Today is the day! I get a new disc! I have been diagnosed with a congenital defect in L5/S1 joint on top of struggling with Degenerative Disc Disease since my late 20's (family history-thanks dad). I am 53 and by exercising, keeping my weight stable, getting massages(thanks Lauren), and physical therapy when needed all my life, this has prevented me from this surgery for a long time. But today is the day...
5am check into Mount Carmel New Albany Surgical Hospital for ALIF procedure. 1 hour after returning to my room I am insisting on walking. Physical Therapist hands me my back brace and a walker and states I will need to use walker for 2 months. I think I might of giggled when I said UHH not going to happen! Anyways completed 3/4 of my PT goals my first hour back on the floor. My next goal was to get the dreaded catheter out. It was in the way and I knew the longer it was in the higher chance of infection. I nagged the RN every time she came in until she removed it! I also irritated the heck out of the 7p-7a RN because I refused 2 pain meds and started increasing the time between doses(how was I to walk the halls if I was snowed?). I must admit the 5" abdominal incision was pretty painful when turning in bed; but I made it through the night.