Kathy
I think you are a very courageous woman to have endured what you have and still come out with such a obviously positive spirit. You've gone through what most of us never have or will ever have to go through.
I don't know you but sense from your post that you must surely be quite a woman.
It's good to hear you are looking forward to a complete recovery, and certainly you must have many friends sending up prayers in your behalf. It's a blessing to have such a wonderful support system going from friends and family.
Dear lady, you do not come across as a whiner, but as a very brave person. I wouldn't worry too much, if I were you about taking needed medication for pain, afraid that it's addictive. From what I've read, when someone is in chronic pain, their body "eats" the medication without becoming addictive.
I hope all goes well for your future medical work, and that you come out healed and able to get back out in that garden.
Prayers going out your way,
Barbara

Hey Kathy,

Sounds like you're a trooper! Sounds like your hubby and family are troopers too. Kudos to them for helping with your garden beds. Get well. Those pain meds are strong!

George
Tahlequah, OK

Kathy,

I am glad you checked in. I've been concerned about you, but assumed that the recovery from your surgery was complicated.

I am sure you are frustrated not only by the hip fracture but also by all the pain and the way it is affecting your life. I know that I would be. I don't think you're whining at all but simply stating that your recovery is complicated and painful and difficult. Don't be afraid to take the pain medication as needed. You have a terrific family and I know they will watch over you and work with you to ensure you do not become overly reliant on the pain medication.

I'm so proud of your DH and kids for keeping up the garden for you. They don't have to say "I love you" because their actions speak louder than any words and they show you they love you every day. How geat is that?

Hang in there, take your meds, love your family and let them take care of you and the garden. We're all still here. Still doing our thing. I'm still whining about how hot and dry it is and wearing myself out in the garden anyway. : )

Your body will heal and you'll be back to your usual routine in due time. As far as feeling depressed, well, of course you are! Who wouldn't be after enduring all you've been through this year? The depression will pass as you heal and start feeling more like yourself again. And, when you are ready, the garden will be there waiting for you....and you know we are here for you too, and always will be.

I already have a new hybrid tomato you'll "have to" try next year--and I'll send you the seed this winter. It is called Pink Brandymaster. I suspect from the name that it "might be" a cross between something like Pink Brandywine and Beefmaster, although that is only an assumption...because seed companies rarely release the parentage of any hybrid.

Hugs, and lots of love, and wishes for good news from the CAT scan. I am praying for you to make a full and complete recovery. You are a strong woman, Kathy, and I know you will make it through this ordeal just fine.

Dawn

Kathy, Sorry you having so much trouble, but glad the initial surgery is over. I was very lucky with my surgery and didn't have too much trouble afterward. I never had to take any pain meds stronger than a BC Powder, and my surgeon could not understand this because he said grown men beg for meds after the surgery. I know I have a high threshold for pain. My hip has never caused me any problems at all other than the skin over the incision tends to become dry and itchy.

I had an unstable back fracture at L1 so my fusion is higher than yours, but I can't bend at the waist either, and also can't turn. I can turn my head, or my whole body, and nothing in between. In addition to the fusion, they added Harrington rods, so I have a lot of area tied off. They had intended to leave the rods about 2 years and then remove them, but I moved, had different doctors, different insurance, etc. and that just didn't happen. I have done really well and can do most things although I may do them in a different way. The first year and a half will be the worst, but after that you will have learned how to deal with it all and not hurt yourself doing it.

I tell you all of this for several reasons. I hope it will help you to cope until you are feeling better. I had the surgery in 1986 and had very little pain until the last year or so, except the one listed below. Shortly after the surgery several things did happen to me, and you may have some of the same issues.

(1) I had a metal taste in my mouth as if my fillings were melting. LOL I don't know if it was my body reacting to the metal in my back or what, but that lasted about a year.

(2) The muscle burning still happens to me across my shoulders. I wonder if it isn't because so many nerves were cut. I would be very worried however if I had pain shooting down my legs as you describe because that sounds like a spinal issue.

