So, I'll be MIA for a while... zero nic sucks, BTW

[CandyTX]

I go in for back surgery in the morning. A double lumbar fusion. The recovery is going to be pretty bad. I'm expecting to be away from my company for a month (I'm biting my nails, but my team will handle it).

So, I'll be MIA for a while. They want you off nicotine because it does slow down bone regrowth. I've done okay. vaping zero nic is brutal though, so I've kept my PVs with zero nic, but gone and taken a few hits off of my hubby's high nic a few times per day. It's the best I can do given the circumstances. I figure in the hospital, I'll be in too much pain and on too many meds to care. Hopefully after and during recovery I can stick with zero and knock off the few hits, but I'm just going to do the best I can.

I had emergency neck fusion last year, so I'm no stranger to spinal surgery, but this is more extensive. A little nervous, not about the surgery, but the recovery. Yikes. I'll probably have to use a walker for a few weeks. Blerg. I'll ask hubby or BFF to come by and post a "she didn't die" note to this thread at some point in the next few days. I'm sure they will regale you with tales, last time I said and did all kinds of crazy stuff when I was on hard drugs. *laughing*

I hope this was okay to post here. Just wanted to say what was up, as for happy thoughts and "don't crave nicotine" vibes! xoxo

 

[Cavere]

Good luck! I've had my fair share of spinal issues so i know this can be quite intense. See if hubby can get you zero nic that has menthol cinnamon or string sour in it. I vape low nic and I like those types of flavors because they can simulate throat hit a bit.

Good thoughts your way for a speedy recovery and successful surgery!

 

[Train2]

I hope it's a surprisingly quick recovery, that is solves what needs solving, and all that.

I've got a little titanium and some hip bone in my neck...it went well, and seems a permanent fix.

 

[skyztheLynnit]

Good luck to you! Wishing you a speedy recovery

 

[tombeau]

Candy had a really long day today. The surgery went "perfect" according to the doc. However, since leaving the recovery room she has been in extreme pain. About two hours ago she finally got to a "decent place", not really a great one. Hopefully we'll get further and further ahead of the pain through the night and she'll be ready to go home tomorrow.

 

[Train2]

Best wishes...
That post-op sucks, hope she progresses QUICKLY!

 

[SurphKid11]

morphine drip! good luck i hope the recovery is quick

 

[Cavere]

Great to hear. The recovery can be tough but worth it.

 

[CandyTX]

Well, the morphine wasn't doing it. I just got out of the hospital on Monday evening. The pain still isn't controlled and I'm not doing well. They ended up taking me off of the morphine and giving me oral percoset and 1.5 diladid every two hours along with valuium in there for fun. I ended up refusing to leave on Saturday and Sunday because the pain wasn't controlled and I spent 30 minutes every two hours crying and begging someone to kill me. It's still bad. I'm now on percoset every 6 hours. 1mg diluadid twice per day and valium every 8 hours. I wish I could say I was anywhere near pain free, but I'm hovering around an 8.

I go in for a follow up next week. They did do a CT scan and say everything looks "perfect" but there's simply no way anyone should be in this much pain. I'm pretty much losing it. I'm in BAD shape.

I wish I could candy coat it, but that's just how it is. It's really bad.

 

[Iffy]

So sorry to hear you're having a tough time post-op! Cyber hugs (they don't hurt and I can 'squeeze' ya as much as ya need) and prayers out to ya...

 

[CandyTX]

So, I'm finally doing better. We ended up doing Percocet every four hours and using the nightly valium to knock me out. I'm now at every five hours. The back spasms are the worst so valium is my friend.

But I'm out and about. I work one hour per day. Just informed clients I'm now extending my leave for three weeks. My team has been fine so I'm not worried.

The pain is definitely better. I'm adjusting as well as I can. Taking it easy.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ghola1was]

My father suffers from back spasms, muscle relaxents go only so far. He swears by pickle juice as a means to relieve the spasms, just a small glass and he gains some temporary relief.

He also says that it tastes nasty, so...

Anyway, I wish you well

 

[gmb225]

praying for ya! u look to young to be going thru this! im 51 have degenerative disk and bulging disk between L4 and L5. been on disability for 10y and putting off the surgery since and making it ok as long as i can!

 

[CandyTX]

praying for ya! u look to young to be going thru this! im 51 have degenerative disk and bulging disk between L4 and L5. been on disability for 10y and putting off the surgery since and making it ok as long as i can!

Yes, mine were degenerative and bulging L4-L5-S1

Honestly, the recovery is pure hell, but I'm glad I'm doing it now before it can get worse. My hope is that this surgery is 100% successful, as my neck fusion was... fingers crossed. I'm having a good day, so far... so good.

 

[CandyTX]

Gah, what a crazy few months. I'm nearly fully recovered. The pain is really manageable now. It's been a LONG three months. Because I've been on narcotics since APRIL, I'm weaning very slowly off of the meds. I'm **SO** over hydrocodone. I don't like the withdrawal from it so I'm cutting one pill out per day and doing it that way. Last time I just stopped taking them and it was fine, but I know better than to do that this time. *laughing*

I kind of got wrapped up the past couple of months. We ended up pulling my daughter out of her elementary school (5th grade) because of a big change in administration (basically, the policies SUCKED for the "good kids" - my daughter makes straight As and has never so much as had a warning from a teacher). So, I work at home so I get to be with her all day. She's attending a virtual (online) public charter school. The material is VERY challenging, but she loves that she's able to move at her own pace - she's already over half way done with her Math lessons and will be taking sixth grade Math by February - yes, I'm bragging - proud of her. ANYWAY so with that and the recovery, I've been MIA from everything. Add in work and I'm a nutcase.

Not that I was all that normal to start with.