Last thing. The hospital bed was picked up on Tuesday. I am officially sleeping in a regular bed again, and quite comfortably at that. Still can't sleep on my side, but hoping that I can soon.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Cloud 9
I know its been a few days, but progress is continuing so smoothly that I don't want to bore you with uneventful updates. Today, however, I had two doctors appointments I can report on. Early this morning I had an appointment to get my brace re-fitted because as you may recall I was having major pain every time I attempted to wear it. Turns out, the brace was not fitting correctly and was not touching and therefore not supporting the correct parts of my back. So I stripped down and put on a tube sock looking thing that covered my whole torso and I was casted. They wrapped me in this sticky bandage material and within minutes it had completely hardened, it was then cut off of me right where my incision runs. That was anything but comfortable. Immediately after that appointment I had my first follow up appointment with Dr. Marco. They performed an x-ray and I was called back to the room. Dr. Marco was so thrilled with how well I was doing and my ability to get around that he actually video taped me. I had mentioned that I have been using my feet to pick things up off the floor, well I can essentially bring my foot to my chest on both side and I can sit on the floor and stand back up without bending my back at all. This apparently stirred a response from Dr. Marco that went something like this.... You're crazy, that's unbelievable, I've never seen someone be able to do that so soon after surgery. He also told me my incision is looking great, and I don't need to see him until December. Oh, and the best thing..... I don't need to wear a brace!!!!! The new x-rays showed my top curve measuring 23 degrees and my bottom curve measuring at 21 degrees. The doctor told me that he could have gotten a 100% correction on my upper curve, but that that may have caused the bottom curve to over correct, and as a result throw me off balance. Amazingly, my bottom curve which remained untouched spontaneously corrected itself from 35 degrees to 21 degrees. That is truly amazing, and speaks volumes about Dr. Marco's knowledge. I think had I not been under the care of such an amazing surgeon I would have had unnecessary vertebrae fused, and limited flexibility as a result. Dr. Marco also told me that he read my blog. I feel honored! So, Dr. Marco, if you read this, just know how truly happy I am with the work you have done. You have changed my life, and I am eternally grateful to you. I feel so blessed to have found you.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
October 6th and beyond
I made my decision very early this year to have surgery. Did all my research and by May 12, 2011 I had my surgery date scheduled and 5 grueling months of waiting ensued. I had a fabulous summer with family and friends and enjoyed my kids as much as humanly possible. Life stopped for me after October 6th, not that it actually did, but all my plans for the year stopped on October 6th, Its like life after surgery was an unknown place that wasn't really even talked about. Not because it didn't exist, but because nobody could have told me how my recovery would have gone and therefore no plans could be made. I spent so much time preparing for October 6th that I never thought about all the great things that would follow, Drew's birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas!! I never in a million years would have thought that aside from my little bump in the road in the hospital I'd be doing so well. On Thursday which was Tim's last day here in Houston, we all went to Target to go spend some of Drew's birthday money, then out to lunch at Panera. I even spent some time in the afternoon at Kohls, and Ross. Aside from the car ride being unpleasant, I actually did quite well. I now walk next to people and think to myself.... you have no idea what I've been through, you can't even imagine what I have in my back. It's kind of cool! It's even cooler, that nobody knows. It belongs to me, and I look normal. I'm even walking normally again, just two weeks after surgery. Reverting back to the car ride, it isn't painful anymore to ride in the car, it is just a very strange feeling that is difficult to put into words. It feels like having a little earthworm wriggling off of a broken stiff twig would look like. Its like total stiffness on top, and then movement underneath, and every bump in the road creates different sensations in different parts of my back.
Life is almost so normal now, that I'm starting to feel that familiar guilty feeling I used to have when I didn't 100% involve myself in everything my kids did. When I do take those 30 minutes to an hour to go up and "recover" from my standing and walking I feel like I should be downstairs entertaining them. Thanks God for my Mom who now has full responsibility of them while I continue to heal. I am surrounded by family and friends so dedicated to making this as easy for me as possible. My parents watching my kids, enrolling them and paying for amazing preschool three times a week. Feeding, bathing, clothing them. I am so lucky! My Mom's friends have been flooding me with flowers and phone calls and even hospital visits. I received Get Well cards from family in England. Not to mention, lots of Facebook well wishes. Seriously, its things like this that make you realize how much love one is surrounded around. So, thanks to all who are making this journey as easy for me as possible.
I happen to stumble upon a scoliosis forum last night on which a lady talks about her newly released singe called "This Scar." Its a song about her journey through scoliosis. Its a little bit corny, but I thought I'd share it with you. Release date was October 14, just 8 days after my surgery. Click on the link below.
http://lisanicolegrace.bandcamp.com/track/this-scar
Life is almost so normal now, that I'm starting to feel that familiar guilty feeling I used to have when I didn't 100% involve myself in everything my kids did. When I do take those 30 minutes to an hour to go up and "recover" from my standing and walking I feel like I should be downstairs entertaining them. Thanks God for my Mom who now has full responsibility of them while I continue to heal. I am surrounded by family and friends so dedicated to making this as easy for me as possible. My parents watching my kids, enrolling them and paying for amazing preschool three times a week. Feeding, bathing, clothing them. I am so lucky! My Mom's friends have been flooding me with flowers and phone calls and even hospital visits. I received Get Well cards from family in England. Not to mention, lots of Facebook well wishes. Seriously, its things like this that make you realize how much love one is surrounded around. So, thanks to all who are making this journey as easy for me as possible.
I happen to stumble upon a scoliosis forum last night on which a lady talks about her newly released singe called "This Scar." Its a song about her journey through scoliosis. Its a little bit corny, but I thought I'd share it with you. Release date was October 14, just 8 days after my surgery. Click on the link below.
http://lisanicolegrace.bandcamp.com/track/this-scar
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The hours go by slowly, the days even slower, but it seems like just yesterday I went into surgery. This make no sense. My life is so monotonous right now and pretty much just revolves around standing/walking time and laying down time. I feel so unproductive. There is so much I can't be a part of just yet, and I feel like that hospital bed staring back at me to my right is my prison chamber. One I have to succumb to or the pain and exhaustion set in. I wish I knew when the pain will end. If someone were to tell me, its going to hurt like this for the next 23 days and then you'll be much much better,then I can prepare for that. I can plan my days according to this pain, and know that there will be an end. On day 24 I'll be at the park playing with my kids, skipping steps going up the stairs, and sleeping on my side again. Truth is I don't know, and that's what sucks. I don't have a crystal ball that will tell me when it will all be better. I spend 75% of my time so proud of how far I've come in the last two weeks, and so hopeful about my recovery. Then there's the other 25% that sneaks up every now and then and makes time slow down, and brings on that sense of loneliness as the world and people in it that you love continue at the same speed you were at just so little ago. I was never one to stop and smell the roses before. I lived a very fast paced, active lifestyle and never used my back as an excuse for anything. Maybe this will teach me some life lessons I wasn't yet ready to learn. About being in the moment, enjoying the little things I so casually overlooked, and staring at a blank calendar without feeling the need to fill it. After all this is just a tiny fragment of my life. I'll get back to me.
(Jumping back onto my 75%)
I am supposed to wear a back brace for the next 6-8 weeks to help with stabilization, but I am having all sorts of problems with it. It causes me so much pain from wearing it, and I go from being able to be up and around for a couple of hours at a time to maybe 30 minutes max. I finally emailed my doctor about it, and he told me to just take it off, it isn't that important to go have it re-fitted. So happy about this. That thing is like a torture device for the newly operated on. It seems a little big everywhere, and quite heavy on my very sore back. I also have this innovative device called an Orthofix Bone Growth Stimulator. Here is a little excerpt from their website:
(Jumping back onto my 75%)
I am supposed to wear a back brace for the next 6-8 weeks to help with stabilization, but I am having all sorts of problems with it. It causes me so much pain from wearing it, and I go from being able to be up and around for a couple of hours at a time to maybe 30 minutes max. I finally emailed my doctor about it, and he told me to just take it off, it isn't that important to go have it re-fitted. So happy about this. That thing is like a torture device for the newly operated on. It seems a little big everywhere, and quite heavy on my very sore back. I also have this innovative device called an Orthofix Bone Growth Stimulator. Here is a little excerpt from their website:
The Spinal-Stim spinal fusion system is a safe, nonsurgical treatment your doctor has prescribed to aid the healing of your spinal fusion. Spinal-Stim is a bone growth stimulator which uses a very low-strength pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) to activate the body’s natural healing process.
