All I can start aout with is bring on the hip and knee replacements this back surgery was the worst.

I saw my surgeon for my ist follow up visiit yesterday. Surgically everything looks perfect, all 8 fused thoracic levels. He told me the radiologist at the hospital told him it was the most perfect fusuiomn he had ever seen. That was on day 3 when my poor surgeon was searching for something out of place to be causing me the intesnse pain that could not be elleviated.

I don't really remember surgery day , by the evening of the next day even though all pain meds had been increased I was in tears to loud sobs (after sending my kids to get something to eat) as the pain was just too much for me. It was constant. I was literally even calling and paging my psych dr so he could come and put something in the IV to calm the pain or me!!!!

Days went by like this, I think I got to having dangerrous levels of pain meds, could not be sent home as it was still not controlled. Then about day 6 (iwas supposed to be there 2-3 days). I decided to get off my butt, get the walker, IV, pee bag etc and go for a walk. I made it a short way and started seeing a triangle of flashing light, someone stopped me and asked what was going on and I was turned around to head back to my room. Saw my doc who decided to make me all cozy (while still with a 12 pain level) in my recliner. He left and I had my first seizure ever. It took me a long time in mhy mind to get a nurse in the room, then to get her to believe what had just happened. She had to untangle my legs from the recliner and get me into bed, then left. I was in tears and kept trying to get her back in my room as I was afraid to be alone. I was having a difficult time recognizing a phone to call anyone or the call button. She finally came back and I had a seizure in front of her, then she believ ed me and I heard her calling for help.

I guess I started another one and the whole ER staff was in my room, then poor Jeff walked in!!!! Anyway my blood pressure was amazingly high, I had been hallucinating all week and very disoriented. Of course all I ever talked about was being iun such pain. All of thjat got me moved to a more intensive floor, less pain meds (in case they had anhything to do with it all)
So now I have a neurologist. I was told at the hospital that the ct was normal, I went to see the neurologist who said of course my ct was abnormal and she was trying to figure out if I had seizures or a stroke. I know it was seizures, now on to a brain MRI next week/
Amazing that when they discharged me my blood pressure was 180/120, they knew I had started having seizures when my b/p was too high.

Oh well, the back surgery is perfect, my surgeon was wonderful. He gave me his cell phone # and was actually searching in the halls for me when I was sent to have the brain CT. He did try every drug he could to relieve pain and I did overhear him saying to other docs that I was tough as nails and he could not figure oujt why the pain level was a 15!!!!
When my knee surgeon came in to visit I asked him to get one of his hammers and hit me overe the head with it!!!

I have been thinking of all of you and know can type making some sense. I still have some swelling on my brain , but have not looked up the areas mentioned. My uncoherent typing last week was not from la la land, but just could not make the fingers work, glad they are back.

Well, tjhere is no place to go but onward adn upward from here, my wonderful pt has had a long enough brake from me. Tomorrow I will see my knee surgeon and probably be given the OK to do some bent leg walking after I tell him about my second week in the hospital. He probably thought i finally wnet home when I left the orthopedic floor!!!

hope everyone is doing ok, can't wait to start reading and catching up. Wondering how the diet's are going.
Doug, I have been eating meat!!!!! I figure I need all the help I can get this time!!!!

Bionic this time for sure Judy

I am absolutely lost for words, that's quite a trick BTW.

I am so terribly sorry for your ordeal!

Judy, So glad to finally hear from you but wow, can't believe your ordeal. For those of us not familiar with back surgery, perhaps you can elaborate on what kind of procedure you had. And why.

I gather that you are back home. Sure hope you have lots of TLC from your family.

Can't wait to hear more about your recovery and about your hiking escapades again.

Just curious, did your new hip survive the trauma?

Take good care of yourself.

Laurie (a hippy bud)

Oh Judy!!! What an awful ordeal! I don't even want you to recount any more of it, but from now on, hope with your wonderful attitude, that you will get stronger every day! Your friends here at Bonesmart have really missed you! Get strong girl! So glad you are back! You inspire all of us!!!

Wow.....I can't believe all that happened to you. Good thing you were strong and kept after them. And I'm glad you are now on the road to recovery with lots of people looking out for you. Post again soon when you feel up to it. We want to know you are doing okay!!! (((HUGS))) to you!!

I am so sorry you are having to endure this, Judy. Life is sometimes awfully hard--and there's no rhyme or reason to it. I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. And by the way, it's good to have you back with us.

My goodness what an ordeal! You are a real hero for getting through it. Doncha just love it when nurses don't believe what they've been told! No matter the credo "pain (or whatever) is what the patient says it is"!

Glad to have you back with us, Judy, and to know that you're improving bit by bit. God be praised!

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Please post in forums; PMs and emails for personalized help are not community oriented and will not be answered. Also search the Library and other threads for information.Thanks.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER - Moderator comments on this web site are provided for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for advice from your personal physician or surgeon.

Administrator is an orthopaedic nurse of 50+ years experience in joint replacement.
Left arthroscopic menisectomy 4th October 09
RTKR 17th March 09
Right arthroscopy June 06

Thanks guys for your thoughts. As far as the decision to fuse my thoracic spine, it is a rare occasion as it is very stable and attached to the ribs. Somehow mine just hopefully was causing pain by being a little unstable and will eventually be fixed. Unfortunately, there is always the possibilibty that the disks are the source of pain in that area which would require more surgery.
One of my restrictions is not lifting more than 5 pounds so the laptop is not allowed to be lifted. I have to wait for someone to be home to get it off the table for me. It is amazing that a partially filled water bottle hurts if I carry it upstairs!! Talk about loosing muscle strength
I have probably built up some tolerance to pain meds in this past year so I keep debate about how much and when to take them. I am prescribed percocet 10mg, but my surgeon wants me to only take one every 6 hours. If it doesn't work, I take more, but Ihave told him that. I am fortunate that he and my primary dr. know each other well and will both help me through this.

