Saturday, September 25, 2010

Happy 50!

Wednesday the 22nd was my 50th birthday. It has been 9 weeks since the surgery and to tell you the truth I don't feel much better. Still have lower back pain when I stand or walk (without my cane), Both feet still numb and tingling at the toes, right leg still weak. My right thigh is still numb from the actual surgery. I get pain there a lot and really need to take my Neurotin to keep it at bay.

See  the Dr. the 29th and after 12 sessions of PT I am not much better than the last time I saw him. PT wants me for 2 more weeks so they "can get me off the cane", even though I told them that walking with the cane doesn't hurt my back!

Matt

Friday, September 3, 2010

September 3, 2010

Physical therapy today. This is my 3 session. When I came in for the 2nd session te therapist asked my how I made out after the 1st session. I told he she was a 10. She said thanks and I told her that after I got home I had to take a #10 Percocet!!

Every session they add more excersises! Today I rode a bike for 10 minutes. I can hardly stand up straight now.

Matt

Monday, August 30, 2010

Day 46 August 30, 2010

Went to see the surgeon today. Got X-rays first. Then saw Dr. Mitchell. He asked me how I was doing. I started telling him my problems and when I was done he turned to Diane and asked her how I was doing! It seems that my bones are fusing. So much so he started me on physical therapy tomorrow! 3 times a week for 4 weeks. I guess I am doing better than I think.

Still have the same pain in my back when I stand too long, he seems a little concerned about that. If it keeps hurting he will send me back to the pain management doctor for injections. I got the surgery to stop getting injections. If that doesn't work he told me he can do more surgery!!!!!!!!!!

Oh well!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Friday August 20, 2010

Saw my family doctor yesterday about my chest. I took a picture with me of how it looked right after surgery. He thought it looked like a staff infection and loaded me up with anti-biotics, predisone and a Rx cream.

I also weighed myself and I have lost 20 more pounds since surgery. That is a total of 52 pounds since November.

Matt

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Wednesday August 18, 2010

Was visited by a friend today. He said that he hadn't seen anything on my blog for a while and was wondering how I was doing. My apologies for not keeping current!

Things are going pretty well. Nurse and therapist come at least once a week. I am going stir crazy. Can't wait to go to the surgeon so maybe I can get permission to drive!

Visiting nurse is happy with my progress. She is concerned about my chest. So I am going to my family doctor to have him look at it tomorrow.

Monday August 9, 2010

Physical Therapist came at 8 AM! We went for a walk and I made it all the way around the block. Sweating my ass off. Therapist told me to talk to the surgeon about changing from my walker to a cane.

Diane took a 1/2 day and took me to the surgeon for a check-up. He was pleased with my progress. He reminded me that I have had major surgery and that with all the repairs that they made, it will be a slow recovery.

He took my off the oxycontin and I am to use the percocet as needed for pain. I told him about the therapist wanting to transition from the walker to a cane and he agreed. Hey no more walker!

Chest irritation still comes and goes. Doctor looked at it and said that the "burn" was healed and I should stop using the burn cream. He said it might be a fungal infection. I am to use Gold Bond power and an anti-fungal cream.

I go back to surgeon on August 30th and I will get x-rays to see how the fusion is going.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Friday August 6, 2010

Day 22
Very bad night. Since doctor said that I could sleep in any position I wanted, I slept on my right side without the wedge that the hospital gave me. It felt good sleeping on my right side. I remember rolling over to my left side about 1AM. I woke at 2:30 in a lot of pain! I took 15 minutes for me get onto my back and the I got up and went to the bathroom (without waking Diane!) I put the wedge back on the bed and slept on my back again. Woke up at 6Am in terrible pain. Took a while to get up. Went to the bathroom and took my medicine. Was going to go back to bed but couldn't bend enough to lay down without a lot of pain. Finally gave up and went downstairs. Had to wait for the Oxycontin to kick in because doctor want me to stop the percocet.

Spent most of the day in my recliner . I did take a walk outside with Diane, that was nice. I need to get moving more often!