Electrical currents have been used to heal bones since the mid-1800’s. However, it wasn’t until the 1950’s that scientists made an important discovery. When human bone is bent or broken, it generates an electrical field. This low-level electrical field activates the body’s internal repair mechanism which, in turn, stimulates bone healing.
Bone growth stimulation therapy was initially used to stimulate the natural healing process in long bone fractures. The treatment proved so successful that scientists studied its effectiveness in healing spinal fusions. The results showed that, when Spinal-Stim is used following spine surgery, fusion success can be increased when compared to surgery without Spinal-Stim treatment.1
The white underneath is the brace, and the donut looking black thing is the Orthofix device. Fancy, huh? I am required to wear my bone growth stimulator two-hours every day for 3 months to help the fusion along. It is all computerized and my doctor can check on my progress and can even tell if I'm cheating or not. :)
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Little Bit of Everything
I believe in setting goals. I think its motivating to have something to work for. Sometime goals can be small, like just today my goal was to poop, and it only 11am and I've already accomplished this. Goals are motivating, and I think and important part of any day, week, month, you get the point. November 5, 2011 Katy, Texas will be hosting a Viva Las Vegas 5k Fun Run/Walk and my goal is to walk my first post-op 5k on that day. That gives me 3 weeks from yesterday to make this happen, and I think its feasible. I will not do anything to hurt the progress of my surgery, but it is known that the more you walk in recovery during this surgery, the faster you heal. I have absolutely no walking restrictions except for when my body tells me enough. As of Thursday I will be two weeks post-op. That day I will officially put on my walking shoes and hit the streets to prepare for my event. Until then, I'll be safely taking my indoor lap I've gotten comfortable with in the house. Wish me luck, and I hope I can do it!
Yesterday was the first day I was left alone for a few hours since my surgery. I confidently said good bye to my husband, mother, and kids as they went off to the mall. Other than doing a load of laundry, I did my best to take it as easy as possible. Now, let me preface this story by telling you about my hospital bed. It is electric and with a hit of my remote I can elevate feet, back, middle and anything in between. I was laying on my bed watching TV and playing on my Ipad when I decided I was done with playing with "My Clinic" App on Ipad and folded up my device and tossed it on the bed to my left just below my waist. This also happens to be the exact location of where the remote for my bed was located. The impact of the Ipad on the remote not only triggered the operation of the simultaneous lift of the body and leg function, but it also managed to push it about another few inches away from my reach. As the familiar cranking sound of the bed engaged I realized what was happening. As my back and legs began then endless merge I desperately tried to reach the remote, but to no avail. I quickly maneuvered my "Log Roll" technique and got myself out of bed. The only reaction I could muster up was uncontrollable laughter which right now sounds somewhere like a laugh, choke, and gasp for air because it hurts so bad to laugh. I looked like something out of a movie, and I couldn't believe what I had actually done.
Moving on, today is day 10 post op and am happy to report that I am weaning off of the pain pills already. Just to give some perspective. While I was at my worst in the hospital I was taking 3 (5mg) Oxycontin pills every 4 hours to manage my level of pain a long with a strong muscle relaxer (xanaflex) every 8 hours. Since yesterday, I am only taking ONE oxycontin every 6 hours and a muscle relaxer every 12 hours. Pretty much awesomeness. Nice to have my head out of the clouds, and being able to manage my pain on just Tylenol with a little bit of a boost when needed is so much better on your body than narcotics, yuck! I do still have pain, but pain is relative, and thinking about where I was one week ago Tylenol seems appropriate. I'm hoping to be completely off the narcotics soon. Muscle relaxers might take a while longer because they really do help with the tightness that builds up and the random muscle spasms that can really hurt.
Last night, I got to keep the kids up a little bit past bedtime and we all snuggled on my bed together and looked at pictures on my camera and enjoyed closeness. One of the tougher things about recovering from this is the distance I've had to keep from them. I can't give them squeezes and they can't give me either. Man, do I miss my Lyla and Drew hugs. They are the best! All the more reason to enjoy them when I can again. I since declared a new bedtime routine: Bath with Bela, then storytime, prayers and snuggles in Mommy's hospital bed. Can't wait! I am so impressed with how well they are handling having "Mommy's back hurt." Drew gives me the most gentle high fives ever and Lyla strokes me and tells me sorry on an hourly basis.
Yesterday was the first day I was left alone for a few hours since my surgery. I confidently said good bye to my husband, mother, and kids as they went off to the mall. Other than doing a load of laundry, I did my best to take it as easy as possible. Now, let me preface this story by telling you about my hospital bed. It is electric and with a hit of my remote I can elevate feet, back, middle and anything in between. I was laying on my bed watching TV and playing on my Ipad when I decided I was done with playing with "My Clinic" App on Ipad and folded up my device and tossed it on the bed to my left just below my waist. This also happens to be the exact location of where the remote for my bed was located. The impact of the Ipad on the remote not only triggered the operation of the simultaneous lift of the body and leg function, but it also managed to push it about another few inches away from my reach. As the familiar cranking sound of the bed engaged I realized what was happening. As my back and legs began then endless merge I desperately tried to reach the remote, but to no avail. I quickly maneuvered my "Log Roll" technique and got myself out of bed. The only reaction I could muster up was uncontrollable laughter which right now sounds somewhere like a laugh, choke, and gasp for air because it hurts so bad to laugh. I looked like something out of a movie, and I couldn't believe what I had actually done.
Moving on, today is day 10 post op and am happy to report that I am weaning off of the pain pills already. Just to give some perspective. While I was at my worst in the hospital I was taking 3 (5mg) Oxycontin pills every 4 hours to manage my level of pain a long with a strong muscle relaxer (xanaflex) every 8 hours. Since yesterday, I am only taking ONE oxycontin every 6 hours and a muscle relaxer every 12 hours. Pretty much awesomeness. Nice to have my head out of the clouds, and being able to manage my pain on just Tylenol with a little bit of a boost when needed is so much better on your body than narcotics, yuck! I do still have pain, but pain is relative, and thinking about where I was one week ago Tylenol seems appropriate. I'm hoping to be completely off the narcotics soon. Muscle relaxers might take a while longer because they really do help with the tightness that builds up and the random muscle spasms that can really hurt.
Last night, I got to keep the kids up a little bit past bedtime and we all snuggled on my bed together and looked at pictures on my camera and enjoyed closeness. One of the tougher things about recovering from this is the distance I've had to keep from them. I can't give them squeezes and they can't give me either. Man, do I miss my Lyla and Drew hugs. They are the best! All the more reason to enjoy them when I can again. I since declared a new bedtime routine: Bath with Bela, then storytime, prayers and snuggles in Mommy's hospital bed. Can't wait! I am so impressed with how well they are handling having "Mommy's back hurt." Drew gives me the most gentle high fives ever and Lyla strokes me and tells me sorry on an hourly basis.
Finally, I made a list of all I am able to do already. I so much farther along than I thought I'd be:
1) I can bathe, dry, and dress myself
2) I can go down to my knees and back up again without moving my back at all
3) I can pee without thought again. The first few times I was sitting on the toilet for 15 minutes trying to remember how to do it.
4) I can dry, and flat iron my hair
5) I can do a load of laundry
6) I can make lunch for my kids (sandwiches and diced peaches)
7) I can be out of bed for 2 hours at a time, no problem
8) I can pick small item off the ground with my toes and bring them up to my hands ( grapes, hair ties, clothes)
That's all I can think of right now, but I'm pretty happy with my progress.
Here is the after back. I can't bend per my doctors orders, but I'm quite pleased. I do still have swelling as it has only been 10 days, but I think its pretty amazing. Here is the before again, in case you forgot.
Before of my and Tim:
And After:
Yay!! I think about an inch to an inch and a half.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Hot Momma!
