My spine surgery journey: from preparation to recovery

[MrMoonlight]

Great news Bell. How are you feeling a day after your swim?

Sorry your had a nother difficult night. Maintaining any type of normalcy in life is difficult without good sleep.

 

[bellbird]

Great news Bell. How are you feeling a day after your swim?

Thanks MrM.
I had still had some stiffness upon waking this morning that I've been having on other mornings, but it isn't near any level of soreness that requires pain meds. And once I've been up and moving around, it feels better.
I think the best thing for that will be consistent exercise to give my muscles release, and GP felt the same. To give carry over effects until the following morning +beyond that.
Stationary bike, swimming, walking outdoors/on treadmill (probably the latter primarily as we're heading into winter and the cold doesn't exactly help with stiff muscles), stretching, perhaps elliptical at the gym also; I'll have to see how that one feels.

It actually feels like my body is rearing to go for our next session of activity. Which I guess is a good sign.
Hopefully I will have time to go to the gym today, if not I will make sure I set aside 10 min this evening to stretch at home.
Like you say, it's hard maintaining normalcy when you aren't sleeping well; managing my research, exercise and PTSD symptoms; it just never feels like there is enough time in a day. But I will keep trying my best, as I suppose that's all I really can do :)

 

[bellbird]

Oh wow, it's been over one month since I posted here last.
I guess there has become less to update the further along in my recovery I get, but my mental health has also been taking a front seat in terms of my focus.

My 3 month post-op anniversary actually happened during a recent period of isolation, but happy belated 3 months to me! ??? (I'm just over 15 weeks now).

I'm really really pleased with how my back is at this stage.
I try to keep reminding myself that surgeon said full recovery is expected in 6-12 months post-op, so I've lots of time left till I get there and I can't wait to see how that feels.

I've now got my sit-stand desk all set up in my office, which is awesome. For when I'm seated, I also have a new desk chair with extra lumbar support; also awesome.

I'm rather good at walking now, if I do say so myself! As well as lying on my scar-side (left). I've also stayed off all pain meds.

Speaking of my scar, it is looking really nice. I still can't believe it's my back.

I haven't been so good at keeping up with gym and swim if I'm honest.
We've just transitioned into winter here and I've been having an especially rough time with my sleep, and am extra cautious of not catching any respiratory illnesses particularly while I've been quite run down. I need to be extra cautious after having my lung deflated in surgery.

My shoulders are so even with minimal adjustments, and it really looks like my back muscles along my spine are further evening out.

I tried to run a little earlier this week when I was late for my GP appointment. Yeah, that was not overly successful :laugh:
It still mostly feels like a have a hunk of metal inside of my torso. Seriously... who would've thought it'd be so literal :rolleyes:

But it's ok.
We have lots of time.
And we can wiggle our toes. Which is still totally the best thing ever.

 

[Abstract]

So so sooo glad it all worked out and you are on the road to recovery. You are very brave. Medals all round.

 

[bellbird]

So so sooo glad it all worked out and you are on the road to recovery. You are very brave. Medals all round.

Ohh, thank you so much @Abstract .
Really appreciate that :happy:

 

[blackemerald1]

So you sound so good bellbird! Well done all around for how you are managing. :hug:

We've just transitioned into winter here and I've been having an especially rough time with my sleep, and am extra cautious of not catching any respiratory illnesses particularly while I've been quite run down. I need to be extra cautious after having my lung deflated in surgery.

^I think ask your doc about this bc I expect if you have an indoor pool etc that rather than avoid doing cardio work it would help. But I'm not sure so again ask. It may well help with your sleeplessness too. That lung has had a while now to heal so if the doc says 'go for it', I'd be getting it up to speed with exercise.

 

[bellbird]

Thank you @blackemerald1 !! :hug:

^I think ask your doc about this bc I expect if you have an indoor pool etc that rather than avoid doing cardio work it would help.

Surgeon's words were to "do more and more each day". Stationary bike and swimming were his suggestions initially. GP is also super encouraging of swimming especially.
The pool I go to is indoor, which is a very good thing as I'd be freezing my nips off during this winter otherwise.

I haven't been doing as well in the exercise-sense as I would like.
I think my worries about catching a respiratory illness are most likely part excuse-self-justification and part cautiousness at not so much picking up a virus from the gym/pool facilities, but in pushing my already pretty significant exhaustion too far.

But yeah, you are right.
Lung exercise is actually a really good and important thing in light of all that.

I really need to put the effort back in there.
I've taken some time to focus on my mental health; started again with morning meditations, that now it's time to put the focus back into physical movement.

My next follow-up with surgeon is in 2 months (~6 month post-op) and I really want to impress him again. As well as doing good for myself, of course.
It's also possible that I'll get my 'After' clinical photos taken then (it's either then or at 12 months) and I want so bad for them to show the most improvement possible.

Oof, righto, the pep-talk I didn't realise I needed :laugh:

 

[bellbird]

I made it onto the yoga mat.
It feels like my mind and body just did a big exhale. I so needed that.

Nothing major. Just some hamstring stretches, seated forward bend, a variation of pigeon pose, and then a standing straight legged forward bend where I was able to put my knuckles on the ground!! Eek, my hamstrings are lengthening again!!

 

[bellbird]

Ok, swimming is definitely helping.
We've started hitting sub-zero temperatures down here in southern hemisphere winter.

Previously my back had been feeling very stiff in the mornings as the colder weather began to set in.

This morning I was up and moving around in sub-zero, and if I can put it this way, feeling (physically) pretty f*cking amazing.
Very little-to-unnoticeable stiffness/soreness.

My swimming itself is improving slowly and so is my fitness.
On Tuesday I was able to swim 450 out of the 500 metres I did (the other 50 were aqua jogging).

Once I'm able to swim all 500 m, I'll start to decrease the number of rest stops I take. Currently resting at the end of each lap (25 m), so will start by adding 1-2 50 m's into the mix.

Am also trying to swim a portion of the freestyle laps with breathing every 3 strokes, so that it requires me to turn to both sides for breaths, and therefore building up the back muscles more evenly.

16 weeks post-op today! Next week we'll be at 4 months! Argh :)

 

[LuckiLee]

It sounds like you're doing well. Yay!

I have some metal in one of my knees and it gets cold in the winter and causes some aches and pains. I keep that knee wrapped just to keep it warm. Seems to help.

Keep up the good work!

 

[bellbird]

Thanks, @LuckiLee ! :hug:

Eep, and just managed to walk the full 5 flights of stairs up to my office (with no breaks) for the first time since having surgery!
I remember when doing just 5 stairs in hospital was nearly impossible.
Crazy.
I'm typically very bad at seeing improvements in myself, so this is quite exciting :happy:

 

[blackemerald1]

Well done for getting on with the swimming. I've a suggestion re the breathing/strokes. Rather than three stroke's then breathing which is annoying (I find) Maybe try swimming 25 metres breathing from the right side, then the next 25 from the left and alternate that way. Then you can focus more on swimming smoothly, kicking, not zig zagging and other parts of your technique which all will help you use the right muscles and strengthen your core and back.

Even if you didn't change breathing sides at all.. I wonder how much that would worry your muscle development bc really one has to do a hell of a lot of swimming to over develop one side... I mean even olympic athletes are not too worried about that. The only time I've ever seen athletes really go for the alternative side breathing is if they are intending on swimming in the ocean in rough water and in order to not lose a breath, they alternate sides when a wave is approaching.

But in any case.. way to go bellbird :hug: