Well my fiends and family....ALOT and I do mean A-L-O-T has happened since the last post I made way back in early March. I don't even know how happened but I'll do my best to describe what I know. I was doinh well, fairly well Physically and surgically aside from several weeks of stomach issues (see my "Tummy Troubles" entry before this post). So here's whats been going on. I was about 2 weeks away from discharge from my home PT and was making slow,steady progress. On the weekend of 3/24, I started experiencing pain in my lower back but it wasn't that "good pain" or "healing pain" that I have spoken of previously. Something was off, it hurt and it getting worse with each passing day. But Sunday, I was barely able to stand up and it felt like I was being stabbed with every movement I made. By mondayday, it was decided that I was just going to get the X-ray and show up at my surgeons office with my Dad, which is exactly what we did.
The surgeon saw that I was in excruciating pain, and said "your X-rays look great. I don't see anything out of place. It's probably just a bad muscle spasm." Little consolation as I lay there sobbing in pain. My Dad suggested a cortisone injection and the doctor agreed - he said to call him Friday to let him know how I was doing. Well, I made it til Wednesday before calling him back and telling it was so bad I literally could not walk and that the pain was in bearable. Actually now that i think aboutmitmChad called because i s Was crying from the pain to talk. He said come to the ER, I'll admit you, we'll get our pain under control and get a CT scan just to make sure it wasn't more than a muscle spasm. Well, it was deffinitely more,than a muscle spasm. He walked into my room at 6:50am the following morning after being admitted and said: "we'll, you have a broken back at the T12 level (1 level,above where my fusion starts)" He went on to say I have two options: "a clam shell back brace for 3 months or another extensive surgery to extend the fusion." and that was about it - I spent a week at Cooper on IV pain and muscle relaxant meds and on April 4th, was transferred to Magee Rehab Hospital. My PT is one of the brightest most experienced therapists I've ever come across - and aside from that he's a nice guy and makes me laugh even when what were doing hurts. My OT is great too and the care I am getting here is romp notch incredible. I have a minimum of 3 hours of therapy a day: PT, OT, Recreation therapy, art therapy and even horticultural group twice a week. I was told I'd be here about 4 weeks so I'd that's still true, I've completed two weeks thus far. It's hard work - its extremely painful to have a broken back (and this brace is not helping) on top of what I was 8-9 weeks post-op healing from. I am getting the physical, mental, emotional and psychological counseling that I need and I am so incredibly grateful. I am currently in a wheelchair but that is NOT permenemt (I'm not steady enough to walk so if I want to get around in my room I scoot around in my w/c - i can walk about 20-30' (which when i first got, here I couldn't even stand and walk 3-4') with assistance and a rolling walker and my standing tolerabout has gotten alot better about 3-5' which is a big improvement. I NEED to be here - IT has taken me 2 weeks to really believe that - but I really do need to be here so that I come home, I'll be home for good. Thank goodness for FaceTime and Skype. I miss my babies and husband and am blessed that mug parents are STILL able to help out. they've put their lives on hold back,home in Savannah to be here with us taking care of the kids and everything's you can think, imagine or dream of. So with that I will update when possible.to be honest, I didn't bother updating anyone on here because I didn't really think anybody cared. Now that I do I all try to be better at updating.
I DO have a discharge date of MAY 4th. - just 4 days before my baby girls 3rd birthday. At that point I will have been here for exactly one month. I'm exactly where I need to be, I'm wokprki g my tail off Amd I dont give,excuses, I give it my all! No one can tell me AOW this T12 fracture happened-----and if they know they're too scared of a lawsuit to tell me. I'm not interested in that and my goal,is,Amd a,ways has been to live a happier slightly less painful life. and that's what I'm trying tod do!
The surgeon saw that I was in excruciating pain, and said "your X-rays look great. I don't see anything out of place. It's probably just a bad muscle spasm." Little consolation as I lay there sobbing in pain. My Dad suggested a cortisone injection and the doctor agreed - he said to call him Friday to let him know how I was doing. Well, I made it til Wednesday before calling him back and telling it was so bad I literally could not walk and that the pain was in bearable. Actually now that i think aboutmitmChad called because i s Was crying from the pain to talk. He said come to the ER, I'll admit you, we'll get our pain under control and get a CT scan just to make sure it wasn't more than a muscle spasm. Well, it was deffinitely more,than a muscle spasm. He walked into my room at 6:50am the following morning after being admitted and said: "we'll, you have a broken back at the T12 level (1 level,above where my fusion starts)" He went on to say I have two options: "a clam shell back brace for 3 months or another extensive surgery to extend the fusion." and that was about it - I spent a week at Cooper on IV pain and muscle relaxant meds and on April 4th, was transferred to Magee Rehab Hospital. My PT is one of the brightest most experienced therapists I've ever come across - and aside from that he's a nice guy and makes me laugh even when what were doing hurts. My OT is great too and the care I am getting here is romp notch incredible. I have a minimum of 3 hours of therapy a day: PT, OT, Recreation therapy, art therapy and even horticultural group twice a week. I was told I'd be here about 4 weeks so I'd that's still true, I've completed two weeks thus far. It's hard work - its extremely painful to have a broken back (and this brace is not helping) on top of what I was 8-9 weeks post-op healing from. I am getting the physical, mental, emotional and psychological counseling that I need and I am so incredibly grateful. I am currently in a wheelchair but that is NOT permenemt (I'm not steady enough to walk so if I want to get around in my room I scoot around in my w/c - i can walk about 20-30' (which when i first got, here I couldn't even stand and walk 3-4') with assistance and a rolling walker and my standing tolerabout has gotten alot better about 3-5' which is a big improvement. I NEED to be here - IT has taken me 2 weeks to really believe that - but I really do need to be here so that I come home, I'll be home for good. Thank goodness for FaceTime and Skype. I miss my babies and husband and am blessed that mug parents are STILL able to help out. they've put their lives on hold back,home in Savannah to be here with us taking care of the kids and everything's you can think, imagine or dream of. So with that I will update when possible.to be honest, I didn't bother updating anyone on here because I didn't really think anybody cared. Now that I do I all try to be better at updating.
I DO have a discharge date of MAY 4th. - just 4 days before my baby girls 3rd birthday. At that point I will have been here for exactly one month. I'm exactly where I need to be, I'm wokprki g my tail off Amd I dont give,excuses, I give it my all! No one can tell me AOW this T12 fracture happened-----and if they know they're too scared of a lawsuit to tell me. I'm not interested in that and my goal,is,Amd a,ways has been to live a happier slightly less painful life. and that's what I'm trying tod do!
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