I just had to post this because for the first time since this painful ordeal I'm seeing how worth it was. Now I didn't make the decision to have this surgery because I looked funny because I had ample time to make that decision. I had it because I was beginning to have much more pain associated with my curve and the younger you have this corrective procedure the better the outcome overall. Now that being said, there are some MAJOR perks to having your spine straightened out. I look amazing!! I haven't said that about myself since I was 16, I think. I just took my clothes off and looked at myself in a full length mirror for the first time and the change in my body is miraculous. My back is completely straight, my rib hump is essentially gone. Nobody, not even me can see it. I have a beautiful, even waistline. Oh, and when you grown about 1.5 inches over night in the back it does wonders for your front. Instant tummy tuck and breast lift, seriously! So, happy me!! On that happy note, I've had a pretty active morning and my body is telling me its nap time.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Post Op X-rays
You can see the correction of the top curvature here. Dr. Marco found my back to be very flexible when he was correcting it, but had to leave some curve of the spine there so that the bottom curve wouldn't over compensate. The bottom curve will continue to straighten out just a little bit. From a standing back view, I now look totally straight.
Bionic Woman!! Look at the size of those screws. Pretty amazing!! On the lower left portion of that x-ray where it looks like a blank spot is very high on my bowels and where my ileus was. Everything I ate would get stopped there and back up and create the worst gas ever. Not fun farty gas, but painful, stagnant bloating gas that felt like you were going to die.
Ode to Tim
Just a quick note to publicly thank Tim for being so amazing this last week and always. He was perfect in every way. Kept me strong when I was crumbling stroked my head when I would shake with uncontrollable pain. Wiped me, bathed me, dressed me, and still told me I was beautiful. Prayed for me like real men do. Even had a hospital bed waiting for me at home so I don't have to worry about getting and out of bed or being uncomfortable. I cry as I write this because I feel so lucky to have him. What did I do to deserve him? I don't know know, but I'm hanging on. Thanks Timmy for being so good to me, not just when its good. Love you and thank you for posting on my blog when I didn't even know my name. :)
I made it home!!
Yesterday, Thursday, morning I was finally well enough to be discharged. This is never a very fast process and I didn't actually leave the hospital until 4:30p. The morning started out really well. It was my first morning that my stomach felt awake again and I was craving any food that happen to flash on the TV. I was up and walking the halls and all the nurses and staff that had seen me over the previous week were stopping me to say how amazing I looked and how happy they were to be seeing me going home. I even gave them virtual hugs because the thought of actually receiving a hug right now would be as painful as a slap in the face, probably worse.
Tim packed up much of the room and made a trip home to Katy, about 30 minutes away to drop off "stuff" and pick up pillows that would make my trip from more comfortable. While he was gone, I decided eating and entire banana in 5 minutes was a good idea. I felt up to it, my stomach felt fine, even hungry. Within 30 minutes I had that all too familiar feeling that you get right before you throw up. I managed to get out of bed, and take my jacket off. As I panned the room for my vomit bucket I was heart-broken at the site of it on the floor. Currently anything below my waist level doesn't exist and cannot be picked up. I quickly made my way to the bathroom where I got into a perfect lunge position so I was head level with the sink and proceeded to vomit into my wheel chair accessible sink. YUCK! OUCH! Vomiting causes extreme pain when recovering from back surgery as can be imagined. And only a couple short hours after that were were on our way home from the hospital which turned out to be the most painful car ride of my life. I will be avoiding cars for as long as possible. Its like all of my shock absorption was removed during surgery and every insignificant bump in the road felt like daggers in my back and like it was just going to snap in two.
My babies were so excited to see me and after putting on a momentary brave face all I could do was cry because I could hug them, kiss them, or pick them up like they are used to being greeted. They know Mommy's back is hurting, but not silly and crooked anymore, and they know it's going to take some time for me to get better, but that concept of time means nothing to them. They miss me, and they tell me constantly, and I've only been home a day.
The rest of the afternoon was extremely painful and it took until about midnight for me to get my pain under control again.
So I'm home, today has been a pretty good day. My back is expected to hurt and will continue to do so for a long time, but its the major stomach issues I was not ready to battle. Still can barely eat more than an ounce of something very bland at a time, and only about 4 times a day. Can't wait to eat normally again. In the meantime, I'm getting skinny!!!! And tall!!! Its like a supermodel diet.
Tim packed up much of the room and made a trip home to Katy, about 30 minutes away to drop off "stuff" and pick up pillows that would make my trip from more comfortable. While he was gone, I decided eating and entire banana in 5 minutes was a good idea. I felt up to it, my stomach felt fine, even hungry. Within 30 minutes I had that all too familiar feeling that you get right before you throw up. I managed to get out of bed, and take my jacket off. As I panned the room for my vomit bucket I was heart-broken at the site of it on the floor. Currently anything below my waist level doesn't exist and cannot be picked up. I quickly made my way to the bathroom where I got into a perfect lunge position so I was head level with the sink and proceeded to vomit into my wheel chair accessible sink. YUCK! OUCH! Vomiting causes extreme pain when recovering from back surgery as can be imagined. And only a couple short hours after that were were on our way home from the hospital which turned out to be the most painful car ride of my life. I will be avoiding cars for as long as possible. Its like all of my shock absorption was removed during surgery and every insignificant bump in the road felt like daggers in my back and like it was just going to snap in two.
My babies were so excited to see me and after putting on a momentary brave face all I could do was cry because I could hug them, kiss them, or pick them up like they are used to being greeted. They know Mommy's back is hurting, but not silly and crooked anymore, and they know it's going to take some time for me to get better, but that concept of time means nothing to them. They miss me, and they tell me constantly, and I've only been home a day.
The rest of the afternoon was extremely painful and it took until about midnight for me to get my pain under control again.
So I'm home, today has been a pretty good day. My back is expected to hurt and will continue to do so for a long time, but its the major stomach issues I was not ready to battle. Still can barely eat more than an ounce of something very bland at a time, and only about 4 times a day. Can't wait to eat normally again. In the meantime, I'm getting skinny!!!! And tall!!! Its like a supermodel diet.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Where am I.. Who Are you?
Starting where I left off in my last post...
At midnight the nurse came in with her next dose of pain meds and she was still fast asleep. He asked whether or not we should wake her to which I replied, "Absolutely!" If she was to continue to sleep and the pain medication wore off she would wake up miserable. When I tried to wake her I got a response that was totally new. She woke up in a complete panic and was looking around the room and back and forth between the nurse and I. She kept asking, "What's going on? Where am I?" I could tell from her eyes that she was totally confused and tried to reassure her that everything was fine. I kept repeating that we were in the hospital and we were waking her up to take her pain medication but she just couldn't understand. I really got concerned when she started asking who we were and why we were laughing at her. To be honest, I probably did have a stupid smirk on my face in response to her confusion but I honestly don't remember laughing. A few minutes later she had better grasp on the situation and took her medication. I hoped she would fall right back asleep but she kept saying that she was scared and didn't want to go back to sleep. At that point the abdominal pain was coming back and she had to get up to move about the room to try to get some relief. More than an hour passed and she spent much of that time between the bed and bathroom before she finally got comfortable and went back to sleep. At 2:15am she was awake again and had to make another trip to the restroom while I stayed in bed. She woke me up shortly after and requested another dose of Tylenol because she felt as if she was running a fever again. Once she took that she went back to bed and lay awake in considerable pain and discomfort until the nurse came with her next dose of pain medication at 4am.
After that dose she fell back asleep until 6:30am when we got our first of multiple visits from the doctors. Dr. Marco came in and expressed some concern that her condition had not gotten better and was going to consult an Internal Medicine doctor. At 6:45am Jerry came in and discussed the same and said that they were going to have the Internal Doctor pay her a visit. At 7:30am the Internal Doctor came in to introduce himself and do an overall check up of her condition. Afterwards, he consulted with Dr. Marco and Jerry and the decision was made to run a CT Scan on her abdomen to make certain her digestive track was working properly. By this time she was once again dealing with significant abdominal pain and we wanted to find out what was the cause. At 8am the Tech came in from Radiology to discuss the procedure and brought with him the two bottles of Barium she would have to consume before the scan could be done. Each bottle was approximately 20 ounces and contained a milky white substance. She was instructed that she would have to drink the entire first bottle and 80% of the second bottle before they would take her down for the scan. As you can imagine, she was already feeling full and bloated and had only been able to consume trace amounts of fluid for the past 3 days. Now they were asking her to consume about 40 ounces of fluid and it had to be done within a 2 hour time period. I don't know how she managed but she somehow got it all down and they wheeled her down to the Radiology department at 9:45am. By 10:15am she was back in the room and we both waited anxiously for the results. At 11am the Internal Doctor came in to report what we had all been hoping. The scan showed no blockages and no serious issues with her digestive track. The only thing he could see was that her digestive system was taking longer than expected to "wake up" from the anesthesia and was working slower than it should. He mentioned that if necessary, they could run a tube through her nose down to her stomach to relieve the pressure but by this time Alison was starting to feel some of the gas migrating down her digestive track and declined the offer.
