Getting your A1c down before surgery

@janagain Congratulations of taking control of your blood sugar. I don't like to eat high sugar sweets because it just makes my teeth hurt, so it's easier to avoid, and I just don't feel good if I eat to much sugar. I also developed a gluten food issue, so that eliminates most baked goods. There are gluten free replacements that are full of sugar, and I try to limit that. I find I prefer eating fresh fruit. When you look at the glycemic index on fresh fruit, strawberries and peaches are lower down the list than other fruits. peaches are my favorite. My breakfast is usually a gluten free English muffin with butter.

Journaling is a great way to track your progress with your health and your surgical recovery. It is a new beginning and surgical recovery takes patience and work. You'll need to eat a good diet for healing with enough protein. If you are able to walk for exercise, that can help lower blood sugar too as your body uses it for energy. You will need a lot of rest. I slept a lot for about 3 months.

I will be thinking about you as you take this big step into spine surgery. When you feel up to it, please come back and let me know how you're doing. Was there a reason your surgeon is using your own iliac crest bone vs a donor bone graft? I had donor bone and my surgeon said I might always have some pain at the site if they took it from my own pelvis. Surgery causes scar tissue, so that adds scar tissue there which tends to get tight, restrict some movement and can cause pain. I do a lot of myofascial release for those reasons to stretch surgical scars. Areas I stretch are my neck spine surgical scar, neck, shoulders rib cage (because of thoracic outlet syndrome), and my lower leg because of past injury and surgical scars from a fracture fixation and the leg muscles themselves to balance the weak vs the strong side of the leg.

Yes, a new beginning, Jan! Good for you!

I was wondering why he is grafting the bone from my iliac crest bone. Previous spine surgery I've had in the past were from cadaver bone. I'm not sure why he is using my own bone. I didn't think about scar tissue. I think it may be too late to change it? I have heard that it's a bit painful during recovery.
You remember when I told you that everytime I have a test of some sort, they always find something else. My EKG showed some issues. I think it pertains to electrical and the rate of my pulse. Something is misfiring and it was noted. I can't have anymore issues!!
I plan on getting lots of rest and learning to not feel like I'm not doing enough. I am hiring a cleaning crew to start, I have to keep the house clean.
My son installed a new shower nozzle for me and I have a chair in the shower so I can sit. My S-1 is so painful.
Thanks for your support, loved everything you said. I will send you a message after I get home next week.
HUGS! Jan

@janagain Jan, it's not too late to ask the question. Send a message on your portal or call your surgeon's office. The hospital orders donor bone disc spacers from a supplier. The hospital would likely be doing that anyway for other patients. I would think that would make the surgeon's job easier. I don't know if there is a medical reason for using your bone. You could ask if it would heal better or faster, and if the healing being a diabetic influences the success of that. I don't know the answer, but I would ask that if it was me. Donor bone is just a mineral matrix, and all the cells that make bone are removed and cleaned out. Your own bone would have cells intact, so it wouldn't have to populate the framework with your cells first before new bone can form. Bone creation is complex involving cells that give rise to others and then in the last stages, the minerals are deposited. You could also ask what supplements you need to take to aid in bone healing. Please let me know how your surgeon responds.

Hugs,
Jennifer

I spoke to the surgery scheduler and I'm cleared for surgery. I asked her to get a message to my doctor that I'm considering the donor/cadaver bone. She said there may be a reason he wanted to go that way but that she would talk to him. It doesn't seem to be a problem to make the change before the surgery. (I was thinking they may need medicare clearance) It doesn't seem to me that it's a big deal and that I can discuss it with the doctor at some point. Maybe just prior to the procedure on Monday? I hope to talk to him before the surgery just because that makes me feel better I guess.
I'm so full of anxiety I swear, I've been cleaning and organizing the house and yard non stop. This isn't my first time having spinal surgery, I just think it's the going to sleep part and waking up to a permanent situation that I hope will work! I really do have faith in my doctor and I'll be so happy when all the symptoms of the nerve being pinched stops the needles and pins sensation.