One Week After!

Things are going well! This old bod is now like a new one after L4/L5 Decompression surgery. If you want the details on what they do, Google L4/L5 Decompression surgery

Here is a picture of before (verbal). I was at the point of being unable to walk a block without my legs from the hips to my toes going to sleep. This "sleep" meant that I could not feel my legs, where they were and where they were going. I could not stand for the same reasons..my legs went to sleep! Getting up and sitting down required some planning. I was walking bent over and watched my feet a lot.  Walks with the dogs, or anybody was a non-fun event.

The University of Alberta Hospital was fantastic in the run up on what to expect, the interviews with the Surgeon, Anesthesiologist, and Floor Nurse. Some of the downsides were not too good, but at a very low probability. I went in knowing what to expect, with no surprises. Well, there was a surprise, but more on that later.

A team of 6 worked on me.  I suspect my back had complications as the surgery  went 7 hours instead of the planned 4. It didn't matter to me! Man, was I out!

They had me up the same day with no problems. Well, there was a problem, because I felt so good, I, my I.V and Hemivac went cruising the halls before getting caught by the nurses and shipped back. I was already more stable then pre op. Besides, they said walking was good for me, they just never said that they wanted to come along!

Days one and 2, I still had a lot of meds in my body and slept a lot.

I have seen ghosts though! When I closed my eyes, my brain switched to scenery that lived. People moved. I could follow them with my eyes (lids closed) or by moving my head. When i opened my eyes, I was back in the recovery room with the same old_same -old. I played with this phenomenon for two days before it went away permanently. I didn't recognize the location or people but they looked like an early 1800's scenario. It was as real as sitting in an IMAX Theatre and reaching out trying to touch a Monkey from Madagascar. It was right there, in living, colour 3D.

OK, after a week, I am walking around with no numbness, no back pain. I can even feel the pebbles under my running shoes and the rug under my socks. I am standing and walking straight up, what I would call normal.

A bonus was about 8 pounds loss in weight, which I need to do.

Now, does any body want 8 pair  (plus spare) set of stainless steel ear rings? I will have them available June 8 when they take the staples out. Wow, are they starting to itch!

The big surprise is just how good I feel!