@karenoharmon It makes me so happy that I was able to help!! Thank you for telling me😊
Yes, I really am doing well and thank God every day for it!
I started physical therapy at around 3 months post op. I specifically asked for a therapist who had worked with spine surgery patients and it has been wonderful. She mostly does deeper muscle massage to help the muscles re-engage along with the new awful 🤣 skin rolling thing. I’m kidding…it’s not that bad and it sure helps.
I really don’t feel the hardware. I think of it as part of me now. I need it to feel better and it’s doing its job!
I like that you are working to think about something else when it bothers you.
The log rolling in bed should continue for a long time to keep you from twisting your back. I still do it and it has become so “normal” that I don’t even think about it. Just pretend that you have rods in your back that keep it straight….oh wait, you do😂 But seriously, for the first few months I slept on my back with a pillow under my knees. Then I started intermittently using the pillow and now I sleep normally on my back or on my side and I have those long body pillows that I hug and use between my knees when on my side. It really helps to keep my spine aligned and not hurt my hips.
It was probably around 7 or 8 months when I stopped feeling the little jolt of pain from stepping wrong off a curb or the bump and twist as the car went over a speed bump. I remember driving and thinking “what if I get in an accident? And what would it do to my back?” But I believe it’s important to be careful with the situations that I put myself in, while knowing that I can’t control everything.
It will get easier….I remember gauging my progress on a weekly timeline. And that was how I could see that it was getting better.
I didn’t go out in public a lot, and when I did, it wasn’t in busy places. I agree with your husband about someone accidentally knocking you down and it’s good to be on the safe side. I think you will know when you are ready to leave the walker at home. Your surgery is so recent that you just need more time to heal.
I do not wear a medical ID. But speaking as someone with medical experience, if you are in a position to need cpr, you don’t need to worry about your back. CPR will be done the same way, no matter what, to get you breathing and heart pumping again.
Yes my horses are full of energy and bored. At least it’s been rainy and cold so they are preferring to stand in the barn.
I will update on the results of my xray after I hear from my surgeon.
Healing from this kind of surgery is slooooowwww but I am getting close to feeling normal. Yay!!
Keep asking questions if you have them.😊
Wishing you the best,
Sherry