Well hello 2013!!

This year is already proving to be an amazing one.

January came and went as we celebrated Jon's birthday. My bestfriend was hospitalized briefly just before her birthday. Thankfully she's doing better now, months later. I will get back to talking more about this incredible woman later.

February seems like a blur. I can't even remember what we did that month. Certainly wasn't anything exciting.

Here we are about to finish out the month of March. Hayden celebrated his 4th birthday. It was a fun day despite no one showing up except for our awesome neighbor and Jon's daughter and her little family. Good food. Good company.

Next month we finally hit the road to Colorado to spend some much needed time with my above mentioned incredible bestfriend.

It still amazes me how people come and go in our lives. For example, my sweet sister, my bestest friend. She went to school with my husband some 20yrs ago. My husband is the reason her and I are so close. He told me I needed to add her on Facebook. After several weeks of being stubborn and ignoring him, I added her. Best decision ever. Her and I have been insperable since. We talk daily, even if its just to bitch about nothing, need advice, vent or just need an ear willing to listen. I love that about her. She's truly the most genuine, loving and compassionate person I've ever met. Well next month, we will finally meet. But you get my drift. I've never and I mean NEVER been this close to anyone. It's an amazing feeling that is indescribable knowing someone loves you equally as much as you love them. God certainly blessed us both with a beautiful friendship and an amazing sisterhood. Tina Renee, I love you so so very much!!!

T minus 28 days!!!!!

I need to get better about updating this on a regular basis instead of when I remember about it.

Have a fantastic day, to anyone and everyone reading this. :)

Relief, two years later

After several appointments with an orthopedic surgeon and getting no relief, I sought out for a second opinion. Thankfully a dear friend of mine had gone through the same horrible back pain I had been enduring for over two years. She told me that I needed to see Dr Randall Dryer with the Texas Spine Institute. Their office was able to get me in pretty quickly. Once in office, Dr Dryer order an immediate xray. Diagnosis was a lot more than Spondelytheisis. I had a huge fracture at L5 and a bulging disk at L5/S1!!! The previous doctor had completely overlooked the fracture. Not to mention I was walking around with a grade 1 slip of L5. Causing the excruciating pain and numbness and loss of feeling down my right leg. He sent me home with a pain rx and asked for me to have a CT scan done to make sure there wasn't anything else going on in there before he recommended a treatment plan. Three weeks of waiting to get in for a ct scan. Then results were sent to his office immediately. His diagnosis was confirmed. His recommendation, an ALIF. Anterior(through the front) Lumbar(low back) Interbody(titanium cage) Fusion(fuse both vertebrae together with the above mentioned cage and three screws). Once a date was set, November 27th, 2012, I had to start setting up all the pre-op appointments. I have three surgeons I needed to meet with. First up, vascular surgeon, Dr Politz. I required a vascular surgeon since my doctor was going in through my stomach and it was the safest to have a vascular surgeon on hand. He made the incision, moved everything out of the way and closed me up. Next up was a pre-op appt with my surgeon. Going over the exact procedure that was to be done. Then a pre-op appt with the hospital to get all forms squared away prior to surgery day.

Tuesday morning, November 27th, I arrived at the surgical center at 5:30am. My surgery was scheduled for 7am. Got signed in. Gown on, those tight tights, socks, surgical cap. Then it was off to pre-op prep. They got my iv started, last minute blood. And then it was time! All I remember was being wheeled into the or, it being absolutely freezing. My surgeon came and leaned over me asking if I was ready to be pain free? I remember saying "hell Yessssss...." And I was out. After recovery and I was coherent, my doctor told me I barely got out the last "s" of yes. Haha. Procedure went smoothly, minimal bleeding and only took and hour from incision to close up.

No more than two hours and I was up walking around with a walker the first time. Then each time I walked further and further without a walker or cane. The nurses kept saying how well I was doing and they could tell I was determined to speed up recovery. They couldn't have been more right.

I stayed in the surgical center over night and was released by 11am the next day. Let me add, that even though I missed my babies, I wasn't ready to leave because the nursing staff was so compassionate and loving.

I am now three weeks post op and have zero pain. I'm a little sore if I sit for too long but I am truly amazed by my own progress.

Below are a few images. Before xray. After. And some pics while I was at the surgical center.

Coping

A lot has happened in a year.

March 2011: Hayden turned 3
June2011: Diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis.
August 2011: Relocated to Burnet
September 2011: Got pregnant (found out on my 29th birthday)

Well it doesn't seem like much but the diagnosis of Spondylolisthesis in  my back, moving and then getting pregnant seems like we just won gold on the Olympics.

My diagnosis was tough to accept. Especially after my orthopedic surgeon, who happens to be a very conservative doctor, told me to goto physical therapy(pt) and I should be fine. At the time he said I wasn't to the point of needing surgery. All I could think of was "great, I have to wait for it to get worse before it gets better, yeah fantastic!" *sarcasim* Of course our insurance doesn't cover pt, not even a dime. So no pt for me.

Fast forward through nine months.

May 2012: Keiran is born. Labored for four hours. Pushed for less than ten minutes. Although delivery was quick, I had the epidural but endured some excruciating pain with my back in its current state. Also didn't help Keiran was sunny-side-up.
June 1, 2012: Keiran is released from Scott &White after a week in ICU due to seizures from low calcium. (Transient hypo-parathyroidism)

June 2012: Pain in lower back worsening

July 2012: Can no longer stand the pain, relying on meds to control it.

August 2012: Appt made with orthopedic surgeon for follow-up to find out the next step. Could possibly be surgery. Will know more the 22nd.
To say the least its been a rough year, physically for me. Hoping for relief ASAP! I'm sick of living in pain.

Then next month I celebrate the big 3-0! Yikes, that's depressing in itself. I suppose its true when "they" say you hit 30 and everything starts breaking or falling apart. :)

X's and O's!!