lovely1fmct's Journal

Well I had the surgery Wednesday, it went well. I didn't need the fusion this time.  He removed most of the L3-L4 disk. He said L4-L5 disk didn't look to good since the last surgery but he wanted to leave it alone and see how I feel for the next 6-8 months.  If I'm not 90% better with the back pain then he will do the double fusion.  He said I will have a lot of relief and have no sciatic pain down my legs for now on.  I’m not going back unless I’m totally disabled and I can't walk lol.

This hurts so bad, it feel like a bomb blew up on my back. I had a few complications when I was in the recovery room I still don’t know what was wrong, they said I was in there for over 3 hours, maybe they couldn’t wake me up .  After that I had to stay in the hospital 3 extra days because I couldn't pee or poop. I don't know why it just wouldn't work. It’s working now, they kept making me go the bathroom to try and when nothing happened they made me lay on my back (OMG the worst pain in the world), they used temporary catheters and no one could get it in after like three or more tries with three different nurses and flash lights.  They had me jacked up like I was having a baby.  This went on every 3 hour for 2 days.  I had to cry and beg them to put a permanent catheter in so I could rest and it could heal, that was sore too.    

My whole body hurts; I asked the surgeon if they dropped me off the table. Lol.  I have bruises all over.  My vein in my hand with the IV collapsed and no one knew.   I knew some meds burn when it goes in but that felt like they were squirting acid into it.  By the 2nd day one nurse saw it hurt me so bad so compared both of my hands and it was so swollen I couldn’t even make a fist.  She put another line in my other hand.   I said no wonder my pain wasn’t going away with the meds in my IV it was all under my skin.   The last time I had surgery I had a self controlled morphine drip, I don’t know why I didn’t have it this time. 

The next day I was able to hold down most of my food so they gave me pain pills, I never asked what they were I just took it.  The doctors said I needed to walk around and work with a therapist.  I tried my hardest but it hurt so bad, I cried so much because of the pain.  Then I asked what kind of med I was on, she said 500mg Vicodin every 3 hours.  I had a shit fit.  That’s the same amount of medication I was taking before my surgery, how the hell is that going to help me after the surgery.  I requested to speak to management about all that happened and then things got better. 

Until the last night, I finally was able to urinate but not poop.  They gave me oral laxatives the whole time but it didn’t work because I vomited most of it up every time.  Then they gave me an enema it worked but after all I went through I started having chest pains, they had to rush me to the ER.  I was so scared and hurt; they had no consideration that I had a freaking hole in my back from major back surgery.  They slammed me on the stretcher and went through their procedures, it ended up not being serious but it was a horrible thing to go through. 

I’m so glad to be home, it’s hard to get around, wash up and get dressed, but I have a lot of help and I’m at peace in my own house.  Until next time; big hugs, Lovely.