Surgery is not fun!

[Purpura]

Dr. Purpura here, I concur with the other doctors on this thread. When you're getting sleepy before the operation, imagine yourself here at Disneyland, or down at WDW or EPCOT, and have some wonderful dreams. Ride an ECV and take down some SGs wearing Heelies! Dream Security will cheer you on, though the real security wouldn't...

You'll be in my prayers...

[I LUV Chip]

Here Here! You'll be fine Susi. I've had three surgeries, 2 C-sections and a pinched nerve in my elbow moved, and I didn't have a single problem.

My thoughts will be with you! Have a great time at WDW!

[February]

First of all, Susi I am sorry that you have been given this diagnosis *gentle hug* I have DDD myself and seeing the damage to your spine on the MRI right before you is quite a shocker, I know *hug*. But you will get through this!

Whenever I have to go into an MRI tube, I imagine, as soon as they slide the drawer shut, that I am walking down Main Street. I think about the sounds, the sights, the smell of the Popcorn and cotton candy.

I imagine every facet that I can remember from walking through the parks at regular height when I was healthier (I have needed a chair for the parks since I was seventeen)- and before I know it, the MRIs are over. I've done the same thing when waiting to go under for something. it helps me, maybe it'll help you too.

You'll have lots of fresh material in your mind to focus on when the anesthesia is kicking in. Definitely do talk to them about your concerns prior to surgery so they can be very watchful!

I must concur with Dr. Hobie's prescription- now that you know what lies ahead, try with all your might to focus on your trip and distract yourself. Just be sure that you have your days planned out to allow for rest periods even though you are using an ECV- even in a chair I find the bumping over curbs and such will make my back act up and transferring to and from rides is stressful on your joints- so just listen to your body and if it's time to go back to the room to rest- do it. You have a nice long trip planned, and you must pace yourself to get the most out of it- even if it feels like you're going at a really slow pace. Trust me on this.

Bru

[Princess Susi]

Thnak you all so much for your encouraging words! It does help!
Ralph's anesthesiologist fell asleep during the surgery and could not monitor Ralph while catching some zzzzzzzzzzzzz...'s! That was a terrible experience! USA Today did an article on December4th, 2007 about waking during surgery. I guess enough people had it happen to warrant a study!
It freaked me out. They said th study showed 30,000 people a year wake up during surgery! That's a lot, but I know how many millions of surgeries must be going on. Thye said judging anesthesia is a little bit science and a lot of art. Judging how much to give a particular patient is an art I guess, Everyone needs a different amount. I know from my vet syudies that we used to figure out the flow rate of gas by doing a bit of medical math according to the weight and length of surgery, (estimated of course) and type of meds used and if the patient was already on any opiates or other drugs that could interfere or make the anesthetics more powerful. I know thety are trained and I have never had a problem with my other surgeries.

So I guess it is a little of being nervous about that, but more about being afraid of surgery and being cut in general. Your body is NEVER the same again. The body as a whole is a great organism and when one thing gets cut it does affect the rest.

I believe in chi and the power of the chakras and I know that back surgery can block chi and chakras and do a lot to the energy flow in the spine which is the center of the body. Everything else flows from this center.
So I am nervous about the energy flow and my chi (which is not in the greatest strength now with the pain and damage to part of the spine.) Maybe the metal in the new disks will act as a great conductor for the chi! hehehe... ;)

I am nervous about the blockage of the chakras and the chi not being able to flow well. I have studied these Chinese and new age beliefs for a while (since the 1980's) and there is something to it. The Chinese have been practicing some form of medicine for over 5000 yrs, so there HAS to be something to it. They talk alot of chi and how disturbances in it will throw your entire body and energy off. Well, that is true. My back in the shape it is in, definitely has problems with chi moving through the spine. Like I said, maybe this will help move the chi better, though a foreign object and cuts to the spine can damage that flow....I am not a new age kook! So there! :p:

I just have followed some of the interesting changes in new age thinking and how Chinese medicine, yoga and beliefs are integrated into new ways of looking at the body as a whole organism, instead of treating just parts of it.

sues

[Princess Susi]

First of all, Susi I am sorry that you have been given this diagnosis *gentle hug* I have DDD myself and seeing the damage to your spine on the MRI right before you is quite a shocker, I know *hug*. But you will get through this!

Whenever I have to go into an MRI tube, I imagine, as soon as they slide the drawer shut, that I am walking down Main Street. I think about the sounds, the sights, the smell of the Popcorn and cotton candy.

I imagine every facet that I can remember from walking through the parks at regular height when I was healthier (I have needed a chair for the parks since I was seventeen)- and before I know it, the MRIs are over. I've done the same thing when waiting to go under for something. it helps me, maybe it'll help you too.

You'll have lots of fresh material in your mind to focus on when the anesthesia is kicking in. Definitely do talk to them about your concerns prior to surgery so they can be very watchful!

