More time off?!?!

Well, just as the first surgeon follow up didn't go as I expected, the second follow upon Monday did not as well. I expected to go back to work Tuesday, since that would be 10w4d since I last worked. Well....the office was as crazy as all the other times I had been there - this total office time would be 3 hrs (from the time I arrived 20 min early, until I left) but I just look at it as she is good and worth the wait. I actually chatted w/ another patient in the waiting room...another girl my age who had had her 2nd surgery a month before my surgery...YIKES! Definitely put into perspective of what could be in my future if I don't take care of the ol' back!

So, because of the huge back up in appointments, they had called Dr. M. from the hospital to come over and help with post op appts...which would be me. I was angry while I was still waiting because I didn't want to see anyone else that didn't know my case, I wanted to see Dr. B. However, I'm actually thankful for the switch. Dr. M. sat and talked to me for 20 minutes...more time than I've spent w/ Dr. B. total over 2 appts and surgery morning. She said she assisted in my surgery and that made me feel even more comfortable.

She asked about my pain and how therappy was going, what i did in therapy, tested the strength in my legs (which is great, as I've not lost any over all these months), asked about work.... looked at my MRI report and said I started with "crap". It makes me laugh to hear all of my doctors and surgeons use the same word to describe my back :D But it is true...it was crap. Because my pain still was pretty consistent when I do more than sit around the house, she was a bit concerned. Given my age, I shouldn't be feeling like this still. She asked if I had flexion/extension Xrays done and I said no (xrays taken while bending forward and backward). That would be the first step going forward...which I shot over to the hospital right after my appt and got those outta the way. We discussed going back to work and really it was up to me. I wasn't sure how long I could sit at my desk in a given period...and thought maybe half days would be better. By that time, we were in the hall at the desk and Dr. B. came up and joined the conversation, asking how I was feeling and such. The three of us decided that we would hold off sending me back to work until the results of the xrays were in, just in case something WAS going on still and getting back off work might have been more challenging, or messy to say the least. Sooo, next follow up will be April 26. Tentatively, I'm off work until at least then. However, if there's nothing in the xrays, I'll probably go back before then. Just continuing with PT and hoping it starts to get better!

After my original 12 PT sessions were completed, it was decided by my therapists to add at least 8 more. I did make progress throughout the first group of sessions...I improved 30 degrees bending forward and 15 degrees bending to each side, on both sides. Despite being able to bend 15 degrees more on one side than the other (can't remember which now), I still improved the same amount on each. Seeing improvement in numbers is awesome! Measurements are more concrete than my subjective numbers describing my pain levels.

I'm just tired of feeling the pain when I walk more than 10 minutes...I feel I've hit a wall in healing and am just standing still!

Fingers crossed that progress starts again very soon!