How was your early recover period...honestly

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Question for post-op adults(30-40-50's): Was the early recover period(first 4 mths or so) unlike what you visualized it to be? harder, easier? Were you way more tired then you thought you'd be? thks.... & also did you sleep w/ partner or alone the first weeks home??

[Pips]

Lynne

My recovery has been very like I expected it to be (so far). I am able to do quite a bit really provided that I am careful. I get up at about 9am and am now going to bed at 11pm ish. Early days I was going to bed at maybe 9pm. I did stay up all day though, mostly in my recliner chair and only got up to go to the bathroom. I didn't sleep during the day. Hubby only stayed home one week (two would have been better) but by week 3 I could get to the kitchen and make myself a sandwich or something for lunch.

As to sleeping in the same bed as hubby, well we were prepared for him to move out but in the end he didn't have to. We have had to swap sides of the bed though as I can now only turn one way so can only get out one side.

Mail me if you have any special questions...

Pip

[JoAnn5]

Honey, i don't want to scare you, but i'm afraid i'm gonna... (So stop reading right now if you don't want to hear the grim truth!! lol)

it was much worse than i expected. ... I've never had anything serious before... i've had some minor surgery, but nothing like this and was unprepared. The pain was consuming... i found i was just watching the clock for my next scheduled pain & muscle relaxant pills. Maybe my surgery was more than the usual one. I couldn't get up and down from chairs, the toilet seat, the car seat... etc. My legs were like water. I used a walker and developed lots of arm strength pulling myself into position. At night i felt like i was fighting with the bed covers... and unless i wore something silky or satiny, had a terrible time just turning over in bed. I tried sleeping with hubby at first, but kept him awake. Also he had just gotten a big puppy that he let sleep on the bed and i couldn't take that jiggling and pouncing... lol. I soon moved into another bedroom by myself.

But it gets better and the worst of it doesn't last that long... (((((hugs))))) hope i haven't talked you out of the surgery now... This is just what i went thru, yours may be much easier... as i've said before, i'm a big wimp anyway...

JoAnn

[SandyC]

It was about what I expected (52yrs, A/P). I was more tired than in pain post-op. It was months (4-6) before I felt I was starting to become normal.

Yes, I slept with my husband and 4-5 pillows. I would become very uncomfortable after 5-6 hours at night so the pillows seem to help. I also found it helpful to have my DH handy if I needed a pain pill in the middle of the night.

It was a full year before I felt "normal" LOL

[Marcia]

I'm glad you've asked this question as I too will be facing the surgery soon.

I am curious about things like how long before you could sit in a chair and do things like send a few emails. How long before you could take over things like feeding the dog/cat etc.

[SandyC]

Marcia,
I could sit in a recliner with pillows as soon as I got home from the hospital. I could sit after taking a pain pill for about 2 hours and then would have to lay down. I could sit in a "hard" chair for dinner, with a pillow at my back for about 20-30 minutes, but 30 mins. was pushing.

I couldn't bend over for 4-6 weeks to put the cat food on the floor. The same with doing laundry/picking up off of the floor. I had to use one of those "grabber" thingy's . I became very good at using the thing. It took several months before I could change the linen on the beds. The bending over and lifting of the matteress was just to much. If you have a husband around, you might want to start training him before you have surgery LOL . As far as the e-mail thing goes......I was just not feeling well enough to care if I was on the PC or not.

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Thkyou pips, sandy & all....I really do want to know what to expect & what to plan for. On the other hand, I really don't want to know a lot about the operation besides what I need to bring with me. That's just how I'm handling it. Everyone is different on that. It's no big deal, I just don't read any threads on anyone's hospital stays anymore. The less I know there the better for me personally!!
Joanne: I'm fine with knowing any bad stuff on the recovery, so that's all good to know... I'm thinking I'll put a bed downstairs. thks

[Marcia]

Sandy,
Yes, I have a hubby of 33 years....so he is well trained if I need him to be. He even cooks! But I am already thinking that I need to begin making lists of all the things that need to be done and "when" so he can manage w/o me constantly reminding him. Right now he is going to be surprised to learn that the two dogs and cat have to be fed and let out 5 or 6 times a day!

Did you buy the grabber thingy and other useful aids like raised toilet before you came home?

[SandyC]

Marcia,
LOL, you will be polishing your management skills while you are recovering. My DH just kinda poo-poo'ed me until it came time to turn on the washing machine.....

I discovered that the recover period taught me what was important....let the dog out or pick up that stupid sock on the floor. If you only have energy for doing just one thing before having to lay down again, you learn think about what needs to be done vs. what you want done.

Yes, I had both the grabber/potty seat before surgery. It is better to have them before you need them. My doc would not allow me to use a cane or walker, so I didn't have those items.

[katblack]

Well Lynn you've been reading how I'm doing and I really hope that my blog is not depressing you or making you scared or whatever.
I'm in a phase right now of re-learning how to take on tasks.
It is mildly depressing and I am calling my doc about anti-depressants again because well, I think it would be best for me and my family. I'm not good to my teens if dropping my hairbrush on the floor is making me cry like a two year old.

