kathleenmosko@gmail.com                          Twitter @KathleenMosko

Hi Everyone!

I hope everyone had a good Easter, the first one singing at the Cathedral! Last Easter I had planned on singing but just had my neck surgery right before and there was no way I was going to be able to sing then or for that matter for a long time later!

The Sunday before Palm Sunday, March 25th started out like any other day! HOWEVER, I happened to shake the hand for the “handshake of peace” with a woman who was clearly sick but never bothered to tell me until it was too late. I got her cooties and ended up sick by the end of the week and right up until Easter Sunday… for over a week I had a fever and laryngitis again…. uuuuuuugh! When are people going to be more considerate????????

Anyway, I sang Tuesday of Holy week, we had Wednesday off, then I sang for Maundy Thursday service, I didn’t go to Good Friday service but rested the whole day. I ended up singing for Easter Vigil and finally by Easter Sunday I was almost back to good! LOL I’m still coughing but I think that’s in part because I had to use my inhailer 3 times during Holy Week just to open my throat up to sing!

I do feel much better but, WOW! That was almost as bad as when I got the H1N1 from my neighbor’s kids one year….

FROM NOW ON, NO MORE HANDSHAKING FOR ME! I show someone the peace sign but, I AIN’T TOUCHIN NOBODY NO MORE!!! HAHAHA So if anyone wants to sit next to me, I’m done! That was the second holiday I almost didn’t get to sing…. never again!

As for the dinner Brian tried to cook, well, let’s just say… he needs a little more practice but, he did redeem himself on the second attempt so all was good. It was just a little later than we anticipated…

To be fair, Ally was sick so his helpmate wasn’t available to round out his expertise! She has a sinus infection that landed her at a Quick Care Center so she could get some medicine of the prescription kind. She hasn’t been this sick for a good long time so I guess she was about due seeing she works at a mall with an international clientele. Brian said she’s on the mend so that’s a good thing.

Today I started on the second part of the manuscript for the short book I plan on publishing real soon. But I first have a small typing job I have to take care of… it seems that everything has hit me all at one time… and that’s a good thing cause I’m busy doing real stuff not just trying to keep busy! Imagine that! I plan on working on it tomorrow as well!

I had a real breakthrough with Candi our bunny… at 3:55 am she jumped on the bed and layed down by my head and let me pet her…. usually when I make a move toward her she jumps off, but for some reason this time she just stayed there… I think she’s finally trusting me. She’s staying longer under the covers when I put her in bed with me too! She doesn’t have anyone to play with anymore and I think she’s really missing her buddy Skittles! :>( I’ve toyed with the idea of getting an older “rescue” dog but I don’t know how she’d take to a dog…. or that the dog wouldn’t try hunting her since they weren’t raised together… I just don’t want anything to happen to her. I’ve become even  more attached to her since Skittles’ passing. Crazy, I know but…. she’s part of the family….

I’m really excited this is my 200th post! Hard to believe that it’s only been 2 years since I first started this journey. It feels like it’s only been a few months! Amazing how quickly time goes by!

Well, I suppose I should get off here and do some laundry…. I also have a marketing plan to finish up as well…. I’ve got a lot on my plate right now…. a lot of writing, but it kinda feels good to have purpose again…. just sayin….

I’ll be back but in the meantime, you all know what to do… take care of you and yours…

hugs,

Love,

Kathleen

kathleenmosko@gmail.com                                  Twitter @KathleenMosko

Hi Everyone!

Candi, our lop-eared angora bunny hasn’t done all that great with Skittles’ passing. I knew it would be difficult for her, it has been for me. He was her whole life! She’s starting to come around more, like when we eat she’ll often get into her condo to eat with us, and she comes into my room to lay there while I write. I’ve even caught her up on my bed looking around. That’s where she and Skittles used to cuddle with me while I was recouperating.

Just as vital to the care of Skittles while he was sick to make a proper determination, Dr. Christine Kolmstetter has been very important in making sure I don’t foget about Candi, not that I would. Candi has her own set of circumstances and although my healing for the most part is over, I must never forget the continued care that she needs too.

Bunnies often have a condition where their teeth, if not ground down from chewing flat leafy food, will grow with hi points and they need to be ground down in a clinical setting. This is often the case with domesticated rabbits because we tend to feed them a much different diet than what they’d eat in the wild. Some breeds are more prone to it than others. If left unchecked, they can literally starve to death because they can’t chew their food. Candi is one of those such bunnies.

Rabbits are one of the most carefree animals to care for. That being said, there are some real particulars…

FIRST… Remember they can live between 6 & 15 years depending on their breed and care given ( not just being caged 24/7.)

SECONDLY…. although they do not require vaccinations, spay or neutering is a must for longevity, especially in females, otherwise they get uterine cancer very early.

THIRDLY….they need to see a vet regularly, just like any other pet you may have. HOWEVER, they’re considered an “EXOTIC” pet and many vets are not trained to care for them. These vets have special training in animals other than cats and dogs. Some small towns may not have an “exotic” trained vet at all. I was lucky enough to have one back in Ohio. And I was very much surprised when I got here to Vegas there were only three in a town of 2 million!

Lucky for Skittles and Candi I found a great doc early on. Dr. Chirstine Kolmstetter, now at Aloha Animal Hospital, has been caring for my bunnies for about four years now. In that time I’ve grown to appreciate her warmth and kindness beyond just our patient relationship. You vet plays a very important part in helping you communicate with your pet and allows you to do the best possible thing for them. Such is the case with Skittles during his illness.

From personally reaching out to me and our family by phone, notes and emails, Dr. K has showed the level of caring she understands about the impact pets make in our lives when we as humans rely on our pets in our times of need. She totally understood the dynamic in play and how important Skittles and Candi have been, first in the recovery of Brian with Skittles and with the both of them for me as I recovered.

Since Skittles’ passing Candi’s had a hard time adjusting. Dr. K has shared with me the signs of pet depression to look out for with her and some suggestions on how to correct them when they appear. Recently Candi was sneezing, (I didn’t know bunnies sneezed!) and Dr. K put her on some antibiotics. Well, Candi has gone kickin n screamin all the way to each dropper full, but she’s finally stopped sneezing, so I think Dr. K was right once again. Candi’s still pretty shy and I often have to look for her to get her into her cage so I can take her for a snuggling session.

This visit she only weighed in at 3.7 pounds. She really has no margin for error… if she doesn’t eat well everyday, it could mean disaster for her almost immediately. As it turned out, Candi’s teeth needed ground down and she was left to get the dental work done. Candi had to be out to get the job done with a light anesthesia. She came home but didn’t want to eat. Dr. K called twice to make sure Candi was making poop! LOL Amused, I called to leave Dr. K a message we had success, the girl on the other end of the line laughed. I got a followup email from Dr. K coveying she was glad to hear of the appearance of poop! LOL Dr. K has a great sense of humor too!

Since I’ve been more mobile I stay away from the house longer, in turn leaving Candi alone more. I’ve tried to spend extra “home time” involved with her so she doesn’t feel left out. When Skittles was around, I found an old metal framed baby crib I modified for him so he could be outside with us but safe from any predator birds. I tried to remember all the things I did with Skittles before she came along to do those things with her now. I’d take him on car rides to pick Brian up from school, and I’d put him on his leash, but so far Candi wants no part of that leash! Her fur is so long also that it makes it VERY easy for her to slip out of her harness no matter how snug I put it. So for now the crib will have to do for her to be outside.

As for Dr. Kolmstetter, you couldn’t ask for a better doctor, a more caring individual, a more concerned human being for the love of your pet. There are few words I can say to show how much I really appreciate her concern and her caring for our EXOTIC pets. She will always hold a special place in our hearts. Skittles died the first week Dr. K was at Aloha Animal Hospital. I was surprised to receive a sympathy card hand signed by every staff member including all the other doctors from the hospital along with a little heart shaped metal tag with the inscription “In loving memory of Skittles.” They have no idea how much that meant to Brian and I.

So out of appreciation, I want to send along a very heartfelt THANK YOU to Dr. K for all you do. Once again, she’s done a great job in keeping my exotic pet from harms way and for all the other pets she does that for as well. I’m sure there are many grateful pet owners who endear her to their families… Thanks for all you do Dr. K. I APPRECIATE YOU!

In the meantime, my dear readers, you all know what to do, take care of you and your!

hugs,

love,

Kathleen

kathleenmosko@gmail.com                        Twitter   @KathleenMosko

Hi Everyone!

I want to wish my son the happiest of birthdays! Today he’s 23! I COULDN’T BE MORE PROUD OF THE MAN HE’S BECOME!

In the past year, Brian fulfilled three of his life’s ambitions.

1. To get the girl! He and Ally got engaged this past year.

2. To own his own company and become CEO

3. To have a condo on the Strip in Vegas!

DONE, DONE, AND DONE! How sweet it must be for him, to know he’s already knocking off some of the items on his bucket list while many of his peers are still trying to figure out what a bucket list is….NICE!

It’s amazing to see this all unfold before my eyes, to watch him spread his wings and  fly. I know all the hard work he put into learning the skills necessary to get what he wants and to know at such a young age what he wants, is just incredible! While his friends were out partying and getting stupid and drunk, he was honing those skills. And he sees the rewards. He told me it’s really nice to be in the position he’s in because he can be his own boss and there’s no one above him limiting him or his income.

 He’s creative, and articulate, and crazy-fun to be around. He’s kept me on my toes, been my cheerleader and my caretaker in much the same way I was for him. He keeps me forever young in spirit, and, as he put it, now that Dr. Smith fixed me, I get to go back at least 15 years and I get a “do over!”

He’s his own person and knows who he is. He’s OK with wearing pink (he looks great in pink) and is mischievous in all the right ways…. he announced he was baking his own birthday cake, (he said he was paying attention all those years when he was in the kitchen with me) and he made a rainbow 4-layer cake!  He’s decorating it himself as well since I bought him a pastry bag and tips…. I’m so glad he’s into all facets of life. Being a businessman can really bog you down unless you have the lightheartedness to set that aside and go for the gusto. And for those who know Brian, well, let’s just say… he’s got a LOT of gusto!

