The road to recovery

It is Sunday morning the third day post surgery. I am very sore and the drain they put in my back is still oozing. My neck hurts even after taking the oxycodone and acetaminophen tablets (Percocet) as per doctors orders. I am also taking celecoxib tablets (Celebrex) to fight inflammation. Here is a brief description of what I have experienced the last few days.

Thursday morning up at 4:00AM. Showered and shaved then headed out to Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital at 4:30AM. After surgical preparations and anesthesia started I am wheeled into the operating room. In the operating room I see a gaggle of nurses scurrying around making sure everything is ready. Shortly after that I am out. I do not remember them putting a brace on my head or rolling me over on my stomach to perform the procedure. Several hours later I wake up in the recovery room.

From the recovery room I am wheeled into a private room on the 4th floor. During the day I have several people in and out but the first person I am happy to see is my wife, Annette. Later on in the day my nephew Richard comes by to visit. I am being pumped full of fluids and a reducing dose of corticosteroids (Prednisone) to help ease the swelling. Aside from the neck pain I am also suffering from some palsy in my right arm and cannot lift it under my own power over shoulder height. This is expected as the nerves going out to that area from the spinal column are now stretched and I am told it will work out on its own with some physical therapy and a bit of time. Karen is the first nurse on duty and is very nice answering the few questions I have and generally being helpful. I manage to get through the day taking the pain medications every 4 to 6 hours.

That evening Christy is now the nurse on duty. It seems that with the drain still attached to my back I am having a hard time getting comfortable laying in bed. I also want to get up and walk around. Finally at 11:30PM I am allowed to walk up and down the hallway with the technician on at the time. I finally fall asleep about 1:00AM Friday morning but am awake again shortly after 5:00AM

Time for more medication and trying to sleep a few more hours. Annette arrives just in time for breakfast shortly after 7:30AM. I have no nausea or indigestion of any kind so I am able to eat solid food for the first time since the 12 hours prior to admittance. If there is anything lacking in the care at Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital is that the food is not very good, it’s not terrible, but it could use some improvements in flavoring. Now the dosing on my medication is stretching out to about every 6 hours. It still hurts a lot. I manage to get by most of the morning hoping that I am going to be released from the hospital late Friday afternoon. My nurse is now Rebecca, hers must be a short shift as just after lunch I now have Larry as my nurse.

I want to thank Bee Teamer GaryD for stopping by and visiting me in the hospital. I know all of you have been following my trials but it was sure nice to see a familiar cyclist face to let me know that I am still welcome and missed. I also had a few other visitors from my church. Lunch arrives and it isn’t something I would have selected for myself, but I am finding that my appetite is back and I eat it without any consequences. I was hoping to watch the tour stage at the hospital but the channel that Versus is on is replaced with an informational channel about Presbyterian Orthopaedic Hospital instead.

Also on Friday morning the surgeon, Leo R. Spector, MD, comes in to talk about the procedure and release instructions. He believes the procedure was a complete success and that the recovery from the slight palsy will be rapid. He explains that he hinged vertebrae laminar bones C4,-C7 and removed laminar bone on C3. This gives plenty of room for the spinal cord and nerves coming from the spinal cord to move more freely. The relief from the arm pain, numbness and tingling was immediate and has not returned three days later.

Before discharge I am given one more dose of pain medication for the trip home. At home that evening I am not feeling 100%. A little warm and I can’t find a comfortable position to sit in or lay in. I am pretty much uncomfortable all day. I did manage to eat three meals, so at least my appetite hasn’t left me. I sit and watch Saturday’s tour stage.

Last night was another 4 hour sleep followed by pain medication then another 2.5 hours. Not enough for a good night, but with all the naps I am taking during the day I feel rested. In a couple of hours I will take more pain medication and try to watch today’s Tour stage. Next week I will be home and off from work, I am sure I will be very irritable and cranky as I try to find things I can actually do to pass the time. I miss being on the bike.

I want you all to know that I am very touched by the comments and emails that I have received and I know I will be seeing you all soon on the roads of Union County.