[treefrog]

Last Monday I saw my PM doc, it was just a day before my 4 week post-op date. She was very impressed with how well I was doing, and how nice my incision looked. She said that ADR patients can return to work at 4 weeks, and asked if I was okay with that. I told her I wanted to wait until after 6 weeks, just to get to that point of time when the bone is supposed to grow into the disc.

She had x-rays done, though they didn't do extension/flexion, I'll ask her to do that next time. From what I can see they look good, but I can't see that the bone is growing into the disc. Of course I don't know what to look for either.

She prescribed a lower dose of Opana-ER, so I have started tapering off that. I went from 20 mg 2 x a day to 10 mg 2 x a day, will stay at that level for 2 weeks, then go down to 5 mg 2 x a day. Two weeks of that, then I will start tapering off the oxycodone, as long as I am not feeling pain.

She did say she thought I should stay off the diclofenac (NSAID), for a couple of months, saying there was conflicting thoughts as to whether they interfere with healing. I had been taking it, since just after surgery, but I stopped. If I can stand not taking it, it's probably better to be off it. But I know Dr. Bertagnoli prescribed diclofenac to another of his patients, so he must not feel that they interfere with healing.

Tomorrow I will be contacting a person about a job opening at my employer (Duke Univ). I am hoping that I can start working part time anytime from July 8th on (that will be 6 weeks post-op). My PM doc suggested working 4 hrs/day for 2 weeks, then 6 hrs/day for another 2 weeks, before going back full time. I would still have intermittent FMLA, and leave time, so I could get paid more than 4 hrs/day (so I can keep my benefits). I am hoping this person is willing to give me a shot with this position, it is a new career path for me, but something I think I can be good at.

I have some pain, but it is minimal. I would rate it as a 1 (sometimes a 2). The most annoying pain right now is just at my incision, but internal. I know the internal takes longer to heal than external.