Hi everyone I hope you guys are doing well. I thought I'd give my weekly update
Good stuff first:
I've been doing really well still! i can now go in a car. I'm now walking for 25 minutes at a time instead of 20. I have been out to lunch 3 times (but I can only sit for a really fast lunch - has to be under 30 minutes). I've gone shopping twice!!! I now have clothes that fit me since i lost a lot of weight and have cute shirts that fit over my brace! NO MORE WALKER!!!!!!!! I now have a four pronged cane as of last week. They wanted me to go to a one pronged cane but i want to take it slow with the big changes.
My stomach problems are better. My pain management doctor gave me some kind of prescription that's in powder form and you put in a drink. It's helped a lot and I feel so much better.
My friend's husband had back surgery about three months ago and she recommended getting the "Zero Gravity" chair from Sharper Image. This, besides the pain pump, is the best invention known to mankind!! I can sit in it for hours and hours and am fine. It's not too expensive only 150ish and so worth it. Relax the Back Store also has it - I found that the one from this store was more comfortable and had more padding than the one from Sharper Image.
So besides the next few things I am doing really well. I am still really positive and am actually really happy. I know the pain is going to suck, but I went through such terrible pain for so many months that I'm kind of used to it. I also found out one of my grades and I kicked major butt!!!! I was hoping for a C- and I got a B+!!! Now I just have to wait to see how i did on the final that was the day before my surgery.
So now to the not so great news:
My legs have been twitching for about a week or two. Sometimes it gets so bad where my entire body moves. Does anyone know why my legs are doing this? Also, I have more pain on my right side than my left as of a few days ago. I have the tingling sensation across my lower back and across my stomach but i expect that to be normal considering they opened me up in the front and drilled 6 holes in my back... so its normal right?
I'm still not sleeping as much as I'd like but it's better than what it was.
And I can't put as much pressure on my right side when I'm lying down than I can on my left. I'm trying to keep my back stick straight but it's really hard. I'm not bending or twisting or anything cause I'd probably hit myself before having someone else do it. :P
Hope everyone is doing well!
Blair