5 PARTs to this crazy story
Part 1: The past 6 months have been about a new beginning. Packing our rental and moving into our new home was the focus. As I think back, I didn’t do anything differently from what I normally have done in the past. Packing and unpacking endless boxes, climbing 3 flights of stairs to move my daughter into her apartment, volunteering to walk dogs at a shelter, moving furniture, endless gardening in our new home, driving hours for Thanksgiving, decorating for Christmas and of course teaching little people at school. This is Type A me who has a constant list that must get done. I am fiercely independent so why ask for help if you can do it yourself. Pain started in my right leg with sciatica. It slowly moved around my back to the center and to the left. Sciatica disappeared so all was good. I tried, heat, cold and exercises. Nothing worked. Once I had some annoying accidents and went numb, I knew something was up. I went to a clinic which referred me to a specialist. After insurance issues and crazy scheduling I finally got an appointment.
Part 2: Diagnosing. The specialist’s scheduling nurse understood how emergent my condition was so spoke to me on the phone at 5:00 p.m. on a Thursday night when she should be going home and got me in the very next day. I arrived at the doctor’s office without an MRI which was a no no. The doctor listened to my symptoms and was shocked I hadn’t had an MRI yet. He referred me for one and stressed I needed to get one that weekend and see him the following Tuesday. The MRI facility was unbelievable. “Would you like wine, beer, soda or water? ” was asked when I arrived. I declined because I couldn’t feel if I needed to use the bathroom and I wasn’t willing to take the chance. The room was filled with gorgeous decorations of gold, silver and white. This was a small office in which only one MRI was done at a time. The tech was an adorable woman from the islands who put me at ease at once. I left with the MRI disc in my hand and arrived at the specialist the following Tuesday. After looking at the scan the neurosurgeon shared that this was an emergency situation. My symptoms were getting worse and once experiencing may not be reversed. Surgery was scheduled for later that week.
Part 3: Surgery. My symptoms got worse over the next few days and the neurosurgeon told me to go to the emergency room asap. The emergency room doctor took one look at me and scheduled an MRI. They also got to look at the previous MRI as well to compare. Everyone was shocked I hadn’t had surgery yet. I was admitted, given some painkillers and got my room that evening. The next morning, I was scheduled second in line for surgery. The neurosurgeon told me 30 minutes to an hour. I ended up having 3 major procedures done. I had a Laminectomy which removes a portion of a vertebrae called the lamina, which is the roof of the spinal canal. It is major spine surgery with residual scar tissue and may result in Postlaminectomy Syndrome. I had a Disectomy which removes abnormal disc material that presses on the nerve root or spinal cord. A portion of the intervertebral disc is removed. The last procedure done was a surgical Spinal Decompression in which discs are removed from pressing on the spinal cord. I received 10 staples as well to close up the leaking spinal column.
Part 4: Recovery. I am now in the recovery phase. After surgery I was flat on my back for 18 hours due to spinal fluid leaking. I was raised a little every hour to prevent headaches and allow the spinal fluid to replenish itself. I have 10 staples which need to be cleaned every two days and bandaged. After dinner time in the hospital it gets very lonely and sad. I had multiple crying jags. At home, reality slaps you in the face every chance it gets. I have to follow the BLT rules (NO bending, lifting or twisting). I have very limited mobility so if I drop something it stays dropped. (I bought a reacher to help). If I use the bathroom I can’t get up. (A step stool was put in the bathroom to hoist my body up). I’m only 51 years old and feel and act like a very elderly person. I absolutely need help and for a very independent person this is really hard. I have always been very independent and never asked for help. During this recovery I’ve had to swallow my pride and ask for help. I’ve been humiliated by having my hubby help me off the toilet or hand me pills because I don’t know what to take or cover my bandages so I could take a shower. My moods have been all over the place including intense sadness, pain, feeling guilty and humiliated by letting others down. It is Christmas time, my favorite time of the year, and I can’t do anything. I’m flat on my back or walking. I can’t drive or shop. I’m relying on others to buy presents for me and plan the holiday.
Part 5 Medication concerns: As a person who takes Aleve only, for pain, I was made aware of the many types of cocktails for pain: Fentanyl, Oxy, Valium, Morphine, Tylenol, and muscle relaxers. Fentanyl and Valium made me hallucinate. Oxy and the muscle relaxers worked the best. I never used morphine. The nurses suggested using morphine and scaling back. I agreed to the opposite. I didn’t want to rely on the heaviest drug at all. One nurse believed a cocktail should be given which didn’t cause hallucinations. The patient is suffering with so much they don’t need the added hallucination. My husband controlled my meds once home which was necessary. He needed to coordinate with the pharmacy and fight to get the meds when needed. I was taking 11 different medications and had no idea which to take and when. I absolutely needed a care giver. I can absolutely understand how people get hooked on meds. I actually did too much on two days I was home because the painkillers masked too much of my pain.
If I didn’t have a wonderful husband to help me through this unexpected ordeal I would be lost. I imagine people without care givers at home and what they face. Elderly people who don’t have help, except for a visiting nurse. Adults coordinating their medication when they are SO not focused. Patients losing their mind due to boredom, sadness, and pain.