Soon after he left, Alison was lying in bed and felt the sudden urge to "go." She got up as quickly as possible and made it to the restroom. From that point on, for the next couple hours, she spent the majority of the time in the restroom. She would come out and start to get comfortable on her bed or in the chair before once again saying, "OH NO.." and hustling off to the restroom. By late afternoon things were really starting to look up. She was feeling a significant reduction in the gas pressure in her abdomen and the pain medications were once again working as they should. She got very groggy and fell fast asleep for nearly two hours and it was some of the best, most restful sleep yet. Since then, she has still felt some pressure in her abdomen but it seems to be less and less prevalent.
It's now 9pm and she has been doing quite well ever since. She still has the abdominal pain but it is much more manageable than before. She received her last dose of pain medication at 8pm and they are going to be administering a sleeping aide her very shortly. After that, hopefully it's SWEET DREAMS!
At midnight the nurse came in with her next dose of pain meds and she was still fast asleep. He asked whether or not we should wake her to which I replied, "Absolutely!" If she was to continue to sleep and the pain medication wore off she would wake up miserable. When I tried to wake her I got a response that was totally new. She woke up in a complete panic and was looking around the room and back and forth between the nurse and I. She kept asking, "What's going on? Where am I?" I could tell from her eyes that she was totally confused and tried to reassure her that everything was fine. I kept repeating that we were in the hospital and we were waking her up to take her pain medication but she just couldn't understand. I really got concerned when she started asking who we were and why we were laughing at her. To be honest, I probably did have a stupid smirk on my face in response to her confusion but I honestly don't remember laughing. A few minutes later she had better grasp on the situation and took her medication. I hoped she would fall right back asleep but she kept saying that she was scared and didn't want to go back to sleep. At that point the abdominal pain was coming back and she had to get up to move about the room to try to get some relief. More than an hour passed and she spent much of that time between the bed and bathroom before she finally got comfortable and went back to sleep. At 2:15am she was awake again and had to make another trip to the restroom while I stayed in bed. She woke me up shortly after and requested another dose of Tylenol because she felt as if she was running a fever again. Once she took that she went back to bed and lay awake in considerable pain and discomfort until the nurse came with her next dose of pain medication at 4am.
After that dose she fell back asleep until 6:30am when we got our first of multiple visits from the doctors. Dr. Marco came in and expressed some concern that her condition had not gotten better and was going to consult an Internal Medicine doctor. At 6:45am Jerry came in and discussed the same and said that they were going to have the Internal Doctor pay her a visit. At 7:30am the Internal Doctor came in to introduce himself and do an overall check up of her condition. Afterwards, he consulted with Dr. Marco and Jerry and the decision was made to run a CT Scan on her abdomen to make certain her digestive track was working properly. By this time she was once again dealing with significant abdominal pain and we wanted to find out what was the cause. At 8am the Tech came in from Radiology to discuss the procedure and brought with him the two bottles of Barium she would have to consume before the scan could be done. Each bottle was approximately 20 ounces and contained a milky white substance. She was instructed that she would have to drink the entire first bottle and 80% of the second bottle before they would take her down for the scan. As you can imagine, she was already feeling full and bloated and had only been able to consume trace amounts of fluid for the past 3 days. Now they were asking her to consume about 40 ounces of fluid and it had to be done within a 2 hour time period. I don't know how she managed but she somehow got it all down and they wheeled her down to the Radiology department at 9:45am. By 10:15am she was back in the room and we both waited anxiously for the results. At 11am the Internal Doctor came in to report what we had all been hoping. The scan showed no blockages and no serious issues with her digestive track. The only thing he could see was that her digestive system was taking longer than expected to "wake up" from the anesthesia and was working slower than it should. He mentioned that if necessary, they could run a tube through her nose down to her stomach to relieve the pressure but by this time Alison was starting to feel some of the gas migrating down her digestive track and declined the offer.
Soon after he left, Alison was lying in bed and felt the sudden urge to "go." She got up as quickly as possible and made it to the restroom. From that point on, for the next couple hours, she spent the majority of the time in the restroom. She would come out and start to get comfortable on her bed or in the chair before once again saying, "OH NO.." and hustling off to the restroom. By late afternoon things were really starting to look up. She was feeling a significant reduction in the gas pressure in her abdomen and the pain medications were once again working as they should. She got very groggy and fell fast asleep for nearly two hours and it was some of the best, most restful sleep yet. Since then, she has still felt some pressure in her abdomen but it seems to be less and less prevalent.
It's now 9pm and she has been doing quite well ever since. She still has the abdominal pain but it is much more manageable than before. She received her last dose of pain medication at 8pm and they are going to be administering a sleeping aide her very shortly. After that, hopefully it's SWEET DREAMS!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Brutal..Brutal..Brutal Day
Aren't things supposed to get easier day by day?? Today was just plain awful. It started off with another night of not much sleep and nearly no relief from the bloating and constant pain. It seems that no matter what they tried nothing was able to touch the problems she was having. She was still taking the Oxycordone every 4hrs and muscle relaxer every 8hrs but was seeing no relief. It seemed as if the bloating was sapping every bit of pain medication they put in her body leaving her to cope with the back pain and muscle spasms completely on her own.
At 4pm they gave her the pain medication just before Bella and the kids arrived. The noon dose didn't have much affect and the bloating was causing her so much discomfort that we thought about calling Bella and canceling the visit. Since the kids already thought they were coming to see mommy that wasn't an option. Alison put on the best "I feel fine" face I have ever seen for someone in excruciating pain. She was in tears just before the kids arrived when she tried to get herself out of bed. When they came in the door it was obvious they didn't quite know what to make of the situation. Neither kid ran up and tried to hug her which was what worried me the most. Especially if she was up on her feet. It wouldn't take much to knock her off balance and send her tumbling to the floor. I think Bella had them prepared as well as possible because they were both on their best behavior and being very careful around mommy. The visit didn't last long because she was in so much pain and I don't know if it did more harm than good but I know Ali misses them terribly and I think it was good for her to see them.
After they left she was still feeling no relief. The nurses continued to try everything in their power to relieve the gas bubble and pressure in her abdomen to no avail. She laid in bed shaking from the pain and clutching her belly while the tears flowed down her face for the next 3hrs. At 8pm the new nurse on duty came in and it was desperate times for sure. He gave her all the normal doses of pain medication, muscle relaxers, anti-gas, anti-nausea, stool softeners and laxatives but by 9pm, when she normally would have been groggy and ready for a nap, she was still wide awake and in constant abdominal pain. I was out in the hall in his ear for the next half-hour. I couldn't wrap my mind around why the medication had worked so well for her the prior two days and today it was as if she had a total immunity to it. His best guess was that the stomach problems were trumping the other pains and she wouldn't get any relief until they started to resolve themselves. We tried one final time with a suppository and waited. 15min later she finally felt the gas start to move and from there it was just a race back and forth between the restroom and her bed. This continued for the next 30min and I noticed a gradual slurring of her words and slowing down of her movements which told me the medication was finally starting to take effect. It is now 10:30pm and I can say with confidence she is feeling full relief from the pain and misery that was the last 24hrs. As long as she can keep the stomach issues at bay, the medication should work as planned and we should be able to go home tomorrow.
(My Prayer for Tonight)
Dear Heavenly Father:
I lay her tonight next to the strongest woman I have ever known. She is in desperate need of a good night's sleep and I will gladly give mine for hers. Please, oh please Lord, just let her rest.
Amen
At 4pm they gave her the pain medication just before Bella and the kids arrived. The noon dose didn't have much affect and the bloating was causing her so much discomfort that we thought about calling Bella and canceling the visit. Since the kids already thought they were coming to see mommy that wasn't an option. Alison put on the best "I feel fine" face I have ever seen for someone in excruciating pain. She was in tears just before the kids arrived when she tried to get herself out of bed. When they came in the door it was obvious they didn't quite know what to make of the situation. Neither kid ran up and tried to hug her which was what worried me the most. Especially if she was up on her feet. It wouldn't take much to knock her off balance and send her tumbling to the floor. I think Bella had them prepared as well as possible because they were both on their best behavior and being very careful around mommy. The visit didn't last long because she was in so much pain and I don't know if it did more harm than good but I know Ali misses them terribly and I think it was good for her to see them.