Life is all about balance. And I really think Brian gets that. He’s serious when he has to be, compassionate when he needs to be, and just downright fun when he wants to be! I would like him as a person even if he wasn’t my kid. And really, he hasn’t been my kid since the day he turned 18. He looked at me that day when I told him to go do something and he said, “You can’t make me, I’m 18 now!” I gently reminded him that that may well be the case but there are consequences for his actions I won’t be responsible for and can’t bail him out of if he gets stupid. There aren’t enough words in a book for me to teach him about this concept as much as his one buddy throwing a party at his parents’ home while they were away. His buddy got drunk and stupid with probably 60 people he invited, and 8 metro cars with a chopper hovering overhead descended upon said house! Brian and one other guy were the only ones NOT detained! Brian doesn’t drink… or do drugs or hookah or any other of that crap! Yeah, he saw it all firsthand and is well aware of the consequences of stupid…. he chooses differently. WHEW!

So, now that he’s well on his way with a bright future and someone to share it with, today, his 23rd birthday, is another beginning to the rest of his life.

Son, you’re an awesome person, and I’m proud you’re my son! I love you a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck!

Have a happy day!

love,

Mom

kathleenmosko@gmail.com                                    Twitter  @KathleenMosko

Hi Everyone!

Well, it finally happened…. I am at a stalemate with my writing…. the words just flowed from my fingertips when I thought I was talking to someone and not just writing… SO HERE’S THE NEWS!  I’m opening up the comments once again in hopes that I can get back to being the writer I once was or even better!

Here’s another bit of news also…. MY SON CALLED ME OUT!  When I kicked it around with him about opening the comments back up, he asked, “Why?”

“Because I had someone to talk “with” and “to” and not just put words down.”

He queried, “How will that help you in your writing?”

“It makes me feel like my writing has purpose, that I’m connected in some way, that I am contributing to their knowledge base.”

“MOM! I thought this website was aboutYOU, not about teaching people about all the medical stuff, or about something technical!”

“Well, that’s what it started out to be Brian, but, there’s so much I know now to share with others and it just doesn’t seem fair to keep it to myself.”

“But this is about YOUR journey, about what’s happening with YOU, about YOUR life, about how YOU’RE feeling health-wise and about things now that YOU’RE better. This is supposed to be about YOU and YOUR story and about how YOUR life’s changed in all the different ways. Isn’t that what YOU told me YOU originally wanted to do with this website?”

“Yeah, but, I discovered there’s so much more I could give, to share, that others could use!”

He suscintly answered, “Then write another book about THOSE things.”

“THIS WEBSITE IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT YOU!”

So for the last three weeks I’ve been contemplating about that conversation and how to handle it. I still don’t have all of it worked out in my mind, but I did start that third book. I’m compiling all the “medical” stuff I’ve incorporated in my website, pulled it out and will be putting it in some semblance of order for it to be all in one place.

I really miss talking with all of you the way I used to, not all that long ago. You’ve become my friends. I respond well to friends, to people I feel care about me. I begin to care about you as well. This is a big hint to anyone who wants to get on my good side, become my friend first…. it goes an extremely long way with me. Get to know me, share yourself with me, let me know you care. I’ll reciprocate. I’ve never really been comfortable putting myself out there, as so many of you don’t, but the more I do, the easier it’s becoming, and the easier it is to receive. Try it!

In the meantime, know that I do miss you all, your responses spurred me on to think deeper, write better, and have a richer life because of it. Serious writing is a full time job, and, I don’t know how I’m going to find the time to dedicate myself to do this these days. I have a few other things on my plate as well, but for now I’ll try.  So I guess what I’m saying is, though I might be a little rusty, I’M BACK!

Hugs, to you all!

Take care of you and yours,

Love,

Kathleen

kathleenmosko@gmail.com                Twitter @KathleenMosko

Hi Everyone!

I know, I know, I’ve been gone for quite a while… it’s been hard to get back into the swing of things…. IT’S SPRING DARNIT! There’s things to do in the yard, places to go, rehearsals to attend…. GEESH! So much to do these days,(so many things I wasn’t able to do for so long), and so little time!!! Some days it’s hard to pick what I want to do first! And being ADHD, that can be a real challenge! HAHAHA

The ACDF surgery by far was my toughest one to recover from. This past Friday, March 16th, marked my one year anniversary from my ACDF. I thought I was being a bit of a crybaby and a wimp from having so many issues I thought would resolve themselves much quicker than what they did. But, from all the questions I’ve been getting, I guess there’s some real validity to the issues. In some ways I’m glad you’re writing to me because it lets me know I’m not alone and it validates the issues as real and not just unique to me alone.

That being said, I’ve had my share of ups and downs with trying to gain full strength and use of my neck. I’ve been doubly assaulted because most people didn’t have a second surgery less than 8 weeks after the ACDF having another airway put into their throat and are not singers as I am. Others have had the time to just let it heal on it’s own, as is the prescription of most doctors. My case, of course, was different. Dr. Smith told me I could start doing warm-ups and “light” singing after 5 months. But it wasn’t until almost the 9 month mark before I felt comfortable because my throat felt like something was pressing on my voice-box and I could literally move my voicebox back into place. The inner muscles just weren’t strong enough to do their job. And for all the practical activity I’ve encounter to do exercises to strengthen those inner muscles at the neck that were stretched, the only one I’ve found to be the most effective for me has been to sing.

At first it sounded so bad, like I had a ball of phlegm stuck in my throat that I couldn’t get out. And then there’s this issue of feeling like my Adam’s apple is pushing against my voice-box. Well, as I’m singing more, the rasp is almost gone, I don’t need to push my voice-box into place much any more, though it does still happen and is annoying as all hell, and the only time I feel my Adam’s apple is pushing against my voice-box now is when I try to sleep on my side.

I know that sounds really wierd but for several days now, Candi, my snuggle bunny and I have been spending some quality time together and our favorite activity is to be in bed under the covers. I don’t stay long with her but she’s finally warming up to me since Skittles’ departure. Her favorite spot is snuggling up against my neck laying on my arm while I’m on my side. She’s only four pounds so that’s not the issue, it’s the height ratio to the degree of the angle my neck is tilted while I’m on my side.

I’ll explain it further. I haven’t been able to find the right height pillow that will accommodate the weight of my head and get me to the proper height so my neck is exactly aligned with my spine if I’m on my side. You’d think it would be a no-brainer, just hold a pillow up to your ear and see if the thickness is out to your shoulder so when you’re on your side, it will hold your head in alignment with your spine… NOT! I can’t tell you how many pillows I’ve tried alone and stacked to make this work…. IT AIN’T THAT EASY! AND, I can tell you that my neck is letting me know the combinations aren’t working. My best position for her and I is flat on my back and I do mean FLAT!

I used to have pillows for my head, and then for under my legs to ease the back pain, and one under my arm so I could position my shoulder for the neck pain prior to surgery. Well since the neck pain is gone, I don’t have the arm pillow, and the back  pain is gone so I don’t have the leg pillow (except for when I try to lay on my side which then gets put between my knees), and I invested in two different types and thicknesses of “orthopedic” pillows designed for supposedly helping brace your neck, which I found to be most uncomfortable. So, I sleep flat, no pillow. But I do have pillows within reach so if I do attempt to lay on my side I have some handy.

I did a full day of singing yesterday, trying to get rid of the last of the sometimes rasp which only shows up now when I’m fatigued. By singing so much I’m hoping to strengthen those inner muscles to a point where I won’t feel the rasp when I sing. I’m almost there. And about the Adam’s apple thing, well, I guess Candi’s just gonna have to settle for cuddling under my chin while I’m laying flat.

One plus I have noticed, I don’t snore as much as I did before. I think it’s the combination of me strengthening my outer and inner muscles, losing some weight, and not using a pillow. I can’t attribute the no snoring to any one thing because I’ve been doing them all simultaneously and won’t stop long enough to do only one at a time to find out ’cause I am singing at the Cathedral for Easter week, Vigil, and Easter Sunday, not to mention I’m going to be rehearsing in hopes I can get into one of the Philharmonic Choirs here in town. My goal is to sing with Bocelli even if it is only to sing in the backup choir he uses when he’s in town performing every year in November. But, I’m starting now! Who knows, maybe hard work and opportunity will collide and I can scratch my number 1 item off my bucket list!

Many of you have asked the questions about the feeling of your surgical plate hitting your voice-box or Adam’s apple, I hope by explaining my situation you find some answers as this is such an annoying feeling to have. And, I suggest that if you are going to try moving your voice-box as I did, DO IT  G E N T L Y! It’s delicate in that region. It took me more than a few tries to find out how much pressure to use, and where to put it back to. In doing so it does relieve a lot of that feeling like the plate is hitting your voice-box because then everything’s back in place for a while until you inadvertently dislodge it again.

Like I said, I’m a full year out from surgery now and I’m still having some latent issues, none that are intolerable, just, I’m ready to get rid of them all for good! I tell Dr. Smith’s patients that, although he can work miracles on that operating table for people to become pain free, he’s still not God, (and he knows that) and it’s up to the patient to then take responsibility for their recovery. YOUR RECOVERY IS ONLY AS GOOD AS WHAT YOU PUT INTO YOUR REHABILITATION! Your doctor can’t be with you 24/7! Remember, he’s busy saving someone else’s life from the same pain and misery you experienced.

OH, and another thing… standard for recovery is at the two year mark post-op, so I theoretically am still healing and recovering for the next year with this ACDF… DON’T GET AHEAD OF YOUR SELF! Everyone wants to get back to life quicker than what their body’s can heal most of the time!

Your second line of defense is to get a really good physical therapist. Dr. Smith said I could chose to not go to PT if I didn’t want to, but I went, and was so happy I did! What I found out and did under the watchful eye of Dr. Amanda Scott Cain from MattSmith Physical Therapy I’ll be able to use forever. She was so caring in making sure I knew all the exercises I could have that would strengthen my neck’s outer muscles. As for the inner ones she was limited to help there, but did give me a few. We openly discussed what I could do to help the inner muscles and she said it was basically all up to me. The more I sang the stronger they would become. So I sing, almost every day now, and it’s delightful! There’s nothing like putting a song in your heart to lift your spirits no matter how bad you feel!

