Fusion

[Guest guest]

I'm completely off the opiates prescribed in the hospital now and back to the

same pain meds I had before the surgery. The extra pain is becoming more limited

and my left leg is slowly waking up. That's not an excuse to go dancing!

I dropped a dish yesterday and automatically lunged to catch it and learned

that's NOT something I ought to do! But walking keeps getting easier, and with

less of a lurch. I agree with Bennie that scarring is a real danger - the

surgeon's report talks about how he had to work his way through extensive

scarring. Just be careful out there!

in New Mexico

[Guest guest]

wrote:

> I dropped a dish yesterday and automatically lunged to catch it and learned

that's NOT something I ought to do! But walking keeps getting easier, and with

less of a lurch. I agree with Bennie that scarring is a real danger - the

surgeon's report talks about how he had to work his way through extensive

scarring. Just be careful out there!

,

I completely understand and I do a frog position picking something up or I have

a grabber that does it for me. Walgreens has them. My doctors said that the

scarring I had after my fusion is from uneeded epidurals and just wear and tear

for doing things I shouldn't.

I am very protective of my back and I hope you continue to heal well. Bennie

[Guest guest]

Hi Bennie thank you for replying.  

Prior to my fusion I had a weight limitation placed on me after having a vaginal

hysterectomy, bladder repair andsling, and rectal repair, all in one operation.

 He told me I was never to lift more than 5 lbs for the rest of my life.

Even though I have suffered from chronic pain for the past 10

years some of those times were so excruciating that I couldn't get out of bed

and was forced to use a wheel chair.

Yes, my surgeon did tell me that this fusion would help with my

pain levels; how ever he did not say that it would remove all of my pain, as I

have multiple problems going on at the same time.

I have Degenerative Disc Disease, so this was to remove one disc

that was totally gone I was bone on bone between L-5 and S-1.  I just

didn't realize how MUCH bone they took out until yesterday.  I was

lightening my x-rays so that they were easier to see and about freaked because

with lightening them the outline where they took bone out stood out like they

were highlighted.

My two prior back surgeries I bounced back fairly well except for

the pain from RSD, DDD, OA, FM.   

But this time, is so different.  I am heavier than I have EVER, EVER been weight

wise, and it disgusts me. I want to exercise but I can't

yet as I haven't seen my surgeon yet I'll see him on the 24th of this month.

I wondered about physical therapy, and I know that I can get it in my

home but the cost of it I'm not certain I can afford it.  I only get

$550.00 a month disability. And that doesn't go very far.

You say that once I'm healed up that if I do some lifting it will cause a lot of

scarring, I scar horribly, colored people usually have what is

called keloid healers a normal white person one scar

will heal smoothly and be flat, if you are a keloid healer then the scar is

raised, rough, and spreads out they are ugly and for some reason I heal am a

keloid healer.  

Yes my fusion was to stabilize my spine to remove pressure on my

lower back nerves which were being crushed.  The radiating pain that many of us

here know that is searing hot and excruciating all the way down the leg into

your feet was what I was having prior to the surgery on both legs.

I have killed more plants since my surgery than I ever have except

during a move I did years ago. We have a greenhouse going up in September with a

lot of helpers and I want to desperately get it set up so that I can putter in

the Greenhouse.  When I'm upset and stressed out if I can go outside and work in

the flower beds which will be raised so that I don't have to lean overhelps

quiet a bit.

But since the surgery I've been so positively absolutely exhausted. I hate being

so tired, I mean I've had similar sensations in prior

operations to my back this one was my 3rd.  But the exhaustion never

lasted like this. I do one thing like sweep the floors and I'm shot for the rest

of the day. I'm sleeping a lot more too than I normally do. 

This may sound crazy but I don't feel alive, I feel like an automon. 

I apologize if it sounds like I'm whining I'm not I also feel very,

very alone.

My husband has been an absolutely wonderful, cooking, vacuuming,

doing the dishes, laundry, watering my herb beds outside.  But I know I'm no

company for him when the pain gets worse I withdraw and chill severely so while

he is sitting next to me he's sweating and I'm sitting there shivering with tons

of pillows supporting my back and legs. 

Thank you so very much each of you.

[Guest guest]

Mist wrote:

> I just didn't realize how MUCH bone they took out until yesterday. I was

lightening my x-rays so that they were easier to see and about freaked because

with lightening them the outline where they took bone out stood out like they

were highlighted.

-----

Mist,

You sound like my situation, I had a three level fusion and I had bone on bone

and I have BAK cages to replace my vertabraes/discs.

I had l-4, l-5 s-1 fused. I was told not to lift over 5 pounds also. The white

lightening is the bone fusing on you x-ray and it will look

like white around your vertabraes and to you sacrum. I am familiar with

keloids, when I was a x-ray technician and I did radiation therapy

they used to use superfical x-ray therapy on keloids to retard there growing and

laying down more tissue on top of the other.

They don't do that anymore. You could ask if your insuance covers a limited

amount of physical thereapy and you could get a home

physical therapy program. It couldn't hurt to ask and see if your surgeon has

suggestions. I hope you are doing better and I understand.

I got a 11 cm cyst on one of my kidneys and the neurosurgeon told me to get

theat frigging big thing out of there as it was pulling on

my back. I had it taken out and felt better.

After my back fusion, I was doing great but I had an automobile accident and it

messed up my sacro iliac joint and that is now another problem

with me.

I also have Degenerative Disc Disease and had to give up my garden and other

things and I cannot dwell on it anymore as it will only make me

depressed. Thanks for sharing and know there are others out there with the same

journey. Bennie

[Guest guest]

Mist, I think your garden sounds like a fine idea. We have a few raised beds,

and we have benches in the greenhouse that are a really convenient height for

back patients to work on. And I agree with Bennie about the physical therapy

program. You could ask your surgeon for pamphlets that show you some exercises

to do, and if you go online to the physical therapists' sites you can probably

find some there. But not yet! I believe most surgeons have you wait and be as

good as possible (which I have trouble doing)for at least six weeks before

starting physical therapy. This is to give the bone a chance to begin to knit

and fuse.

Degenerative disc disease is the generic name for anything that causes your

discs to collapse, dissolve or fade away. I think nearly all fusion patients

have it (and many more people); it's also a common symptom of the normal aging

process. Those discs just wear out faster than some other tissues. It's one of

the prices we pay for being bipeds.

Hang in there and stay as still as possible (except for any walking your surgeon

wants you to do)! - in New Mexico

Bennie wrote to Mist:

You could ask if your insurance covers a limited amount of physical thereapy

and you could get a home physical therapy program. It couldn't hurt to ask and

see if your surgeon has suggestions. I hope you are doing better and I

understand.

> After my back fusion, I was doing great but I had an automobile accident and

it messed up my sacro iliac joint and that is now another problem

> with me.

>

> I also have Degenerative Disc Disease --- Thanks for sharing and know there

are others out there with the same journey. Bennie

>

[Guest guest]

>Bennie wrote:

> I also have Degenerative Disc Disease and had to give up my garden and other

things and I cannot dwell on it anymore as it will only make me depressed.

Thanks for sharing and know there are others out there with the same journey.

Thank you Bennie;

Your words help a lot. I'm just so used to being able to do what ever I set my

mind too and now that I can't I feel like I'm going nuts.

Sincerely

Mist

[Guest guest]

It's so common to just be frustrated at first when you have to slow down. I

still hate it and I've been there for a long time now. It doesn't get more fun

but you do learn your limits over time so that you can do a little more because

you do it in stages better.

Carolyn Eddy

" Sweet Goat Mama "