The first few weeks, I slept and ate and lounged in the recliner. If you don't have one, I suggest you get one.
I could get on my couch but could not get off of it without horrendous pain and help. The recliner was just a ton easier.

I ate a ton of easy foods, still am when home alone because I still am not allowed to lift more than 5lbs or bend over so cooking myself something in the oven is out of the question.

As far as pain goes, it has not been anything like my pre-surgery scoli pain which was unbearable for me over the last 5 years. I took massive quantities of pain killers before surgery.
I am on percosets 4 times a day and have been since I came home. They did increase the dosage on one script because I was just not doing ok. I am back on the lower dose now.
I have hip pain but that's cuz of the giant 4inch screws he put in my SI (hip) joints and they get a little stiff after sitting or lying too long on my back.
I find the best sleeping position is on a side. I rotate after a few hours from left side to back for a while, and then to the right side. Seems to get me through the night.

As you know, I use my grabber for almost everything. I have to. I can't frigging bend over...lol

I am having issues right now and I don't want anyone to be discouraged by my issues. Some people are back to work 3-4 weeks later and others take months. I'm gonna be one of those people I feel, that just takes months to feel normal again.

We are all different, We all have different curves, muscle structure, our surgeons will do different things and give different send home instructions. You can use others experiences as a guide but your recoveries will be unique to you.

Like I said, I'm having some issues mentally dealing with it all right now, anyone is free to read how I'm doing and leave comments if you want. No guarantee I'll write ya back cuz I'm in a funk.
my blog

Oh yeah, my sister went out the night I came home and bought me the toilet seat and the grabber. I had a walker I brought home from the hospital but didn't use inside my small house. I have a cane that I use on days when I'm feeling wobbly.

[Shari]

Hi Lynne,

I think no matter how many experiences we hear about, or how much research we do, means nothing once you come out of the surgery and are at home. Everyone recovers differently! But we have all been through, or getting ready to go through, an extemely difficult surgery.

I didn't think any pain could be worse than what I had already endured over the last 25 years of my life. I had some bone cut from my shoulder at the age of 19, I had a miscarriage at the age of 21 and was given a D & C without even an aspirin, 4 nurses holding down my arms and legs, I had no insurance at the time, I had my leg and foot run over by a car at the age of 25, I got my right hand caught in a belt sander about 6 years ago and lost the top of my pinky and half of the tip of my ring finger and have been dealing with the pain of scoli for quite some time. I thought I had it in the bag. But the pain the first few weeks was more than I expected.

I think the support group that you have around you is very important in regards to your recovery. I tried to educate my husband about my surgery and what he was going to have to go through because of it. I don't think I did a very good job of that.

I wish you the best, and most of all try to keep a positive attitude, it is so easy to get down when you're in pain, as we all know so well!!!

You're in my thoughts and prayers,
Shari

[lelc2002@yahoo]

shari & all,

I guess the reason I asked the question is because I ran into my cousin who works in the next town from me & he knew from his sister about my surgery. He asked how long the recovery time was & when I told him his eyes popped out of his head. Also a mom who has a boy that plays w/ my son asked & same reaction. You do have doubts.. I think most people are expecting you to say 2 mths or so....Then I rephrase it & say that's for full recovery,,,,,, I guess as a mom you always think of the kids & husband & how much this will change everything. I know this will be very hard on my husband & hope he can handle it with the kids. We will, I'm sure have family & friends come to help at times, but a lot will be on him. It can(& I hope) will make our relationship stronger but I have always had more patience than him so it will be a test..
Maybe it's good I am only thinking about recovery these days. Maybe it means I know I'll get thru this. But now as it gets closer, I think...holy cow...this is a long, long , long recovery. Maybe it's just where I am on the 'learning curve' ha-ha . I hope I start thinking of all the good this will do.......soon....Ly & I must remind myself that a year, at my age, does fly by!

[Singer]

Hi Lynne,

I've followed this thread with great interest...and realize that no one can tell us exactly how it's going to be. My biggest concern is also how my adorable husband, the classic absent-minded professor type (he's a computer geek), will handle me being out of commission. That's why I have my cousin coming to stay with us for at least a month. Honest to God, with him in charge, the Board of Health would be shutting the house down in two weeks.

So I guess what I'm saying is, I'm taking a hard look at my husband and kid and instead of trying to train them in a hurry, I'm dealing with reality and getting lots of help.

The other thing is: when I was about 29 I had a tonscillectomy. I realize a tonscillectomy is about one-sixteenth as big a deal as spinal fusion, but the point is I had alot of people screaming about how painful and awful it would be at my age. It did hurt but the anticipation turned out to be worse than actually going through it. What I'm trying to say is, I think no matter how much information we gather,it's going to be our own unique experience and one day at a time we will get through it. Everybody has a different level of pain tolerance and everybody's curve is different, so...

All we can know is, it's going to be hard -- but no one on in this group has died from it!!!! (right??)


Chris

[Singer]

Shari,

My hat's off to you for enduring so much! And you're still such a positive person!

I hope your back is feeling A LOT better these days,
Chris

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Thks Chris...you sure know how to cheer a person up!!!! I guess we have to laugh about it or we'll cry....
My husband is a computer geek too! sent you a private m........
oh no, I've switched from happy faces to this...