 ALL OF THOSE EXERCISES SHE SHARED HAVE BEEN POSTED IN PRIOR POSTS ON THIS WEBSITE. MAKE SURE YOU CHECK WITH YOUR SURGEON BEFORE DOING ANYTHING FIRST… YOUR SITUATION IS AS UNIQUE AS YOU ARE…. DON’T SCREW YOURSELF UP!  ASK YOUR SURGEON!!!

I do hope this has been helpful in addressing some of the many searches I’ve seen on my analytics looking for answers to this very topic. I felt compelled to address them once again as an update just so you get a feel as to how long and how intense your recovery will be a year post-op. Please keep in mind every body is different and will react to surgeries differently. Also, your level of commitment to your recovery is crucial to your final outcome… BE YOUR OWN BEST ADVOCATE!

I have to go warm up my voice now to be ready for mass then choir practice afterwards at the Cathedral. Have a great day and I’ll be posting again soon.

In the meantime, you remember what to do, take care of you and yours,

hugs,

Love,

Kathleen

kathleenmosko@gmail.com                           Twitter @Kathleen Mosko

Hi Everyone!

I’m really sorry it’s been so long. I’ve been dealing with some personal issues that have just derailed me. I did however want to recognize one of the most personally important days of my life, March 8th.

March 8th marks for me two years since I met Dr. Smith, who literally changed my life. Many people have a “hero” worship with their doctors when they cured them. I know he’s not a hero, but he’s more than that. I know he set out to change lives all those many years ago when he first started going to medical school, but I’m not sure he can comprehend what a difference he’s made in all the lives he’s touched, and in mine, simply because I’m still discovering all the ways he’s made a difference for me. I’m sure others feel the same. If I could wish one thing for him, it would be, for just one day, to be me and see himself through my eyes. Then he would know just how special he is to me.

Two years and one day prior to this Thursday,  I was still facing all the uncertainty of conventional back surgery. The kind that would give me a measure of relief, but would do damage to good muscle and tissue in order to relieve me of  far greater pains. Yes, I’d finally found an orthopedic doctor willing to take on my case, but with stern warnings he was limited as to how much he could help me. And, he shared he couldn’t get me completely out of pain. My spouse jumped at the chance and scheduled my surgery for me, allthewhile asking the surgeon how long it would be before I could do all my wifely duties.

In my heart of hearts, I’d always wanted a neurosurgeon to do my surgeries after reading all I did about my condition.  It was MY BODY, and I had to remind my spouse of that as I waited patiently for my appointment with Dr. William Smith, Neurosurgeon. THAT’S who I wanted to see. I wanted to hear it from his mouth what he thought he could do for me.  Little did I know WHO I was actually meeting that fortunate day.

Dr. William Smith has spent his life dedicated to helping others, to make their lives more fulfilling, more active, more whole. His dedication has been spent honing his skills, testing the outer edges of possibilities, learning, improvising, innovating, designing, crafting all the most modern technology possible to use as part of his arsenal in the operating room, where he is most comfortable. There nothing else matters, and everything matters. He understands full well he may hold that person’s whole future in his hands. He lives and breathes to “first do no harm” and to help mend the broken body before him the best way he knows how. His empathy for that broken life is unmatched by anything I’ve ever known. His calm demeanor, his calculated precision, and his compassion all culminate in a life saved from the ravages of  inexplicable pain. I know, I was one of those patients on that operating table he believed was worth saving.

To me, it was a ”no-brainer”  to volunteer at his office to speak with other patients going through the same doubts and fears. To know what Dr. Smith does not from a description but by experience has given me  depth of understanding. I want others to know how much talent and dedication he has, and how much I want everyone else who needs him to trust him enough to do what he can to make them whole as well, it’s that important. I can extend to others my experiences and put their minds at ease in a way I didn’t have access to before I had the surgeries.  In some small way I add to his ability to help others by showing them firsthand the results of his work, his sample on the shelf. But I know full well it all started March 8, 2010, a day I will always celebrate in a very personal way, knowing that was the day that changed my life forever.

Nothing I will ever do or become from that day forward could be attributed to anything else but the fortunate appointment I had with Dr. Smith. Without it my life would be a totally different one, and I’m guessing much less than the one I’ve got!  He’s afforded me a measure of dignity and self worth I’ve not felt my entire life and he’s done it in a discrete manner, which is greatly appreciated. He’s helped to heal my body, mind, and spirit giving me hope when I needed it most.

So there’s really nothing for you my reader to celebrate except maybe for the fact that without March 8th being totally significant to me, all of you wouldn’t be able to benefit from what I share on my website with you.

I will be back at writing soon, but in the meantime, remember to take care of you and yours,

hugs,

Love,

Kathleen

kathleenmosko@gmail.com                               Twitter   @KathleenMosko

Hi Everyone!

Well, I have about sixty questions on ACDF surgery so let’s get started! I’ll try to answer as many as I can on my own and I’ll find out the answers to the rest from Joe, Dr. Smith’s PA or Dr. Smith himself. That may take a while….

Q: WHEN WILL THE STERI STRIPS FALL OFF AND IS THAT THE ONLY THING HOLDING MY INCISION IN PLACE? A: No the incision is sewn from the inside, and the steri strips are used only to hold the wound closed so there’s less scarring. They will eventually wear off as you shower daily and go about your normal routine, Usually within three weeks.

Q: WHAT TYPE OF SURGICAL FUSION HARDWARE IS MY DOCTOR GOING TO USE IN ME? A: There are several different types of hardware depending on the circumstances of your injury available to your doctor to use inside your body. He may have a good idea about how to repair it before starting the surgery, but once in, may see additional or different hardware may fit more to your particular circumstance. Hardware such as cages, plates and rods are sometimes used to stabilize that area of the spine.

Q: HOW CAN I BUILD STRENGTH IN MY NECK? A: There are several exercises I did to help strengthen my outer neck muscles but, you may want to also do exercises that strengthen the inner muscles as well. Go to the earlier post I entered about doing exercises specifically for  the ACDF procedure. Some of them are designed to use the inner muscles too but I found that talking or singing with good posture are a couple of really great ways to exercise the inner muscles. It amazed me at how many muscles I actually used to practice my singing for choir.

Q: CAN I STILL USE A PILLOW TO SLEEP WITH AFTER MY ACDF SURGERY? A: I personally don’t use a pillow but, there’s some modifications you may want to do for using a pillow to sleep. I was told that my pillow should be under my shoulders also, not just under my head. That way my head and my neck were on the same plane or slope so there’s no pressure on the repair. I had a 3 level fusion which included a plate. It was far more comfortable for me to give up my pillow than thinking I still had to somehow sleep with one. When I choose to sleep or lay on my side, I make sure my foam pillow is then under my head, making sure it is no higher than the depth from the end of my shoulder to my neck. Here’s another hint. Because I had a total hip replacement, I make sure I have another pillow handy if I lay on my side to put between my knees. This is something more people should do anyway even if you didn’t have a total hip replacement.

Q: IS IT NORMAL TO HAVE A LUMP UNDER MY SCAR? A: Though many people have a really nice scar that heals flat and eventually almost disaappears, some develop keloiding. This is when the repairing tissue generates too much tissue and forms a hard lump just under the wound. If there are no other indicators of a cyst, or tumor or a fluid pocket, then this should eventually reduce itself in most cases. Some don’t go away without further intervention such as plastic surgery or Vitamin E oil applied for several months directly to the wound where the lump is. I had to use the vitamin E oil and bought it in a higher concentration. There are two different concentrations, 10,000 IU of Vitamin E or 40,000 IU of Vitamin E. My scar flattened over a period of months of continuous daily use. I put it on right after I brushed my teeth so I wouldn’t forget. I’m happy to say my scar is flat and starting to turn back to normal skin color instead of purple. Rubbing out the scar with this oil will also loosen the scar tissue, making it much more supple.

Q: MY THROAT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE IS CHOKING ME… IS THIS NORMAL? A: This is something I struggled with for well over 9 months. It does eventually go away with  the strengthening of your neck muscles. The harder you work those muscles, the more toned they become, the less they will spasm and constrict. KEEP AT IT…. I was still worried about it right up until singing at Christmas Eve Mass. It will still happen every now and then, but to be honest it’s only been twice since Christmas. Keep strengthening those neck muscles!

Q: HOW LONG DO THE MUSCLE SPASMS LAST AFTER AN ACDF PROCEDURE? A: That’s not possible for me to answer. I know how hard I worked on my neck muscles to get them back and strengthen them, but as it turned out, I’ve had plenty of times there were set-backs, the biggest was when, seven weeks after my ACDF, I had to have my total hip replacement. This brought on a whole different set of circumstances since they had to use another airway to perform that surgery as well.

Q: HOW LONG AFTER THE ACDF IS THERE AN INCREASE IN COMFORT? A: That depends largely on how much you are willing to do the exercises to strengthen all the muscles in your neck. Remember, you’ve probably had weak  muscles for a very long time and it will take some time to strengthen them so they can hold your head up for you. All told I really started to feel much more comfortable after my fourth month mark. BEAR IN MIND, I HAD AN ADDITIONAL SURGERY AFTER MY ACDF! I would imagine if you are doing your exercises, you could expect to have a high level of comfort conservatively after the 2 month mark…

Q: IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIAL I NEED TO DO IF I AM FLYING ONCE I HAVE AN ACDF PROCEDURE? A: This is one of the most common questions I get asked all the time. Another one is, “going through an airport do you set off all the bells?” Short answer to that is, ‘no, but’….” I recently had to be at the local police station where they routinely screen everyone… nope, no bells and whistles! However, when I flew back east in August I just told the TSA people when I first got up to them I had medical metal in me, they sent me right to x-ray and I was through in no time at all! Quicker I think than most people who went through the regular check line!

Q: AFTER MY ACDF PROCEDURE, WHEN CAN I EXPECT MY VOICE TO RETURN TO NORMAL? A: There’s only a long answer for this one. Simply because there are certain factors way beyond your control. As Dr. Smith answered this question for me, he stated that, “There is a high number of people who recover completely after a period of recovery, there is a small percentage who have a rasp to their voice that will eventually go away, and there is a very small number of people who will never recover from the rasp. But for the most part, I can say, that most people will recover to their normal voice after recovery.” Such has been the case with me, though my recovery has been a  lot more protracted because of the additional surgery,  AND, I’ve committed to extensive neck exercises because of my singing.

