Day 3

Well I still have a lot of pain.  I don't seem to be bouncing back as quickly as I'd like.  I don't know what I expected since it is back surgery.  I may call the doctor today and see about getting something for the muscle spasms.  Can't hurt right?  Anyway I am setting my alarm now for every 4 hours so I remember to take my pain meds before I let it get back out of control.  I'm not gonna second guess the surgery yet.  I can't tell a lot yet because my muscles are screaming but I don't have the catch and grind on the right side that I can tell.  I'll know more when I can walk better.  I've tried using the walker and it doesn't appear to be helping but I'm forcing myself to get up and move as much as I can. 

We had a storm come through last night.  Let me tell you it was no fun getting to the basement.  Once I was there it wasn't bad.  We have a furnished basement with recliners and entertainment center.  It isn't a finished basement, but I've decided we need to put a bathroom down there.  Maybe when I get better we can do that.  It can be the next subject for my blog, when pain isn't the focus anymore (positive thinking)  So guess we need to check into how to plumb it because it is below the current plumbing.  I can't have the kind of bathroom I want upstairs but maybe downstairs I can put in the jacuzzi tub and walk in shower.  It could be fun planning it.

Had My Hardware Taken Out

Day 1: May 24, 2011 - 6:16pm         

Ok I've had a short nap and the room stopped spinning. I went in at 8am today to have my hardware taken out. It seemed to go pretty well and I feel ok other then some surgical pain. He must have had a hard time on the left side because it hurts more then the right. In recovery they had a hard time getting my pain under control. Seems when they were taking me off OR table into recovery the IV needle backed out slightly. Just enough for the fluids they were pushing to not go in the vien. It's called IV Infiltration. My left arm and hand are painfully swollen from all of the extra fluid. Anyway diloted (sp?) doesn't work if it's going into tissue instead of veins. The nurse maxed out my dosage before she figured out the problem. She gave me my Lortab, turned off that IV, called IV therapy and the anesthesiologist (sp?). Within 5 minutes I had an iv in the other hand and the doctor approved another round of diloted. I felt much better quickly. Anyway my surgeon came in before my pain was under control and was talking about admitting me for pain control. As jacked up as I was I begged him to go home. After that he agreed if we could get my pain down he would let me go. I didn't get to keep my hardware. I really wanted it, but something about sending it off for analysis.
I've been trying a heating pad and holding my arm above my head some to bring down the swelling in my arm but so far it hasn't helped. Any suggestions let me know. 

Day 2:  May 25, 2011 - 2:13pm

OMG, I overslept. Guess I was sleeping off the anesthesia but now I can't get my pain in control. I'm sitting in my recliner wondering what I should do. I've taken my second dose of painkillers at the maximum dosage. Hope this one brings it down to tolerable. The hospital called, they offered for me to come in to get shots, but getting there would be horrible. On a more positive note the swelling has gone down a lot from the IV Infiltration. I've still got some pain from the original IV but it isn't real bad. If the pain isn't in control by 4 I'll call my doctor and see what he suggests. Kind of suprised he hasn't called me. Last time he called the day after I came home.
Anyone got any suggestions for food. I've not been hungry since I got out of surgery and know I need to eat something. Also have some scratches in my throat, think they used a new guy to intubate. It doesn't bother me they need to learn too. And to answer the question, no the nurse who did my IV wasn't learning, in fact that was all she does.

Cancelled Appointment

I was supposed to go to my pain management doctor yesterday, but the doctor got sick and cancelled my appointment.  I cried,  I've been at a cross roads for a while now and this is just pushing it too much.   I wanted so much to tell him my problems with the pain.  The seemingly insurmountable difficulty working.  The anguish of the various shots not working.  What to do now?  They rescheduled for nearly a month away.  I waited a month for this appointment, now I've got to wait another month.  Doesn't really seem right for a pain doctor to turn away a patient in pain.  I need help and I just don't know where to turn anymore.  I even asked for an appointment with my surgeon but he doesn't have anything open either.  I'm getting more and more depressed every day.  I'm hoping they call today with better news.  The receptionist was supposed to talk to both of their nurses to see if there was anything they could do to get me in sooner. 

I said work was getting too difficult and I actually admitted that to my management Monday.  I told him I have a superman complex and try to do everything.  While it is a good trait to have at work it is a horrible trait to have as someone in pain.  I tried to explain to him that I've been doing my job, the maintenance job, and my partners job just to keep my area running.  I told him I was going to have to scale back on the amount of things I'm doing and that it would effect how my area runs.  I can fix my machines a whole lot better then the maintenance and quicker but I can't keep doing it.  I feel so bad trying to let it go and letting them do their jobs.  I guess really I never should have tried taking on so much but again superman complex.  I can do everything.  He seemed to understand that I was going to scale back but I still don't feel he understands how much I've been doing to keep my line going.  It was actually a decent conversation.  I told him it would show in the down time and I wasn't doing it to be vindictive but doing it for my health.

Anyway that's where I'm at now.  In a holding pattern until I can get in to see a freakin doctor.