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Posted 5/18/2009 11:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hey everyone! I am home from my surgery.

My surgeon said that  after he cut the nerve at the "nerve root", he then followed it down to my inscision. He found it in the inscision and also stuck in some new scar tissue. He removed about a half dollar (coin) size of scar tissue. While he continued exploration, he found a small hernia and had to repair it. 

I woke up from anesthiea and my nerve pain is GONE!!!! I just can't believe it!  As the anesthiea and hospital pain meds wear off, i am feeling alot of pain right now....I hope that it only lasts a few days tho!  My kids are dealing pretty well, my son (5) was very upset when i told him was needing to have more surgery (of course in kid words), but i had to prepare him for my "booboo" and being in bed for 3 days again....today he is doing well with it and has layed in bed with me and watched a little tv....my daughter (2) heard me say "ouch" when i  laughed, and she pointed to me and said "booboo mama", then she wanted to kiss me.....can't get any sweater than that!

anyways, just wanted to post an update and please everyone remember to keep thinking of Bill until we get his surgical update!

Posted 5/18/2009 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
Great to hear from you Shannon and with such wonderful news!! Keep yourself down and resting as much as you can with those little ones around. They are just so sweet at that age!

Hugs,
Chutzie
Posted 5/19/2009 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
Congrats on making it through the morning...... I love children at that age mine are teenagers my daughter of 16 always layes in bed with me when I have surgery or procedures done. Heck she layes in bed with me just to talk or to watch american idol she loves that show even though I could care less.....lol

I hope as the pain goes away from being cut into that the nerve pain is gone. I for one would like to know, it could be something I might want to look into.

Laurie
Posted 5/19/2009 1:47 AM (GMT 0)
shannon1

Glad to hear from you, and you made it through the surgery OK! Kids your age are a joy! Looking back it seems like it was only yesterday that our girls were that age! But yet it was a long time ago as now I am a Grandpa! Anyway take care of yourself to give yourself time to heal and recover!
Good Luck to You

White Beard
Posted 5/19/2009 3:22 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Shannon,

What fantastic news!! I am so happy for you! Hopefully you won't have too much postop pain & will fast be on the road to recovery! I am so pleased that the surgery was a success & your nerve pain is gone! Take it easy.

Skeye
Posted 5/19/2009 3:33 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Shannon:

Glad to hear that the surgery went well. When you are feeling better, I would very much like to know exactly what you had done and at what level(s) of your spine.

I was told early on that I could be pain free if I allowed them to sever the nerve that is causing my pain, but I would never walk again. At that time, I didn't even consider it as an option. A couple of years ago, I started to think about the option since my pain level has been so high for so long and I've tried everything else there is to try, but when I brought it up to my neurosurgeon, he said that I waited too long. He said that because of the extent of nerve damage, and the length of time that they have been damaged, that even if they were to sever that nerve, that the nerves around it have a memory and not only would it not make the pain go away, it would probably be worse, and I would never walk again.

Please take it easy so that you heal properly.

Lorie
Posted 5/19/2009 3:35 AM (GMT 0)
Shannon, we all rejoice with you. Great news. That is why we can never give up hope. It is so great that your kids are there and helping with the recovery time.

Posted 5/19/2009 3:51 AM (GMT 0)
Shannon,
That's wonderful news!! Take good care of yourself and don't overdo it. Tv watching with your kids in bed sounds just right!

Congratulations!

PaLady
Posted 5/19/2009 4:44 AM (GMT 0)

Shannon,

I am so happy you have relief.  Take it easy and rest, we are all rooting for you!

XXOO
patti

Posted 5/19/2009 4:48 AM (GMT 0)
Shannon,
I am glad your surgery went well. Kids do make the booboo go away. Keep us updated and you bring hope to all of us that surgery does good in everyone and there is hope.

Take Care, cshelp
Posted 5/19/2009 6:15 AM (GMT 0)
Shannon, I know you are relieved. I am happy for you. Rest and take it easy as much as you can. Being a mom is hard not to do the things you see that needs to be done. Please just look over them.Have someone else to help out. And worse case scenerio is they will be there when you get better. Just take care of yourself and allow yourself to recover. I am so glad your nerve pain in gone. But remember surgery is surgery. Be good to yourself and please don't overdo it.
I wish you well.
Anice
Posted 5/19/2009 1:49 PM (GMT 0)
good morning everyone! thanks so much for the well wishes!!!! it's so nice to have a place where everyone understands me.

i had a horrible night last nite and i am in alot more pain today than i thought i would be. thankfully my MIL has the little one today and the baby sitter will be here tomarrow, and my mom will come back down if i need her on thursday...so, thankfully my kids are taken care of and i don't have to worry about how i would feed/dress/take care of them.

bluejet (laurie), i did not have surgery on my back. this was a follow up to my hysterectomy where a nerve got caught in the inscison when they closed me back up. so, not really considered "nerve damage" type of thing.....if u still are interested, the inscision was in my bikini cut from csections/hysterectomy. they went up to the top of the nerve root, cut the nerve then followed it down to the inscision where they removed a bulk of tissue and the nerve. I wish i had more info for you.....i know your delema tho....my chronic pain stems from a lawnmower accident as a child. I have severe nerve damage in my foot. I have been told that anymore surgery in that area would actually cause MORE pain than i have already. So i totally understand the desparation....i hope u can find an answer for your pain soon...

anyways im off to bed/pain meds, im hurting.....
Posted 5/19/2009 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
Shannon -
I am glad they fixed the nerve problem. I am sure the incision pain isn't much fun through .
I am still at the hospital for at least 1 more night. I had a 7:30am surgery and was in recovery at 12:15 for 2 hours. The first surgery wasn't done properly so they had to undo it and then redo it. They also found I had 2 holes in my stomach. They had to cut out the bad areas and staple them closed. I was just allowed to drink for the first time at 11:30am today. I feel much better now though. Make sure you get plenty of rest.
Take care,
Bill
Posted 5/19/2009 7:17 PM (GMT 0)
Bill,
Wow. At least I'm glad you were right there when they figured it out and could do the second surgery quickly. At least I think that's what you're sayiing.

