12/21/11 UPDATE: Video Diary, My Lumbar Fusion....

I am SO glad that you have gotten some relief and that you've been able to put off surgery for so long! Finding alternatives that work to relieve pain have been tough for me. The epidurals didn't work and didn't last any substantial length of time. Accupuncture was good but only worked for about a day and a half and then the pain was back full force. For whatever reason chiro's haven't really wanted to touch me. IDK if all are different but all the ones i've consulted or talked with won't touch me with the Spondy. When you press on my back or rub the area of L4/L5 you can literally feel and hear the bones crunch together, maybe that has something to do with it? IDK.

Facing surgery is frustrating. I'm only 38, i'm a divorced parent and I love my career. It's a lot to process. I've been off work now for a year because of it and in addition to the pain, that is wearing on me too. Chronic pain is a horrible, horrible demon. It really does effect every aspect of your life. It's not a fun experience by any means.

I am so glad to hear that your friend has recently had a successful surgery! It's always so wonderful and inspiring to hear success stories. They are so few and far between. Seems everyone is happy to talk about the problems they have had vs. the good points. I hope that the therapy you've found will continue to work! I will keep you in my prayers for continued healing and pain free days :) Keep me posted on how you are doing!

I am afraid you are right my friend! Surgery sometimes is necessary and the only path toward reducing pain. I am hopeful that I can get at least 10 years of high function after the surgery before more problems occur.

Thanks so much for the warm wishes and advice :)

Trixie, wishing you all the best with your surgeries. I can tell you are a strong person, and I have a feeling you'll be back on your feet and feeling great in no time.

Thank you SO much my friend! I am a very strong woman, this has tested me though but I suspect i'll come out even stronger on the other side :)

Thank you for the warm wishes and support!

Hugs <3

Glad you are going to rehab. They will work you to death, it will be painful, but you will recover sooo much faster!

Yeah they will! I'm not too fond of being *pushed* but sometimes we all need that sometimes and you are right, in the end it will be helpful and a good thing :)

I had an anterior lumbar fusion in 2007. My ordeal was awful. I waited way to long between the discectomy and the fusion. Had the worst sciatic pain imaginable. Before it was all done my wife had left me and i has to sell a house and acreage that I loved.

It has been a long, slow recovery but I'm back to work with the help of pain meds and muscle relaxers. I think the worst thing was the depression and the feeling of worthlessness that came with all of the other things surrounding the injury.

At the worst point I was taking 640mg of Oxycontin a day and Avinza on top of that. I was so fried but still in pain.

New video :)

:( I am so sorry to hear you had a bad experience! I will keep you covered in prayers and if I can help you through this journey, please let me know :) Maybe we can help each other!

The recovery from any type of back surgery is long and hard. Much longer and harder than they foretell. The chronic pain is the worst part. Actually for me, it's neck in neck with being caught up in the workers comp system. The pain does cause so many negative feelings that are compounded by the fact you can't work and it affects EVERYTHING and EVERYONE around you! *sigh*, I know this fact all too well my friend!

I am so glad that you are back at work now! I suspect that with most people who undertake this surgery, chronic pain and medication become a necessity as much as we would not like to have that happen, it is probably more of a consequence/fact.

You were taking much more meds than I am on. I'm not sure I could tolerate that much! Right now i'm on 10 of Percocet and it throws me for a loop! You are right though, the pain is still there. It's all unfortunately a band-aid.

I do hope that you continue to feel better! Please feel free to PM me if we can help each other through any of this chaos!

God bless you my friend, my prayers are with you for a continued recovery and decrease in pain <3

Thank you for the bumps :)

I'm 39 yr old female I had l3-s1 fused last July for spondy as well. Surgery was complete success I was in misery, I'm so happy to not be in pain. I dread the pain coming back, I would rather die than go through what I went thru pre surgery. I hope you have as much success as I've had.

YAY! Congrats to you my friend! Woohoo! So love hearing success stories! I am SO happy that you had a successful outcome and i'll keep you in my prayers that it is lasting! What a blessing!

Thank you for sharing your success with me and for the warm wishes!

