Jennifer's Posts

I thought I'd tell my tale of woe of DOING TOO MUCH! I never had back pain before. Welcome to the kingdom of pain! I was feeling real well, going to rehab, taking walks, going marketing and not even asking for light bags and help, gardening (ripping out mint roots, like some hot shot,) cooking with kind of heavy pots, all sorts of forbidden activities, all together, ignoring the sore back. I thought that it was sore because it was starting to go back into action. WRONG, wrong, wrong, wrong-wrong! My back seized up first on my shoulders, and I couldn't make the massage appt., and I put a heated buckwheat collar thing (too much weight, found out.) to ease the soreness. I should have probably iced it. Can't take Aleve, because I'm still on Coumadin. So I ended up seizing some muscle that went to my sternum, as well as another muscle between my shoulder blades. I ended up going to my leftover oxycodone, which helped the pain, but not the spasms. I called rehab, they said call your surgeon. I called the surgeon, (I am 2 weeks too far from surgery to get help there, but they said take oxycodone around the clock if your Tylenol isn't working...,) I went to my primary care, had to bully an appt., and she doled out more oxy, and some muscle relaxants, and a flu shot (bad move). 2 days on muscle relaxants helped, but I was back in the narcotic constipation bad place, so I stopped everything, kept heating pads on the muscles, slept in my recliner for 4 days, was in more pain than after I came home post surgery, sobbing, aching, grouching, despairing. Oh, and then I had fever/chills and night sweats for 4 nights, 2 longer than flu shot symptoms are supposed to happen. What a mess. I was scared I might have a heart infection (night sweats and low grade fever,) so I finally made an appt. with my cardiologist. He chewed me out for wasting his time with "a primary care problem" I don't have a good primary care doctor. I need one, and asked him for a recommendation. But come to find out, he took me off Metropolol (beta blocker) the week of my spasm, and my heart rate was 100, so I guess I needed a check up...HMMMM. I was in tears in his office, just looking for some help. My back is fine now, I'm back on a 1/4 dose of Metropolol. I am definitely advocating for myself more. What a bad week. I am still concerned with my high heart rate off Metropolol, which is where I'm trying to get to. I wonder if anybody else knows how long it takes for your irritable heart to calm down after a repair? That kind of scares me too. This week is much better. I stop now when I get sore, and take a sit down. I still get sore, but not seized up.

I had my 7 week anniversary, and things are progressing well. I have to say, driving (got cleared at dr.appt. on Wed) is a great freedom, and I am ecstatic to have some independence back. I went to the market, shopped for over an hour, and had help to and from the car with the bags. Kinda tiring, but WOW, I got to choose my own stuff again, FREEDOM!!! I also got rehab set up, and am starting in earnest next week. (Went to initial appts. last week.) I think I am going for 3 months, 3x/week. I want to get back to where I was before the surgery with electrodes and nurse monitoring (I worked out with my husband and a trainer as "date night" for the past year and a half) I think the rehab will be a bright spot. I realized I shouldn't be down about my friends pretty much IGNORING me this summer, as they are wrapped up in problems that seem less solveable than mine. (I got a lot of love and help from my spectacular husband, and wonderful mom, so I was blessed.) So, I'm going to forgive them for their self involved behavior, not get down, and keep my eye open for perhaps more supportive friends to add to the collection. I just thought of how small things like going to the market are such a big deal when you can't do them. I had this experience with c-section recovery, but I could use my arms then, and I recovered faster. I'm glad I appreciated being a 47 year old, and I hope this operation will make me grateful for my life and abilities. Another great step forward was 2 nights no Oxycodone (I was splitting them in half for going to sleep time, and using Melatonin too.) My pain has decreased a lot, and I have been able to take Tylenol and Melatonin, and sleep well. I also am continuing massage, and the therapist is working on my shoulders, back, and scar adhesions, with I think helps a lot (Cardiologist said keeping adhesions from progressing is the next step, I therefore am going to add a Rosen method stretching class to massage and rehab, to help the healing.) I also ditched my sleeping wedge, and can kind of sleep on my side and tummy, but I have to flip around to my back a lot for a break, but HOORAY! I really feel like I took a step forward, and I am very happy. Best wishes to all who are on this same journey. It gets better when you least expect it. -Jennifer

I thought a quick entry for those facing packing for surgery might be helpful. This is from a gal's perspective, may not be the same for men. Fabric Shopping bag- good for all the junk you collect, and to keep organized. Sensitive Face wipes (used to wipe face and body parts before I could take a sponge bath- Godsend. Used bottom wipes too...life can get nasty post-op) Tampons and pads- the inevitable happened to me mid cycle. Be prepared! Baby powder, shampoo, gentle foam soap, toothbrush, and paste, deoderent, and a gentle brush. Nice to clean up! Hair bands, stuff to collect hair off your face, or short hair. Put hair in pony, left it dirty for 4+ days, didn't use dry shampoo, just pulled it into a ball off my face. Thank you cards for the saints who take care of you and a pen. They deserve it, and it will make you feel really good to say a proper thanks. Prunes. I ate them with my oxycodone to fight nausea. Better than Sahara desert dry crackers on your sore throat. Slippers to walk in And if you travel, you need softy PJs that button in front, and loungy type clothes that have tops that button in front, and walking shoes and a sun hat and sunscreen. I bought a sleeping wedge at the mayo clinic store, and had a down pillow that cradled my neck so I could sleep on my back in the hotel bed. I also had a small pillow I packed for my chest, but used it for lumbar. Nice to sit in hotel chair to watch TV, as laying down on my back didn't feel good outside of night. I loved my recliner and my massages when I got home, and my shower chair and hand held shower attachment as well. I also was told to have dedicated wash cloths (white for me) for my wounds only, and I bleached them after. I had colored cloths I washed the rest of my body with, to keep things straight. I had old white towels I bleached daily too, to dry off after, using one end for the wound only. I also was told to use dial soap on my wound, which I did for about 3 weeks. And straws are helpful in the recliner for water! I hope this helps