Q: CAN ACDF PROCEDURES BE DONE MINIMALLY? A: YES! When an ACDF is done through the front it is considered being done minimally. The doctor makes a small incision in the crease of your neck in front just to one side of the larnyx to access the spine. Everything is pulled out of the way to get to the spine but is then put gently back when the surgery’s complete. My particular procedure was a 3 level with a plate and my incision is only 3 inches long.

Q: WHAT TYPES OF SETBACK CAN OCCUR WITH AN ACDF PROCEDURE? A: While there are any number of complications which can occur with ANY surgery, specific ones directly affecting your neck could be excessive swelling, inability to speak for a while, or infection. That being said, there are a whole host of other complications not necessarily related to the procedure itself but rather to the condition of your body or the influences the anesthesia or other drugs may have on your particular body. There may even be some unknown factors that crop up once you have undergone the surgery that may not have anything to do with it.

Q: SOMEONE WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE “BLING” I ADDED TO MY NECK BRACE. A: As a crafter and cardmaker I found it quite fun to make the best of a not so good situation. I added some gemstones to my neck brace by going to my local craft store and getting some rhinestones that stick on and some ribbon cut to the shape of where the logo of the neck brace was. Dr. Smith was quite amused by my clever addition. It added a little something to the notion I had to wear it for 6 weeks. It brought a smile to many faces in checkout lines and when I was walking through casinos.

Q: WHEN WILL THE POPPING IN MY NECK STOP AFTER MY ACDF PROCEDURE? A: One can only speculate this answer. It was my experience to feel the popping as the plating settled into the bones for the better part of six or seven months. It was annoying as hell at first but evenutally as it got less frequent it didn’t bother me at all. It’s now been 11 months and I can’t even remember the last time it did it for me.

Q: IS IT NORMAL TO HAVE A RUNNY NOSE AND A FULLNESS IN THE FACE ON THE SIDE THAT WAS OPERATED ON?  Gee, I thought it was just me that had the runny nose… but I guess it wasn’t that bothersome enough for me to even find out if that was considered a medical condition related to my ACDF. I do know however, that the right side of my face is STILL puffy a little since my ACDF surgery 11 months ago. And no, I haven’t gained any weight! LOL (I haven’t lost any either!)

Q: I HAD A BRIGHT RED RASH ON MY NECK AFTER MY ACDF PROCEUDRE, IS THIS SOOMETHING TO WORRY ABOUT? A: I had that too! I didn’t have it all over my neck but rather just at the wound site. Some common sense should prevail here. First touch it to see if it’s hot, if it is, call your doctor. Take your temperature, if you have a fever and the rash, call your doctor. I, on the other hand, just kept a watchful eye on it. I didn’t have a fever, or the wound area wasn’t hot. within three days it was completely gone. I have no explanation for it and didn’t see my doctor so I can’t tell you what it may be. If you are really worried about it, call your doctor, only he can really make the determination as to what it really is.

Q: I’M STILL HAVING HEADACHES 6 MONTHS AFTER MY ACDF PROCEDURE, IS THIS NORMAL? A: My headaches stopped immediately after I had my procedure. I say that with a slight reservation because I have experienced a few headaches in the last couple of months. I’m hoping to explain them away from some of the stress I’ve been under lately. I guess my best thought would be that if they are frequent, pounding, or dibilitating, then you should call the doctor at once!

Q: IS IT NORMAL TO HAVE VERTIGO POST-OP FROM AN ACDF? A: I can’t say for sure if it’s normal, but I am just now getting to the point that vertigo is not so frequent a visitor… it really wasn’t all that bad, just annoying at times but I’m noticing it less and less. I’m not sure if it’s a condition directly related to an ACDF, but I might be inclined to think it is since I never had it before my surgery.

Q: I’M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH SWOLLEN LYMPH NODES IN MY NECK IS THIS COMMON? A: Swollen lymph nodes is not common for any reason! I didn’t experience that at all when I had my surgery and so my thought is that you will probably want to talk to your doctor at your earliest opportunity. It’s probably nothing, but may be an indicator of a few other medical conditions he’ll need to address.

Q: WHAT IS THE COMPLETE HEALING TIME FOR AN ACDF PROCEDURE? A: Even with the complications I had due to the the additional surgery, I am still almost at 100% as of 1 year post-op though standard for any major surgery is at the 2 year benchmark. I did take additional time to do extra exercising and stretches. As I continue on my path, the tightness in my neck muscles and my throat have gotten considerably less. I’m convinced the more you use your neck and throat muscles the more healing goes on. This is one time in your life you don’t have to feel guilty for talking too much! LOL

Q: I HAVE SHOULDER PAIN AFTER MY ACDF WHAT CAN I DO? A: A few of you have asked me about this… I didn’t experience any shoulder pain after my ACDF so I’m not really sure how to answer this. I’ve been trying to pin down the answer through Dr. Smith’s PA, Joe. But first I have to catch him without a patient … :>) My best guess is if it’s bothering you to the point of major concern, make a special appointment with your doctor to let him assess the pain.

Q: CAN I BE LEFT ALONE AFTER MY ACDF SURGERY? A: For the first week you may want to have someone around to help you navigate your surroundings. After that I was more than capable to do all the necessary things for myself unassisted. Talk to your doctor as to what his recommendation is.

Q: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR AN ACDF PROCEDURE? A: The rule of thumb for surgeons to repair one level of the spine is one hour per level. That being said, Dr. Smith did all six levels of my XLIF surgery in 3 hrs and 20 mins. A record for sure! I don’t feel he skimped and only did a half assed job either. If you knew anything about my doctor, you’d know he is very complete when he goes in… he doesn’t want to go back in a second time if he doesn’t need to. My 3 level ACDF procedure took 1 hour and 47 minutes, so I guess you could say he does his work in about half the time of the standard.

Q: WILL I HAVE A METAL TASTE IN MY MOUTH AFTER I HAVE MY ACDF SURGERY? A: I have not had ANY odd tastes or had my taste buds affected by my ACDF surgery. Because the metal is surgical grade titanium or composite, I highly doubt you would experience anything like that. Some pieces used for repair, to my understanding, are made of polycarbon fiber or very strong plastic, so I know for sure in that case you wouldn’t have a metal taste. Sometimes old blood may have the taste of metal and, if you are experiencing some kind of issue with your scar, you may have that taste in your mouth but even that’s highly unlikely because of it’s location to your open throat.

Q: WHY AM I HAVING PAIN WALKING AFTER MY ACDF SURGERY? A: I’m not quite sure as I’m not a doctor, but if your spine is ok otherwise, you may look to the anesthesia for an answer. In some people, anesthesia is harder on the body than others and depending on how close to your surgery you were having the problem of walking, that may well be the culprit. Some people have a harder time getting rid of all the effects of surgery than others. If the problem persists, by all means, call your doctor! Only he can make a good enough assessment knowing as much about your condition as he does!

Q: CAN A PERSON HAVE A 3 LEVEL ACDF? A: YUP! I’m walking, talking, living proof that can happen! And I must say I’m not so worse the wear for it! Actually I feel fantastic about my healing. My health is back to feeling like I’m a 28 year old. I have only a few restriction even after all the work I did have done. One big restriction is that I’m not allowed to water ski. And although I was disappointed at first, on second blush, I have to say that at 58 years old, I probably shouldn’t be water skiing anyway! LOL It’s probably a small price to pay since I haven’t been water skiing for the last 15 years at any rate. I’ve got a lot of living to do and I can finally do it without pain! Why take any chances on a water skiing accident? REALLY!

Q: I NEED TO HAVE DENTAL WORK DONE, SHOULD I GET IT BEFORE MY ACDF OR CAN I WAIT UNTIL AFTER? A: As a matter of fact I was in the process of changing over all my silver fillings to resin just before my ACDF, and months after the surgery I had a final cleaning. They had a pillow to accommodate me for my neck and was able to complete the cleaning with no problem. BUT BE AWARE! IF YOU ARE HAVING DENTAL WORK DONE CHECK WITH YOUR SURGEON BEFORE YOU DO!  TOTAL HIP IMPLANT PATIENTS MUST TAKE A LARGE DOSE OF ANTIBIOTICS AN HOUR BEFORE GOING IN FOR DENTAL WORK! THIS MAY ALSO APPLY TO AN IMPLANT YOU MAY HAVE! CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT DENTAL WORK BEFORE YOU GO!  

Q: HOW LONG ARE YOU OFF WORK FROM AN ACDF PROCEDURE? A: Because I haven’t been able to hold a job for the last eleven years I didn’t concern myself with how long it would take before going back to work. I do know that my collar was on for a full 6 weeks after surgery, so my guess would be at least until the collar comes off, maybe for light duty. It was probably another 6 weeks before I was really able to reach and do several normal things for myself with any amount of certainty. A person should really check ahead of time with their doctor before making any definite plans for surgery or traveling as well.

Q: CAN I LIFT LUGGAGE AFTER MY ACDF PROCEDURE? Check with your doctor about pounds to be lifted, but once I was medically cleared, I was able to do a carryon to the plane and had no problem lifting it into the overhead or down from it at 5  months post-op.

Q: IS THERE REALLY NO PAIN AFTER THE ACDF PROCEDURE? A: The pain which brought me to the doctor in the first place was gone immediately after surgery, no tingling in my arms, no numbness in my fingers, no headaches, and no pain that felt like someone was stabbing me in the back with a butcher knife! Yes, there was a lot of discomfort with the after effects from the surgery because it’s such a difficult and delicate one, but once I got past all that, I can honestly say, I am pain free. I haven’t taken a pain killer for any pain associated directly with the ACDF since a few weeks post-op. If for any reason you are feeling continuing pain post-op you need to make an appointment with your doc immediately. There may be something else going on in there and you don’t want to let it go.

