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May. 17th, 2005 12:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cabensonI was allowed to ride in a car yesterday (I was so excited I felt like a puppy)so Mrs. CB took me to the store. Since this was my first outing after surgery, we went to the local dykery instead of a mega store so I wouldn't over do it.
A few people have asked me what happened with my back and what surgery was done. So, if ya really wanna know...
I have had back trouble for the last 20 years, serious trouble for the last 5. I have
Degenerative Disc Disease which is usually found in people older than me. It is genetic in my family, my mom and sister have it in the neck and my brother has it in the lumbar spine (he had surgery about 10 yrs ago and needs it again-he's 35).
Two years ago, I herniated 3 discs while working on the house (damn pet door :)Two of them went back into position with PT, but the 3rd pinched a nerve root and caused major sciatica. The nerve was pinched for 7 months before we could get into the OR. During that time, I lost 50% of the strength in my left leg. I wound up having a Lumbar Microdiscectomy and the doc took a great deal of disc out. I did PT and as the pain slowly eased, the numbness diminished and I gained all my strength back. We knew that I had a 25% chance of having another pinch.
I started having spasms in my leg during our trip to NYC in Nov. I worked with my PT and tried to fix it with exercise. I guess it didn't work. In late March, the nerve pinched again during a mild stretching/exercise session. I knew right away that it was bad, and my GP put in PT right away. Sometimes. PT can make it worse. This as one of those times. We got lucky and saw the surgeon right away. The surgery I just had was another laminectomy, but she took out a lot more bone this time. If it happens again, she will have to do a spinal fusion. We thought about doing that before, but I am actually considered too young for the procedure. A fusion would cause a serious limitation to my mobility.
I am slowly but surely making progress. For the two weeks prior to the surgery, I was bedridden. I could get up to go to the john, but the pain was so bad it hurt to sit. I could walk about 5-6 steps before the spasms caused my leg to seize up. I was on 4 different painkillers and none of them worked, not even oxycontin. The leg pain was significantly reduced after the operation. The nerve will take about a year to get back to normal. I didn't lose much leg strength and I am able to take short walks around the neighborhood. I can't drive until June 3rd so Mrs. CB is being my chauffeur. I get to cook again tonight which is a relief to both of us. I can only carry 10 lbs, no Bending, Lifting, or Twisting. Do you know how hard it is to avoid those three things? Damn! But the boys enjoy having a "mama" home all the time, and I am starting to get my writing bug back.
A few people have asked me what happened with my back and what surgery was done. So, if ya really wanna know...
I have had back trouble for the last 20 years, serious trouble for the last 5. I have
Degenerative Disc Disease which is usually found in people older than me. It is genetic in my family, my mom and sister have it in the neck and my brother has it in the lumbar spine (he had surgery about 10 yrs ago and needs it again-he's 35).
Two years ago, I herniated 3 discs while working on the house (damn pet door :)Two of them went back into position with PT, but the 3rd pinched a nerve root and caused major sciatica. The nerve was pinched for 7 months before we could get into the OR. During that time, I lost 50% of the strength in my left leg. I wound up having a Lumbar Microdiscectomy and the doc took a great deal of disc out. I did PT and as the pain slowly eased, the numbness diminished and I gained all my strength back. We knew that I had a 25% chance of having another pinch.
I started having spasms in my leg during our trip to NYC in Nov. I worked with my PT and tried to fix it with exercise. I guess it didn't work. In late March, the nerve pinched again during a mild stretching/exercise session. I knew right away that it was bad, and my GP put in PT right away. Sometimes. PT can make it worse. This as one of those times. We got lucky and saw the surgeon right away. The surgery I just had was another laminectomy, but she took out a lot more bone this time. If it happens again, she will have to do a spinal fusion. We thought about doing that before, but I am actually considered too young for the procedure. A fusion would cause a serious limitation to my mobility.
I am slowly but surely making progress. For the two weeks prior to the surgery, I was bedridden. I could get up to go to the john, but the pain was so bad it hurt to sit. I could walk about 5-6 steps before the spasms caused my leg to seize up. I was on 4 different painkillers and none of them worked, not even oxycontin. The leg pain was significantly reduced after the operation. The nerve will take about a year to get back to normal. I didn't lose much leg strength and I am able to take short walks around the neighborhood. I can't drive until June 3rd so Mrs. CB is being my chauffeur. I get to cook again tonight which is a relief to both of us. I can only carry 10 lbs, no Bending, Lifting, or Twisting. Do you know how hard it is to avoid those three things? Damn! But the boys enjoy having a "mama" home all the time, and I am starting to get my writing bug back.
