#microdiscectomy

Let's talk about it and how things have gone so far.

Day 1: Surgery day. I woke up and felt no pressure and no pain in my legs. My pain was very well controlled with meds. (the heavy shit Morphine, Dilaudid, vicodin) was able to get up and use the bathroom.

Day 2: I think my body was in more shock than it was pain. Very shaky/wobbly. Still very medicated at this point. Was on another planet. Went home. 3 hour car ride wasn't terrible. Moved to pain pills at this point instead of IV. (I preferred the pills because they lasted longer, tis why we have so many addicts) This is also the day I started having muscle spasms in my lower back, legs and hips. It felt like I had bugs crawling around in those areas and I honestly thought I was losing my mind. They assured me it was normal but you could sit and watch my muscles just dance. Trippy.

Day 3: Was able to shower and start taking small walks. Pain was bearable with medication. Still was having muscle spasms. This was a good day.

Day 4: The swelling started. As the day progressed the pain got worse. Not necessarily the incision area but the muscles surrounding it. I still made myself get up and walk to my little post a few times. Definitely felt unsteady.

Day 5: Haha. PAIN. There it was. I had been waiting for this kind of pain. Pain with every movement. I still couldn't sit straight up at this point either. This was the worst day but the muscle spasms stopped.

Day 6: Pain and swelling are still there but it's controlled with Tylenol. I kept walking and decided to try to drive up the road and it went well. It was comfortable to sit in my car because I have great seats lol.

Day 6: Woke up with very little pain. Had some muscle soreness. Decided to take a drive and did just fine with some Tylenol. Went and saw QB this night and was feeling pretty good. Muscles started to get sore after a bit.

Day 7: Woke up pretty sore. Both cheeks felt like I had done some major workout. Wild. I only had to take Tylenol/ibuprofen once.

 Just a bit of an update for myself because I’m almost 100% sure that nobody really reads this.

2018 is going pretty well; Tristen is recovering well from her microdiscetomy and her physical therapy is helping so much. Our lease is up in May, looking for a new place is too much stress for her so I’m taking it on. We want a place that’s half way between the City where she goes to school and works and my work. Our budget is really small and we also have to find one that is pet friendly for Sadie and Booger. I have few places in mind but we haven’t done any tours because its still a few months away. 

I signed up for a Intro to Biology class with a Community College, its twice a week online and its going really well. I’m only in 3 lessons but its interesting to have my faith strengthened though what I’m learning. Next month I’ll be taking a Medical Terminology class that’s in a campus close to where a work, it’ll be once a week. I hope to be able to take a math class in the summer and possibly more classes in the fall. This is all to help prep myself to take the SAT subject tests so that I can apply to University of Glasgow. I’m trying to save up but all the money I had saved went to pay for the classes. 

I was talking to a man, Joe,  I met at the store behind my house; he really liked me ( talked of marriage) but after a few months of attempting to get to know him, and a lot of thinking and a visit to the temple, I’ve come to the decision that he isn’t a good fit into my life. I want to live a zero waste, vegetarian, tiny home lifestyle. I want to move to Scotland and go to school to be an autopsy technician and maybe travel a little. I want to be a traveling Death Doula. As of right now, there isn’t room for a man in my plans and he doesn’t fit in anyway; plus the fact that he isn’t religious at all. My standards and desires for what I want in a partner + my experience of the instant connection that I had when I met Josh almost 3 years ago still is what I base things on. I want to feel like we knew each other in the Pre-mortal existence, like we were best friends then and are picking up where we left off. Josh had so many qualities that I’m looking for, but it was the wrong time for both of us, and even though I’ve tried to keep our friendship going - I feel for him, it’s and ‘out of sight, out of mind’ kind of situation. Plus the fact that he has so much shit to work through. But I can’t dwell on it and I have to move forward with my life. I believe the best thing for me to do is to prepare to live in a way that I would want to share with someone, but plan on that not happening. I have to focus on living a life that I feel is honorable and true to my beliefs, no matter if I find a partner or not. 

I’m also trying to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into my diet; I’ve gained a lot of weight and am so tired of being tired and feeling fat. I didn’t realize the difference between being fat and feeling fat - it sucks. Any ways, I want to be a  Pescetarian, which is basically a vegetarian but with fish - fish will help with my eyes (pre-glaucoma). So far, the main difference I’ve notice is that with my b.m. which I’m pleased with. I want to incorporate juicing back into my diet, but definitely not to the degree I was before because its too hard on my system. I’d like to juice for breakfast or lunch. 

Just before New Years, we found out that dad’s femur had broken. After some more testing they discovered that it broke due to prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. So now he’s on radiotherapy and healing from having a rod put in his leg. It’s definitely a worrisome situation; this could be the beginning of the end for him and I am urging both him and mom to get their affairs in order now, plan out their funerals and get everything situated. 

How do I know if I need minimally invasive spine surgery?

To know if you need minimally invasive spine surgery, it's essential to consult with a spine specialist, but certain signs and conditions might indicate you are a good candidate:

Persistent Back or Neck Pain

Nerve Compression Symptoms

Herniated Disc

Spinal Stenosis

Spondylolisthesis

Previous Failure of Conservative Treatments

Degenerative Disc Disease

Desire for Faster Recovery

🌟 What are the benefits of minimally invasive spine surgery compared to traditional surgery? 🌟

Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) offers several advantages over traditional open surgery, particularly for patients with spine conditions. Here are the key benefits:

Smaller Incisions Faster Recovery Less Pain Reduced Blood Loss Lower Risk of Infection Shorter Hospital Stay Less Scarring Improved Precision

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS) is a technique designed to treat spinal conditions with minimal damage to the surrounding muscles and tissues. The aim is to reduce recovery time, minimize postoperative pain, and decrease the risk of complications compared to traditional open spine surgery. Here are some common types of minimally invasive spine surgery:

Microdiscectomy

Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression (MILD)

Minimally Invasive Spinal Fusion

Vertebroplasty/Kyphoplasty

Endoscopic Discectomy

Minimally Invasive Laminectomy

Foraminotomy

Artificial Disc Replacement

Laser Spine Surgery

Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Fixation