Q: HOW WILL MY ACDF SURGERY AFFECT ME AS A SWIMMER? A: Because I’ve been a swimmer all my life it was important to me to get back to the one exercise I love the most. Swimming. If it weren’t for the fact that I had the XLIF procedure, I would be able to more readily just twist my head out of the water to get a breath when doing the freestyle stroke. But because of the way Dr. Smith repaired my back I have to pamper it by not twisting it so much. So, when I take a breath doing freestyle strokes, I needed to learn how to roll my whole torso rather than just my head. That took some getting used to seeing as how it took me years to NOT do that! You swimmers will get a chuckle out of that one! I can still turn in a mile in 1 hour and 6 minutes at 58 years old so, I guess I’m not doing too bad!

Q: WHAT IS THE SUCCESS RATE OF THE ACDF? A: I don’t have exact numbers for it but I do know it’s one of the most common surgeries for cervical fusions. It’s one of the older minimally invasive techniques used and given all my research on this matter, I’ve ascertained that the median success rate is at 80-85%. Not bad for a surgical procedure! I must say here that Dr. Smith’s rate is higher. The circumstances for  the other 15-20% are typical of most surgical procedures, such as complications unforeseen, re-injury, or non-specific conditions leading to re-operation. By in large though, this is one of the most highly successful operations for correcting herniated discs in the cervical area.

Q: SOMEONE WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE AIR BUBBLES AFTER SURGERY… A: I spoke with Joe, Dr. Smith’s PA about this. After really thinking about it, he didn’t know what anyone could be asking about “air bubbles” because they don’t inject air into the surgical site in order operate as in an arthoscopic  procedure. He could not answer the question on any level for me nor can I share any anecdotal experience since it never occurred with my procedure. I and Joe would need far more information in order to address this.

Q: WHAT IS THE REASON FOR HAVING AN ACDF SURGERY AND HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU’RE READY FOR SURGERY? A: Typically, an ACDF surgery addresses the pain in your neck and shoulders caused by a few nagging conditions that are related to birth defects, overuse, misuse, aging, or injury. A lot of birth defects go unattended for a long while until the overuse, misuse or aging process happens. People in general have a tendency to put off or ignore signs that something is not right… they may go years before having even the initial evaluation to determine what’s wrong. This may be the worse thing you can do… because, as you age, it becomes more difficult, the procedure more risky because of other medical complications, such as high blood pressure, heart conditions or any number of other maladies. When I was in an exam with an orthopedic doctor years ago I asked him, “How will I know when I’m ready for surgery?” His answer was simple, “When the pain is so intense it consumes you.” I didn’t understand what he meant, but it didn’t take long before I realized what he was saying. YOU’LL KNOW, THE PAIN WILL TAKE OVER YOUR EVERY THOUGHT AND BREATH IN SUCH A WAY YOU CAN’T CONCENTRATE ON ANYTHING ELSE. THEN, IT IS TIME! AND YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO GET IT DONE FAST ENOUGH! Unfortunately, many wait until this point to have something done, suffering needlessly. A lot of the delay is due to the horror stories people have heard for years about back surgery. THERE IS A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO IT NOW, BUT NOT EVERYONE OR ALL DOCTORS, NOT EVEN INSURANCE COMPANIES KNOW ABOUT IT! The sooner you get it done, the better result can happen. If you let the condition go until you are in excruciating pain, several things may happen. There may be a “natural fusion” that occurs, there could be a “severe narrowing of the spine,” a “blown” disc which is really a bulging disc, fractures of the bone, complications from osteoporosis, or any of the many other things that could happen to the spine.

OK, I’ve been working on this post for weeks now…. I can’t tell you what it’s like to get the good answers when I’m chasing down Joe the PA or trying to get a few seconds of Dr. Smith’s time to answer these questions. I have more on the ACDF QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS  but I thought I better get something posted or I’m gonna lose you all….

I’ve been dealing with some “personal issues” lately and that’s why you haven’t seen me on so much… I haven’t forgotten you and I’m hoping to get back to my more frequent posts, but right now I’ve had to take care of some really important things. I do hope you understand and hang in there with me. If you have any pressing questions you can always contact me by email at kathleenmosko@gmail.com  This segment is not done, I just felt you needed this post as soon as possible… I’ll be back soon.. I promise!

In the meantime, remember to take care of you and yours….

hugs,

Love,

Kathleen

kathleenmosko@gmail.com                          Twitter @KathleenMosko

Hi Everyone!

HAPPY 2nd ANNIVERSARY!

THIS is one hell of a milestone for me! Hard to believe it’s been two years I started this journey. When it was first told to me it would take two years to heal, that seemed like such a long way to go. And yet, here I am, already! I never thought I had this much to say and feel I’m just gettin started! LOL  What began as just a way to kill the boredom I’d be facing while healing, I came to realize I held vital information for others who needed to know what I knew. Shame on me to hold all this information and not share it with whomever needed it to make their life better! So I embarked on dedicating myself to really thinking and writing the important stuff about my healing….

Since most of you have access to my “real time” healing on this website, I thought as an anniversary present to  you, I’d give you a few more pages from my first memoir, FOR BRIAN’S SAKE.  Please keep in mind this is copyrighted material and may NOT be used for any purpose without my expressed written consent! I hope this whets your interest to keep in touch with my website as I am gearing up to do some heavy-duty writing soon!  (Actually the car broke down and I’m housebound so, I really have no excuse to not write! LOL )

My selection is from further into the book…

I could hardly breath from the numbing meds in the spinal, and I heard the doctor speaking softly to the nurses in the delivery room. I just delivered Brian C-section after 33 hours of labor. The doctor announced the time of birth, “A boy, at 7:34 a. m., March 29^th.” He peeked around the surgical curtain and asked, “What’s his name?”

“Brian Joseph,” I answered.

He looked back at the baby in the nurse’s hands, “Welcome, Brian Joseph.”

In my mind, I was pregnant a total of about four and a half months.

Like on TV, I waited for them to place Brian on my chest, to see him, kiss him, and tell him mommy loves him very much. The minutes passed.

I heard a faint cry. I started to cry.

A flurry of activity by the area where they took Brian was taking place. Where’s my baby? I want to see my baby! The murmurs got louder, and I heard someone say something was wrong with his Apgar Score. I can’t understand, why won’t they give me my baby?

Dad coughed. He was standing at the doorway of the room.

“Dad, is that you?”

“Yes.” I could hear the restraint in his voice.

He must be choked up because he just witnessed his only grandson being born.

What he was witnessing was everyone working on Brain’s lungs, getting them to inflate.

“Where’s Mom?” I asked Dad.

“Theresa’s going to bring her in a few minutes,” he answered. “Mom ‘s running late.”

He was scheduled to have a chemo treatment at the same hospital that afternoon. Weakened from the treatments, Dad still mustered enough energy to not miss Brian being born.

When they were monitoring me and my belly, nothing indicated that Brian was ever in fetal distress. But something was wrong. I could tell by the way Dad was answering me; his voice was different. I was confused by what was happening in the room and stressed by the way Frank was acting. I just wanted to hold my Brian. 

The sterile smell of the room, the chill of the air, the harsh glare of the lights all made me feel disconnected, like I was in a nether world. Frank was at the head of the table on which I was placed. Looking at Frank I said, “I’m so proud to give you a son.” He turned his head away. It was expected of him to be there—he just went through the motions. “Kiss me?” I asked. Reluctantly came a quick peck. It may have been two decades ago, but those are the moments you never forget.

“Can I see him now?”

The nurse said, “We’re still cleaning him up.”

Someone told me later they were waiting for the Mobile NICU Ambulance to transfer him to a hospital thirty miles away with a NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) for preemies.

A spinal block was used to reduce the stress on Brian from the gas and chemicals to put me out. I was pretty much aware of everything going on in the room, though I couldn’t see. I sensed they were stalling and didn’t know why.

“Does he have all his fingers and toes?”

One of the nurses said, “Yes.” But it was the way she said ‘yes’ that bothered me.

“He has a full head of hair, and his body is covered with it, too,” another one said.

I just want to see him; LET ME SEE HIM! I thought.

“Is he okay?” I asked. A nurse answered, “We’re just trying to make it easier for him to breath with a little oxygen.”

They were very vague explaining Brian’s condition.

“We’ll bring him in to see you once you get in your room,” she said.

It never occurred to me something was drastically wrong with Brian. My hope was to have a problem-free delivery and be home with Brian 24 hours later. At 35, I was healthy and ready. I’d lived enough and sewn enough wild-oats to settle down and raise my son. But, nothing in my past could have prepared me for the journey I was about to take.

I could feel the tug on my belly as the doctor sutured me up from the inside, then, I heard the sound of a staple gun closing the outer skin. One of the nurses pushed hard on my stomach to help me deliver the afterbirth. The doctor disappeared as soon as he was done. Maybe that’s why I can’t see Brian, because he wasn’t done sewing me up yet, I rationalized.

Patiently, I waited to hold Brian. I was moved to a room away from the other new mommies.

A nurse and doctor were soon standing at my bedside with an incubator to the right of me. All I wanted was to hold my precious little boy. It was so painfully cruel. The tiny body inside was hooked up to all kinds of tubes and wires. They said it was Brian. That was my first look at my son. Two round openings in the side of the incubator let me see his tiny face, but they had something taped to his mouth for him to breathe.

The doctor was a short, attractive man of Indian decent, “I’m Dr. Dayal.” In fairly good English he said, “We’re going to take your son by a Mobile Emergency Room Ambulance to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Youngstown. There is a level-one team preparing to take care of his difficulties.”

Difficulties? What kind? How long would he be in the hospital? Was he going to be okay? Was he going to die? I never asked those fateful questions though they weighed heavily on my heart. As he explained things to me the nurse attending Brian handed me a Polaroid picture. “You can look at this picture while pumping to bring on your breast milk,” she said. The picture was of Brian all hooked up in the incubator lying on his stomach. He looked like a little frog with his legs splayed out to the sides laying on his belly.

“Can I hold him?”

“No, it’ll be too difficult to unhook him, and it wouldn’t be safe for him,” Dr. Dayal said.

I wonder why they didn’t let me hold him before they put all those things on him?

Years of people telling me what was good for me trained me to be dutifully patient and not rush to hold this fragile, tiny body called my son. My Brian. My upbringing of holding doctors in high esteem gave me the ability to believe and agree with everything they told me. I was a good little girl, listening to anyone in authority. I was so used to this passive behavior, it never occurred to me to ask those important questions, or demand to hold him.

