2010 a year in review
01-01-2010 I waited the first 5 months of the year foe a back procedure I have tried to avoid for six years.
My friends Nobi and Deena transported me back and forth from Pre-surgerical appointments to the actual event.
I had my first procedure on May 25th everything went well until a mixture of drugs(fentanyl patch left on) that caused me to turn blue and wind up in the ICU. I had no idea what was going on till someone told me what happened. needless to say I had a tube down my urethra way and was not happy.Nice nurses though helped.
The day between surgeries was one of rest and trying to get to sleep in the awful excuse they call for a bed. I am in this hospital for back surgery I should damn comfortable. I am nervous between procedures. I don't want to challenge the staff again with another critical episode. My stomach really hurts after they opened me up there to graft bone and put it up inside my now empty disc space.
The 27th brings a entirely new challenge my back is as raw as could be and I have epidural linked to my spine and a small metal can where the medial fluid comes from.Finding a comfortable sleeping position is a A-LIST challenge. The urine bag is made contact with by staff on several occasions during it's attachment to me on 26th till it's dramatic removal a few days later.
I get a few calls from friends I had a tough time communicating to some of them without crying telling them how much this really hurts. Of course i got a crank call from my evil ex gf who for years won't leave me alone whether it is calling my number and or harassing emails. Give if up your little baby and move on already it has been 6 years since we broke up. She won't be happy till I am dead.
The staff included a travelling nurse from Tennessee way,asian and a Micheal Jackson post-op sex changer. all were professional and put up with my bullshit. I had to be shifted all to often during this stay at the hospital and even today I still have to seek out a comfortable sleeping six months after the fact.
Trying to walk was difficult because of my blood pressure going up and down rapidly from my laying position which was fairly normal to sitting up where a head rush and a signal of no possible way. I am overcame this via pure will and help and encouragement by the staff. They were wonderful in helping me out.
Eating was tough I was careful not to make myself sick. It didn't make me happy because it was actually pretty nice food for hospital food. My Dr.s would check up on me and they liked my progress enough to let me out on June 1st. I had Dr.s appointment with my pain management Dr. damn that was rough. He had thought i had the procedure one month earlier.
First six weeks home was rough as well no bending no twisting no lifting anything over 5 lbs. I had some strange health care agency out of Hayward,California they would have trainees sent out under supervision to check out my vital and see how my dressings were. I also had a nurse come out and help me take a shower.I needed that help desperately because of our old bath tub size.There was no way I could take a bath. meals had to be made for me and a endless supply of fluids were acquired from the store. By my good friend Don and Nick. i don't know what I would have done for help had I had remained at my old place. A room with no windows for four years. It would had been a night mare.
The rest of the year was all about gaining strength again....
The biggest problem was my stupid house mate having one episode after another of temper tantrums....till this year after we pretty much signaled we are done with him. He will leave this house owing 2,000 in back rent and money for damages which we will never see.
A cleaning party will happen and also we will invite a shit load of people to celebrate our new house. When he moves it will be a Buddhist monastery by comparison.
more later-
Harold Z.
