Day of Surgery

Yesterday I had surgery to my low back (aka lumbar). Specifically I had a hemilaminotomy, partial discectomy to my L5 and L4. Both L5 and L4 discs were badly herniated and pressing on my nerves in my spinal canal. Prior to surgery I had "thrown out" my back about a year ago. I went to my primary doctor who then sent me to a spinal specialist. The spinal specialist had me get xrays, and an MRI. I went to physical therapy for 2-3x/week for a few months. The specialist says my spine is aged more than she would expect in someone my age (27). Well since then I have had two cortisone spinal injections. My specialist sent me to a surgeon. And as you've read I got surgery.

On the day of surgery I had to be there at 8am with nothing to eat or drink after midnight. They finally wheeled me into the operating room a little after 10:30am. All I could smell all morning was a whopper. I don't know why. I haven't had a whopper in probably months. I think maybe because I knew I couldn't eat anything.

I don't remember much more until about 3pm. The way the anesthesia works your lucky that way I guess. Being a nurse myself I knew all the procedures and protocol they had done while I was asleep.

They had originally wanted me to stay the night and it had all been arranged prior to surgery. They said I did so well that ,as long as, I could with assistance get out of bed and walk a short distance I could go straight home that evening. So with the nurse I got up.

Getting up for the first time sucks. When I mean sucks, I mean it is probably the most pain you are gonna feel or that I have felt so far (within 2 days) in this recovery. I was a little wobbley walking but did okay with nurse and IV pole to help. I was able to pee but, I had to try 3 times while sitting on the toilet to empty my bladder. I was not able to pee with the same force as usual. I was lucky that the surgery was short enough I didn't get a catheter.

So since I met all the requirements, I was discharged. I had had my parents, my live-in boyfriend, and my grandma with me. My grandma who is a very energetic 84 has flown up from North Carolina to where I live in Cleveland to help me for two weeks. She is not in the slightest confused and smart as a whip. Unfortuately while waiting for the wheelchair transport she left to use the bathroom. AND GOT LOST! My boyfriend, the friendly transportation lady (pushing me in a wheelchair) and I searched all over the Cleveland Clinic looking for her. For twenty minutes we searched. We even had her overhead paged. I tried calling her cell phone several times but it was useless since she can never work the damn thing. Finally I recieved a call from a worker in the hospital who had my grandma about a half mile away. Geez, If any of you have been in or seen the Cleveland Clinic it is HUGE and very easy to get lost if you have never been there before. My boyfriend and I ended up getting the car out of the parking garage and driving to where she was.

The ride home was very uncomfortable and unpleasant. I made the decision to sit in the front seat for my 15-20 minute journey. The front seats of my car are made for back support and it felt kinda like a knife in my back. That hump in the seat was just sitting in the wrong place. In retrospect I should have rode in the back seat. The back seats are just flat. I had to recline the front seat a little and trying to pull myself up with the handle that hangs above the door.

It is very difficult to move around and manipulate your body. You can't move like you are used to doing. It's like being an infant or toddler all over again. You can't bend your back at all. It is similar I would imagine to being attached to a board and trying to get around. I needed someone to unlock and open the car door for me. I needed help to get out of the car. I have three steps on a stoop to get into the house and needed a hand to get in the house.

Now getting into bed is a task. It was way easier at the hospital because the height of the bed can be adjusted and they have SIDE RAILS on the bed. I don't know about you but my bed at home can't do these things. At first I had someone help me sit on the bed. Which does hurt no matter how soft the bed is. Then you can't really scoot back so your kinda stuck on the edge. You tip haphazardly towards the pillow while someone picks up your legs for you. It's very uncomfortable. For the first ten times or so I had someone help me turn side to side in bed. I was not able to turn on my own or lay on my back.

I thought I would be super hungry. I was just tired. I had eaten graham crackers at the hospital and drank water/gingerale prior to leaving. They needed to make sure I wouldn't throw up. When I got home though. I was just really dry. They say the anesthesia dries you out. It's true. All I felt like eating was a banana. Everyone else had chinese food. I drank alot of water. I slept and slept and slept. I got home around 6pm or 7. All I did was sleep a few hours, wake up, try to readjust and then go back to sleep. With very little assistance I was able to use the bathroom to pee.

It seems that a body pillow behind you really helps for support and readjusting. I am glad I had one.