“You can see your son at St. E’s after you’re released,” Dr. Dayal said, and they left with Brian.

Frank was long gone. He had other more important things to do.

***

The nurses didn’t tell me I would fill up with milk by evening and my breasts would be engorged, ready to explode. If they didn’t hurt so much, it was kinda nice being a D cup! Before I got pregnant, I was like the auto club, AAA.

I tried to pump, but nothing came out. I was so stressed. The nurse told me to relax and it would just start to flow.

She didn’t tell me how I was supposed to look at this Polaroid of Brian and relax. A picture of this tiny baby all hooked up to tubes and machines was supposed to bring out the best in me so I could express milk. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?! I didn’t even know what he felt like or what he smelled like! I had nothing in my memory bank to use as a motivator.

Some battle-ax nurse walked in telling me I should put hot compresses on my breasts and handed me a stack of towels. Looking over her shoulder as she walked out, she says, “Wet them in the bathroom sink and hold them to your breasts.”

I just had major surgery, woman! How am I supposed to get out of this bed and make hot compresses for myself. She must be out of her mind!

It was all a part of my recovery, the sooner I got up and moved so all my systems kicked back in, the sooner I could go see Brian. I was so alone and scared. Here I was in St. Joseph’s hospital in Warren, and my baby was in St. Elizabeth’s in Youngstown. Four cities were between me and my baby.

“Can I have the number for St. E’s to check on Brian?” I asked a nurse when she came to take my vitals.

“That’s a good sign, you wanting to check on him,” she told me.

“Sometimes, when a baby and mother are separated,” she continued, “there’s a detachment and the mother and baby have a hard time bonding.” I don’t get that, how could any mother ever be detached from her baby?

Frank stopped by for a few minutes, wearing nice clothes and saying he was going out to eat and celebrate. I later discovered he was going on a date.

What’s going to happen to me and my Brian? This is supposed to be the happiest day of my life besides getting married. How come my joy is tainted with so much pain?

“Will you take my milk to St. E’s for Brian?” I asked Frank.

“Find someone else to take it, I’m busy. You know I think him sucking on your tits is disgusting.” He didn’t want any part of it, even if it was his baby’s nourishment. He told everyone else he couldn’t do it because he had to stay by the phone in case he got a tow call.

We had other guys running tows all the time when Frank was at the races, so why couldn’t he use them now? Further discussion was of no use. Though it was difficult, I pumped enough milk for two days at a time, and instead, either my brother or sister took it to St. Elizabeth’s.

Mom and Steve were Brian’s first visitors in the hospital. Steve took Dad’s Polaroid to take some good pictures of Brian for me and Dad while I was in St. Joseph’s hospital.

“He’s beautiful,” mom shared. I read the worry on her face as she spoke. Steve took Mom to see him again. When she spoke to me about Brian, something in her voice told me things were bad.

“Will you take me to see Brian before we go home?” I asked Frank.

“Yeah, if you don’t take too long,” he answered. I made a beeline to St. Elizabeth’s. as soon as I was released. That was the first time Frank saw Brian, too. In five long days, he hadn’t gone to see his son. The nurses were charting all that information, closely watching how we reacted to Brian.

In order to be in the NICU unit, visitors had to first sterilize their hands and put on gowns in a sanitizing room before going in. It was a few more days before I got to hold Brian for the first time, but the nurses did let me stroke him inside the incubator.

***

I glanced at some of the other babies in the incubators and it broke my heart. It was overwhelming to see them. One, across the room, a girl, was only one and a half pounds. One baby dressed in blue next to Brian was crying incessantly. He looked healthy; his weight was far more than Brian’s. I judged him to be close to full-term. Nurses tended to him, but he was inconsolable. One walked with him and talked to him, rocking him and whispering in his ear. She shhh’d him, yet nothing calmed him down.

When I came back the next day it was quiet. I spied an empty incubator. I looked at the nurse that attended the baby the day before.

“Was he well enough to go home?” I queried.

She replied, “To his Maker,” as she shook her head, no.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I couldn’t see until they spilled down my cheeks. This was long before the HIPPA laws.

“His mother decided she would ‘hotbox’ some cocaine to bring on labor. She was tired of being pregnant. He was born hooked on cocaine.” (Hotboxing is when someone takes in continuous hits from cocaine in a pipe.) I was heartsick.

How could any mother do a thing like that? I waited so long, fought so hard, and was willing to do anything for Brian! I just couldn’t wrap my mind around this. I had my Brian to think about now, and I said a prayer for him.

“We lost him during the night, he wasn’t strong enough to withdraw from the cocaine cold turkey. We can’t give babies anything to help the withdrawal.”

I turned to my precious little baby. “Thank God, for giving me the strength, wisdom, and courage to do the right thing for him.” I looked back up to see her eyes filled with tears as well. 

 

This is just a portion of one of the chapters in the first book… I hope you like it and will keep reading me…. This has been quite a journey and I have to tell you, I would do it all again to get the son I did, and the relief I have… I can certainly appreciate the good in my life now….

 HAPPY 2ND ANNIVERSARY!

I have a lot in my que waiting to be posted so within the next week I’ll be finishing up and posting most of it… stay tuned!

In the meantime, remember to take care of you and yours,

hugs,

Love,

Kathleen

kathleenmosko@gmail.com              Twitter     @KathleenMosko

Hi Everyone!

Hard to believe it’s no longer January! GEESH! The older I get the faster the time goes! The holidays were a blurr since being sick right before Christmas and losing our family Therapy bunny, Skittles, 3 days after Christmas. His bonded mate, Candi, has been just as lost as I’ve been without him, and she and I have taken some time to get to know one another again without him around. It’s been painful to watch how lost she is, it’s sad, just very sad.

Anyway, I’ve had this to do for a while but I never realized how much had piled up for this post or how long it’d actually been. I must apologize and then I thought no, I had some living to do, as you all have, and this website in an extension, not an appendage of me and mine! LOL I have several irons in the fire, one very big one, and several small ones and a couple medium-sized ones so it’s no wonder time has just flown! I really do love being busy… although, I finally learned how to take time to stop and smell the roses… they’re wonderful to smell!

Well, I went back to October and looked at my analytics to see what questions you folks were seeking answers to. I can’t believe I let it go that long! Hmmmm. I’m gonna break it down for ya into the different surgeries, first the XLIF, then the total hip and lastly the ACDF. There’s a reason the ACDF will be that last one. It’s because I’m still having some issues with mine and I’ll be doing these topics in separate posts but want it close to this one so you can have the information all together, sorta… LOL I am always surprised at some of the questions, some are similar to ones already asked and answered in my other posts, but I’ll answer them again here just in case I put a little different twist on it that might be beneficial to you in a way I didn’t cover the last time.

SO HERE GOES – XLIF FIRST!

Q: ARE THERE ANY PROBLEMS WITH AN XLIF?    A: The short answer to that is, probably not. The XLIF can be explained that it’s the procedure used to get the doctor into the middle of your body with the least amount of damage to other tissue, muscles and maybe even organs. The XLIF is a procedure or technique designed to get access to the spine. What a doctor does once he’s in the middle of your body at the spine is different than that. There are several procedures available to your doctor to fix any number of problems once he gets in there and sees what’s really happening. I happen to have the good fortune of my doctor being the leading neurosurgeon in the US who not only sees your spine in 3D once he’s in there, it has been told to me he can actually envision in his mind what may be going on in the interior of the spine as well or 4D. Most doctors only need the 3D version for their work to be successful. There are few questions you may want to ask the physician doing your surgery. One, is he NuVasive trained? The reason I share this question is because NuVasive docs are trained on cadaver bodies in an intensive, extensive lab environment. They also are trained to use an advanced version of neuromapping, much like an EEG only MUCH more sophisticated. This is where wires are hooked up to your legs at critical spots and held into place with a plastic sleeve. While undergoing the operation, the doctor is trained to utilize this neuro aide so he can tell exactly what nerve is being touched, drastically reducing the chance of further nerve damage. A doctor who uses this pretty much knows exactly where he is in your spine. One other question you may want to ask is how many of these procedures has that doctor performed. I know that everyone has to start somewhere, but I was one of the last of my doctor’s first 1,000 patients. He’s now working on his second 1,000! In otherwords, he’s had plenty of experience before doing mine! That is not to say all other doctors are not as good as mine, yes, I am partial, but there are plenty of really great neurosurgeons who do excellent work.  Problems arising after an XLIF procedure are usually from some other complication such as drug interactions, body systems malfunctions, or some other unknown at the time of the surgery that manifests itself post-op. The choice of your physician is a determinant here as well. I personally wanted a neurosurgeon, hands down, no ifs, ands, or buts. That being said, I know there are many orthopaedic surgeons who have gone through the NuVasive training and are well qualified to do the XLIF procedure.

Q: WHEN IS A PERSON A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THE XLIF PROCEDURE?   A: Any number of stars must be in alighment for you to be a candidate such as insurance carriers allowing the procedure, and your body systems all working as well as they can, but from a strictly medical point of view, the doctor makes the final determination about your condition from a series of tests, mostly, at the very least, an MRI. This allows him a peek inside your body and see as to what’s happening in there and what if anything he feels he is capable of doing to fix it. One look at MY MRI’s and my doctor looked back at me and said, “My God girl, you’re a mess!” (those were his exact words) He makes the determination from what he sees internally no just by you coming in with a few old x-rays and telling him you have a pain. He takes many things into consideration before suggesting minimally invasive surgery. Usually he and the insurance company want to see if more conservative non-invasive measures can correct the pain prior to using surgery as a last resort. Some choose not to go through surgery at all for whatever reason, some can’t because of other medical conditions, and still others who won’t give up smoking which pretty much takes back surgery off the table for them unless they quit. (Please referr to a couple of earlier posts about smoking and surgery for more details about this issue.) This is due to the very low success rate of bone fusion while smoking.

