The procedure went well. But I did not go until 5:15pm. I waited, IV in my arm, from 3pm to 5:15pm, listening to the bone saw or drill or whatever the dude before me was getting done. I've always been the first patient of the day, so I've never actually heard the drill/saw/whatever. It's not really pleasant. It's fine when it's wood or metal. Not when it's vertebrae. Dee scrubbed out from that case, kissed me hello, and scrubbed back in for my case. Weird-ass job she has.
So my surgeon used a x-ray tech and an ultrasound tech to nail down the exact locations. He withdrew 25cc of spinal fluid from between my L4 and L5 nerve root. He probably overestimated it a little at the office visit. He thinks it was somewhere between a golf ball and a tennis ball. Nevertheless, it's enough when it's near your spine. The removal of the fluid collapses the meninges lining (I think I have that right) just like popping a blister. He then injected 15cc of my own blood into the epidural space. The blood moves up and down the space and clots on the puncture that the surgeon made. That might be a little simplistic, but it's how it was explained to me.
So I woke up and did feel a little better. Almost like some pressure is gone in my back and a little less leg pain. Not no pain, but a little less.
Yesterday was bed rest, making sure the blood clot solidified and I didn't dislodge the "scab".
Today I woke up with no headache, so that should mean the clot is holding. I was told I could move around without straining. I walked a little and feel a little better. My biggest issue has been going from a sitting position to a standing position. That caused pain, weakness, and sometimes spasms. I have a sharper, less intense pain in my left leg but I have yet to have weakness.
The next 7-10 days should be telling on what is going to happen. I leave Wednesday for Phoenix for 6 days. After that, I follow up with the surgeon and we'll see how things are going. I'm hopeful that I can start riding at that time. But if he has any doubts, I'll continue to let the bikes hang in the garage.
I finally feel like I'm on the mend and not in purgatory. I've been very reluctant to say that. I still am, somewhat. I'm hopeful that I keep improving from here on out.
I finished Vonnegut's Galapagos. The ending was a little bit of a letdown but overall I enjoyed it. Going to try and get through Red Badge of Courage in Phoenix.
@Glenn is nice enough to do a hitch install Tuesday on the new Jetta, so I'll be ready to go when my body finally is!
