Microdiscectomy Recovery Week 9
>> Friday, April 13, 2012
Well after the reherniation scare and being told to rest, which I understood to mean 'take a break from walking', I actually did do. After the first week I got quite lazy anyway and this was aided by the cold wet weather we have had.
I have been back to the consultant again and he had the usual total lack of understanding. He said he is happy with my mobility but I am expecting too much too soon and that I have unrealistic expectations of my body and the healing process. I pressed him hard about timescales to feel fixed and he said at least nine months. He pressed home the point about years ago this operation meant staying in hospital for at least 2 weeks and whilst medical procedures mean we can go home sooner, bodies don't heal any quicker. I wish he'd said all these things at the beginning.
He did say I am healing in the typical manner of most of his patients, everything is normal and to take it easy on myself. He said no swimming, cycling (well that's lucky as both were never on my to do list) or long walking for 2 months and then to go back and see him. He also said no physio.
Seriously! If I can't get out and walk I'll go mental.
I have worked from home this week but my employers aren't overly happy as my doctors note says 'fit to work' and my correct location of work is the office. So I've been back to the GP today and he has given me a 'fit to work with adaptions note', I'll see if that helps. The GP also said he would prefer to see me going to a physio but won't go against the consultants advise and we must wait, but he did say I can walk, I said I like to go about 5k and he still didn't see an issue and told me to listen to my body. He recognised that I need it for my mental health.
The kneeling chair that was requested still hasn't arrived at the office and the thought of driving for 40 minutes rush hour, dealing with heavy turn styles, fire doors, being expected to sit in meetings, bend over desks to talk to people and sit in a normal office chair for a day is quite frightening. Working from home I can control my physical load but still turn out the work.
As an update to where the pain is at: my back pain has dulled off considerably, it now feels like I been sweeping or gardening for a day but my leg is still feeling the pain. My calf particularly. I've even had a read back through my old posts to see where I think my current feelings compare and I think I'm about back to where I was at week 4 post op.
Sometimes I have a very strange sensation in my back that makes me feel quite sick, I've had it since the first herniation over 9 months ago now. I find it very hard to explain but I hate the feeling, it's not pain really, it's just a very weird feeling of being able to feel something deep inside.
I can really understand how people end up on long term sick or on benefits with 'a bad back'. People like that always have the fingers pointed at them as benefit cheats but seriously you have to walk in that man's shoes for a while.
I also think the longer this goes on the less people around me want to know or help. I feel like it's 'yeah, you're in pain, we know'.
So I'm constantly up and down to the washing machine, cooking, bending to cupboards, cleaning up, ironing and then having to say 'would some one empty the bin', 'I need to get in the garage freezer' and other things that I have just completely given up hope of them ever happening ever again like wiping the 6 inches of dust off the treadmill. This is not the 'resting' the consultant envisaged I'm sure.
Anyway back to medicals, my sore stomach from the meds seems to have eased up a bit, my back is stiff and lower right side sore. Doing anything for extended periods (longer than 45 minutes) brings strong pain to my calf and then my butt and there is persistent tingly pain in the lower side of my leg.
It's all tolerable if I control what I am doing but as soon as I try to 'live life' the pain racks up and I'm reminded yet again that I must take care. I hope my employers will be patient for just a while longer.
I have created a page of links for my Microdiscectomy posts and other links I have found helpful. You can find it here. PLEASE FOLLOW THE MEDICAL ADVICE OF YOUR DOCTOR. WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME.
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