TMI Health Educator Nurse Gets to Play the Role of Patient

Who’s ready for the update from the TMI Health Educator nurse, who gets to play the role of patient? Let’s go!

The Good:

I had the pleasure of arriving and finding my pre-op nurse was my friend Savannah Arroyo, my surgical nurse was my friend Amber Ferguson, my dayshift nurse on the Orthopedic unit was (and still is) my friend Amy Berkin-Chavez, and my doctor is my friend Schehrezade Khan. Even the IV was inserted by my friend who runs the PICC team, Susan McCann. So friends abound in my care which is great.

And that’s not to mention the most important of all, my friend who actually did the SURGERY, Brian R Gantwerker. He and his great vascular surgeon colleague Dr. Rao were successfully able to enter from the front, remove my damaged disc, and put in a new one made of titanium and plastic.

The Bad:

Well, pain. Pain is expected but pain still obviously sucks. Where’s the pain? Well, in the front where the incision was made (not laparoscopic, so as Adi says, we will share c-section scars), the pain in the back, and the pain in the hips which I suppose are compensating for everything. But again, this is expected, and will improve with time.

The Ugly:

Here’s the TMI part so feel free to stop reading if you’re medical/organ squeamish. But it SUCKED waking up without a catheter and needing to pee! It took hours to get one inserted where 600ml immediately came out, and then when I finally took my first walk this morning with PT and OT, all I could focus on what how painful the catheter was. Yes, every movement was burning my urethra. OUCH. Got it removed, and such relief. BUT… over 5 hours later still no pee, no flatus (aka haven’t passed gas) and my stomach is so distended I look like the exploding fat man in Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. So now a urologist has been called to help, thankfully another trusted friend, Jennifer Linehan. Avoiding narcotics as much as possible because they slow down your motility and make it harder to move gas/bowel/pee, and by not taking narcotics there goes the pain relief…you see the seesaw fun I’m in for. Yay.

But…focusing on the big picture: My back has been damaged at my L4/L5 for 15 years. No idea why but it always was. I’ve managed it for ten years very well without inhibiting me much, but for the past 5 years I’ve stopped all sports, I’ve worked in mild to moderate to severe pain depending on the week, and for the past year I haven’t lifted my own daughter. This is going to change. All of it. I will get through this hospitalization one way or another. I will get through about 6 months of intense physical therapy. And I will get back to work better/stronger than ever, be able to hold my daughter, and start playing softball and tennis again like the old days. These things will and must happen. And that’s great.

In the meantime, thank you for the Whatsapp messages, the social media comments I need to look at, the visit from Jared Rubin today bringing me BBQ Beef sandwiches from Jeff’s, the cool photos of my disc from my awesome Dr. Gantwerker, the meal train that I think is getting nicely filled up, and whoever has opted to watch my educational lecture. All of it, thank you. And wish me luck and continue to keep me in your prayers please, it can’t hurt.