I survived, and ouch.
On the plus side, I am about 1% robot now.
6 Likes
So does that mean you’ll fail 1 out of every 100 CAPTCHA tests?
2 Likes
I think you’re assuming I don’t already fail at least that many.
1 Like
My neck is more sore today than yesterday. And it’s mostly achey, not sharp pain or anything. I’ve been told to expect my neck to swell up around the third day, at the incision, but that should only last a couple days.
I tried to Google recovery timelines/stories, and it’s so variable. Some people say they were back to feeling 100% after only a few days, some people need a full two or three months to go back to work. A lot of people who get this surgery are older, though, so if is hard to gauge what my expectations should look like. Even my surgeon was hesitant to give me a timeline, he said we would play it by ear.
It seems like my ongoing pain will be short-lived, but I will have a hard time sitting for longer periods of times, so I’ll probably be working from home for a while after I go back to work, so I can work in bed when needed or lie down for breaks. I don’t enjoy working from home, so that will be a bit of a challenge for me.
I get eight weeks off work, no questions asked. I can go back sooner, but later I’ll need another doctors note, and could extend up to another four weeks if needed (for FMLA anyway, disability could go up to six month).
My bone graft will be considered mostly healed after six months, fully healed after a year, and I can go back to most of my normal activities after three months, but I can’t lift anything heavier than 10 pounds until then. I doubt I will try to do a yoga class until closer to the six month mark, as that is harder on my neck than other exercises. Definitely won’t be doing any squats on the squat rack, either.
I can’t have any aspirin or NSAIDs for three months, it can affect bone healing. Tylenol is ok, so I’m on Vicodin (hydrocodone acetaminophen) for now, will switch over to just Tylenol as soon as I can, probably won’t be more than another day or two. It’s good to see how seriously doctors and pharmacists treat opioids now. They told my husband several times to not use all the pills if it wasn’t needed, and gave instructions on how to get rid of the extra ones properly.
As I suspected, the anesthesia was the worst part. They put an oxygen mask over my face as they were knocking me out intravenously, and as I was drifting off I couldn’t open my eyes anymore, but I could still speak, barely. The last thing I remember was telling the CRNA that I couldn’t breathe. I don’t know if it was just a sensation or real, but I couldn’t breathe in more than shallowly, and it was scary. Fortunately, when I woke up, I wasn’t agitated, didn’t throw up, so I’m glad I don’t have those side effects. I really really hate being under anesthesia, although I suspect I would hate having surgery without anesthesia much more. As I was drifting off, not able to breathe and not able to open my eyes, I was thinking, oh crap, I can’t open my eyes, what if this becomes a scene from a horror movie and I am awake for the whole procedure and can’t let anyone know?
I woke up with all the tingling in my hand gone. The strength will take a while to come back. But my shoulder and arm pain should be gone for good (it was temporarily masked by a cortisone shot, but in a few months it would have started hurting again without the surgery). I am glad I did it. I hope it’s the last surgery I have for a while!
5 Likes
1 Like
Best of luck with healing. I’m going through a skin graft on Thursday.
2 Likes
I fail more than that - was a tough way to find out that I’m really a robot
1 Like
Ugh, no NSAIDs for pain or swelling. But it sounds like everything went as well as could be hoped. Best wishes on a smooth and speedy recovery.
1 Like
Tylenol works ok for me, though be careful about using it over a prolonged period. Last week the nurse asked me if Tylenol with Codeine would be ok with me for the skin graft. Fortunately the doctor granted my request for something stronger.
1 Like
Yeah, I’m wary of taking even OTC pain medication too much, especially Tylenol. I can tolerate pain pretty well, thankfully!
Good luck with your graft. Hopefully a one-time thing?
Probably not, I’m prone to basal cells, most of them require just stitches but this one went deep before the doctor noticed it. Last time I had a basal cell removed the doc prescribed 20 hydrocodone pills. I thought that was excessive - took 2 pills on the first night to help me get to sleep but that was it.
2 Likes
Ah, yeah, my mom gets those and has to have them removed pretty regularly, but I think it’s all been pretty superficial so far. She’s very fair skinned but doesn’t take good care of her skin and spends a lot of time driving in the sun because of her job - so her left arm is pretty bad.
Just a pun machine.
1 Like
More of an anxious thought but my dog came in with an injury by her eye. Minimal bleeding with a small patch of fur gone. Unsure how it happened. Hope it doesn’t get infected.
I’ve been accused of worrying more about the dog than the kid but at least the kid can talk.
The dog’s owie is looking better tho.
I think it’s pretty well known in my household that if a cat and a kid are in trouble and I can only save one, I’m going for the cat.
Tackled the poison ivy infestation this morning before work. Full length coverage, nitrile gloves under work gloves. Duct taped sleeves to gloves. Finish, wife has me strip in laundry room, all clothes and shoes straight into washer.
Mrs G. :“I brought a robe for you so you don’t have to walk thru the house naked”
Me : “Let’s be honest. You got me a robe for you so I don’t have to walk thru the house naked”
Lots of soap and shampoo. We’ll know in two weeks whether I was successful in avoiding it.
3 Likes
LOL. Giving me flashbacks to May 2020 after buying groceries.
1 Like
A remember of my immediate family has been missing for 7 hours. Their phone is dead and they missed plans.
We have called friends, family, colleagues, police, hospitals, animal hospitals, and impound lots. No idea what could be going on, but it feels very wrong.
They have been suicidal in the past, but they have never failed to make plans for their beloved pets in those circumstances. This time that isn’t the case, and in fact they are currently dog sitting for a friend who will be returning tomorrow. It’s not like them to not come back to at least feed them and let them out.
5 Likes