i just got home from outpt surgery on my Lt hand; trigger finger.
it was pretty bad, bad enuf to get it done. now both hands will be strong for
the L-4 surg in march or april.

so, i won't be typing too much. 10 days til stitches out.
anesthesia wearing off. owww.

I hope you heal quickly!
bizi

I love this website. Thanks for the advice!

i'm glad you do and welcome to NT.
but, what advice? best to know so i (we) can give it to someone else.

I read your previous posts concerning your upcoming surgery on L-4. Just about eight years ago, I had spinal fusion of the L-4 and L-5, along with a laminectomy. I was having horrific pain and wanted the surgery asap.
The orthopaedic doctor I saw at Rush University Center in Chicago couldn't do the surgery for over a month. I pleaded to at least put me on a waiting list. Fortunately, I was called and able to get in sooner.

After the surgery, the surgeon said he had never seen such a "red angry nerve". I am thankful I had not waited any longer for the surgery. The consequence with the nerve being so badly compressed could have been very serious. I was given satisfactory pain meds so pain wasn't a big issue.

The only PT I had was while I was in the hospital.

I was given a soft brace vs. a hard brace, which I needed to wear for six months. No bending whatsoever. The plus in wearing a brace, was the constant reminder not to do any bending.

My biggest problem was the fact that I had not had a BM while in the hospital and with narcotic pain meds got terribly constipated which resulted in not have a BM for about 12 days.( I feel the hospital should have made sure I had one before I went home, but they didn't.) .I had gotten somewhat lethargic. My husband called my daughter, who saw to it that I was taken to the ER. The doctor was unsuccesful in reaching anything and I was sent home with some very "strong stuff". I mention this so as to put you on "alert" before leaving the hospital.

Otherwise, I did not have any real issues recuperating. Hope this info is of some help for you.

Glad your hand/finger surgery went well.



Gerry

hi gerry,
thanks for your info. i'm glad your surgery went well.
i asked my dr if i'd have to wear a brace and he said no. (?)

he did my neck so i'm confident in him. he did tell me not to expect a bm for about 5 days. i take pain meds now so i'm on a regimen to counteract it.

right now i've been dealing with an acute bout of bursitis in my hip and am in pt for that. i won't have the surgery til it resolves. making it hard to walk and lots of extra pain.

it's good to know your recovery went so well. i hope i have the same. maybe thinking of april sometime. he left it up to me. good to get to know you.

Since you will not be wearing a brace; most likely you will not be having a spinal fusion. That's good news.

Before and after the surgery, I had bursitis in the groin/hip and siatica both on the right side. Some months after the surgery my bursitis was no longer an issue. I know bursitis must be really painful for you. Really nasty.

Wishing you all the best.


Gerry

well, i actually have something inspiring to report
i've managed to lose 9 lbs! my friend asked me since when? and i said "since i've been born!"

i lose & gain & lose & gain. finally i've gotten past the 5# mark. after that i figure it's real enuf.

so had both my hand surgeries which hurt but went well. then...i get an episode of acute bursitis in the hip in my bad leg. 3 wks of bad pain, pt and bad pain.
stopped almost everything in my life because of it. really tripping out about this possible surgery for L4-5 because of the rehab and my inability to tolerate it.

so, had a facet (4) injection wed and this is the least pain i've been in in 6 wks.
i hope it lasts a bit. down side is my blood sugar went very high and i had to start on a short term insulin besides the one i'm already on.

but, the sugars are coming down and it's only been a day. well, march on all.
that's enuf inspiration for 1 post.

happy for you judy.
bizi

well, it's official.
i've been riding the fence for 6 mos about having the L-4 back surgery. too scared i guess. but, after increasing sx's and 3 drs telling me to do it, i've decided to move ahead.

i just saw my neuro who told me to not wait too much longer because the window of opportunity could close and then any nerve damage and decreased function of my legs could be permanent and irreversible with surgery.

so in the next few months i'm doing it. beyond a few days in the hosp i don't know if i'm coming home or going to rehab. i have a lot of friends to count on and even my cousins have offered to come stay with me. i can't lift anything more than a gallon of milk. i'm going to seriously have to think about planning for when i get home because i can't bend over.

will let you know how i make out.