Hugs and best of luck for continued success! What a wonderful feeing it must be, I can only imagine and hope that I get that experience in the very near future <3

Last Edited by TrixieMama on 11/15/2011 01:21 AM

My beloved friend,

2 more days!!!!!!!!!!!



Your transition to good health will be blessed by our Lord!

With love

I love you my spiritual son ;) Thank you for all your support, love and encouragement! Check you gmail in about an hour, i'm sending you something.

Hugs...

xoxo

Good Luck OP,

I have been down this road more than once so I feel your pain. I would have advised not have a 360 fusion but when you said your vertebra was broken that changed my mind. I am sure the doctors have told you what to expect. You will need someone with you when you get home. Please don't lift anything more than a gallon of milk and that is after months of recovery. Please take my advice and get off the narcotics fast as possible. Narcotics caused me to have stress, depression and turned me into a zombie for over ten years until I decided I had enough of hell. You will need to ask around for ways to get off the narcotics once your body has healed enough for the last major hurdle. Your body will want those meds but activities like Qi Gong can have many positive effects on pain as well as herbs and plants.

Peace to you

Good Luck

Amy,

Thank you SO much for sharing your story! I am so very sorry that you have had to endure similar! This is a path I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy! I totally understand your not advising anyone to have a 360, I too am not for it other than the fact, like you said, the vertebrae (pars) are broken and the vertebrae are just floating there moving around with every flexion and extension - compressing the canal. Sucks TBH. I wish there was another way.

Thank you so much for your advice! I talk any and all wisdom from those who have walked this road before me! It's really the only way to learn what is right and wrong during recovery! The narcotics are horrible! They are a demon and one I cannot wait to dispel. I have found that the Soma works sometimes for the pain better than the percocet (previously norco). This week I have really, really cut back on the pain meds with the hopes that it helps reduce what I need during my recovery time. Hopefully my tolerance will be decreased a tad. I've heard this is helpful so i've been trying really hard. I really hate the way they make me feel.

Thank you again my friend for your well wishes and for all the great advice. You are in my prayers my friend! I hope we can talk again soon!

Hugs

My dearest Kim,

I'm afraid I didn't get any email from you. It is understandable though!!!!

You know I'm praying for you, each any every morning, each and every evening :)

You can do this

New Video :



Last Edited by TrixieMama on 11/18/2011 09:37 AM

My dearest D,

I emailed you that night and cannot access gmail anymore for whatever reason. Go back through your old emails from me, I gave you an alternate address in one of them, email me there, that email links to my phone and I can email you from the hospital. Hugs and love always...

xoxo

Trixie, (Kim :D ) I prayed for you tonight as I watched your videos- You are an inspiration for all of us. I hope to hear your good news as soon as possible, because I know God will be with you every step of the way.

God Bless you and keep you in his wonderful arms- providing you comfort, peace and his everlasting love!

Big hugs to you, my friend- from one nurse to another.

Trixie, I know your not up to posting an update... maybe someone in your family or friends could post us an update??

Still praying for you and thinking of you-

Amen.

Here is to a great person and wishing her a speedy recovery. You've been in many of our prayers and shall remain there.

Keep your head up, TrixieMama.

Ok ill try call some down for you, though the green room thread gives me the shivers.

Hello my AMAZING friends! This is the first time i've logged on and posted since just before my surgery. I am rather heavily medicated and seeing double so I can't type well, as such, this will be short. Just wanted to post the new updated video's i've posted from the hospital. It's been a rough go and i'm still not feeling well. Tonight i'll try to make a better video. Sorry for the low quality of these, they were made in the hospital on my phone and Ipod.

Hello Trixie,

You were on my heart today. Must have been the Lord's Spirit.

I was going to pull up the video thread to review your last video, when I noticed you are here doing it yourself.

I am so happy to hear a word from you, my friend. Now I will watch your videos as I sip my tea.

God's Peace be with you.
:hgg7:

Trixie, so good to see your video. You are really looking well, considering what you've been through. Glad you are up with the walker. You'll no doubt feel a little better every day. With your great attitude, there'll be no stopping you.

All the best wishes for a continued recovery.