Q: HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME FOR ME TO HAVE BACK SURGERY? A: The short answer to this is, WHEN THE PAIN IS SO ALL-CONSUMING YOU CAN’T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE! When it taints your thoughts, your sleep, your intimacy, your social and work life, yeah, then it’s time to do something about it. Afterward, if you have the XLIF done, you’ll wonder why you waited so long to have it fixed! THESE ARE WORDS RIGHT FROM THE HORSES’ MOUTH! My circumstances were such that I couldn’t get fixed until I did but I did it as soon as I could! And, it wasn’t a moment too soon! HONESTLY!

Q: WHAT IS THE MORTALITY RATE FOR AN XLIF PROCEDURE?  A: In Dr. Smith’s practice, there has never been a death due to an XLIF procedure. That being said, there are certain unknowns which may adversely affect a successful outcome, such as complications of drug interactions, body systems malfunctions, or some other unknown determinant which causes death post-op. One in particular that comes to mind is MRSA infection. My particular doctor wants his patients in and out of the hospital as quickly as possible and often will perform the surgery on an outpatient basis, greatly reducing the risk of infection and possible other complications. I can only speak for him at this point, so I’m not sure what other doctor’s statistics are.

 Q: IS THERE DEEP TISSUE INJURY FROM AN XLIF? A: I wouldn’t classify it as injury, but there is a certain amount of pain or discomfort from the core muscles being pulled apart in order for the surgeon to get to the interior of the body. That being said, I shudder to think of the pain associated with the actual cutting through of all those muscles in order to get to the interior as is done in the waning traditional procedures. Since the “stretching” is far less destructive, I am perfectly happy to recover from that vs actually having my muscles being cut through!

Q: DOES IT HELP TO HAVE THE XLIF DONE FIRST IF THERE ARE OTHER SURGERIES PROPOSED? A: That will strictly be up to your personal condition and how unstable one area is vs another. Often when a person, especially with a scoliotic condition, is faced with multiple surgeries to correct or improve the condition, the surgeon will take into consideration many factors such as, the area most unstable, lifestyle or activity level of a person’s work, or the acuteness of the pain. There are many others as well, one in particular is if the patient is a smoker. This is a very big issue for a surgeon when making a decision to perform surgery. (see earlier posts on this website for details about smoking) Another consideration upfront is your insurance carrier and what they will allow. If all things are equal and your surgeon is a go… in my particular case, my lower back posed the most immediate of problems, so the XLIF was my first surgery. I have known other surgeons to do a cervical correction first because the neck was more unstable than the lower back. I can’t address the reasoning for this or the particular condition of the patient; not enough information was shared.

Q: WILL A BACK FUSION LAST? A: The short answer is, YES!  HOWEVER! There is evidence that certain activities will aggravate the areas directly adjacent to the fusion causing arthritis or other conditions. A modification of certain activities should be discussed with your surgeon so it is perfectly clear to the patient which activities to avoid and the ones which can be resumed after recovery.

Q: HOW CAN I IMPROVE THE BOND OF MY FUSION? A: The time to do that is long before you need surgery. The higher your bone density the more successful your fusion may be. The number 1 thing a person can do for themselves is if they are a smoker; QUIT SMOKING!!! Exercise is the second. Those who do impact exercises, even the low impact, are in a better position to have a more successful outcome. If that’s not possible, as it was in my case, then doing passive exercises to strengthen the muscles and surrounding tissue of the painful area by doing water exercises is always a plus. Additionally, there is some indication that if you can slow or reverse osteoporosis it would help in the healing of your fusion. CAFFIENE has been linked to the onset of osteopenia (the precursor to osteoporosis) or osteoporosis itself. Some studies have shown that more than 300mg of caffeine, or more than one cup of coffee per day increases your chances for those onsets. Also noted is that fact that several non-coffee related foods are high in caffeine and may also be ingested throughout the course of one’s day adding additional caffeine to their intake. Mixed in with all of this is the lack of Vitamin D which is needed for the body to increase it’s metabolizing of calcium. When a person drinks coffee, it acts as a diuretic which also increases the amount of calcium expelled by the body. Caffeine also interferes with absorption of Vitamin D in the bones. So my take away from this is, eat more calcium and Vitamin D enriched foods, and drastically limit your intake of caffeine. And by the way, that means chocolate too! ALTHOUGH TEA HAS CAFFEINE, IT DOESN’T HAVE THE SAME EFFECT ON THE BODY AS COFFEE CAFFEINE DOES!   GO FIGURE!  (some of this information was taken from my search on the internet)

Q: HOW IS THE BONE HEALED IN AN XLIF SPINAL FUSION? A: Once the doctor implants graft material along with a “growth medium,” it should start to take hold right away. Graft material may come in the form of a non-bodily produced agent or, like mine, was the scrapings off my ribs to insert so it was my own body supplying the material. At about 6 weeks post-op a bone growth stimulator, a simple device designed to send electrical signals to the healing area to increase the rate of stimulation of growth. As one rep put it, If you took the time to have the surgery, and your doctor suggests a bone growth stimulator as part of your recovery, it’s just one more tool in his arsenal to help you heal quicker an more completely. My particular bone growth stimulator was provided to me by Biomet. (go to www.biomet.com to learn more about the science and  how it works. Aslo it gives you questions to ask your doctor about the device.) It’s a little device no bigger than a deck of cards with a case that attaches to your clothing or belt and attached to some wires with patches that have a sticky gel on them that stick to your skin where the doctor wants the healing, not where your scars are. All things being good, the total fusion takes about six months to complete. In the meantime, your body should be pampered somewhat. The surgeon will track your progress by a series of x-rays done at certain intervals of your healing to make sure the fusion is complete. Once the healing is complete, you should be able to resume most all of your old activities. I’m still learning what all I can do that I had to give up for so long.

Q: ONE PERSON ASKED ABOUT HAND PAIN POST-OP, AND ANOTHER ABOUT FOOT PAIN FROM AN XLIF… A: My take on this is that there are other underlying causes to those conditions which can only be addressed by your surgeon. If you haven’t made him or her aware of this condition, please do at your earliest chance. It may be something simple he can address to alleviate the discomfort.

Q: I HAVE PAIN IN MY LOW BACK AND BUTT AREA AFTER MY XLIF. A: This person doesn’t say how long after the surgery so I can only address it from my experience. I don’t recall having much butt pain at all but yes, there was some low back pain. Mainly this was due to a couple of things. First, my muscles were weak from non-use all those years prior to my surgery. Secondly, my back muscles were stretched and I had to allow time for them to work themselves back into place. As I increased my activity levels and my exercise regimine, my discomfort with my low back muscles became a thing of the past. So much so, sometimes I now have to really think hard how much pain I was really in.

Q: WHAT ARE THE NEGATIVES FOR AN XLIF PROCEDURE? A: I will only be able to address this as I know it from my experience with Dr. Smith. As far as I can assertain, there are none. Dr. Smith is very careful to screen his surgical candidates for the XLIF due to their other medical and physical conditions. I spoke directly with Joe, Dr. Smith’s PA to get his perspective about negatives. He shared with me that just on the merit of the condition of the patient and the quality of the procedure, one can expect to have recovery to a greater degree. There are no guarantees with any surgery and there are those cases where, inspite all the best efforts, some nerve damage is irreversable. Dr. Smith has an outstanding recovery rate, far higher than anyone, to my knowledge, performing the surgery to date! (other than Dr. Pimenta who pioneered and perfected the procedure)

Q: IS IT OK IF I PICK UP SOMETHING WEIGHING 10#? A: Depending on where you are in your healing process the answer is yes, and no! LOL For the first six months of my recovery of the XLIF, I was not allowed to pick up anything heavier than 5#. My son, Brian, jumped at the chance to get me a Coach purse, which I vehemently resisted, until Dr. Smith told me I would have to reduce the weight of my purse. Brian nagged me for two years prior to get me a Coach purse but I kept telling him no. After the Dr. Smith directive, he showed up one day with this 10″x8″x2″ purse. I have had more people ask me why I even bother with such a small purse, and it being a Coach purse and all, so then I have to stand there and explain to them it was Dr. Smith’s fault and what Brian did for me to acquire it! I don’t have a limitation now but Brian spent so much on it, I don’t have the heart to not use it. He’s told me it was ok if I didn’t but, it was such a fun gesture, I can’t put it away. It came in handy after my ACDF surgery anyway because I wasn’t allowed to lift anything but 5# or under then as well. Now it’s just a novelty! A gallon of milk or water weights approximately 8.5 pounds which, at the beginning of your healing will be too much to lift. For a while I suggest buying your milk in half gallons if you want to lift it yourself. And ladies, change the size of your purse!

Q: DID ANYONE LOSE WEIGHT AFTER THEIR XLIF? A: I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me the answer is a big fat YES!  I lost 29 pounds. My doctor of physical therapy told me it was due to muscle mass loss. BELIEVE ME, if I could have gained back the muscle mass without gaining back the weight I would have given up my eyeteeth for the trade! Once you are done with your slow pace and you go back to physical therapy, you should regain most of the weight back. I didn’t take it off all at once and it came back slowly as I increased my exercise program. I have hamstrings now that actually do what they’re supposed to so I’m ok with gaining back the muscle weight. NOW, if I could only lose the fat weight, I’d be in great shape! LOL

Q: I HAVE A LARGE LUMP UNDER MY XLIF SCAR AND THE AREA IS TWITCHING…  A: The lump can be one of several things, a cyst, sometimes caused by trapped fluid or blood, a growth of tisssue under the skin, or it could be the scar, which is what they call keloiding. A keloid is when scar tissue manufactures too much skin to repair itself. It’s more annoying than anything else, and it sometimes makes the scar wider than the original inciscion. If a keloid becomes unsightly, you can see a plastic surgeon to repair it. It isn’t however caused by anything your original surgeon did or didn’t do. It has to do with how your body repairs itself after a wound. In the other instances as cited above, each should warrant a visit to your surgeon to address them so he can assess what needs to be done to correct the lump, if anything. As for the twitching, although it is probably associated with the healing process of the wound itself, you may want to address it at the next regularly scheduled office visit unless you feel it’s so annoying it warrants its own visit.