After they left she was still feeling no relief. The nurses continued to try everything in their power to relieve the gas bubble and pressure in her abdomen to no avail. She laid in bed shaking from the pain and clutching her belly while the tears flowed down her face for the next 3hrs. At 8pm the new nurse on duty came in and it was desperate times for sure. He gave her all the normal doses of pain medication, muscle relaxers, anti-gas, anti-nausea, stool softeners and laxatives but by 9pm, when she normally would have been groggy and ready for a nap, she was still wide awake and in constant abdominal pain. I was out in the hall in his ear for the next half-hour. I couldn't wrap my mind around why the medication had worked so well for her the prior two days and today it was as if she had a total immunity to it. His best guess was that the stomach problems were trumping the other pains and she wouldn't get any relief until they started to resolve themselves. We tried one final time with a suppository and waited. 15min later she finally felt the gas start to move and from there it was just a race back and forth between the restroom and her bed. This continued for the next 30min and I noticed a gradual slurring of her words and slowing down of her movements which told me the medication was finally starting to take effect. It is now 10:30pm and I can say with confidence she is feeling full relief from the pain and misery that was the last 24hrs. As long as she can keep the stomach issues at bay, the medication should work as planned and we should be able to go home tomorrow.
(My Prayer for Tonight)
Dear Heavenly Father:
I lay her tonight next to the strongest woman I have ever known. She is in desperate need of a good night's sleep and I will gladly give mine for hers. Please, oh please Lord, just let her rest.
Amen
Viewer Discretion ADVISED
Ali asked that I post this picture.
This was taken by one of the nurses during the surgery and shows the incision, spine and hardware in place.
If you're squeamish, you might want to skip this one.
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Progress is Progress...
The new medication seems to be making a difference. The daytime pain has been much more manageable but the nighttime pain is still frustrating. After the early morning torture that was the abdominal x-ray things started to improve greatly. Her biggest issue was the abdominal bloating and pain it was causing. As you can imagine, the more bloated and tight you are in the front, the more pressure it puts on your back. After the visit from Jerry, Dr. Marco's P.A., she began to feel for the first time some mobility in the gas bubble that had been in place since Friday. She decided to try once again to eat an Activia Yogurt and I think that was the match that lit the fire. Her belly began to rumble loud enough to be audible from across the room and she spent the rest of the day between the bed and the restroom. Although she got some relief from the gas movement, she found it frustrating to have to get out of bed on a regular basis to hustle to the bathroom. Especially considering the lack of sleep the night before.
Last night she went to sleep around 10pm and we were both looking forward to a decent night after the progress in the pain management. At midnight, the nurse came in to administer her next dose of pain meds and things were still looking good. At 2:30am though she was already in pain. She couldn't sleep because of it and she was still an hour and a half from her next dose. She laid awake in bed trying different positions to get some relief but nothing worked. By the time 4am and her next dose arrived she was in serious need of some immediate relief. She requested and received another dose of Morphine in her IV along with the pain pills. We then tried to get some more sleep without much success until Jerry came in this morning to check on her once again. He was happy with her progress and suggested that she discontinue the IV fluids and try to start on a more calorie rich diet. After breakfast, we took a stroll around the halls and then she was back in bed trying to catch up on some much needed sleep.
Today, we are planning on having Drew and Lyla come to visit for the first time. I'm excited for them to see their mom but nervous at the same time to see their reaction to her condition. I just hope that they will understand that they can't be too rough with mommy in this fragile state.
We'll keep you posted.
Last night she went to sleep around 10pm and we were both looking forward to a decent night after the progress in the pain management. At midnight, the nurse came in to administer her next dose of pain meds and things were still looking good. At 2:30am though she was already in pain. She couldn't sleep because of it and she was still an hour and a half from her next dose. She laid awake in bed trying different positions to get some relief but nothing worked. By the time 4am and her next dose arrived she was in serious need of some immediate relief. She requested and received another dose of Morphine in her IV along with the pain pills. We then tried to get some more sleep without much success until Jerry came in this morning to check on her once again. He was happy with her progress and suggested that she discontinue the IV fluids and try to start on a more calorie rich diet. After breakfast, we took a stroll around the halls and then she was back in bed trying to catch up on some much needed sleep.
Today, we are planning on having Drew and Lyla come to visit for the first time. I'm excited for them to see their mom but nervous at the same time to see their reaction to her condition. I just hope that they will understand that they can't be too rough with mommy in this fragile state.
We'll keep you posted.
Monday, October 10, 2011
It was not a good night...
The abdominal pain and bloating just won't go away. After spending most of the day on her feet or sitting yesterday in hopes of getting gas bubble to move she was exhausted and in severe pain once again last night. The abdominal pain has reached such a level of discomfort now that it is making even breathing difficult.
At 5am enough was enough.. I called the nurse back in and more or less demanded that she install another IV and give her a dose of Morphine to get some sort of relief from the pain and hopefully some sleep. After that was finished she was able to sleep from 5am - 8am but once again the new nurse that came on shift at 7am found us both asleep and decided not to disturb her sleep when it was time for her dose of Vicodin. So it goes without saying that when she woke up at 8am and she was an hour and a half over due for her pain meds she was miserable. The new nurse administered the pain medication at 8:30am and we spent a lot of time with her explaining the abdominal situation and urgency to get it resolved. The doctor was notified and he requested they to an abdominal x-ray to check for any blockages which they refer to as an "Ileus."
At 10am she had finally gotten some relief from the "Late" dose of the pain medication and an x-ray tech came in with a x-ray machine that might as well have been called a TORTURE DEVICE. She explained that the x-ray must be taken while she was lying flat on her back and a metal reflective plate had to be in place under the area in question. Since the surgery she has not been able to lay entirely flat even on a soft mattress and now they were asking her to lay entirely flat on a soft mattress with a 24" X 24" flat piece of steel directly on her spine!! We both questioned the technique and whether the tech had any idea as to the type of surgery she had or the hardware that was now installed just under the skin where they were asking her to lay. She assured us that it has been done before and she could either do it this way or go down to the x-ray room downstairs and lay on a flat steel table. I have to be honest, I almost got nauseous when she put the plate on the mattress and Ali tried to lay down on it. It was extremely painful for Ali and they had to have her do it twice. Once with the plate low on her back to see the lower abdominal area and then again with the plate further up her spine for the upper abdominal area. It was pure TORTURE!
In addition the pain management doctor came in to discuss the level of discomfort and the need for a stronger pain medication. They are switching her over to a medication called "Roxy-something" on her next dose and we'll see how she does with that.
Jerry, Dr. Marco's PA came in this morning to check on her and discussed the abdominal issues as well as the pain management. It seems that the abdominal issues are either an "ileus" that is clearing itself up or and early "ileus" that they can hopefully get resolved today. He's not too worried about the situation since she is having bowel movements but it is something they want to get resolved for her comfort. I have to say that I, as well as Ali, really like Jerry. He's a great guy, very knowledgable, and he's personable. They are also going to get her hooked back up to an IV to help with the hydration because she just can't drink enough to stay hydrated when her belly feels so full of gas.
While Jerry was in, he remove the bandages from her incision to take a look and I took the following pictures. He was very pleased with the overall look of her back and, because there was no leaking present, decided that she no longer needed to keep it covered.
At 5am enough was enough.. I called the nurse back in and more or less demanded that she install another IV and give her a dose of Morphine to get some sort of relief from the pain and hopefully some sleep. After that was finished she was able to sleep from 5am - 8am but once again the new nurse that came on shift at 7am found us both asleep and decided not to disturb her sleep when it was time for her dose of Vicodin. So it goes without saying that when she woke up at 8am and she was an hour and a half over due for her pain meds she was miserable. The new nurse administered the pain medication at 8:30am and we spent a lot of time with her explaining the abdominal situation and urgency to get it resolved. The doctor was notified and he requested they to an abdominal x-ray to check for any blockages which they refer to as an "Ileus."
