Six weeks post-op

[geo]

This will probably be my last post for awhile, because I think I'll start sounding like a broken record....

Still working 6 hours a day, still have achy pain in my left shoulder blade (sort of remedied by ice pack or heating pad). But, I have a new sleep record - 6 hours the other night! It felt soooo good.

The only "exciting" thing in the last week is that I went to have two stitches removed that had not yet dissolved. I didn't realize there is a risk of infection if you let those hang around, so I'm glad I went in. One came right out, the other one had to be pulled and trimmed with suture scissors. It was funny how anxious I felt about all of it, after everything I've already been through. I guess a doctor approaching your back with scissors can bring back some subconscious memories.

Oh, and how could I forget - I got the first bill in the mail for $72,000!! That doesn't include my surgeon, anesthesiologist, etc. Thank god for insurance! The screws themselves were over $2,000 apiece. I told my boyfriend I might insure my back the way Heidi Klum insured her legs

[Christine84]

Geo,

You are amazing. I am glad to hear that you are able to sleep a little longer through the night. Do you feel energized when you wake up? You are not sounding like a broken record. It is nice to hear about the progress that you are making, and I am sure others benefit from reading about the remarkable strides that you have made in such a short period of time.

Those bills can be scary. We are fortunate to have insurance. Funny you would bring that up. I was watching Oprah today (my new hero) and there was great debate about health insurance in the United States. It is very upsetting to hear the statistics regareding those who are not insured.

Continue taking care of yourself.

-Christine

[vndy]

Don't stop posting!

Geo - Is the pain in your shoulder blade expected to go away in time? How does it compare to pre-op pain?

It really is helpful to hear how you're doing - at 6 weeks I hope to be back in classes, and working hard on my thesis... (eek, something else to get nervous about!) When do you think you'll be back to work full time?

[Shari]

Hi Geo,

I understand your feeling of not contributing to this forum, but you are wrong!!! The fact that we all have a different experience, makes your's just as valuable as all the rest!!!

You just never know when something you have gone through can help someone else. Things that seem trivial to us can often help others in regards to having the surgery, and help those that have gone through it, to know that what they are going through is normal!!!

I guess I'm trying to say that your input as a post-op warrior can have more value than you think!!!

Keep on posting,
Shari

[geo]

Christine - I definitely feel more energized when I wake up now, compared to even 2 weeks ago. Sleep was becoming a very desperate situation. I moved all over my house every night for weeks, trying to find some comfort. Now, I suspect that with all the weight I lost (atleast 10 pounds), combined with only being able to sleep on my back, there was a lot of weight directly on my tailbone area for extended periods and that's why I had so much lower back pain. Now I sleep with a pillow under my butt and lower back, and that has really helped.
Vndy - I am hoping the shoulder blade pain goes away in time. I don't feel it at all in the mornings after waking up, but it usually hits me around mid-day, after I've been up and around for awhile. It's different from pre-op pain in that it is achy, rather than sharply painful, and it is also on my left side rather than the right. As far as work, I am actually thinking of trying 7-8 hours next week or the week after. I will try it for a couple of days, and have the flexibility to continue working just 6 hours if it is not comfortable.
Shari - thank you, and you're right. Before this surgery, I wanted every little detail I could lay my eyes on! I think it's also been helpful for people around my age to read about my experiences, since I'm in that in-between area at age 30.