First surgery down, one more in 7 days.

[coscottsx61]

I don’t remember much the day of the surgery or the day after. Surgery was Tuesday the 13th and they couldn’t get done what they wanted. They could only get a cage between S1 and L5. I have about 30 staples (they will be taken out during the next surgery). To put it in terms that my family in Wisconsin speaks – I feel like a deer that was just gutted, all the inners taken out, then put back in and stapled back up. I have no pain in my spine just my entire front. The hardest thing is to get up and down with little pain.

Last Thursday I was given 2 units of blood because I was very anemic. I finally started feeling better on Friday. I got up each day to walk a little but Friday I walked all over!

I know people came to visit me, but sometimes I was asleep. Please know I appreciate all the visits and food. My family has been well fed!! I am slowly going from jello and water to soup and tea. In fact, I had two teenagers peeling potatoes in my bedroom. It’s funny how potato peels fly! By the way, the soup tasted great!!

When my mom talked to me a couple days ago I said there is no way I will every do this again. As of today, I am thinking better and know I need this
next surgery to be fully back to normal.

My husband and boys have been awesome! Our little one keeps telling me not to cough or laugh. He says, “You know mommy, it hurts so don’t do it!” Our middle one just keeps walking in the bedroom, looks at me, gives me a hug and leaves. Our oldest is doing his best to make me laugh in between texting. We also have a good friend’s daughter from Wisconsin staying for a week. She has been an angel. She keeps the boys on their toes and keeps offering to give me a leg massage. I need to especially thank my husband who gets to hear me rant and complain but still loves me. He is my rock!
Saturday I got a couple special phone calls. My family reunion from my dad’s side of the family was in Greenleaf State Park in OK. I really wanted to be there since it seems like everyone is getting older. But my family called to say hi and that they missed me. The next phone call was from my high school class of 1980. I haven’t talked with many of these people since then. They had a family picnic and played pass the phone and say hi to me! I was shocked to tears!

I do have one big question – now that more of my spine is fused, how do you wipe your bottom without twisting or bending? Stop laughing! This is serious. My PT guru told me to follow the “BLT”. No Bending, Lifting or Twisting for the next 6 to 9 months. Any suggestions?

Next doctor appointment is Thursday for post and pre-op. He will be taking more x-rays to determine what the next surgery will entail. Until then, I have PT, OT and a nurse that come to our home to keep me going.

Getting tired now. On two different pain meds and muscle relaxer. Also, typing makes me dizzy. God is still on the throne and in control!

[Susie*Bee]

Barb-- it sounds like you are doing wonderfully well and you have quite a support system!!! I'm amazed at how coherent and "with it", conversationally, your post is.

Many people have asked about questions such as yours... there really is no delicate way to put it. You just have to do the best you can. Forget the old way that they said girls were supposed to wipe, with your hand going behind you and wiping from front to back... that is not possible. You have to reach between your legs, the way they always told you not to... It's hard enough to just reach, if you have a long fusion-- and some people need to use little reachers to hold the TP, but most people don't. You'll have to wait and see and experiment a little and see how it goes. I used to have to use my fingertips to hold the TP and reach quickly, but it's gotten much better with time.

I'm sure if you do a search you'll find other threads too-- plus others will chime in here. I used to have to squat just slightly, off the pot sort of, and that helped me reach a little better. I don't know if any of this helps or not.

Rest up for now-- prayers and best wishes for surgery #2. Pretty soon the surgeries will be over and you can concentrate totally on the recovery part! God was my stronghold throughout my surgeries too-- and my life, of course. Hang on to your faith.

Hey-- I know this sounds pretty dumb-- surely someone out there can come up with better ideas or something that doesn't sound quite so gross.

[gmw]

My PT had me stand, put one foot up on a stool or whatever and reach behind me with wet wipes. Worked very well.

I pray your second surgery it is a great success.

[naptown78]

Barb-- it sounds like you are doing wonderfully well and you have quite a support system!!! I'm amazed at how coherent and "with it", conversationally, your post is.

Many people have asked about questions such as yours... there really is no delicate way to put it. You just have to do the best you can. Forget the old way that they said girls were supposed to wipe, with you hand going behind you and wiping from front to back... that is not possible. You have to reach between your legs, the way they always told you not to... It's hard enough to just reach, if you have a long fusion-- and some people need to use little reachers to hold the TP, but most people don't. You'll have to wait and see and experiment a little and see how it goes. I used to have to use my fingertips to hold the TP and reach quickly, but it's gotten much better with time.

I'm sure if you do a search you'll find other threads too-- plus others will chime in here. I used to have to squat just slightly, off the pot sort of, and that helped me reach a little better. I don't know if any of this helps or not.

Rest up for now-- prayers and best wishes for surgery #2. Pretty soon the surgeries will be over and you can concentrate totally on the recovery part! God was my stronghold throughout my surgeries too-- and my life, of course. Hang on to your faith.

Hey-- I know this sounds pretty dumb-- surely someone out there can come up with better ideas or something that doesn't sound quite so gross.

LOL!!!
Okay, I've stopped laughing! Susie B, you're so funny...but right. Just reach from the front, I've never had to talk about this, but I guess it is an issue. I found out pretty quickly that I could not reach around back. Baby wipes come in handy too. If you are wearing a brace, things can get very difficult...and comical!

[Confusedmom]

But DON'T flush the baby wipes! This can clog your drain and force you to call Roto Rooter (I know from having done it myself with my kiddos!). There are "toddler" wipes that can be flushed--and they do get the job done with fewer wipes. Have whoever is doing your shopping look in the diaper aisle of your grocery.

Evelyn

P.S. Glad you are doing well--will keep cheering you on for your next surgery!

[Sharon C]

All Wiped Out!!