Q: I HAVE SWEATING POST-OP OF MY XLIF… A: Your body has experienced an induced trauma with the XLIF surgery, although it was a good trauma in order to fix the pain. Some people react differently to that trauma and their metabolism is thrown way out of whack. I too, had the very opposite effect, I sat chilled to the bone though it was 110 degrees outside! (Remember, I live in Vegas!LOL) I would be sitting in sweatpants and a sweatshirt covered with a blanket while the rest of the household members were in shorts, T-shirts and the air conditioning was running! It was a bazzar time for me and my metabolism but it got better as I got further out post-op! I am now back to my “normal” if one could call it that… I can sit in a room in a pair of shorts and the heat doesn’t have to be blaring for me to be comfortable. It’s mostly part of the process. As your metabolism returns to a normal state, the sweats should reduce in occurance. IF for some reason you are having sweats with a fever, by all means seek medical help immediately. There may be an infection which needs addressed STAT! Take your temp and see if it’s normal or if you have a fever, then act accordingly.

WHEW! This concludes catching up with the questions concerning the XLIF PROCEDURE asked on this website as concerns and followups to the different posts. I will return shortly with a continuation of Installment 9 of Questions and Answers to address the ACDF procedure.

In the meantime, you know what to do, take care of you and yours,

hugs,

Love,

Kathleen

 

 

 

kathleenmosko@gmail.com                      Twitter @KathleenMosko

Hi Everyone!

I thought I’d share one whole day of activities with you. I don’t have anyone to follow me around with a camera and take a video of everything I do, and quite frankly you wouldn’t get the color commentary the way I can express it in words. So you can just suffer a whole day with me in writing….

It’s 4:30am, my usual time to get awake. My body never adjusted to Pacific Time so I just let it do it’s thing. East Coast Time isn’t a bad thing anyway. I get to watch the sunrise through my patio doors and often I’m not disappointed by the beauty of an early morning sunrise coming up over the mountains. Having been confined for all those years to lay flat, and all the recuperation time, I cherish every streak of light in the sky, every bird that chirps and flies by or lites on my tree to sing to me. I am well, I am alive!

I didn’t think twice about rolling on my side and standing without a boost or delay to get motivated to stand to get out of bed, I had to go to the bathroom. I didn’t need to hold onto the wall for support, nor did I feel like I had to turn on a light to make sure I didn’t fall. I wasn’t wobbly at all. When I sat on the commode, I didn’t think about holding on to anything on the way down, nor did I on the way back up. My motions are second nature to me now. Reaching to brush my hair and wash my face isn’t even the slightest of issues, I did it without needing to plant my feet in a stance to accommodate the possibility it might be too painful to stand long enough to do that. Brushing my teeth is a specific no- brainer, I just brush my teeth! No elbows on the edge of the sink to support my weight because the pain is so excruciating I don’t want to brush them.

On my way to the kitchen, I pass by the bedroom, a place Irarely am now. I close the door and smile knowing until tonight I won’t really need to lay down. The bunny wanted to be played with so I reached down, I didn’t have to sit down, to pick her up and walk into the kitchen to make breakfast. I didn’t need two hands to reach from one object or wall to the next item to stabilize my gait, I was too busy holding and talking to the bunny. I reached into her hutch to give her her morning greens and never stopped to straighten myself back up before continuing. I just stood up!

The eggs are on the bottom shelf now, more room for tall things on the top shelf. It’s OK, I can reach them without using the open refridgerator door for support. I also bent over a little farther to put away the bag of  bunny greens in the drawer.

Ah, the smell of a fresh cooked breakfast, that’s a good thing now that I can stand long enough at the sink and stove to prepare myself a simple meal. The stool I used for 11 years is gone, it’s been getting in my way, and besides I don’t feel the need to sit when I cook or do dishes anymore. Breakfast with the bunny done, I head back to my room to change. I smile when I pull my leg up to put it through the opening of my undies standing up in the middle of the room. That’s something I couldn’t do not long ago, nor did I ever think I’d be able to! I didn’t have to lean against anything nor did I have to sit, or did I almost fall over from lack of balance. I just did it!

Candi, the bunny, wanted to play again. I got on the floor and laid on my tummy to coax her out of her hiding place to spend a little one on one time with her. NEVER before in the last 11 years did I ever attempt that particular move, getting on the floor, ESPECIALLY if no one was around! It’s become second nature to me if I want to let Candi know I’ll play with her. If I lay very still she’ll come out and jump on my back and run up and down the length of my body. It’s like an all over body massage, with no therapeutic benefit because she’s only four pounds! I don’t mind, it’s one of our ways to bond. Time to get up, roll to my side, tuck my good leg under my torso, use my elbow to lift, plant my other foot on the ground, and voila, I’m up off the floor, without needing someone to lift me up, or a chair or object next to me, or struggle to get up.

It’s laundry time! Bending from the waist is not possible since the XLIF, but bending to pick up the clothes isn’t something I have to think about either. I simply reach down bending at my hips, pick up the clothes, and in they go. Push a few buttons and on to the next task.

Pain? NOPE, not even as much as a twinge. I love the new me. Hmmm, a cup of coffee, and a check of my emails. Sitting is an activity relegated for purpose these days; at my desk to write at the computer, watch a little TV to get the news; not something I have to do to get my focus back. Most times I don’t use my hands any longer to boost myself out of a seat, I have the strength in my legs and back muscles and there’s no pain so I don’t have to compensate for it. I get out of the seat typically just using my legs, back and abdominal muscles. Those are the ones that were so compromised before because of the injury and all the pain! NOT ANY MORE!

Noticing our bottled water supply was getting very low in the fridge, I picked up two of the flats of water using my leg and arm muscles and, sitting in a chair loaded the fridge with the water. With little effort, the job was done! Pain? NOPE, not even a twinge! I think I’ll do a couple of things today, clean up the patio and back yard, and take in a swim! Cleaning the back yard was something I’ve been itching to do for a while now, like two years since we moved here! I want to plant some rose bushes and some annuals! Yes, it’s spring in Vegas already! Cool and warm enough to work outside! That’s the beauty of Vegas!

I decided to start with some general cleanup and raking, bending over to pick up the plastic bags and candy wrappers, newspaper and debris that blows into our yard when the wind kicks up. We’ve had plenty of that. Started moving some of the rocks the guys had to dig up and remove from the dirt where they buried Skittles. Up righted the artificial Christmas tree that’s in a planter, weighed it down with those big rocks. I think some went as much as 10 or 12 pounds! I moved the others in a more pleasing arrangement and dug up a sapling I’ve had my eye on since last year! I’ve been waiting to get a shovel in my hands to dig it up and plant it elsewhere. I emptied the compost bin and spread the compost around with a rake. I only got half the yard done because I had to stop to BBQ lunch! Pulling weeds makes me hungry!

BBQ’d chicken satay and broccoli and cauliflower, a great lunch! It kinda looks like rain and I was gonna go back out to do the rest of the yard but there’s always tomorrow for that. I want to watch Dr. Oz and then head to the pool. Pain? NOPE, not yet! (don’t think there’ll be any! LOL) I did a  lot of raking since this tree we have in our yard not only drops its leaves, it has seed pods much like the cigar trees back east! (I think those are actually poplar trees back east) Anyway, this tree makes a real mess in the fall! Oh, I even cut back the rose bushes too! It’s looking pretty spiffy I think!

Well, off to watch Dr. Oz, then to the pool! Be back shortly!

OK, so Dr. Oz got me heading in the right direction. (this is a topic for a whole ‘nother post!) It’s so warm out, almost 70 degrees, that I decided to wear my suit and cover to the pool instead of clothes, I packed em and dressed after my shower. An hour and a half of upper and lower body exercises in the water (I will post a list of the water exercises in a different post a little later) and then a quarter mile of swimming! Any pain? NOPE, still none!

Home to cook my spouse some dinner and a light meal for me. Then an hour more of TV and finishing up this post. Dinner is a no-brainer for me anymore since no matter what I choose to cook, I can more than tolerate whatever action or body motion it requires, like chopping up onions at the sink or dicing peppers, or rolling out dough! All of those things I hesitated to do before my surgery! Dropping something on the floor and picking it  up is also a no-brainer! I used to have to kick it over to where I could lean up against something to bend over to pick up or I used my toes to pick it up. Now, I just bend over, and pick it up!

I’m finding my biggest drawback for any of my activities is sitting at my computer! I really don’t have all that comfortable chair and my work space is very limited. I wish my computer battery hadn’t died on me so I could keep recharging it and then take my computer to different areas of the house, or out on the patio. Instead, until I get a new computer, I’m going to be forever connected to a wall plug. I know, I shouldn’t complain, some people don’t even have a computer! ’nuff said! LOL

As I sat in my recliner watching TV, Candi, our bunny and I snuggled under the throw-cover. She is getting used to not having Skittles around and I’m doing way more with her because she’ll let me. Picking her up or getting her out of her cage has become a common act, I don’t even think about how I’m going to lean and get her out or up. Good balance and no pain, that’s what it took! And I’ve got both. After the show it was back to her little den and I to brush my teeth (without pain) and then bed.

I’m really loving my freedom from pain, and to think of other things besides it. As I undress for bed, I look in a mirror, no I really look at my scars. For however small they are, and for as much relief they provided, I almost wish I could show them off! Not that I ever would! That would mean a bikini and yeah, I don’t see THAT happening ever in my future! LOL I’d swim naked before I’d swim in a bikini! Naked swimming would mean I would be in some secluded place by myself or with one other person… just sayin…. it’s a lot different than wearing a bikini to the beach or pool! Nonetheless, I’m still not bothered by the scars. I’m wearing them like a badge of honor! They are a constant reminder of where I was, and makes me appreciate where I am today! Any pain as I lay down to sleep? NOPE! It’s just another ordinary day! It was an AWESOME day!

I’m now  21 months post-op for my XLIF surgery, 11  months post-op for my ACDF surgery, and 9 months post-op for my total hip replacement. I don’t take ANY medication for pain at all. If my muscles are a little stiff, I have the skills now with the exercises (the ones I already posted for you) to work through the stiffness and I’m good to go! NOPE, no pain! I’m a very lucky person…

I hope someday everyone can feel as good as I do! But in the meantime, you all know what to do….. take care of you and yours and I’ll be back with some really good stuff very soon.

hugs,

Love,

Kathleen