Been rather quiet

marina replied:

Hi Fiona,

Welcome from one Melbournian to another.

I am sorry to hear about your pain and I can only imagine.

Every now and then I get some pains as well when I sleep and the pain wakes me up.  It is not often or anything like yours, but it is still very very uncomfortable.

So good luck and all the best with your operation and happy recovering.

cheers

kathymollie replied:

Oh Fiona..
.I feel for you and your pain....backpain is a terrible thing.....you can be in extreme pain but because you dont have a broken arm or what not...some people do not understand the extreme pain you are in....
I am a nurse and injured my back several years ago nursing...T5-T10 disc bulges...and to this day suffer evey day.....but you learn to live with it.
I am so glad they are able to operate on yours...and wish all the very best of luck and good health for the future...the Epworth is a fine hospital..so you should be in good hands...
Take it easy, look after yourself..and we look forward to catching up with you here in the near future...
All the best...for the op and post op period.
Kind regards..Kathy

Belinda replied:

Hi Fiona, Sorry about all your pain, and good luck on Tuesday.  Hope all goes well for you and take care, Belinda

fiona replied:

Thank you all so much for your kind words and well wishes! I'm packed for hospital and now just want it over and done with. I can't stand this pain and its certainly given me a new appreciation for anyone who suffers chronic pain. Its the cruelest thing that someone can go through. I'm looking forward to waking up afterwards knowing that its over and that all I have to do from that point is recover.

Kathy thats terrible pain that you put up with from your discs, I feel for you and I hope that you have ways to alleviate it even though as you said you learn to live with it but still able to find some relief.

We need to take care of our backs and after all that I've been through with this I'm going to take good care of mine when I'm through the surgery and on the recovery path.

Thanks again girls and I'll see you all on the other side of my surgery :)

Fiona

fiona replied:

Hi everyone :)

I got out of hospital yesterday and I feel MARVELOUS lol I can stand upright and I can sleep laying down and best of all its only surgical pain that I am feeling now..Its wonderful to be able to stand upright and move without pain.

I am walking gently around my street and around the house, doing basic things. I cannot bend down/over nor do any heavy house work for 6 weeks but WOW I feel fantastic now.

I didnt get to have my op until late Tuesday night and I had to fast from 7am all day with nothing to eat or drink until I went down after 6 (I was supposed to be earlier but the nurses strike and some other serious operations were taken in priority) for my op and was back in my ward bed by around 10pm that night.

I got up on my feet later on in the early am hours and I was smiling which the nurse asked if I felt alright? I said it was fantastic to be upright and altho I could feel the surgery stuff I can deal with that.

I had an MRI done at 9:15 soon after I was admitted, the MRI guy was a rude such and such after he wouldnt help me get up off the MRI bed and only put one rail up after I asked for two and then he finally put it up. He didnt help me and I had to grit my teeth and pull myself up screaming in agony while I did so..when I wasnt able to get up initially from fear of the pain he mumbled "you cant lay here all day I've got other patients to scan' and it was pretty rude the way it was said although I knew it was true I had to get up but the pain would be horrendous so I was really frightened of it. So in a wheel chair I was taken to my ward bed and I howled the whole way there..(thank goodness thats all behind me)!

Anyway, best news is all is well and I can walk and move again...got some hefty pain medication to take. The nerves were very red and the disc bit that was bulging on the nerves just popped out..I have to say my surgeon and the staff/nurses at the Epworth are brilliant!

Life is good again
Fiona

mally replied:

Hi Fiona,  I'm really glad to hear you are doing so well.  You must be really happy:)

fiona replied:

Hi Mally,

Thank you :) yes I am really happy (more than) lol its just wonderful to be able to live life normally again after so much pain. Thank you for your message and kind thoughts

Fiona

rachep replied:

Hi Fiona,

Thats fantastic i am glad to hear you are back on your feet and that everything went well.  Glad you are back on the road to recovery.

Rachel

viva-aroma

kathymollie replied:

Wow Fiona so glad to hear you are back up on your feet after you back surgery...
Sounds like all things (apart from the MRI guy , went really well)...

Look forward to hearing your progress...hope all stays well, but remember to still take it easy initially post op..

Best wishes and kind regards...Kathy

fiona replied:

Thanks Rachel, Kathy and safe ingredients I am doing very well and healing up each and every day. I am walking up to 4 times a day breaking it down into 10-15 minute intervals so that I'm on my feet regularly. I can't bend down still or do anything too intensive so I'm pottering around and just enjoying the fact that I'm walking and able to smile again with no pain. The one thing I do find a bit hard to deal with is the back stiffness first thing in the mornings but I guess thats one thing that over time will go away. To have your freedom of movement taken away from you especially with pain is awful and I've got all that back. I've got surgical pain but that isnt anything near as bad as what I had.

I'll just continue to do the things I'm doing for several weeks and I see my surgeon for a follow up on the 16th November.

Thank you though for your kind messages!

Fiona