I am hoping by next week I can focus on reading so I can sit outside in the sun and read.
I did come home with a walker, but have not even seen it, I think it is hiding out in the garage. I definately needed it in the hospital to hang on to those first few days then they would not even let me travel in a wheelchair, only on a gurney with the rails up.
Did I mention the priest appearing in my room and scaring me half to death!!!

Oh, someone asked about the hip. It is amazing. No regrets, I just love it!!! I can see it hauling me up some tall mountains.
Hope everyone is doing great.
Judy

Oh Judy....with all you've been through your attitude is marvelous. What an inspiration you are to us all.

Jo as far as nurses, when I was moved to some type of closely monitored floor (24 hour heart monitoring, other equipment on which someone told me was incase they needed to restart my heart, I stopped asking questions then) I had the best young male nurse. He was everything you would think of in a nurse, like I imagine having yuo for a nurse would be. We were together for 3 night shifts, he was always there at the 2 hour mark when I could get a baby dose of meds, seemed to walk in the room as I thought about calling for something. The last nite, he told me I woke up consistantly at the same time each nite he took care of me and he was ready to walk in with any oral pain meds I was allowed. He even tried to get the docs to increase the dosage (unsuccessfully, but he tried) He explained it all in detail to the day young nurse, but she never seemed to care.
I am going to call the hospital and get his name and speak to his boss tomorrow . Then send a note to the administration, he was just awesome.

Judy

That's nice to do that, Judy. People are so ready to make official complaints but rarely send a note to bosses when they've been good carers. I sent such a message to the boss of the clinic where I had my MRI scan on Tuesday. Had to tell him he had a jewel of a nurse/radiographer as she was just soooo sweet and sympathetic. And we had a good laugh to boot which helped me stay calm and not give in to my claustrophobia.

__________________

Please post in forums; PMs and emails for personalized help are not community oriented and will not be answered. Also search the Library and other threads for information.Thanks.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER - Moderator comments on this web site are provided for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for advice from your personal physician or surgeon.

Administrator is an orthopaedic nurse of 50+ years experience in joint replacement.
Left arthroscopic menisectomy 4th October 09
RTKR 17th March 09
Right arthroscopy June 06

Jo I went back a few pages to see why you had an MRI of your ear? Couldn';t find anything and started thinking about me smelling cat food the other day and trying to get someone to make me a tuna sandwich (no luck!!). hopefully I won't find myself too hungry and share lunch with Cat some day.
I am a bit worried about my MRI on tuesday of the brain only the laying on my back for the 45 minutes or so. It will have to be one of those mind over matter experiences like running a marathon!!!
Judy

Oh Judy, I am so sorry to see what you have just been through. I really hope you have the pain under control now and that you don't have any more seizures. Good luck with the MRI. Will they give you any sedative? They do that if you are nervous or in your case it would help you be less uncomfortable?
Take care ((((HUGS))))) Sue

Was just a check to make sure my tinnitus isn't being caused by an auditory neroma which is a harmless growth on the hearing nerve. Happily, the technicion didn't think there was anything there. I was certain there wasn't!

I did a lot of praying and used my self-hypnosis/relaxation techniques to the max. And I kept my eyes closed! But they provided me with a pair of those prism glasses they give to bedfast people to read with which meant I couldn't see the scanner or the cage thing they put over my face. Was a fantastic idea!

__________________

Please post in forums; PMs and emails for personalized help are not community oriented and will not be answered. Also search the Library and other threads for information.Thanks.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER - Moderator comments on this web site are provided for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for advice from your personal physician or surgeon.

Administrator is an orthopaedic nurse of 50+ years experience in joint replacement.
Left arthroscopic menisectomy 4th October 09
RTKR 17th March 09
Right arthroscopy June 06

Glad no auditory neuroma Jo. I actually got comfortable this morning sitting. Good arrangement of pillows, heating pad, pain meds working, life is good. I only have a few minutes of it as I have to get in the shower aND head to the knee surgeon.
It gives me hope that I can achieve it again when I get home. I think today I am going with your pain control and will take pain meds before the previous batch wears off. I have been extremely scared of having another seizure so have been trying to last as long as I can in between meds in case they have contributed at all.
A piece of toast and into the shower for me
Judy

Hi Judy,
Glad you are back home and progressing :) It would have scared me to have priest appear!

All the best,
Monica

It would really surprise me if a priest appeared; I'm not Catholic!

Just wanted to add my welcome back to the chorus! I may not be among your familiar group of regulars, but I'll never forget your warm welcome when I first joined the forum! So glad you're home & on your way to recovery!!

Thanks PRGirl
I appreciate the welcome back more than you will ever know!!!
Judy

Holy COw!!!! Judy ---- I hope the hubby and kids have turned a page and can truly appreciate you and your strength now! We are so glad you are back with us. Hopefully this procedure will solve most, if not all of your back issues and you can get on and get back your life. Keep us updated! I am icing knee and hip as I type - too much normalcy this am, payback still stinks but it was fun while it lasted!

Hang in !
Marianne