have done that yesterday, walking without the walker and not using the back brace. Today I'm grumpy.

7. They will probably give her a breathing device that will help expand her lungs to full capacity. My doc told me to use it 10 times an hour. It helps prevent lung atrophy and subsequent fluid buildup and pneumonia.

8. When she is discharged, make sure she has enough medicine to last through the weekend. The last thing she needs is to wait in an ER on a Saturday because she ran out of meds.

9. Go to the pharmacy and ask for the bathing pads. They are like baby wipes, but a little stronger. I am not allowed to take a bath until 10-14 days after surgery, so I've used those things to keep clean.

10. Get a good pair of slippers (with a good grip on the bottom). She'll be walking around in these for a while, so they may as well be comfortable and safe.

11. Get an elevated toilet seat. She's not supposed to bend much, and toilets are pretty low to the ground.

If I think of more...I'll add them. Tell her I hope all goes well!

12/14/2011 10:11:07 AM

Thank you! That was a much more thorough response than I had hoped to receive!

12/14/2011 11:05:47 AM

well, all I do right now is sit on my butt on my computer

12/14/2011 11:06:53 AM

Good luck in your recovery!

12/14/2011 11:36:42 AM

YAY POOP

was it a good one

12/14/2011 12:16:56 PM

Quote :

"He said he was surprised I was walking at all before the surgery because, while all of my pain/numbness/tingling was felt (or not) on my right side, my left side had CONSIDERABLE compression to the nerves there. He said it was a little perplexing that I hadn't been in a wheel chair because of it. "

Did he have an explaination for this? My guess would have something to do with your level of fitness.

12/14/2011 12:22:32 PM

scars are cooler than tramp stamps, yo

12/14/2011 12:26:49 PM