Post Surgery

I am currently two days post-op and very sore.  "Laminectomy Lumbar Disk Foramen Facet" is what was on the paper taped to my hospital bed, so I guess that's what I had done.  I was kinda out of it when the doctor talked to me, but we'll go over specifics when I see him again next week.

I had to be at the hospital at 5:45am on Thursday.  Upon arrival I only sat in the waiting room a few minutes before I had to say my goodbyes and let my nurse get started.  I got nekked and changed into a very unflattering gown.  I got hooked up to an IV and pulse-ox monitor thing.  And they put on the tightest blood pressure cuff I've ever felt... I thought my arm might pop right off.  I got some sexy compression stockings, which they told me I have to wear all week.

The anesthesiologist came by to talk to me and decided I needed to take a pregnancy test just to be sure.  So the nurse unhooked me from some things but left me attached to some others, wrapped a blanket around my backside, held the IV bag up and paraded me in front of everyone in that room over to the bathroom.  For someone with social anxiety, it was just fantastic.

Later I was back in bed, and a slight sedative was administered.  She said I would feel tipsy as I was wheeled into the operating room, and I did.  I remember them putting a mask on me, and then I was out.  I woke up maybe an hour and a half to two hours later in a recovery room totally out of it.   I heard someone talking on the phone about what I had had done and that I came out of sedation agitated.  Oops.  I drifted in and out there, then was taken to my room when I was more alert.

They had me up and walking just a few hours after surgery, and I found that my sharp, shooting sciatic pain was gone!  I'm still having some numbness in my foot, but they say that's normal and will go away.  I was very tired and napped throughout that afternoon.  I had some visitors and got some beautiful flowers...

And someone brought me this thing to use so I didn't get pneumonia...

I slept on and off throughout the night but was woken every so often by a nurse taking vitals or making me go for another walk... or by the lady down the hall who was screaming all night.  My mother came to see me around 10:00 the next morning.  I was discharged around 11:30, and she took me home.  The boyfriend was at work, but I was getting around okay and told her I would be fine by myself.  I slept most of the afternoon, still very groggy from all the meds.  I was up and about a few times and even walked way out to the mailbox for the first time in weeks.

I woke up this morning very dizzy and was a little worried, but it slowly went away after some breakfast.  I've still been taking it very easy, but made my second trip out to the mailbox a bit ago.  I'm supposed to be up "putzing around" throughout the day with frequent resting periods.  Can't drive or pick up anything more than five pounds for at least a week.

When I nap, I've got the whole gang to keep me company...

Hopefully the recovery will be very quick and easy, and I'll be back to my life in no time!