Hey Barb!

Can't believe you're typing up a storm after your 1st big deal!! Good for you!
I don't remember who suggested it as it was almost 5 years ago, but I have some "super tongs"...maybe 18" long... that I hung on a large cup hook near the commode, and used them for a very long time and with great success! I also had a raised toilet seat with side bars which really helped. These are all the gory little details that can make life after surgery much more tolerable..glad you asked!

Best of luck with Part ll!!

Sharon

[JenniferG]

I am so impressed at how coherent you are! Thank goodness it will be all over soon. You're a brave lady and you've done well. So glad you're getting all the support you need. Hang in there, it won't be long until you have nothing more than healing ahead of you. Best wishes.

[Susie*Bee]

My PT had me stand, put one foot up on a stool or whatever and reach behind me with wet wipes. Worked very well.

Glenda-- I thought about your method enough to see if it would actually work for someone like me, and no, it won't. Your fusion is much lower. Mine starts clear up by my neck and goes almost to my "gluteal cleft"... heh heh... (maybe 1" short of it?). It just does not allow for any flexibility to do that.

Nap-- I hated to be so blunt, and spell it out so graphically, but glad it made you laugh. Sometimes there's just no genteel way to put things (or at least not that I could think of off the top of my head...) Barb asked, and I thought I'd try to help. Although maybe I didn't answer her question. If not, oh well! I still tried and at least made you laugh.

And at least now we all know the caveat, thanks to Evelyn, of NOT using baby wipes, but rather using toddler wipes, unless we want clogged up drains. We have a septic tank, so my guess is neither would be good.

[foofer]

Barb,

Way to go...You sound great!!

I love the descriptions of your family and all the activity around you- so healing.

Haven't had surgery so can't comment on procedures, but am laughing at all the visuals I'm getting here. Thanks, Ladies. I will file for future reference.

It's the little things in life, isn't it?

Go Barb! May round 2 be successful and God bless you.

Amy

[Singer]

Barb, best wishes for a smooth and uncomplicated second surgery!

Ah, the "wiping" issue. I couldn't wipe front or back for a couple of weeks -- but right before I left rehab (at around 20 days post-op), I suddenly could. I'd gained just enough flexibility to be able to reach.

By the time I could finally do it myself, I felt as though everyone but the President had had their turn at helping me in the bathroom!

[debbei]

The nurses recommended this gadget, and it worked wonderfully!! I used it for maybe 2 months.

http://www.amazon.com/Bottom-Buddy-T...9668800&sr=8-1

[rohrer01]

The nurses recommended this gadget, and it worked wonderfully!! I used it for maybe 2 months.

http://www.amazon.com/Bottom-Buddy-T...9668800&sr=8-1

That's so funny, Amazon said they had 8 "new" ones in stock. I don't think I would want a used one! That's a great idea, by the way.

[coscottsx61]

Reality

It's amazing how we take such easy things for granted. Thanks for all the suggestions. My husband will be very happy to purchse this for me. Maybe he can have it gift wrapped with a rose!!

Still doing good. Still feel like a gutted deer with all these staples. They get stuck on my underwear and hit everytime I try to go close to anything. But my back feels GREAT!!! No pain at all from the spine and I've lost 10 pounds so far!

I got a funny phone call yesterday. The vascular surgeon's office called to schedule my two week follow-up appt. I told her I would be in the hospital having my next surgery and he could come there to see me. She had no idea what to do, I stumpted her. She said she would have to talk to her supervisior to see what to do.

Tomorrow I go to the spine doc again. More news after that appt.

[JenniferG]

Wow Barb, you sound so good! I know you must be feeling great because your sense of humour is intact!

[coscottsx61]

More GREAT news!

I am delinquent on sending this email because I have been having so much fun! This is not a sarcastic remark, it is true. I feel GREAT!

During my first surgery they were not able to do what they had planned. They could only get a cage between the bottom verterbra. The other vertebrae were to full of arthritis and crumpled together that they couldn’t get it done. That’s okay.

I am currently able to stand up straight and walk with no pain in my spine, my stomach is a different story. On Wednesday I took a walk with our youngest (the broken leg boy) six houses down the block and back. Afterward I cried. He is 6 and I have NEVER been able to do this before. I still cry when I think about it - hormones!

I only had to use the walker for 6 days after surgery. I went out and bought a really cool cane just for stability. Pain meds are almost to nothing. My physical therapist says “You one crazy lady.“ (Yes, he is Asian.) I was put on a nerve pain med because that dang nerve that runs from the spine down my left leg to my toes likes to act up. I blame this on me trying to bend or twist.

I am on a BLT life for the next several months. BLT means no bending, lifting or twisting. Have you ever tried to wash your hands, brush your teeth or get in a car under these restrictions? It’s not easy.

I saw my spine specialist yesterday and he is also amazed how well I am doing.

Now for the next surgery on the 27th. Totally new procedure due to how well I am doing. He plans on opening up my entire spine, removing my existing rod, then doing a lot less fusion. My upper spine fells much better now that I stand up straight. There is some arthritis there but he doesn’t plan to touch it. On the lower back, he would like to try again to fix the space between L4 - L5 and also work on L2 - L3 and L3 - L4. Needless to say, I have been told this surgery will be more painful than the first. And no ostemony!!! If you do not know what this is, it is where they have to notch out the vertebrae to try to bend it back into place. I have been told it is a very painful procedure. Also, I may get out of the hospital quicker than 7 days!!!

If you cannot tell, I am happy and excited! All this pain and time is worth it.

Your prayers have helped tremendously, how else can you explain this. Please continue to pray. My goal is to be off all pain meds by September 1st before school starts. I want to be the wife and mom I haven’t been in many years.