(3) I had one little spot (and I mean little spot) that hurt and felt like something was poking me with a sharp object. It was on the opposite hip from where the bone was removed. They did nothing on that side. The doc marked it and took xrays and there was nothing there that should hurt. Probably something pinching from the new posture. It went away on it's own.

(4)I have had several dentists that would not touch my mouth unless I was on antibiotics. I took a lot. My current dentist doesn't do that, but I still usually ask for one when I am going to have my teeth cleaned. The theory at the time of my surgery was that a bacterial infection in your blood would quickly form along that steel and that was very close to the spine. Mine was probably because of my rods tho because I have 9 inches of steel down each side of my spine. That makes for a long incision.

(5)I have screws also and some little things that look like bumper jacks. Every now and then it feels like I get a muscle hung on the wrong side of something. For me it is mostly at the top of my rods, but a screw would do the same thing. The muscle will ache and cramp, but usually if I can relax it will stop and slide back into the right place. In my case it normally happens when I am on my back and have my hand, or hands, above my head. I just lower my hand, try to relax, and wait. It seems to fix itself in a couple of minutes.

(6)And there is the cold.....I was never a cold natured person and that is a good thing because when that steel gets cold, you are cold all over. Of course, I have a lot more steel, but when it gets cold, I don't just shiver, I shake. It bothers my husband so badly that he always just tries to put me in a big bear hug to try to help me warm up.

I had suffered for many years with serious headaches which went away after the surgery. That was a bonus that the doc didn't expect.

Life will be good again, but it will be a little different. Hang in there and it will get better. My thoughts and prayers go with you as you recover. Carol

Kathy, I so glad to hear from you!!!! I'm sorry your recovery is taking so long. I hope the CAT Scan shows the problem.

Does your hubby and kids need any help? If so, email me, I can volunteer.

How did the black and blue salvia do for you? The iris orientalis?

I've been growing butterflies lately...you can see my link under my Extra veggie seed thread (I think)

Lisa

Thank you all for your good wishes and thoughts! That kind of support is really what I need right now! And thanks to each of you for not feeling I was whining! I detest that habit in others and most especially in myself!

Dawn, I am really looking forward to trying that new tomato! Sounds yummy! My family really is wonderful! They have been amazingly supportive through all of this!

Carol, it's good to hear from someone else that's been through this. I can identify with several things you said! Especially the getting cold part! I don't have but about 3 inches of steel in my back, but DH and I had noticed that I do get really cold very easily. I have to have something on my feet all the time now. Especially inside with the AC. The burning pains are nerves that are still irritated. It's not a burn like a pulled or irritated muscle. It's coming from the bundle of nerves that were so severely compressed and came very close to either dying from the compression or being severed by the hard angle of my vertebra slippage. I was diagnosed as severe grade 2 with severe nerve compression, but they found once they got in there that it was really closer to 3 than they thought. So it had really almost slipped 75% out of place. So, we're not really sure how long, or even if, the affected nerves will completely heal and return to normal. Those nerves were so severely compressed that you could not find any "breathing room" between them and the surrounding bone at all even on the CAT scan. So we know that issue is neurological. It just really painful!

Lisa, I appreciate the offer to help and I'll pass it along! Right now they're able to do well with taking care of things. The rough patch was when the boys were in Texas and Cliff was trying to do everything by himself during the harshest heat. The Iris are doing well and look to be multiplying. The black and blue salvia finally bloomed for me :) Just a couple. It had died to the ground from what was a lovely height during the worst of the heat and I really thought I'd lost it. But it's come back, though it didn't make it to as large as it had been. I adore the color! We'll see how it comes back, but if you have any that you're just needing to move this fall, I would be happy to give it a good home! We were all just taken with that gorgeous color!

Gotta go walk about some. Thank you all again! I've missed everyone so much!!

Kathy

Kathy, my black and blue salvia is under my chaste tree (if you remember). I don't have any trouble in the heat, but it might be because it is partially shaded, and it's been there for several years. It does get morning sun and then probably filtered sun after that. But between the chaste tree, the roses and the hibiscus, it probably has to fight for water!