At 10am she had finally gotten some relief from the "Late" dose of the pain medication and an x-ray tech came in with a x-ray machine that might as well have been called a TORTURE DEVICE. She explained that the x-ray must be taken while she was lying flat on her back and a metal reflective plate had to be in place under the area in question. Since the surgery she has not been able to lay entirely flat even on a soft mattress and now they were asking her to lay entirely flat on a soft mattress with a 24" X 24" flat piece of steel directly on her spine!! We both questioned the technique and whether the tech had any idea as to the type of surgery she had or the hardware that was now installed just under the skin where they were asking her to lay. She assured us that it has been done before and she could either do it this way or go down to the x-ray room downstairs and lay on a flat steel table. I have to be honest, I almost got nauseous when she put the plate on the mattress and Ali tried to lay down on it. It was extremely painful for Ali and they had to have her do it twice. Once with the plate low on her back to see the lower abdominal area and then again with the plate further up her spine for the upper abdominal area. It was pure TORTURE!
In addition the pain management doctor came in to discuss the level of discomfort and the need for a stronger pain medication. They are switching her over to a medication called "Roxy-something" on her next dose and we'll see how she does with that.
Jerry, Dr. Marco's PA came in this morning to check on her and discussed the abdominal issues as well as the pain management. It seems that the abdominal issues are either an "ileus" that is clearing itself up or and early "ileus" that they can hopefully get resolved today. He's not too worried about the situation since she is having bowel movements but it is something they want to get resolved for her comfort. I have to say that I, as well as Ali, really like Jerry. He's a great guy, very knowledgable, and he's personable. They are also going to get her hooked back up to an IV to help with the hydration because she just can't drink enough to stay hydrated when her belly feels so full of gas.
While Jerry was in, he remove the bandages from her incision to take a look and I took the following pictures. He was very pleased with the overall look of her back and, because there was no leaking present, decided that she no longer needed to keep it covered.
I really like this one. It was taken from straight above with
Ali lying on her side and shows the improvement to the hump area.
Hopefully I'll have a better update this afternoon and we'll see some sort of relief from the abdominal discomfort.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
No Gloom
Alison had quite the day today. It started off on a rough note with a continuation of the nausea and vomiting from the day before. I was awoken at 6am to her calling my name from the restroom. I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was in trouble and I rushed in to find her shaking miserably and in desperate need of somewhere to vomit. If that wasn't bad enough, I also saw that the drain she had installed on her back had come disconnected and was lying on the sink basin. We got her back to bed and I immediately went in search of a nurse willing to help. She agreed to get her a heavy dose of Morphine to help with the excruciating pain she was experiencing and a dose of the only anti-nausea medicine that seemed to provide her any relief. The problem was both had to be given intravenously and we discovered the original IV she had in place since surgery that had been disconnected when she was weaned off the Morphine had sealed off and the nurse couldn't get the medication or flush to flow. The nurse then decided that she would have to start a new IV which, with Alison's tiny veins, is an adventure all by itself. After the new IV was installed and she got the medication in her system she experience some relief and the Tech was called in to repair the drainage tube to her back. By the time he was finished, the Morphine and anti-nausea medication was starting to take affect and she was fast asleep as soon as she lay back in bed.
An hour later her father Andy arrived so I could go home and be with the kids. Alison was still groggy when he arrived but was feeling a significant reduction in the pain and nausea. When I arrived home, her mom Rocio left to join Andy at the hospital to spend the day with Alison. A short while later the nurses made the determination that she no longer needed the drain because the quantity of fluid did not justify its use. After it was removed, Alison received her first sponge bath and I think it made quite the difference in how she felt. She spent the majority of the day either sitting in a chair or walking the halls rather than being laid up in bed and even ate her first solid meals. She is still experiencing the bloating and some bouts of mild nausea but other than that today was the best day yet.
When I arrived back at the hospital to relieve Rocio at 8:30pm it was apparent that she might have pushed herself a little too far. I found her sitting in the chair next to the bed and immediately asked me to help her get into bed for the night. I was sure that with the level of discomfort she was feeling that she must be just about due for another dose of pain medication but when I checked with the nurse I learned that she was still 2hrs from her next dose. Luckily, they had just given her the Flexeril and anti-nausea medication which both make her extremely groggy so once I got her in bed she immediately fell asleep.
Here's to hoping tonight is a good night!!
An hour later her father Andy arrived so I could go home and be with the kids. Alison was still groggy when he arrived but was feeling a significant reduction in the pain and nausea. When I arrived home, her mom Rocio left to join Andy at the hospital to spend the day with Alison. A short while later the nurses made the determination that she no longer needed the drain because the quantity of fluid did not justify its use. After it was removed, Alison received her first sponge bath and I think it made quite the difference in how she felt. She spent the majority of the day either sitting in a chair or walking the halls rather than being laid up in bed and even ate her first solid meals. She is still experiencing the bloating and some bouts of mild nausea but other than that today was the best day yet.
When I arrived back at the hospital to relieve Rocio at 8:30pm it was apparent that she might have pushed herself a little too far. I found her sitting in the chair next to the bed and immediately asked me to help her get into bed for the night. I was sure that with the level of discomfort she was feeling that she must be just about due for another dose of pain medication but when I checked with the nurse I learned that she was still 2hrs from her next dose. Luckily, they had just given her the Flexeril and anti-nausea medication which both make her extremely groggy so once I got her in bed she immediately fell asleep.
Here's to hoping tonight is a good night!!
It's gloomy outside, and in
Sort I haven't posted in a couple of days. Recovery has been tough. I'veen spending much of my time feeling bloated, and throwing up. Throwing up after having your spine fused is awful!! It Sunday morning and Tim has just left to go spend some time with the kds today. I'm sitting and staring out of the window watching lots of rain fall.
On a positive note, I am walking without my walker now all the time, and am able to go to the bathroom all by myself. I'm due for my sponge bath this morning at some point.
Sorry thus post is so scattered, but that pretty much sums up what's going on in my head. I can't connect my thoughts together very well, and the constant pain in my back is making all tasks difficult.
I'll have Tim update today too.
On a positive note, I am walking without my walker now all the time, and am able to go to the bathroom all by myself. I'm due for my sponge bath this morning at some point.
Sorry thus post is so scattered, but that pretty much sums up what's going on in my head. I can't connect my thoughts together very well, and the constant pain in my back is making all tasks difficult.
I'll have Tim update today too.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
A new day..
Sleep is impossible in the hospital.
I know I haven't posted anything on Ali's behalf in awhile and I'm sorry. Things have just been busy. Yesterday her mom came to the hospital to relieve me of my duties around 11am. Her mom and her dad were here for most of the day and they took the following pictures.
She did really well with her physical therapy and walked the halls until she got tired. She spent a good portion of the day in a more upright position which is important in the early stages of her recovery.
I spent the afternoon and evening at home with the kids and they asked countless questions about mommy and why she was in the hospital. I did my best to explain it to them and showed them pictures of her standing, walking, and lying in her bed.
I came back to the hospital around 8:30pm to take care of her. She was pretty exhausted from all the work she put in during the day and slept quite a bit. By sleep I mean dozing off for 30min or so before the next nurse or tech would come in to wake her up for vitals or to change out fluids.
She's still taking the Vicodin every 4hrs and Flexeril every 8hrs. She still has her Morphine pump but she is slowly weaning herself off of the constant dosing she was doing before. This morning a nurse came in and removed her catheter which has freed her up to be a little more mobile.
Her main problem today is the blotting and nausea. After they removed the catheter she got up and set in a chair for awhile and then we took two big laps around the floor using her walker. She was nauseous when we started the walk and really nauseous when we finished. When she set back down in her chair she was quite certain she was going to be sick. A few minutes later while waiting for the nurse to come give her something for the nausea she vomited. I can't imagine how that must have felt with all the convulsing on her traumatized spine. The nurse arrived and gave her a shot for the nausea and she is currently sleeping.
Friday, October 7, 2011
All MY FIRSTS (PHOTOS)
First Time Sitting (VIDEO)
Getting Ready to Stand
First Time Standing
Walking video to come...
2:00am CST
At 11pm they came in a checked vitals, cleaned out fluid bags and she was feeling pretty good with her pain management. She even stole the remote away from me as I was getting in a nap. She remembers putting down her "trusty little friend" (Morphine pump) and clicking the remote a couple times before falling into the deepest sleep yet attained. At 1:28am she woke up in severe pain. She struggled in the bed trying to find a call button for the nurse and trying to call out to me to wake up. When I finally did she was in a really bad place with the pain. She had been asleep for approximately 2hrs without pushing the button on her trusty little friend and it had been about 6hrs since her last dose of the oral pain medication. I hustled out to get the nurse and by the time I got back she was shaking so bad from the pain and really upset. The pain was so severe at that point she felt as if she was going to throw up. When the nurse came in she brought another dose of Flexeril and Vicodin to take orally but it wasn't going to take affect quickly enough. She then gave her a boost of the Morphine pump and wrapped her in some warm blankets to try to control the shaking that was causing more pain.
