scared silly

[tljohn123]

tomorrow is the ct discogram and I am scared to death. I don't know why either. And I'm supposed to get the results when I go to the doctor later in the afternoon. Think happy thoughts for me

[gmyers]

I'll keep you in my prayers. I know how you feel when I was in the hospital for really high blood pressure,sugar level and really high triglycerdes they thought I was having a stroke. They tried to do an MRI on me and I freaked out. I have a really hard time breathing when I lay down. Anyway I found out I was really claustophobic. I don't ever want to do another Mri. It scared me really bad. It's ok to be afraid, but a lot of times its not knowing what they are going to do that scares us. When we start having the test we see its not as bad as what we imagined it would be. Know that you have people on here pulling for you and praying for you too. Let us know how it went when you come home. We care.

[andreame70]

Good luck on everything today Teresa. I hope it all goes well.

Andrea

[MistyWolf]

Try to relax and good luck .. let us know how it went.

[hblueeyes]

I am not claustrophobic and I hate those MRI machines. I had one and just tried to breathe deep and relax, sleep, meditate. But when they said I needed another one for something else 2 years later, I said No thanks. So I had one in an open MRI machine. Much better.

Good luck.

Me

[tljohn123]

Ok, here's the scoop. Everything went well today, at least from the doctors standards. I however hurt like heck and am planning on taking more pain pills when I get home. I am having fusion surgery on March 30, they said I can go back to work a minimum of 8 weeks after the surgery. In talking to the nurse, she said that if I felt up to it I may be able to go back a bit earlier, but on a limited basis. I am having the fusion at L5-S1 level and they said I shouldn't have hardly any limited mobility. If I was scared before, now I'm out of my mind. And on top of that, my mother wants to come down and be here because she doesn't want me to 'go thru this alone'. I know I know, its nice of her to offer, but I don't know if I'll have a house because I am putting it up for sale after we repair the hole in the floor. Then she wants to know where I'm going to put her up??? She doesn't have the money to come down, she can't drive all the way by herself anymore so that means she'd have to come down on the bus. I'm NOT going to be up to entertaining her as I'll apparently be in the hospital for 2-3 days. So how do I tell her ummm....stay home, sweetie will take care of me....without hurting her feelings!

[MistyWolf]

I would just tell her .. say "mom I really appreciate your offering to come and help, but sweetie is here to help and things are going to be kind of crazy with us trying to put the house on the market and all and besides that, you'll be bored out of your mind cause I am not going to be much entertainment being laid up and all."

How is that? .. lol.

[moogle]

I would just tell her .. say "mom I really appreciate your offering to come and help, but sweetie is here to help and things are going to be kind of crazy with us trying to put the house on the market and all and besides that, you'll be bored out of your mind cause I am not going to be much entertainment being laid up and all."

How is that? .. lol.


Lol - it doesn't work.

When I had my fusion done, I had 2 weeks after surgery where I had to
wear a collar. My Mother insisted on coming up.......would not take
no for an answer...believe me, I tried.

Don't be scared - the pain will be gone!!!!!


That's the first thing I remember when I woke up from the surgery -
my arm didn't hurt anymore. (My fusion is between C5 and C6, if I remember
correctly - which tanslates to in my neck :) )

I'm surprised they're telling you 2 months off from work. One of the guys I
work with had this done in his lower back - I'll have to ask him how long
he had to stay home for recovery. I went back after 2 weeks - with someone
else driving for 2 more weeks, until the strength started coming back in my arm.

You'll be fine - just think - no more pain! It's a great feeling! Be glad they
are finally doing something.

[DreamWarrior]

So how do I tell her ummm....stay home, sweetie will take care of me....without hurting her feelings!

Exactly like that.... believe me... if it hurts her feelings, she WILL get over it... she is your mother.. she will understand

[tljohn123]

I feel AWFUL! The doc had to do the procedure a slightly different way and I have what is known as a spinal headache. My family doc just told me to take the Darvocet which is taking edge of things but not really. Nauseaus, dizzy, and I feel like someone keeps blasting a heat gun on me. Doc says if it gets any worse to go to the ER. And now I'm going to lay back down.

[jonette5]

I have had the L5 S1 fusion. You will feel GREAT after it is done. NO MORE PAIN! 5 hrs. after surgery I was ready to get out of bed, of course they would not let me get up until the next morning cuz I had a drain tube from the hole where they removed the bone from hip to use in the fusion and I had an epideral in still. They took everything out, except IV for pain meds (which I did not even need) the next morning and I was up and going. I was in the hospital for 5 days after though, surgery on Monday, went home on Friday. You will be slow going for about 4 weeks but things get better. I was never in pain after, just sore. If your job has no heavy lifting I would say 8 weeks is right for going back, mine had heavy lifting and I had to be off 12 cuz of that. I do not have any limited mobility in my lower back at all. The fusion surgery was my 4th surgery at that site so I do have nerve damage but I don't think you have that to worry about since they are taking care of it with a fusion straight off. GOOD LUCK! You will be back to good as new in no time!

[tljohn123]

Well gang I was released from the hospital on Sunday afternoon. I had to have a blood patch. So while they were testing for everything, I had a ct scan done on my head just to make sure there were no tumors. After I got done and they were wheeling me back, to ER, I started shaking like I was having a seizure. And then I had what they referred to as a 'cardiac event'. I'm ok, didn't have a heart attack, everything came out normal. I had the blood patch done Saturday and today I still feel like a train ran over me. My puppy is over at sweetie's house because I can't take care of him at the moment. Thats ok. the kids like having him there lol. So I am feeling a bit better, still nauseous, but the headache is gone.

Oh yes, my surgery will be on the 30th. Keep me in your thoughts.

[andreame70]

I am glad that you are feeling a little better. I have been thinking about you the last few days and wondering how you were getting along. If you feel up to it, I will give you a call later today.

Andrea

[moogle]

[QUOTE=jonette5;95537598] You will feel GREAT after it is done. NO MORE PAIN!QUOTE]

And that is a great feeling!!!!

Lower back surgeries seem to take longer to recover, but don't have the
limits that neck surgery gives you. I lost 10% movement, mostly up and down, with my head. I am never supposed to go on roller coasters again,
plus a whole bunch of other things.....you're head gets thrown around too
easily. I was in the hospital over night, then home the next morning.

You'll do great! And be so happy it is done.

Oh - they took the bone for my neck from the "bone bank", so I had no
extra surgery. Maybe they'll do that for you, too.

thinking about you!!!!