Progress Report: Week 35

Well, things have been harder the past couple of weeks. I think since I have been feeling so good, I think I am well, then do things that remind me that I'm not.

Work has been incredibly stressful, and I think that means more time chained to a desk and not up and walking around. I swear that makes a difference (a bad one).

Also, been swimming. Still only logging in maybe once a week. Not walking as much. I can tell! I am having pain and sciatica.

Swam 1,000 yards last weekend -- about half a mile. I felt great. Then I could feel it the next day. I think that plus the not walking and sitting at a desk pulled a number on me. I have been feeling the crazy weird nerve zaps and quick pains, burning and methodical throbbing again, usually underneath my foot. Felt those a lot when I was first healing. Thought they were gone. Well, like Britney, they're back, bitch. (Or is that "it's Britney, bitch?" Think of it as "It's Your Herniated Disc, Bitch!" then.)

BUT, it is not every day. But it was totally gone and now it's back, sometimes. That is disconcerting.

Then, I did a stupid thing. Someone at work put a "free scanner" in the hallway. This is a several-hundred-dollar professional scanner. I HAD to get it. I did my best using my legs, but after I took it to my cubicle, I knew I'd messed up. Let's just say the ice packs are back in use.

However I am pretty sure that I didn't reherniate, just maybe pulled something. But then the thoughts come flooding into your head, especially when you can't sleep because your back hurts (and because SoCal is in a 100+ temp heat wave, and you have no a/c) and you just think again and again about how dumb you were to pick it up and don't you know better?

But I feel better today, or at least right now. It is just one hell of a process.

Another thing that is freaky is that this week is coming up on my year anniversary on how my back just died. I tried to drive to work one day and couldn't. (Debilitating sciatica.) Then a couple of days later, I couldn't walk for about a day or so. I will never forget having to claw at the wall to try to get to the bathroom. Quite humbling and life-changing stuff.

But again overall I know I am doing great, and better than so many others, and for that I am grateful. It's just a strange thing, this back stuff.

Progress Report: Week 33

Well, my 9 month surgery anniversary just passed this week and I didn't even think of it until now. That is probably a good sign.

Things are going well. Not too different than before really. Overall feeling pretty good. Started having some mild sciatica behind my knee, and some lower back pain, this week but nothing too bad. Taken advil a few times. It seems to be getting better. I might be less numb in my little toe. It's hard to tell.

Continuing to walk and swim a few times a week. I know I keep saying this, but I can't get over how much swimming seems to help. Plus, it's fun too. Hope I can continue through the winter!

Progress Report: Week 31

I am ending my seventh month post-surgery. Overall much less pain. I am still working on becoming more active and I can't stress it enough -- whenever I start to have back pain, if I walk or swim for 30 mins or more, it improves significantly. All I can guess is that it has to do with getting blood into the lower back and to the disc.

One sort of minor thing that is sort of minorly concerning me is that my foot/toe seems to be slightly number than they were say, 6 weeks ago. I am guessing this is nerve damage, but I guess time will tell. I can feel it along the outer edge of my baby toe, and on the sole of my foot a little along the edge and then this strange numb pocket almost in the center of my foot. I am wondering if scar tissue is compressing the nerve, but I don't have any other symptoms so maybe it's just nerve damage. We'll see.

Still having pain when sleeping but I think that is my mattress because I feel fine at work. Suffered a little flare-up this past week but it's getting better. I didn't do anything that I know of, but work has been very stressful and I've been chained to my desk. So that is not helping.

I would like to have child(ren) in the next couple of years. Sometimes I worry that my back problems are going to either keep it from happening or make it very painful. I have read online accounts that plenty of women have the surgery and go on to have normal pregnancies. But then you have to lift your child for what, the next 7 years of their lives? I am just wondering how all of that is going to play out. This is another reason I'm working so hard to lose weight. Still swimming, although not nearly as much as I want to, to strengthen my back. Can't recommend that enough, and it's something I never would have imagined myself doing.

But overall the results are still positive. I am still glad I had the surgery. I still feel I am doing SO much better. I know I am doing better already than many who go through this. I just want to be totally "normal" again. I have to remember that I'm well on my way.

Progress Report: Week 28

It's my seven-month anniversary today. Still feeling pretty good, overall. Still numb in my foot, maybe slightly more numb lately, but not dead-numb. I have been walking and swimming and it helps. As soon as I slack off the back pain returns. Pulled my back slightly trying to vacuum under the bed--something I haven't been able to do since surgery. You don't even want to know what was under there. Scary stuff.

Some pain still when I wake up but I still suspect the bed. Also still whenever I do something, like vacuum, my toe/foot edge goes numb. I suspect it's scar tissue or something compressing the nerve. It might always be that way. I guess it's my body's way of saying, "Cool it!" We'll see how that is by January 2010.

So overall things are good. People think I am totally well though and am pain-free. If only. I am doing everything I can for that day to come, though. I have heard that for every 10 lbs you lose, it's 40 lbs of pressure off of your knees. So what is it like for your back? It has to help. So that is my main goal this month, to some weight. I'd like to try pilates too but I don't feel I'm ready for anything like that. Yet.

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.