Dad is having surgery today

[HGD24]

I've written on this board in the past about my dad's battle with a herniated disc this past year. He's having surgery today at Noon to insert a spacer in between the L4 & L5 vertebrae. Initially, he thought it was a minor surgery but he learned this past week that the recovery will be more involved than he thought. He will need to log roll to get out of bed and won't be able to bend at the waist (sound familiar?).

Please send him your positive thoughts for a safe surgery and recovery. Thanks!

[BackTalk]

Your Dad will be fine. I had that very thing done years back and its no big deal. I am not making lite of his ordeal at all but he will pull it off without a hitch. Just watch how fast he rehabs it.
My Best to you and your Father
Jess

[HGD24]

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement Jess!

[flowerpower]

Best wishes to your dad for a successful, uncomplicated surgery and recovery!

Renee

[Karen Ocker]

I worked with an OR nurse(male) who also had that done and is totally pain free now. :)

[sweetness514]

This subject reminds me of a news special I saw last week. They were talking about how people who waited to get surgery on herniated disks(no more than two years) did get relief with PT but the ones who didn't after this time had wonderful results with surgery, and it was not a big surgery(not like us).

Good luck to your dad for a pain free future. Keep us posted.

[HGD24]

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words! It really does help put my mind at ease being that I'm so far from home and unable to be there with my dad.

I talked with him last night right after he was brought to his hospital room. He sounded very tired and raspy (from the respirator) but other than that, he was in good spirits! He was in a bit of pain, but that's to be expected. He should go home sometime today. His doctor told him that it will take 2 months before he is fully recovered.

His surgery was scheduled for Noon, but didn't start until 2:30pm. I could tell he was doing fine when I asked him if they gave him a little something to tide him over before the surgery and he said, "No and I haven't eaten a damn thing since last night...I'm starving! Something to eat would be nice right now." All I could think was, YUP...that's my Dad!

[HGD24]

I talked with Dad again around Noon and he was home! He's doing well, but having a tough time log rolling. The nurse told him he couldn't leave the hospital until he got it down...well, he learned that move real quick! It hurts to roll to the left though. His doctor told him that he didn't have to do it exactly like the nurse showed him, he just can't sit straight up to get out of bed. He only took 1 pain pill last night and one this morning after his battle with learning how to log roll.

Thank you again for all of your kind words of encouragement for this daddy's girl and for listening!

[sweetness514]

That's cool. I can't believe he's already out of the hospital, wow!

[BackTalk]

Ok Dad. Record time. He's good to go. Glad everything turned out well.
My Best, Jess

[HGD24]

Dad had his 1st post-op appt. yesterday and it went really well. He's been cleared to drive short distances and can do light housework. We're going to have a tough time telling him what light housework is though since two days after surgery he cooked himself breakfast and 4 day after surgery he took clothes out of the dryer (with his grabber) so that they wouldn't wrinkle. He's usually on the go all day long, so this has been a long, boring week and a1/2 for him. Luckily everything seems to be going well so far!

[flowerpower]

Way to go dad! It sounds like he is doing great. I am happy for you. By the way, if he gets too bored at home he can come here, there is enough light housework to keep him busy til he's fully recovered :D

Renee

[CurvySAT05]

Sounds like he is doing great. Like Renee, if he gets bored there is always something to be done at my house!!!! Hope his recovery continues to go well and he is able to do more shortly. Tell him to keep up the good work.
Mandy