It's now 2:45am and she has finally gotten back to a place of pain management. Thank god! It hurts so bad to see her in such pain. We have spoken with the nurse and she is going to get her on a schedule of taking the oral medication every 4hrs. That combined with both of us keeping up on the Morphine pump will hopefully keep this from happening again..
It's now 2:45am and she has finally gotten back to a place of pain management. Thank god! It hurts so bad to see her in such pain. We have spoken with the nurse and she is going to get her on a schedule of taking the oral medication every 4hrs. That combined with both of us keeping up on the Morphine pump will hopefully keep this from happening again..
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Hello All: (First Quote From Ali)
(Thought directly from her...)
I don't know if I can do this.. I can't gather my thoughts enough to.. Oh really, you're typing all this?? I feel like I could write a couple sentences but my mind is totally scattered. I feel like my pain for the first time is at a manageable level. After Morphine, Vicodin, Valium, and Flexeril. (She just fell asleep)
Dreaming she was driving matchbox cars, an ambulance, police car, and fire truck...
They have me on oxygen which is wonderful because I catch myself forgetting to breath.. I just did it again..
I don't know if I can do this.. I can't gather my thoughts enough to.. Oh really, you're typing all this?? I feel like I could write a couple sentences but my mind is totally scattered. I feel like my pain for the first time is at a manageable level. After Morphine, Vicodin, Valium, and Flexeril. (She just fell asleep)
Dreaming she was driving matchbox cars, an ambulance, police car, and fire truck...
They have me on oxygen which is wonderful because I catch myself forgetting to breath.. I just did it again..
7:10pm CST
You've got to love Flexeril and you've got to hate STUPID hospital staff..
She was sleeping so well, lights off quiet time... Then some cleaning lady comes in and starts emptying trash bags and slamming doors.. She moans but is otherwise unaffected. That was bad but it gets worse. 15min later the respiratory specialist comes in, flips on the lights and says, "HELLO, MY NAME IS. . . " who the hell cares!! Turn the lights off and get the hell out.. No sleep in over 24hrs and this terribly traumatic surgery and you want to wake me up out of my first deep sleep??
Other than that, she's doing well.
She was sleeping so well, lights off quiet time... Then some cleaning lady comes in and starts emptying trash bags and slamming doors.. She moans but is otherwise unaffected. That was bad but it gets worse. 15min later the respiratory specialist comes in, flips on the lights and says, "HELLO, MY NAME IS. . . " who the hell cares!! Turn the lights off and get the hell out.. No sleep in over 24hrs and this terribly traumatic surgery and you want to wake me up out of my first deep sleep??
Other than that, she's doing well.
Home sweet Home
She has finally arrived in her room. The huge dose of the before mentioned drugs to help with the pain and shaking caused her to get a little nautious so she was given a dose of Phenergan and held over a little longer in the recovery room for observation.
Now she's here and her best friend is the morphine pump.. The Tech just came to take her vitals and she said "Don't take my friend!"
Now she's here and her best friend is the morphine pump.. The Tech just came to take her vitals and she said "Don't take my friend!"
My Room
This will be our room for the next 3-5 days.
We just got to see her in the recovery room about 15min after she first woke up. She was in a lot of pain. Like 12 on a scale of 1-10. They gave her a dose of Demarol and Valium to help with the pain and try to control the shaking that was causing her the most pain. She tried to say she wasn't feeling anything from the medication but it came out all slurred and she fell asleep:) It was really, REALLY hard to see the woman you love in that much pain. Especially considering how unbelievably strong I know she is..
(Dad on the couch awaiting her arrival)
Surgery Complete 2:45 CST
Doctor Marco just came out for the update. She is out of surgery and they are beginning the process of waking her up. It'll still be 1-1/2 - 2hrs before we can see her but he says everything went really well.
The upper curve has been reduced to 1/3 of what it was before (approx 55 degrees). The lower curve was not manipulated and should correct itself over time to compensate for the lesser curve in the top. He also said that the ribs were quite flexible and there was a significant improvement in the rib hump.
The doctor did say that instead of the planned T4 - T12 fusion they went ahead and went up one more vertebrae to T3. Didn't get a full explanation as to why but will be speaking with him again when we go in to see her in the recovery room.
Longest 5-1/2 hours of my life!!!
The upper curve has been reduced to 1/3 of what it was before (approx 55 degrees). The lower curve was not manipulated and should correct itself over time to compensate for the lesser curve in the top. He also said that the ribs were quite flexible and there was a significant improvement in the rib hump.
The doctor did say that instead of the planned T4 - T12 fusion they went ahead and went up one more vertebrae to T3. Didn't get a full explanation as to why but will be speaking with him again when we go in to see her in the recovery room.
Longest 5-1/2 hours of my life!!!
2:15pm CST
Finally an UPDATE!!
Nurse just came out and says that everything is going fine. Doctor never told nurses that they were supposed to be giving updates.
Still installing hardware. Once that is finished they'll do final x-rays to verify positioning and then begin to close up the incision. Should hear something again in the next hour to hour and a half..
Nurse just came out and says that everything is going fine. Doctor never told nurses that they were supposed to be giving updates.
Still installing hardware. Once that is finished they'll do final x-rays to verify positioning and then begin to close up the incision. Should hear something again in the next hour to hour and a half..
1:15pm CST
Still NO UPDATES...
Getting really frustrated now...
I promise to write as soon as I hear anything.
Getting really frustrated now...
I promise to write as soon as I hear anything.
12:20pm CST
No updates...
Getting frustrated.. I was told there would be updates every 1-2hrs and I haven't heard anything since she went in at 9:40am.
Keep up the thoughts, prayers and well wishes..
Getting frustrated.. I was told there would be updates every 1-2hrs and I haven't heard anything since she went in at 9:40am.
Keep up the thoughts, prayers and well wishes..
She's in the O.R.
Everything is going well. We arrived on time and met with the doctor, fellows, and his PA again this morning. After much debate and just before Alison was given her "Happy Juice" she opted not to go through with the Thorocaplasty.
I should get updates every hour or so starting at 11am Texas time.
Keep her (us) in your thoughts and prayers.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Fight or Flight
Tomorrow is the big day. I don't think big day can even begin to describe the enormity of tomorrow. Nerves are definitely raging through my body today. Its like every fiber of my being is shouting at me telling me to run away as fast as I can, but I know I'll walk into that hospital tomorrow and voluntarily put myself through major surgery to have a better life. I've been going through my day noticing every motion I make and thinking to myself, this is the last time I'll be able to bend like this to help Lyla put her shoes on, or bending over to feed the dog, or getting in and out of the car without thought. I won't be able to twist or bend for the next 6 months as my bone grafts fuse so life will be very different for a while. I know I'll adjust and will get used to my new normal, it's just hard to think about. I took my before pictures today, and had the doctor email me my before x-rays for your viewing pleasure. I think to myself, when did this happen? When did I get so crooked? I'm almost embarrassed to post it, but I also know that this is not permanent for me anymore.
This is my before x-ray. My thoracic (upper) curve is about 55 degrees and my Lumbar (lower curve is about 35 degrees
This is just shocking for me to see. the spine curving to the right has completely mis-shapen my ribs. Let me tell you about how painful it is to sit in a hard back chair.
Can't wait to see the after
Going to dinner with the family tonight as my last hurrah and then its no food after midnight, and off to the hospital tomorrow at 6a. Tim will be posting short updates of the next several days because I'll be too busy pressing the button on my morphine pump. Wish me luck!!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Computer Error
Last Wednesday, September 28 I had my final appointment with Dr. Marco and my Pre-op appointment with the hospital. Somedays, if you could look into the future, you'd roll over in bed and go back to sleep. Last Wednesday was one of those days. After a frantic morning battling Houston rush hour traffic we made it to UT Spine and Scoliosis Center for my final appointment. I came armed with my Ipad that had been loaded with all the standard question one might have that are about to go into surgery. Since it had been longer than 3 months since my previous x-rays new ones were ordered and then displayed on the computer in the room we were waiting in. What I was not prepared for was what happened when the doctor walked in. He greeted us and went right over to the computer where he measured the Cobb Angle (a measurement used for evaluation of scoliosis curves) of my Thoracic and Lumbar curves. Silence ensued. He measured, and remeasured. Then actually scratched his head, walked out of the room, brought in his PA who then measured again, and again, and again. Dr. Marco then walked towards me, told me that my curves looked fine, no progression since I was 19 years old, and then proceeded to tell me I didn't need surgery if I didn't want it. Ummmmmmmmm, what? Apparently, their fancy computers that they use that thoughtlessly measures these Cobb Angles for them, incorrectly measured my previous x-rays adding 15+ degrees to each curve. I sat with a blank stare on my face as I felt the blood draining from me. Was I supposed to jump up and down in joy that I didn't "need" surgery?