I am so glad to hear they are all doing well for you!!!

Let me know if I can help...I hope your recovery speeds up!!!

Lisa

Kathy, I have Spondylolisthesis, too. Mine is still at Stage 1.

I have some understanding of some of the pain you endure because about once a year, I have severe muscle spasms that puts me flat on my back, mostly sleeping off the pain meds. It takes weeks to be able to walk without a cane and months for the swelling, tenderness and for the Sciatica pains that run down my right leg to subside. Because I also have plantar faciitis, it is difficult for me to do very much walking.

It was a real blessing to me to be able to retire because that meant I was not having to sit in a chair for 8 hours a day. I started doing things, carefully, in the garden. Some days I would have to come in and lie down on the heating pad and I would worry that the spasms were going to hit. I fell down twice out there in the garden, and since an earlier fall left me with a frozen shoulder that took a year to heal, that's always frightening for me and leaves me kind of bruised up because I always seem to fall across something. I even fell out of bed last winter and scraped my side across the corner of the night stand on the way down.

Gradually, very gradually, I have been getting stronger and I have less swelling and pain every day. I am currently trying to lose some weight because I think this badonkadonk of mine can't be doing my back any good. I am one pound away from having lost 30 pounds, feeling better than I have felt in several years, and I hope to lop off quite a few more before I'm through. Last March it had been a year since having any spasms.

Bless your heart, I hope you have quick and lasting resolution to the issues involved and I will be including you in my prayers and thinking good, positive thoughts on your behalf.

Bless you Kathy! Just take baby steps. Please let us know if you need anything. I'm here at 63rd & western most days. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Laura

Lisa, honestly I think it was more all that flooding we'd gotten, then the hard heat that got to it. But it's coming back, so hopefully I'll be able to divide it and add it to a couple more spots either this fall or in the spring. I'm really hoping so. I adore it!

Ilene, I lived with it for over 24 years. It stayed at grade 2. I had occasional mild flare ups, but was able to deal without pain meds for all that time and still lead a rather 'normal' life. The heating pad was my best friend, I tell you! And massages.

In January, mine worsened. It moved to more like grade 3 than 2. Severe nerve compression. Honestly in the CAT and MRI you couldn't have put a breath between the nerves and the bones. I'm still having a lot of pain and trouble with my legs. Unfortunately it will either right itself as the nerves reduce in swelling or it will be something permanent. Sometimes I can tell that the nerves are trying to recover. Things will just go haywire. My toes will twitch for hours and things like that. So, in a few months hopefully we'll have some idea of how much permanent nerve damage there is. I know there's a lot of topical numbness at the top of my glutes still. Not sure that's going to change. I can feel pressure on the area, but only if you press hard. Kinda scary. Skin is still healthy looking, just numb. Yeah, the weight can be a serious issue with this disease. I am still going to have to have a breast reduction. I'm a very small woman with very large breasts and the weight is going to impede full recovery. But I still can't lay on my back for long yet and I won't be able to lie so much on my sides or on my stomach at all for a bit after the reduction. Though it's going to be painful, I'm rather looking forward to going from a 38DDD to a full C. I know some women won't understand that, but keep in mind, I'm barely 5 ft tall with a small bone structure. I'm still overweight from not being able to exercise since January, but it's been determined that I will lose about 15 lbs of body weight simply by having the reduction.

Laura, thank you so much for the offer! Right now I'm concentrating on getting better and making lists of the things I lost to the flooding then hard heat we had. This fall I'm gonna do a lot of begging to fiends on GW cause many of those plants were either plants, cuttings or seeds GW friends shared with me through trades and swaps. I'm hoping to regain some of it. One of the things that really got me was losing several cannas I'd grown from seed last year and the year before. They were mostly the variegated or striped red, orange and green leaved ones. I was SO looking forward to seeing them bloom! I had babied them for at least a year, several for two, from seed!

Thank you all for the prayers and good wishes!

Kathy