Posted: May 19 2008, 09:30 PM


Newbie


Group: Members
Posts: 21
Member No.: 45
Joined: 10-July 07



Hi everyone – op went well – no painkillers or Amytriptoline since the day of my op. I didn’t come of them gradually either, I just thought “what the hell” and stopped taking them. No side affects. I couldn’t have asked for a (ouch) a perfect hospital stay but it was – everyone from Mr Golash the Anaethatist and nurses were absolutely fab. Never really been in hospital before so it was very strange. The room was just like a hotel – no kidding (this is the NHS) en suite facilities etc.

I have to say that I was VERY nervous and I know that I did a fair bit of babbling on and thought was a clot I was afterwards. At the beginning of my problem 5 years ago, Peter and I had decided to write a book about Walking for Fatties (ending up in a nearby restaurant after the walk) going up a hill had different gradiants – like a small hill would be 2 puffs and a real steep hill 9 – when I was asked if I did any walking in the Lake District I said I used to and told him about the book I was going to write. I realise now he must have thought I was a bit odd going on about puffs but hey I might not meet him again and he will just think I’m a dizzy old bird - but may just write that book now.

I have to say everyone puts you at ease and the nurses kept on coming in pre and post op to see if I was OK. I had been tested the previous week for all the obvious hospital diseases. Pre op the anaesthetist came and explained what he would do and Mr Golash came to see me as well. I asked why Inspace and not X Stop and he said that that the insision was smaller and presumably you get over surgery quicker. Apparently he has a huge bevy of female fans.

I went down at something like quarter to 7 and was back in the bedroom by 8ish (although I can’t remember going back to my room) During the day I was quite particular that I didn’t have any liquid and when I got back to the bedroom was surprised how many times I went to the loo. I hadn’t thought I would be on a drip!!! I settled down about 11ish to read my book “The Ark of the Covenant” and fell asleep at about 3ish.

I was raring to go home and Peter picked me up at about lunchtime. I honestly can say I didn’t have any pain, we even walked around (and had lunch) on the way home at the new garden centre in Garstang.

However….. next day was different but as the days went by and the pain was less and less, it was actually more around the incision (which was 5cm & 2 stiches).

And yes, I was on the Ryanair flight to Valencia exactly one week later. I felt a bit weary and tired standing on my legs for a while waiting to board the plane and was glad to get home (Spain I mean) I walked round Carrefour like a trouper that afternoon, something I’d never done since we bought our place in Gandia. (Anyone been in a Carrfour will know what I mean) The next day I even went round Oliva market which is really something – its not at this time of year touristy but lots of locals selling garlic, fruit (you couldn’t believe the strawberries all in mounds – not like ours in neat boxes all bruised at the bottom) and veg, pots and pans etc. and the usual knickers and flimsy teenage stuff!!! During the course of the next 2 weeks I took it easy, well quite easy, walking along the paseo on the Playa and finding café/bars in Gandia we had never seen before because they were too far away from the car park.

Moved from Pre surgical stories



I was referred when I came back last week to the Physio in Kendal where Sue told me that Mr Golash had said that there were no restrictions on what I can do – really!!! The downside if there is one is that I still have the Piriformus problem and I’ve been sitting with a hotwater bottle on my bum. The phsyio says it could be part of the same problem, but I don’t think so – I think Mr Golash and I agreed that there were two separate things happening. So I am being a bit careful about sitting at the computer now and am regulating how long I sit.

Here’s the bit I am annoyed about. I know I am not the first and I know I am not the last that will go through years of trying to find out why I have had this type of pain. Been brushed off with this, that and the other painkiller. My yoga teacher used to say that at 60 you are forgotten, well maybe she’s right, the NHS has forgotten us or is reluctant to spend the money on us, but what they fail to realise is that we have already paid our lot into the NHS and now we should be entitled to the correct treatment.
Alastair has uploaded details of Inspace for me on the web site but if anyone is suffering from L4/5 and nerve pain there is light at the end of the tunnel.