Hi there
You are not a big baby... especially if you are walking around with all that pain. Believe me, a lot of people scream or just lie there. You have done well to advocate for yourself and the life you deserve with your little ones.
The preexisting condition of your bladder to the catheter is wise of you to point out. I had mine in for four days and really just because, if you can believe it, no bathroom in ICU where I was. I would have had to go down into a public washroom. I was too sore and ill and was glad of the catheter but having had it for c-sections I felt quite a bit of after discomfort for it having been in so long. Speak up, as many whined in ICU, and I lay there, because I was generally okay, but surprised at the level of verbosity many exhibit, SO DON"T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP.
You are lucky to have such a quick response to getting the surgery. Up here in Canada, near TORONTO, it took me two years , was postponed due to lessened pain and then ACDF with own bone and plate done on Nov 10/03. Overall my injury was April 2000 and my surgery Nov. 2003 so it has eaten up a lot of my life, four to five years or so when I may be out of the woods through another lower back disc surgery yet to schedule this Spring.
The first three weeks are difficult so take your meds, or use your relaxation tapes, whatever your ethos, and rest as sleep is impossible. Drink as much as possible to hydrate yourself and use Vit E oil on your incision when comfort permits.
You have done especially well to seek out resources and information for yourself. You are a brave soldier and we on the this board are standing along side you to help you make it through. We have all warred with this condition, some more than others, but all of us have had, I believe, an ability to relay useful information from each of our own experiences.
God bless, rest and await the opportunity to again be you in a better form than you are now.
Sincerely, "nearly new again," Nero
Linear Mode
