Quote Originally Posted by phesina View Post
Right, no BLT...

Pom, did you do any rehab at all, or you went straight home, didn't you, since you had family to go home to. Did you have PT and OT and stuff to do?

Did you have any extended time incision draining?

Pat
Hi Pat...

I was sorry to read that things didn't go quite as smoothly for you as they did for me -- but every patient has different outcomes on the same procedure. Gretchen sailed right thru her hip replacement, while my BIL had life threatening complications that could have cost him his leg - or even his life. After a 2nd surgery 2 or 3 weeks after the first, to go in and clean everything out, he is home and on the road to recovery. It was touch and go for a while tho.

I had a lot more draining on the 2nd procedure than I did the first time, but they pulled the drain anyway after 3 days. Didn't seem to have any ill effects, but then a month after the surgery, I had that torn fascia and the spinal fluid leak that caused my back all along the incision, to look like Spongebob. With the lumbar compression brace, it squished most of it back into my system and was just absorbed naturally. I got some nerve irritation from the brace and can't wear it any longer, so I look like I have a bicycle tire around my waist from the fluid that didn't dissipate and just changed location but it's nothing drastic and may go away on it's own eventually. Certainly doesn't need to be manually drained.

I didn't do rehab - went straight home after 3 days in the hospital. Of course I had all the "normal" restrictions,, and doc encouraged me to walk-walk-walk. No PT or OT thank goodness, since I had that for months and after being in rehab for 2 weeks, after the cervical spine surgery in 2006 - The Year From Hell.

So I'm pretty much back to normal, and don't have to see my surgeon again till November. I think I may ask him for a PT order tho, since the strength hasn't come back in my legs, to the point I would like it to be. He left the option of PT up to me - if I wanted it or felt I needed it- and of course I didn't at the time. Looks like I need to change my mind on that one.

Thinking of you,, and hoping you get to go home very soon. Just take it slow and don't overdo when you get there.. Keep me posted on your progress.

{{{Hugs}}} my friend - and Wolfy sends doggie kisses too.

Oh - when you get a minute - go to Cat General and check out my thread of "Squirrel Tails". Had to introduce the kids to PT - finally.