Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Day 24 Post L4 L5 S1 Spinal Fusion Checkup

Today was my first follow up with my Neurological Surgeon Dr Gregory Balturshot.  I was kinda hoping we would get to take X-rays and see my cool looking new titanium spine but he said he won't do that till the next appointment which will be July 28th. He asked how things were and I did tell him I hate to say because I don't wanna jinx things like the last time.  I told him that the area just about my butt but below the lower back all the way across still had a tenderness type pain that is best described as a burning.... I also have that same pain on the left side of the incision and I can feel it there more when I pull open a door, pick up a plate something weighted but not near 5-10 pounds which is my limit for lifting. It feels like muscular pain and he said that will go away.  I also told him my right hip had some sharp pains in the rear and he explained this could be from where my spine is not stabilized and my walking gait may have me kinda walking crooked...like one leg is slightly longer or shorter then the other but in time it will all get strong again and be fine. I then told him I feel best while I am walking and told him during the week of post surgery day 16-22 I walked 56 miles with the 3 previous days before my appointment I was doing a little over 10 each day. This is not at one time...this is spread out through the day and my longest walk is about 4 miles. He said he knew I would do well with this procedure and said as long as the walking is not hurting any and when I get tired I stop that I can continue. So then I asked....since I am a goal oriented person and while walking the couple days before I thought...hmmm wonder if he will let me try to walk a half marathon 13.1 miles each day but of course spread out throughout the day. He said YES!!! BUT....if it hurts don't push and if i get tired STOP! I agreed. Since I can't work because I am a gym owner and teach class and train clients and there is absolutely NO BLT...bending lifting twisting....which this is one abbreviation I would like to change because when I hear that I just want a bacon lettuce and tomato sandwich!  I was also told I was allowed to swim and pool jog...but no EFX yet. I could try the indoor bike but if the push and pull of the legs bother me I should stop.
So today is actually day 25 and I started my goal of trying to do a half marathon each day and the pool is open on Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays so today I was also going to try the pool. I go up and did my first morning walk....I am finding that around mile 2 ish that my feet and legs start to kinda ache....an ache that I felt after running my 100 miler. Once I stop and chill for a few then Im fine. I walked a little over 3 then went to the pool. I tried some laps and only did 250 meters because it made that area of my right hip hurt. I then decided to do some pool jogging and did a little in shallow and even though it takes some impact off I found I didn't want even that little bit of extra impact on my back so I took it to deep water running as well as frog kicks, flutter kicks and outward frog kicks so that I could work on some leg muscles that had not been worked. I did high knees I did heel to my rear and it all felt great! I then went to the swim blocks and did some pull ups and one arm pull ups just to have some upper body while even though I was lifting my body the water kept all the strains off my back. Since there is no impact with deep water aqua jogging my garmin won't pick up the distance but I stayed active in the pool for a little over 45 minutes. As soon as I was done Heather met me for my second walk of the day. Same thing here I noticed my feet and legs getting achy and we sat down on some stone under a tree for a bit and just let things calm down.
A couple hours later I was meeting Jackie for a walk and this time I decided instead of wearing socks and my hokas or asics I was going to wear no socks and my keen sandals....believe it or not we walked a little over 4 miles and my feet and legs didn't bother me at all. Im wondering if maybe where the nerves were so traumatized and they are trying to heel if the socks and the shoes keep them from breathing??? I don't know but Im going to walk in my Keen sandals in the morning and see if it feels ok again.  I did get my 13.1 miles in walking plus the 45 min in the pool which I would assume would be atleast another 2 miles...but my head had to see at least 13.1 on my garmin today - OCD - The pool is closed friday for the holiday but back open on monday so I will return. I may not be as obsessed and depending on how long I'm jogging in the pool maybe i will count it like a 20 ish min mile and allow it to count towards my 13.1.