1 post tagged “bone marrow”
Recovery is a full time job.
After people get over the shock of my sudden injury and the consequential illness the next question they ask is when I will go back to work. My answer is "I don't know, we'll have to see how I am doing"
Injuries that have to heal...hip, back, incisions.
I have to recover from the injury which is specifically a broken back vertebrae L2. I had had three repair surgeries which involved the removal of bone from L2 to T11. Those bones were replaced with cadaver bone, my bone, and a titanium appliance made up of rods screws, and mesh which supports all of it. Keep in mind there are 5 lumbar spine parts which hold up most of the weight of the body and there are twelve thoracic bones. The thoracic parts aren't very mobile because they are hooked to the ribs and protect the spinal cord connections and nerves.
The first surgery I had on July 10th failed because the mesh from the appliance was resting on the screws and not the bone. They did the second and third surgeries to secure my spine. I didn't have much bone to attach anything to so they harvested some from the top of my left hip. They also took bone marrow samples at that time. So in addition to the back surgery my left hip is irritated and injured because of the bone marrow sampling and bone harvesting. When they harvest marrow they use a drill and when they harvest they use a tool that looks like a Dremel that shaves part of the iliac crest or top part of your hip. Orthopedic pain or having to do with a bones is different than muscle or incision pain.
I was also in bed for three weeks. Bedrest is how an injury like this heals but it does some bad things for your body. I have lost muscle in my hips and thighs that I need to walk with the brace. I use a walker, hopefully I will use a cane soon and then eventually walk on my own again. This process should take about a month.
If you've read this far you now know my back and hip
hurt like mofos. I also have some incision irritation. I have two
incisions. One small eight inch incision on my left side and eighteen
inch incision down the middle of my back to my butt. The larger one is
constant contact with whatever I am wearing and that's made worse by
the brace I have to wear.
I wear a TLSO brace or Thoraco-Lumbo-Sacral-Orthosis
brace that fits close to my body. I must wear it every minute I am
supporting any weight on my spine. It is stiff, unyielding and
uncomfortable. It's also fairly ugly. I must wear it for 90 days.
Cancer Treatment
I have to get the okay of the neuro-ortho doc to begin my cancer treatment. I will know tomorrow about that. I will get 15 radiation treatments over a three week period at the Nylen Cancer in Sioux City, then we will see where I am at. The oncologist thinks that this will do it so that will bring us to the end of September. The oncologist also said that he would evaluate me at that time with the neuro-ortho doc and make a determination if I am well enough to work again.
You may ask yourself, "If Maureen can write these long Facebook/Blog messages... she can come to school and teach me" Well, it takes me a long time to write these things and I only have to move to my office chair to do it.
I am also on pain medication which doesn't take away all of the pain all the time. I usually have days when a six out of ten pain level is normal. I can't walk very well. I can't use a regular toilet. It's difficult for me to sit in one place very long. I am not comfortable most of the time.
The main reason is all of the doctors appointments and treatments. This week I had three doctor appointments, three physical therapy appointments. Next week I will add the radiation treatment appointments so I will usually have two doc appointments, an x-ray appointment, three Physical Therapy appointments, and five radiation appointments. I will probably add in an appointment with a counselor cause I am not sure how I am feeling about this whole incurable cancer situation. I know it will be okay but it's still upsetting. I am also weireded out by the fact I cannot do many things for myself. That is so frustrating.
Recovery is a full time job. I think I might have to take a nap now.
I want to go back to school but not before I am done with radiation. I told the doctors I would do what they told me because I want a good result. I never want to go through this type of thing again. I think it's best to recover the right way the first time.
