Microdiscectomy A Year On

This time last year I was unable to sit in a car without the seat being almost fully reclined and I couldn't last longer than 20 minutes even then. 

I could walk, I've always been able to walk and if I'd pushed myself to breaking point I bet I could have run sometimes too.

Some mornings I used to wake up with my right leg in so much pain I could only lie on the floor and cry.

I had a microdiscectomy in February 2012. I ended up having 8 weeks off work.  I've had 3 reherniations since and it's been a slow journey to where I am today.

I can drive - bonus, I go to work - I think that's a bonus, I can cut my toe nails - definitely a bonus, I can dry my feet, put on socks, tie my own shoes - these are all things I couldn't do this time last year.

I walk, I've always walked!  I occasionally run, but because I've stopped I'm unfit again now and ever being able to do what I could before seems like an impossible dream still.

I still can't drive or sit for long, an hour maybe.  We did go to the cinema once this year, even in the good seats it was hard going.  I have to stand up a lot if we go for a meal.  Sitting is just too hard.  I've cancelled holiday plans over and over because I can't imagine sitting on a plane.  The doctor wouldn't sign me as fit to do my jailbreak challenge with the Rangers and that would be 18 months after my op.   Sometimes I still feel like a cripple, not in terms of pain but because of how my life style is still restricted to ensure I'm not in pain.

The hardest thing I can think of is emptying the dishwasher, I hurt as soon as I do it.  I miss being able to garden.  I miss being able to push grass sledges, go on the climbing wall, I miss just being able to do the damned shopping.

My family have mainly forgotten that I have a back problem I think, they happily watch me doing all the things I probably shouldn't be doing, like the dishwasher, putting cases in the attic, carrying heavy camping bags.  My family don't even realise I have pain anymore, I've given up saying anything.

But I can walk! And I can dress.  I can drive to and from the school and work.  I've done cooking on a residential weekend and I have discovered I can travel quite comfortably in first class on the train.

So it's not all bad.  I wonder if it will ever be all good. 

At the beginning I expected to be fixed in a few weeks, then the doctors said a few months, then they said 9 months. Slowly I think I'm getting a little better, doing a little more (than I should probably!).

I'm mainly without leg pain.  Sometimes I get a gripe but sometimes both my legs feel the same, as in a good same.  I think you probably have to have had long term sciatica to understand what I mean there. I remember once thinking if I could hit my leg with a hammer to break it then the pain would change, a broken leg was a better option to sciatica.  I definitely haven't had that feeling for many months.  This is a good thing.

So it's not all bad, it's not all good but I still live in hope.  Come back for a 15 month update.  Maybe it'll be the golden shot.

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.