The Hospital

The morning we left I was calmer than I thought I would be.  We finished packing I took my shower with my special soap and headed out the door after a million and one kisses between my daughter and myself!  Kissed my mom and headed out.

When we arrived the nerves set in.  There was nurses and doctors coming in and out of the room testing this and that.  Then I was put in my gown and rolled to the “waiting area.”  When my doctor arrived we said our hellos went over a few things and the anesthesiologist gave me my IV.  I had tears in my eyes and kissed my husband goodbye.  Then just like that I woke up in the recovery room.  I was crying in pain while they flipped me all over the bed doing x-rays.  It was scary because I woke up to what felt like chaos or the specimen of an alien experiment.

I was then rolled up into my room where my husband was fast asleep waiting for me.  I don’t think he was too nervous as he was so out of it he didn’t even wake up when the nurses and doctors rolled me in!  One nurse said “wow we didn’t even put him out!”  That’s my man...he is an excellent sleeper.

The whole hospital stay is somewhat a blur.  I was heavily medicated and in and out of consciousness quite a bit.  The first night was nothing short of hell.  The pain meds they had me on were not lasting long enough and they were unwilling to give me more in fear they would kill me.  At one point I was crying and trembling in pain holding on to the side of the bed asking them to please give me anything even if it did kill me.  The pain was beyond painful, beyond words that could describe it.  In the morning my doctor came in my room, where I was lying in tears and jerking in pain he looked at me and said “this is not right we cannot let her be this way.”  He ordered something stronger than morphine, I can’t remember what its name is, they put it in my IV and relief came.  It left quickly and so began the game of trying to keep me from falling to the lowest lows of pain.  It was a game that went on almost the whole time I was there.  I gave birth to my children without the use of pain medication and I  thought that was the worst pain I had and would ever be through.  Giving birth was cake compared to this.

On the plus side my family and friends came and visited 24 hours a day and cared for me through all the ruff patches.  I had nurses that were just amazing.  My OT was wonderful and so was my PT.  Everyone was great and everyone was trying their damnedest to help me get better.  My doctor apologized for the trouble I had and the pain I was in but how could he have foreseen that.  He eventually got my pain under control and relieved me of my headaches. Now I am healing!!!!!!! Healing not just taking meds to cover the pain.  I am on meds to help with the pain as I heal and that is is huge difference!

Not home Yet!

Well I just wanted to stop in and say I wasn't released from my mom's as planned yesterday.  Hoping for today!  I did spend some wonderful time with my children for the bigger part of my day so all was not a loss.
Later today I will be posting some great gory pictures! And my recollection of the hospital stay and surgery! Be sure to tune in! Also made it through another day without a headache!

I am Back!

It is me! First I want to say thank you to my beautiful mom for keeping up with this blog for me, but mostly for all that she has done for me and my family in the last two weeks.  

She has been quite amazing!  This has been far from easy for anyone involved and she has done above and beyond what a person is capable of doing.  My mom is there for me every step of the way caring for me 24 hours a day and more.  She is my hero and I am the luckiest and proudest person because I am able to call her my mom.  This will be a short stop in blogland because as you may have read I only gained my reading/writing skills back yesterday and with all the pills and discomfort I am still struggling right now.  

I didn’t have a single headache yesterday.  My improvement is nothing less than amazing.  I am stronger, more alert and slowly gaining my health back.

I am more than excited and happy for today I will return home to my husband and children.  I have visited with them everyday and even had my daughter for a sleep over! It has been so hard on them and they have been such troopers I am so proud of my little people.  But today is the day moms coming home!! (My mom is coming too of course!)  Thanks to everyone who has been there for me and my family we love and appreciate all that you have done and realize it is only the beginning!

Ups and Downs

Got the much needed answers to Bec's headaches. And as she said "headache" is way too mild of a term for them. Apparently they are caused by spine nerve inflamation. Or as the surgeon put it the nerves are "pissed off" at Becky for some reason. He prescribed steroids for them. It could take several days to taper off. How wonderful to have an answer! I think once they're gone Becky can better concentrate on a controlled recovery. They are just too much of a distraction. Also she will be able to read,,,,things like her blog! And maybe even type in a blog posting of her own! In the meantime I know she was looking for some feedback, comments on her blog and I told her people were definitely reading it but maybe now everyone could make a comment! It would be great for her to hear from everyone now!
Unfortunately after the surgeon's visit and a stop at home to have din din with the kiddos, she had a very rough night. She said the pain was as bad as it was the night after the surgery. So just as we thought she'd be making some progress, she has a setback. This morning however she hasn't had a headache as yet! yippee! This is huge, you have no idea! She said the headaches were piercing pain from her eyes all throught the center part of her head. (Imagine a horses mane.) Like knives stabbing and then the insult of twisting them. Lets hope we don't have to talk about them again!
It was fun to see her at her house, first time in one week. R cried when she left but it is definitely better Bec get the rest she needs here at mom's. We were thinking she'd go home in a few days, maybe this weekend but then when she had such a rough night last night I was so glad she was here.

Monday Monday

Called the surgeon first thing Monday morning since the headaches are unbearable. They were concerned and scheduled an apptmt back at the hospital to see the surgeon on Tuesday. Becky had a good Monday afternoon, talking to a good friend always helps! Thanks EC for your afternoon visit. (I am using initials now since Bec didn't think it was a good idea to name names on a blog)

Sunday

Day started out terrible. Bec was in so much pain with the headache and of course backache. but it's more than just the back. It's the hips, the but, the legs etc. We called the surgeon. He explained about the tylenol that was or wasn't in each of the meds. And how it could be affecting the headache. He limited her intake of tylenol because anything over 3000 mgs can cause liver damage. So after getting the meds in sync I think she had a better day. She did sleep alot and that always helps. She also ate some real food and some nachos for a snack. Not much but it's a start. Dinner time the kids arrived. It was a great reunion. Bec came down and ate with us and went on her short walk outside with the kiddies. Then it was back in bed and the kids went home with daddy. Nighty night.

Meds

Becky has been fighting severe headaches. So much so that she isn't able to open her eyes and cries in pain. We've still been trying the coffee, sometimes working sometimes not. We've been trying Tylenol again working some of the time but not as effective as the coffee. Then she had an idea for me to rush home and get her Vicadin. She recalls getting headaches pre surgery when she would take a break from them at home. So trusting ourselves that this would be ok and making a physicians decision she tried the Vicadin and I thought it seemed to help. She thought so too and then later in the day she decided they didn't help and went back on the Oxycoden. But again later in the evening she again said they did help. THis is part of the confusion from the medication. Sometimes she says something and then says she thought she dreamt it. Confused like when she was talking to Shawn on the phone from the hospital she told him she didn't have prostate cancer. Well we have to keep some humor in this story....leave it to Becky.