I hope both of you take it nice and slow so your recoveries are successful!

PaLady
Posted 5/19/2009 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
PaLady -
They found the holes when they were looking at the original wrap to see want was wrong with it. That explains why I had stomach paiin everytime I ate. My doctor told me it was agood thing I kept insisting he go in and look at it. He did see something that didn't look quite right on the xrays, but didn't think it was that bad of a defect at the time. He was shocked at what they found because the xrays didn't look bad.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 5/19/2009 9:53 PM (GMT 0)
You know I think so many of us have heard that statement from a surgeon - it was worse than what they thought once they got inside. I know, MRIs,, etc. can't show everything, but it is frustrating. My 3 hour surgery turned into 6 hours. I'm glad yours was caught and fixed!

PaLady
Posted 5/19/2009 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
Oh Bill, im so glad to hear from you!!!! I do hope they are keeping u comfortable in the hospital??? I am so happy that they finally listened to u to! I don't know why doctors don't LISTEN more....u know ur body better than anyone else, and as it proves, u were right!
I hope u will have considerable relief once u heal...what type of recovery are u looking at? What type of inscision did u have? With my open bikini cut i usually had a few wks recovery, also depending on what work was done inside...Rest up and i hope u do get home in another day!

Im still not noticing any decrease in pain yet...boohoo...and i think my poor husband is at his wits end....my kids were running around like wild animals and i had to get up/down numerous times to play referee (sp). I am really wanting to take an extra pain pill at bedtime so i can try for a better nite sleep, but it is not prescribed like that...what do u all think?

anyways, Bill, im so glad u were able to post! Im sending u gently hugs!!!!
Posted 5/20/2009 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
Shannon,
Gentle hugs back at ya. I hope things are better today for you. I got home about an hour ago, but haven't rested much yet. I had to send more paperwork to my surgeon because Aetna screwed up the first set he sent them for my short term disability. Now he is keeping me off work for 6 weeks. I tried to respond here last night, but I kept messing up on the PDA and got way to frustrated and gave up. Hit one wrong button there and everything you typed is gone. POOF! Start all over again. Anyway, things are going great for me. I feel better now than I did before surgery. Some times that is amazing. Even my ribs have stopped hurting.

Take c are,
Bill
Posted 5/21/2009 12:10 AM (GMT 0)
Bill,
That's so great to hear of your success with reduced (eliminated?) pain! Now take good care of yourself and stay off work for as long as your doctor tells you. I think too many of us try to go back too soon. Since your surgery is successful, do whatever it takes to keep it that way!

Hugs to both of you!

PaLady
Posted 5/21/2009 1:42 AM (GMT 0)
PaLady.
I had a discussion with my surgeon this morning and we decided I should stay off for 6 weeks since I have to lift 75 pounds plus alone at work. I don't want to mess this thing up, it feels too good right now.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 5/21/2009 6:00 AM (GMT 0)
Bill,
75lbs???? smhair smhair smhair

I would think to do that you should be off work for 6 years! Yikes - you can't possibly be lifting that in 6 week after surgery, can you? Are you superman? shocked

PaLady :-)
Posted 5/21/2009 1:29 PM (GMT 0)
yea bill, im so glad ur feeling so well! i know it's hard to stay away from things for 6 wks, but it sounds like u guys have a good plan...after my hysterectomy, i was not even allowed to lift my daughter for 8wks, drive for 6wks, ect....im glad i listened, cause even with listening, i got a hernia, so i sure hope that nothing threatens your healing!

Today (day 4) i am feeling alot better than i was yesterday! It still hurts to sit upright, but i am out of bed now most of the day and am walking around alot more to....By monday, i expect to be back to normal...i hope! lol

anyways, bill, im thrilled ur surgery was a success and it was a comfort to be able to have surgery "with" you! hugs
Posted 5/21/2009 7:45 PM (GMT 0)
Shannon,
Glad to hear you're doing better, but please take it easy. I know so many of us keep saying that, but I guess it's because we know all too well how easy it is to start doing things that are "normal" to most people because we might be feeling a little better. But even internal sutures need to heal.

I'm so glad both you and Bill had successful stories!

Bill - hope you didn't take offense at my last post, but still, 75 lbs. is a lot of weight to lift!

Please take care - both of you!

PaLady
Posted 5/22/2009 5:03 AM (GMT 0)
PaLady, non taken. we have been trying to get it changed.
Shannon, It was my pleasure to share surgery day and time with you. I am so happy things are getting better.
Now the bad news. I ended up back at the hospital tonight. I had unbarable pain today. My symptoms pointed to fluid leaking in my belly. I was scare
when I got to the ER because the nurse said she was prepping me for surgery. I am not ready for that again yet. they decided to do ct and it showed a small collection of fluid so I am back on iv only for a while. Sounds like I get to stay 2 to 6 days. I can't remember crying due to physical pain as an adult until today. I felt so great yesterday and woke up this morning miserable. The wrap is great and I am swallowing better now than I have in 3 years. There is just a slight problem with one of the holes they fixed.

Take care,
Bill
Posted 5/22/2009 5:47 AM (GMT 0)
Bill,
Oh, that's almost too much to bear but there's not much choice. You'll come through it, but I sure wish I could find my magic wand to wave so there'd be no more problems.

It sounds like you're a bit more comfortable now. I hope they at least give you good pain management while you're there.

Take care,

PaLady
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