PostHeaderIcon Just In Time For Christmas

Introducing the exclusive “Troy Sampler”. It does not look like much but you could be the only one who has one: IMG_5547

On a more serious note, in those 2 days between the surgery and my release from hospital, I was amazed how well I had gotten off. The doctor predicted weeks of miserable pain and here I was up and walking the day after. Needless to say, I could hardly wait to get home. Well……. it seems I had reckoned far too little on this innocuous little button that I was allowed to press (as needed) every 10 minutes or so. It was, in fact, a magic button. Each time I clicked it (and heard the answering “dong”, a dose of pure morphine was being injected into my system. Oh truly happy days!!!!

Now that I am home and dependent on nothing stronger than percoset (itself a schedule II narcotic), I clearly understand the doctor’s prediction.

Leading me to ask — why? If something that simple and that cheap can take a large chunk of the misery out of my life (or that of another), what business should government have in my decision to use it? Yes, after a few weeks of usage, I would be somewhat addicted. All this means is a few more weeks of tapering me off the stuff.

My fondest Christmas wish for those who rule me is that they could feel 1//2 of what I needlessly feel right this moment.

I also wish the rest of you peace and joy. Thanks to all of you for thinking of me and shame on those who think this nothing less than I deserve.

Troy

6 Responses to “Just In Time For Christmas”

  • Larry Andrew says:

    Gulp….geez Troy…that is a scary tale. Wish you the best even tho I know you have a long road of pain and misery ahead. Your tale hits close to home. I am visiting a Spine Specialist Tuesday for a back injury which has left me with pain back and leg with numbness, etc. MRI shows 4 bulging discs, one severe…I am on Norco 10/325 and itching like crazy.

    I’ve never had any surgery nor any injury that would cause me to consider it but living the remainder of my life with this would be problematic at best. Your tale causes me to be on my guard with these specialists to try every option short of surgery before I consider going that route. Sounds terrible. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

    • Troy says:

      Larry,
      Your situation sounds quite familiar. My condition has been going on for ~ 10 years now and this is my 3rd lumbar surgery. I have also had repeated treatments from pain management specialists, usually in the form of steroid injections and/or nerve cauterization. I had very little success with these treatments. Some of them did nothing that I could tell while others got rid of the pain but the result lasted only a week or so. The narcotics do a fair job of making life bearable but there are those side effects — like itching. I found that taking a non-drowsy form of antihistamine along with the pain meds helped quite a bit — otherwise, I would literally claw myself raw from the itching.

      I was beginning to lose full use of my right leg, and this is what made me decide on the recent surgery. So far, even though the massive slicing of my back muscles hasn’t really started to heal, I can feel change for the better. The nerve that runs down the outside of my right leg is still somewhat outraged from the aggravation it endured during the cleaning, expansion of pathways, elimination of calcium spurs, etc. Even so, my right leg is clearly more reliable than before the surgery.

      After only 1 week, I am totally glad that I had the procedure done and wish that I had not waited so long. The “trick” is to find the right surgeon for your condition and, alas, I know of no method other than trial and error to find one. The surgeon I used this time was recommended by my pain management doctors. It seems logical that they would have a good view of the surgeons given that they get to handle the results.

      FYI, I will still need to see the pain management doctor in the future and will still need some meds. The goal of the surgery was to return full, pain-free use of my leg and also to eliminate about 60% of the pain in my lumbar area.

      BTW, the nature of this surgery was implantation of titanium plates and rods such that there will be NO movement possible at L5, the bottom vertebrae. I think they refer to this as a total fusion.

      Good luck with whatever you choose to do, realizing that the perfect choice is simply not available.

      Troy

  • Chris says:

    Wow Troy. Does that zipper come with the pants and a vest? Not trying to make light of your situation but Wow! I wish you speedy recovery and at least some relief before the holidays. I can tell you that you will come to view your rehab therapist as the caretaker to a dungeon of horrors. Bare thru it. They know what they’re doing. One I had was also quite used to being called all sorts of unflattering names. In the end her last words to me were “I told you so”.

    In the meantime peace and joy to you and yours this holiday season.

    BTW. that morphine? It’s a beautiful thing.

  • daedalus says:

    Glad to see you survived surgery. I wish you a speedy recovery,
    John.

  • Chris says:

    Has anyone heard from Dave? He’s been MIA for nearly two weeks which is highly unusual. He’s not answering emails. I’m becoming a bit concerned.

    • Has it been that long? Please forgive me. I just got out of ER once again; but I am really doing rather well, considering. I had cataract surgery this morning, and they didn’t like my heart rate, so they sent me next door to the ER. Groan! I haven’t even checked my e-mail lately! I know I am being irresponsible to cause concern and I will catch up soon. â—„Daveâ–º

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