Progress Report: Week 26

Doing pretty good. My foot and toe are still numb, though not that "dead numb" -- just sorta numb. Hope this isn't nerve damage, but the surgeon said it could take a year to clear up. Halfway there.

Still amazed by how much walking will help when I am feeling sorta sore and achy. Last night I went swimming at the gym for the first time since I was a child. It was great! At first I felt the tiniest pain in my lower back, but I think it was just getting stretched out because after just a few minutes I felt no back pain. Swam for a good 45-50 minutes (the longevity was helped along by the fact that SoCal is having a heatwave) and iced it when I came home, just in case. So far I feel fine. I usually don't get sore til 24+ hours after exercise though, so we'll see. Still I am very hopeful and couldn't believe how great swimming was. I got my heart pumping and there was none of that pressure/pain I get in my knees, shins, lower back, etc. when doing aerobics or elliptical (which I haven't done since last Sept. due to the back.) Of course I have always heard and read about the wonders of swimming but it was something else to experience it first-hand. It really was a great experience. I can't wait to do it again.

Only pain issues I'm really having right now are when I wake up. That might very well be the bed/mattress. I still have to sleep on my back with a pillow under my legs (but I get to use my new wedge pillow!) and it hurts my back to lay on either side for now. Not sure why that is.

Also eating healthy and losing weight (joined WW) and really serious about making some life changes so that when I am healed, I stay that way and don't end up reinjured down the road.

Happy 6 Mo. Anniversary to Me!

I made it! Six months since my surgery. Wow what a difference. I still have aches and pains. I still have an on-again-off-again numb toe. Today I have been having some sorta burning zapping along the bottom of my "bad" foot. But I am healing very quickly and think I am doing great for just six months out. Time and time again I find that whenever my sciatica and back pain start up, a brisk 30 minute walk does wonders. I'm not taking Advil hardly at all -- maybe four a week -- and nothing else. I know I am lucky to not have to. I am working on losing weight and plan to start swimming at the gym, both to help my back. It is very exciting to realize how far I've come both since surgery (6 months) and since my injury began (1 year). It just takes a while. Slow and steady.

My Airline Travel Tips

I just went on a trip and had to fly. Those of use with bad backs know this can be torture. I wanted to share what I've learned this past year.

• Pack light. Really light. Don't even attempt to bring a big rolling carry-on onto the plane. Everyone's doing that to try to save the $15 fee. Don't try it. Just check your bag(s), your back will thank you for it. You don't want to hurt your back right out of the gate, you have a long day ahead of you. As far as the carry-on, I have a big bag that I put my purse and camera and magazines in. I used to pack this full of stuff that didn't fit in my suitcase, or that might break. Over the years, I've brought coconuts back in this thing, glass jars filled with food, even a DVD player. Talk about heavy! Take my advice and don't try that. Keep it light. If you use a carry-on (or purse), try to carry it by handles and not over your shoulder.
  
• Use curb-side check in, if available (some airports seem to be cutting this out). Again, it's worth the nominal fee. Usually you can just get out of your car or taxi, roll your suitcase up to the curb, check in and leave the suitcase (this past time they had me roll it to security, though). Another reason this is good is that when I've checked in at the desk, some airlines have you lift your suitcase up onto a scale, then back off, then roll it over to security. This is hard for those of us with hurt backs. The past few times, I explained to the people behind the desk that I was about to/just had/etc. back surgery and was surprised that they lifted it up for me. I expected to get chewed out (especially these days -- flying is so brutal!) but they did help two different times, so ask for it if you need it.
• Take a pillow for lumbar support. I gotta be honest, I haven't quite figured this one out. I have tried taking pillows but no matter how small they look, they feel too big in the airline seat. What I have done in the interim is to throw the pillow I brought under my seat and wad up my jacket and shove it behind my back. It helps.
• Try to schedule time between connecting flights. Trust me, trying to run across the airport is not easy when you have a bad back. Take your time. Maybe even hitch a ride on the little cart things if you can.
  
• Take heat packs in your carry-on. They have ones that are specifically for your back. I admit I didn't have to use these this time. But last year every time I flew I brought these along. Now I am personally a bigger fan of icing my back, but when you can't use ice, these help. They relaxed my back (but also made me sweat in summer!) but it was a welcome relief.
• Have any meds you need in your carry-on. You don't want to be caught without your meds when you might need them. My Flexaril was by my side last year while traveling.
• Wear good shoes. I wear big white aerobic tennis shoes. It makes a difference.
  

Progress Report: Week 24

Last week I went to a grocery store where they crammed everything into one large paper bag. I didn't think about how heavy it might be when I lifted it and strained my back. Nothing too bad or too major, but I felt it for several days, and knew I messed up the moment I did it. I was so mad at myself! Did a lot of icing and started taking some advil again to help with the swelling. It got better.

Then, this weekend, I flew across the country, a connecting flight so basically two flights in one day, about 6 or so hours in the air. My past airline trips over the past 12 months were NOT easy. At all. So I was apprehensive. But it wasn't so bad this time. Booking it across the airport, trying to make it to my connecting flight after a late arrival -- last time, pre-surgery, was bad. Real bad. You try limping while holding a purse and carry-on bag! This time, that part was a breeze. (I also packed incredibly light. Maybe too light!) The sitting in the plane seats was still not comfortable, still. Yet I wasn't about to cry this time, and I wasn't taking muscle relaxers (I might should have though!).

The second flight was the worst. It was on a little expressjet. I am tall, and can barely stand up in those planes there are so small. My seat was on the right side, where there is just a row of single seats. Awesome, right? Well, no. The walls beside those seats curve on the bottom (and top), so you can't sit with your legs right in front of you. It is like sititng beside a wheel well or something, you have to twist slightly (does any of this make sense?) To make a long story short, it wasn't so comfortable and I woke up hurting. I've used a ton of ice. This morning I woke up very stiff and in some pain so I walked about 1.5 miles briskly, and not only did it get my heart rate up, but I swear it made my pain subside considerably. In comparison: I took 6 advil over the course of yesterday. I have taken none today. So whatever walking is doing (getting the blood to flow to the lower back?) is helping.