Back Surgery #4

Although I was at home for a month and really didn't have a ton to do...which means I could have caught this blog up....I didn't. When you're on narcotic medication and muscle relaxants every time you sit down, you want to fall asleep. The other reason, the only thing I was allowed to do was walk, and walk, and walk. So I did that and tried to get some reading done. I was finally able to catch up on some of my professional journals, although reading for me is a Pavlov's dog for sleeping.

On February 19, I got to go back to UVRMC and have my back fused. I was the first surgery of the day so we had to be there early (5:30 if I'm remembering right) to finish paperwork, bloodwork, urinalysis etc. It always makes me laugh that they can't take my word for it on the final urinalysis, which tests for pregnancy. Dad came with me to the hospital. Mom had come down with a cough/cold so she stayed home. By the time I saw the anesthesiologist I had answered the questions "What is your name?, When is your birthday? and "What procedure is being done today?" at least 10 times. Dr. Reichman gave the OK for my physical therapist, Seth Kelson, to come and watch the surgery. Hopefully, it will allow us to be a little more aggressive with my therapy. Dr. R's son James works at the therapy office.


Going in. The markers showing that they were in the correct spot. I'm laying on my stomach.


Close up of the previous x-ray. You can see how narrow my disc space had become and the bone spurs on my L4-5 vertebrae.

The fusion is from my 3rd lumbar vertebrae to my sacrum. In short it was an L3-S1 fusion. The whole surgery took about 4 hours to do. In a fusion, screws are placed into the vertebrae and then they are connected to rods that run down the back of the vertebrae. They rod length is specific to the amount of disc space that they're trying to restore. There are also disc spacers that are put in, in between each vertebrae. The thickness of the Peek spacers is also specific to the amount of gapping that they want. Dr. Reichman said that I would lose about half of my flexion with how many levels I had fused.


The actual fusion. I was amazed at how much disc space Dr. Reichman was able to put back in my spine.


Almost normal. My new hardware.


Back staples. They closed me up with staples rather than stitches. I was surprised how much I couldn't really feel them, although they itched and I was more than happy to get them out.

I spent 3 days in the hospital. I felt bad for dad because whenever he'd come to see me, I'd be able to talk for about 10 minutes and then I'd get so sleepy I'd fall asleep mid conversation. Dr. Reichman came in each morning to check on me and I know that I talked to him, but I don't remember much since I was drugged and he would come in early in the morning just as I was waking up. He said that it had gone as expected. My nurses were awesome, especially the two I had the first night there. They had the privilege of getting me up and walking with me. I thought I'd pull them over when I stood up because I wasn't ready for how weak my legs were. I've never been that shaky in my entire life. It was strange to feel like I didn't have that much control over my legs.

Dr. Reichman and the PT that came in both tested my strength and sensations. The strength was still slightly diminished and my foot was still buzzing, which I think surprised Dr. R a little. I got another corset to wear while I'm recovering. They are a little uncomfortable but nice at the same time because they can be tightened in the spots where I need the most support.

My first night home, went to mom and dad's, I did ok but that morning I was in so much pain, I wanted to go back to the hospital. Luckily, dad gave me a blessing and it eased off a bit. I also read my post-op information and it said that days 4-6 were usually the worst. I'm guessing it's because you aren't as drugged up as in the hospital and are in a different bed.

For the first three months all I could do was walk. It has been really hard to not be able to do anything physically active and even walking would send my back into spasms so I've had to be really cautious.
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At my follow-up visit with David Glassford, Dr. Reichman's LPN, he told me that it could take up to 2 years for all the feeling to come back in my foot and shin. That wasn't what I needed to hear but it is what it is. Nerves take a long time to regenerate.

As a motivator, I am taking a photography class from one of my favorite photographers, Willie Holdman. www.willieholdman.com It's an on-site class, up in the Wasatch mountains. I asked David if he thought I would be ready for it and he said he didn't see why not. I guess we'll find out soon enough....the class is this weekend.