Making up my mind to have this surgery was one of the biggest decisions I have ever made in my life. I have read and re-read everything I can possibly read to educate myself, and I have made the decision to go through with it to better my life, not immediately, but in the future. I have researched surgeons and made an educated decision, I have moved myself and my kids to Houston indefinitely to have the support of my family while I go through this, and the thought of having it taken away from me because I didn't "need" surgery was devastating. Not to mention the emotional roller coaster one embarks on when faced with such a massive procedure.
Now, there I sat in the room and the only thing I could mutter was... "yes, I am having this surgery, October 6, with you. That's in 8 days." At that point we were able to move forward with examination. I don't do well with change. I am a very organized person who plans everything, including trips to the bathroom. So I went from feeling excited about being there and ready to totally flustered. Then he threw me another curve ball. He told me that because of my age, 29, that he won't be able to correct me much and that he feels a selective fusion of just T4-T12 is going to be sufficient for me. He basically went on to say that I won't be happy with the results essentially and that I need to be realistic about my expectations. I lost so much faith in him so quickly, and I felt so blind-sided that I started crying. He went on to say that there was a big conference on October 1 with many surgeons and that he would present my case to everyone there. He referred me over to another Dr. in town that also performs these procedures for a second opinion. I left his office very upset, but happy that they were able to get me in to the other doctors office right away.
After a 20 minute drive, and a 30 minute office wait, I met with the most personable Dr. ever, Dr. Meyer. He reviewed my x-rays, checked me out and told me that I was going to need surgery. That the situation just wasn't as dire because the curves haven't increased. He also told me that Dr. Marco was an amazing doctor, but was a major underseller. Where one doctor will say that you'll be thrilled with the outcome, another one will tell you to expect the worst. Dr. Marco is also the only surgeon in Houston that removes cancerous tumors from the spine and therefore also has to be more solemn and quiet when dealing with these cases. Apparently, he carries that over to all patients. Dr. Meyer told me that I couldn't be in greater hands, and that I was making the correct decision and to go ahead and stick to the original plan. He also said that he felt a selective fusion would be best for me as well. Phew.... I felt much better after that visit.
Saturday night I received an email from my doctor stating that all the doctors independently stated that a fusion of T4-T12 with a thoracoplasty would render the best results. This is overall very good news. Anytime less vertebrae have to be fused the better. The think that my Thoracic curve is a structural curve and is what is needing the correction. They believe that my body created the lumbar curve as a compensatory curve to balance out my body. This in turn prevents me from looking like my body is off to one side. They think that whatever correction they are able to get on the thoracic curve that the lumbar curve will spontaneously correct itself to that. There is a small chance that that won't happen and months or years down the line I may need more surgery, but for now, this was all very good news. This also means that my flexibility will not be compromised and all of my lumbar discs will be salvaged which is a huge deal. A lot of time when the lumbar vertebrae are fused there tends to be disc degeneration that take place in those lower lumbar vertebrae which can then lead to more pain, problems, and surgery. So what's a thoracoplasty? Well, I have a rib hump on the right side of my back that was created when my spine shifted to the right. It essentially caused my ribs to grown rounded in the back and not flat like people without scoliosis. In a thoracoplasty, usually about 4-6 ribs are cut so that they can then regrow flat. The smooth muscle that covers each rib is pulled back, and then the ribs are cut at the curved part. The muscle is then laid back down and in about 4 months when the rib grows back it will grow back flat giving my back a more natural appearance. The upside is that it will be a big step in feeling "normal" for me. I have always been so self conscious about my rib hump, and never wear any shirts that are tight on my back. Not to mention sitting on a hard back chair will one day be possible for me, pain free. The drawbacks is that in surgery they will have to deflate a lung in order to do this procedure, and I will then have a chest tube inserted for about 24 hours while the lung re-inflates, not fun. From what I read though, the recovery is so painful anyway, what's a few broken ribs?
That's it for now, I will be posting some pictures soon.
Making up my mind to have this surgery was one of the biggest decisions I have ever made in my life. I have read and re-read everything I can possibly read to educate myself, and I have made the decision to go through with it to better my life, not immediately, but in the future. I have researched surgeons and made an educated decision, I have moved myself and my kids to Houston indefinitely to have the support of my family while I go through this, and the thought of having it taken away from me because I didn't "need" surgery was devastating. Not to mention the emotional roller coaster one embarks on when faced with such a massive procedure.
Now, there I sat in the room and the only thing I could mutter was... "yes, I am having this surgery, October 6, with you. That's in 8 days." At that point we were able to move forward with examination. I don't do well with change. I am a very organized person who plans everything, including trips to the bathroom. So I went from feeling excited about being there and ready to totally flustered. Then he threw me another curve ball. He told me that because of my age, 29, that he won't be able to correct me much and that he feels a selective fusion of just T4-T12 is going to be sufficient for me. He basically went on to say that I won't be happy with the results essentially and that I need to be realistic about my expectations. I lost so much faith in him so quickly, and I felt so blind-sided that I started crying. He went on to say that there was a big conference on October 1 with many surgeons and that he would present my case to everyone there. He referred me over to another Dr. in town that also performs these procedures for a second opinion. I left his office very upset, but happy that they were able to get me in to the other doctors office right away.
After a 20 minute drive, and a 30 minute office wait, I met with the most personable Dr. ever, Dr. Meyer. He reviewed my x-rays, checked me out and told me that I was going to need surgery. That the situation just wasn't as dire because the curves haven't increased. He also told me that Dr. Marco was an amazing doctor, but was a major underseller. Where one doctor will say that you'll be thrilled with the outcome, another one will tell you to expect the worst. Dr. Marco is also the only surgeon in Houston that removes cancerous tumors from the spine and therefore also has to be more solemn and quiet when dealing with these cases. Apparently, he carries that over to all patients. Dr. Meyer told me that I couldn't be in greater hands, and that I was making the correct decision and to go ahead and stick to the original plan. He also said that he felt a selective fusion would be best for me as well. Phew.... I felt much better after that visit.
Saturday night I received an email from my doctor stating that all the doctors independently stated that a fusion of T4-T12 with a thoracoplasty would render the best results. This is overall very good news. Anytime less vertebrae have to be fused the better. The think that my Thoracic curve is a structural curve and is what is needing the correction. They believe that my body created the lumbar curve as a compensatory curve to balance out my body. This in turn prevents me from looking like my body is off to one side. They think that whatever correction they are able to get on the thoracic curve that the lumbar curve will spontaneously correct itself to that. There is a small chance that that won't happen and months or years down the line I may need more surgery, but for now, this was all very good news. This also means that my flexibility will not be compromised and all of my lumbar discs will be salvaged which is a huge deal. A lot of time when the lumbar vertebrae are fused there tends to be disc degeneration that take place in those lower lumbar vertebrae which can then lead to more pain, problems, and surgery. So what's a thoracoplasty? Well, I have a rib hump on the right side of my back that was created when my spine shifted to the right. It essentially caused my ribs to grown rounded in the back and not flat like people without scoliosis. In a thoracoplasty, usually about 4-6 ribs are cut so that they can then regrow flat. The smooth muscle that covers each rib is pulled back, and then the ribs are cut at the curved part. The muscle is then laid back down and in about 4 months when the rib grows back it will grow back flat giving my back a more natural appearance. The upside is that it will be a big step in feeling "normal" for me. I have always been so self conscious about my rib hump, and never wear any shirts that are tight on my back. Not to mention sitting on a hard back chair will one day be possible for me, pain free. The drawbacks is that in surgery they will have to deflate a lung in order to do this procedure, and I will then have a chest tube inserted for about 24 hours while the lung re-inflates, not fun. From what I read though, the recovery is so painful anyway, what's a few broken ribs?
That's it for now, I will be posting some pictures soon.
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