spinal surgery

#Disability #PainAcceptance #Depression #SpinalSurgery #SpinalStenosis

Post surgery update: Im at home resting, healing and recovering! Im having pain of course but doing my best to stay on top of it and icing like nobody’s business! I had the best nurses watching after me and advocating for me while at the hospital. I feel like I said this but the food was excellent, best ever. I could have stayed another night, I was not forced out but wanted to be at home with my Benny boy 🐕 I missed him! My mom is such an angel & stayed with me❤️I had worked with physical and occupational therapy twice and met with the social worker. My medical equipment and wheelchair was ordered, everything was in place. I was starting to relax, I’ve been through all of this before.

Hours before I was discharged, the hospitalist met with me and spent two seconds with me. He did not listen to any of my concerns. I got an alert from my pharmacy moments later that my prescriptions were done. I looked to see what they were and 2 pain medications had been filled. I was a pharmacy technician for four years while in college, so I knew to double check everything before I left. The instructions did not match with the days supply which was only enough for 3 1/4 days but also to last for 5 days? The math was not correct. I figured this meant the hospitalist wanted to give me the least amount of pain medication possible. But for getting two more screws drilled into my bones (and bone grafting) plus being immediately post op, this was not good enough for me. I knew what level of pain this Sacroiliac Fusion Surgery brings. 🥺
I had to be prepared, I had to advocate for myself while exhausted and in so much pain. I was starting to panic and cry, worried about my pain not being controlled at home especially over the weekend with no one available. My nurse helped me get this corrected and assured me she would help me sort it out. I’m so thankful for her❤️ I hugged her when I left!
I am so overwhelmed with how amazingly supportive and kind you all are. You all are going through your own battles and took time out to #CheckInWithMe and wish me well. I am in such a vulnerable state after this back surgery and I wasn’t expecting it. I’ve been through 3 back surgeries before and thought I knew what to expect. I have had a rollercoaster of emotions on top of lots of pain and exhaustion. Thank you for sharing encouragement and your stories, I love it and get so inspired to be strong. The support you’ve given me means everything 🙏🏼💕💪🏼 I’m a proud owner of 12 titanium screws and another new scar.🔩My new wheelchair comes tomorrow and I can’t wait to go take it out for a spin! It’ll be with me for the next 3 months at least for any distance more than 50 feet. Thanks for coming on my journey with me 👍🏼Hope everyone is having the best Sunday that they are able to. Here’s to not stopping and not giving up ✨🌟

That’s pretty much been my life the last few weeks. I’ve gone from zero attention from medical professionals (for nearly a decade) to being heard and gaining 12 new doctors at one of the top hospitals in Canada.
And the attention is—oh it’s so overwhelming.

I have been waitlisted to have my lumbar discectomy surgery for a very long time... since January I have been calling and asking if there’s a booking yet, any updates.. so on and so forth... and— nada. They’ll call me when there’s an opening is all I ever got!
I’ve waited through all 4 seasons for that phone to ring. waiting, praying for some sort of relief... and it just wasn’t coming.

Until September 25th came.

The day I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

Sunnybrook Health Science Centre has taken such good care of me since then. I’ve never been to such a hospitable and compassionate hospital in my life! Truly! I’m blown away by them. From the nurses, to the anesthesiologists, doctors and office staff. Every one has shown me compassion and comfort.

I went to meet with my new neurologist and his MS team to talk about treatment plans and what not, one week after being diagnosed. And during that meeting, my phone rang... it was my Neurosurgeons office saying they were ready for me. What?! Now?! Was it coincidence or all the buzz around the neuro department? They would call now. They just would... But I cried when I got off that phone. Everything has just been happening so fast. My brain can’t quite keep up with it all... So I cried. Lol

Because when it rains... it really does pour.

My surgery went very well. The pain is—well it’s as expected lol. But it’s another step forward... another step toward some relief. I have such a long road ahead of me... but I’ll take that rain, because who wants a drought?

Xo B