I have been meaning to write for so long! I found this site two years ago and have read through so many if your uplifting and informative threads. So very grateful you have put your experiences out there. I felt very prepared and educated going into this surgery. Then, as you know, your own journey begins and it is a roller coaster ride. Things I was so worried about went ok and other things pop up that challenge the hell out of you. I met my surgeon over 2.5 years ago after my third baby came. The pregnancy went fine except I could hardly walk at the end, my back hurt so bad and I had shooting sciatica pain down a leg. The back pain still lingered after and I realized I needed to get a scoliosis specialist on board again. I knew my curves glad gotten worse and I was 2.5 inches shorter than I was in my 20's. I was floored when he said I would need to have surgery, I thought I had escaped it my teen years. After lots of research and realizing how my health would negatively be impacted, I decided to proceed with surgery.
I decided the following June of 2015 would be the best time. I had a year to prepare. One month prior to surgery, I had the routine MRI done on my back and my surgeon came into the appointment looking the news. I had a slipped disk at L5-S1 that would need to be fixed before I could have my big surgery. I felt like Christmas was taken away, it was so disappointing. So I had that surgery last June and it was very easy to recover from. This June finally rolled around. I had noticed changes with my back the last year, primarily more discomfort and daily pain after doing housework. I knew it would only get worse. The surgery went very well, he got an amazing correction and my big curve is below 20 degrees but visually I look straight. I didn't lose much blood and I didn't get a collapsed lung, two things I was worried about. I never even thought a moment about my vision.
When I woke in ICU, I was not alarmed I could not see out of both eyes at the same time. I could see fine looking out of one eye and squinting the other shut. This has happened after prior surgeries. I feel so sleepy and drugged when I wake up that I just can't get my eyes focused. It has always gone away sometime the first day. This time has been different and I still can't see out of both eyes. I see double vision and everything is jumbled. It has me so upset and worried. They did a standard neurological screen and an opthamologist examined me and both said I look ok and this should go away. I know I need to get in to see a specialist but this recovery has me totally home bound.
I was in the hospital for 10 days due to pain management struggles. I had no idea but apparently I beta olive pain meds very fast or they don't connect to the right receptors. My spine surgeon had to keep upping the doses and said I was on enough to snow a couple of large men. Everything seems to hurt with this surgery. I have never experienced such a struggle. Now I am 3 weeks, 2 days post and I can walk around the perimeter of the house twice and I can mostly conduct my own shower. I still find sitting off the chart uncomfortable and I just struggle with feeling a daily level of sick, dizzy, nauseous, and unwell. I have very little appetite and have lost 12 pounds.
Can I ask when you all feel like you start turning the corner? That your day isn't just ice packs, trying to get comfortable and taking short walks? I know everyone is different but I was running around with my 3 kids before this surgery and now I feel as disabled as possible. Sigh. I have stopped the OxyContin as of week 2 and right now take Dilaudid 2mg, 2 pills every 4 hours. I went down to one pill yesterday but hurt so bad at 2:30am I moved it back up to 2. They give me frightening dreams but good pain relief. I think they may interfere with my vision but I can't get off them yet. This is so hard. You all are brave soldiers and give me strength.
I decided the following June of 2015 would be the best time. I had a year to prepare. One month prior to surgery, I had the routine MRI done on my back and my surgeon came into the appointment looking the news. I had a slipped disk at L5-S1 that would need to be fixed before I could have my big surgery. I felt like Christmas was taken away, it was so disappointing. So I had that surgery last June and it was very easy to recover from. This June finally rolled around. I had noticed changes with my back the last year, primarily more discomfort and daily pain after doing housework. I knew it would only get worse. The surgery went very well, he got an amazing correction and my big curve is below 20 degrees but visually I look straight. I didn't lose much blood and I didn't get a collapsed lung, two things I was worried about. I never even thought a moment about my vision.
When I woke in ICU, I was not alarmed I could not see out of both eyes at the same time. I could see fine looking out of one eye and squinting the other shut. This has happened after prior surgeries. I feel so sleepy and drugged when I wake up that I just can't get my eyes focused. It has always gone away sometime the first day. This time has been different and I still can't see out of both eyes. I see double vision and everything is jumbled. It has me so upset and worried. They did a standard neurological screen and an opthamologist examined me and both said I look ok and this should go away. I know I need to get in to see a specialist but this recovery has me totally home bound.
I was in the hospital for 10 days due to pain management struggles. I had no idea but apparently I beta olive pain meds very fast or they don't connect to the right receptors. My spine surgeon had to keep upping the doses and said I was on enough to snow a couple of large men. Everything seems to hurt with this surgery. I have never experienced such a struggle. Now I am 3 weeks, 2 days post and I can walk around the perimeter of the house twice and I can mostly conduct my own shower. I still find sitting off the chart uncomfortable and I just struggle with feeling a daily level of sick, dizzy, nauseous, and unwell. I have very little appetite and have lost 12 pounds.
Can I ask when you all feel like you start turning the corner? That your day isn't just ice packs, trying to get comfortable and taking short walks? I know everyone is different but I was running around with my 3 kids before this surgery and now I feel as disabled as possible. Sigh. I have stopped the OxyContin as of week 2 and right now take Dilaudid 2mg, 2 pills every 4 hours. I went down to one pill yesterday but hurt so bad at 2:30am I moved it back up to 2. They give me frightening dreams but good pain relief. I think they may interfere with my vision but I can't get off them yet. This is so hard. You all are brave soldiers and give me strength.
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