yeah, it's me
Ok, so yeah. I know I haven't been around at all in about 3 months. Here's the short version of what you missed.
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I had an episode on October 12, which put me in the ER. Turns out I had one mild herniated disc (L4/L5), and one exploded disc (L5/S1). The result was excruciating back and sciatic pain down my left leg, and what wasn't in pain along my left leg was numb--J was calling me Peg-Leg Pete because it was like "step-thump, step-thump" when I walked. You know how if you sit cross-legged for too long, one of your legs will go to sleep from the hip down? Yeah, it was like that. So I've been home out of work on disability since Columbus Day weekend.
My first surgery date didn't happen, due to my GP being a fucking moron. She didn't do bloodwork right the first time, her admin is completely incompetent and was faxing clearance forms to the hospital instead of the surgeon's office, just complete fucking idiocy. My actual surgery took place on Dec. 9, not too terrible. Had it that afternoon, was out of the hospital at noon the next day. I walked (ok, limped) out of the hospital under my own power. Sore, groggy, still numb down the left leg.
I was home a week when I had to have one of our kitties, Gwen, put down. She was 8, suffering from chronic kidney failure. She was diagnosed over the summer, rallied at the time, and went downhill so fast in December there was nothing to do. She was a sweet, gentle, funny cat and I miss her like hell. Going to the vet that morning was one of the most horrible things I've ever had to do.
I was out of work another 6 weeks after surgery, and was not allowed to do pretty much anything but lay around and go stir-crazy. I didn't even get cleared to start physical therapy until this week. I also started back to work this week. I am, however, home today--it's snowing like a bitch, it's supposed to turn over to ice later, and I live in terror of slipping and falling and re-injuring myself.
My scar is healing up nicely. I still have numbness on the outside of my calf, my ankle, heel, and the outside of my left foot. I have back pain, but less sciatica. I'm maybe 40% better than I was before surgery. The surgeon and therapist insist that I will be much better at the end of 6 weeks of physical therapy. We'll see--I hope so. Work has been a less difficult transition than I'd feared--I'd been home vegetating for over 3 months, after all. I get sore, I get tired, I have to get up and walk around every half hour or I get stiff and more sore. We got a new bed, so that seems to be helping a bit--at least I sleep like the dead.
The kitten, Ellie, is 6 months old now. She was spayed last week, and still has a shaved little belly. She's back to romping around like a monkey, so she's back to feeling fine--she sleeps under the covers with me when I'm home from work. It's hella cold up here, and we keep the heat kicked back cuz it's damn expensive, so if I'm reading, quilting or watching TV (or working on my laptop), I'm under the covers in bed.
Beyond that, things are mostly not as shitty as 2008 closed out. J is good, my family's pretty much ok.
Time for more coffee, and watching the snow fall. :) Missed y'all.
.
I had an episode on October 12, which put me in the ER. Turns out I had one mild herniated disc (L4/L5), and one exploded disc (L5/S1). The result was excruciating back and sciatic pain down my left leg, and what wasn't in pain along my left leg was numb--J was calling me Peg-Leg Pete because it was like "step-thump, step-thump" when I walked. You know how if you sit cross-legged for too long, one of your legs will go to sleep from the hip down? Yeah, it was like that. So I've been home out of work on disability since Columbus Day weekend.
My first surgery date didn't happen, due to my GP being a fucking moron. She didn't do bloodwork right the first time, her admin is completely incompetent and was faxing clearance forms to the hospital instead of the surgeon's office, just complete fucking idiocy. My actual surgery took place on Dec. 9, not too terrible. Had it that afternoon, was out of the hospital at noon the next day. I walked (ok, limped) out of the hospital under my own power. Sore, groggy, still numb down the left leg.
I was home a week when I had to have one of our kitties, Gwen, put down. She was 8, suffering from chronic kidney failure. She was diagnosed over the summer, rallied at the time, and went downhill so fast in December there was nothing to do. She was a sweet, gentle, funny cat and I miss her like hell. Going to the vet that morning was one of the most horrible things I've ever had to do.
I was out of work another 6 weeks after surgery, and was not allowed to do pretty much anything but lay around and go stir-crazy. I didn't even get cleared to start physical therapy until this week. I also started back to work this week. I am, however, home today--it's snowing like a bitch, it's supposed to turn over to ice later, and I live in terror of slipping and falling and re-injuring myself.
My scar is healing up nicely. I still have numbness on the outside of my calf, my ankle, heel, and the outside of my left foot. I have back pain, but less sciatica. I'm maybe 40% better than I was before surgery. The surgeon and therapist insist that I will be much better at the end of 6 weeks of physical therapy. We'll see--I hope so. Work has been a less difficult transition than I'd feared--I'd been home vegetating for over 3 months, after all. I get sore, I get tired, I have to get up and walk around every half hour or I get stiff and more sore. We got a new bed, so that seems to be helping a bit--at least I sleep like the dead.
The kitten, Ellie, is 6 months old now. She was spayed last week, and still has a shaved little belly. She's back to romping around like a monkey, so she's back to feeling fine--she sleeps under the covers with me when I'm home from work. It's hella cold up here, and we keep the heat kicked back cuz it's damn expensive, so if I'm reading, quilting or watching TV (or working on my laptop), I'm under the covers in bed.
Beyond that, things are mostly not as shitty as 2008 closed out. J is good, my family's pretty much ok.
Time for more coffee, and watching the snow fall. :) Missed y'all.