I must concur with Dr. Hobie's prescription- now that you know what lies ahead, try with all your might to focus on your trip and distract yourself. Just be sure that you have your days planned out to allow for rest periods even though you are using an ECV- even in a chair I find the bumping over curbs and such will make my back act up and transferring to and from rides is stressful on your joints- so just listen to your body and if it's time to go back to the room to rest- do it. You have a nice long trip planned, and you must pace yourself to get the most out of it- even if it feels like you're going at a really slow pace. Trust me on this.

Bru

Thanks so much Bru...you do understand and anyone who has been through it knows what it is like. It changes you as a person. I have been more depressed and not myself for a long while now.

Disney trips always take my mind off the pain and depression. How can one be unhappy at Disney Parks? It really is better when I am there. I have my moments, but overall a trip to Disney is a great cure for what ails ya! :)

This last trip to DL did me in. I did not have as much strength and I was tired and in more pain than usual. Thus the increase in my Rx for more Morphine until the surgery. Once I am out of surgery, I wonder, will I need drugs still? Will I have so little pain, I can get off them? I am hoping for the latter. To live drug free would be a blessing, but I am preparing myself for the possibility that I may need pills the rest of my life. And that maybe more disks will go...

That is good to think...I WILL have lots of fresh memeories to think of as I am going under and maybe I will think of Goofy tickling my feet as well! I love Goofy ya know... :goofy2: Then again I might end up thinking of this.... :cooper: hehehehehe....

I can get through anything, especially with Ralphie by my side and friends like I have here...I just MISS jogging and exercise and just being able to get up and walk somewhere. It sucks and I miss all of it so badly. I try not to feel sorry for myself, but sometimes when I am lying in bed at 3PM because I can't move or even sit in a chair and to do so would be sheer torture, I do feel a little pissed that this happened and I am sad I can never do the things I used to. I just want it to magically go away and to be who I was 10 years ago. I had no pain, not like this. A little twinge now and then, which was probably a warning that I ignored.

Thanks for understanding and KNOWING what is like. I am sorry you are in the position to know what it is like. I wish we all could by some miracle, be well and whole again. But I count you as one of my blessings.

I count my friends here as my family and my dearest friends. For if it had not been for all of you these past months I would have no one to call friend. I can't go out and meet people and I have no friends here in Colorado. I talk to people through the computer. I am so glad that I found SGT because many of the other sites don't have people like you all here. I can't seem to get to know other people at other sites as well as I do here. It is because we are so real here and up front with each other. Bless you all!
I have to run to the hairdressers now. Then off to do errands and then back here to lie down and rest a while before starting my tee shirts! :)
I'll post more later or tomorrow!
love to you all! :)

Susi

[Zazu]

Ride an ECV and take down some SGs wearing Heelies! Dream Security will cheer you on, though the real security wouldn't....

At least, not out loud....

[Princess Susi]

Zazu...that's funny...hehehe...

I did a bit of research online last night and found a plethora (I LOVE that word! :D: ) of info about DDD. It is amazing that such a small area in the body can cause so much pain. It really is such a small space in the spine, but that one little cushion allows for free movement of the back.

There are so many interesting factors about the anatomy of the spine. The crux of what I read about DDD is that it IS genetic, (THANKS mom, she had a diskectomy back in the 1940's YIKES! THAT had to brutal surgery back then!!!! ) and it can be several other things as well that cause the pain. There are two main causes. The first is the disc itself breaking apart and losing the fluid and drying out. The second was kind of interesting to me as someone who is fascinated with medicine and anatomy. It can be the fluid within the disk itself that leaks out and soaks the nerve and that causes the nerve to inflame and that causes a great deal of pain. It was fascinating to read and look at the diagrams and pictures of the spine to compare a healthy one with a messed up one. After seeing my own MRI the other day, I can see that my disc is flat. And the problem is that the two disks above the really bad one are showing signs of flattening. BUT, I think that this surgery is going to help! After looking at the information and realizing what exactly they are going to go in and do, it should provide a great deal of relief!
Thanks again to all of you for your encouraging words! I still think that we should have a SGT meet at the hospital in the recovery room, hey I'll share my drugs (hehehe J/K) and we can give the nurses a hard time! I know hobie and GP and drcorey would LOVE that! hehehe


Anyhoo, one day to go til we leave for WDW and THAT is what is on my mind today! Gotta finish up the last little tasks like setting the light timers and finish packing, and finish the last of the tee-shirts. Then I am READY to go!!!!!!!
I am so looking forward to meeting all of the wonderful WDW CMs next week and the week after. YAY! WDW HERE WE COME!!!!!!!

susi

[hobie16]

...and we can give the nurses a hard time! I know hobie and GP and drcorey would LOVE that!

Don't be messin' with the nurses. Who else is gonna keep me in line?

[Princess Susi]

You likey the nurses, hobie? Oh Disney moooooooooom! Hobie likes nurses! :twisted:

[hobie16]

You likey the nurses, hobie? Oh Disney moooooooooom! Hobie likes nurses! :twisted:

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!