I’m home. 🏠 I had to stay an extra day. Lots of pain. A bit better today. I’m on OxyCodone and Zanaflex. Oh, and Tylenol too — medicine’s cure for pain. 🤬🤬 (I’ll be writing about my pain experiences in the days ahead.) I’m using cannabis too.
Some complications that I hope are temporary. Feet are numb. This should go away, in time. Could be permanent too. When nerves are compressed for as long as mine were, there’s no telling what will happen when you decompress them. Sometimes the damage can’t be reversed.
Biting low back pain is gone, as is awful pain in buttocks, back of legs — all the way to my feet. I still have degenerative spine disease elsewhere, with numerous herniated discs and other damage, but decompressing L4-L5 was necessary unless I wanted permanent paralysis and loss of bowel/bladder control. Come to find out, this was a congenital problem. Always has been lurking in the shadows. It just got worse over time. I first saw a doctor for low back pain at age 20.
Of course, my osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, gastroparesis, and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) remain. These, sadly, are incurable. Regardless, I am glad for whatever relief the surgery provides. My goal was less pain and being able to walk again. So far, I’m on the right path.
Biggest concern? Last few years I’ve had a sweating (Hyperhidrosis) problem that no doctor has been able to figure out. When I fall asleep—no matter the duration—I sweat profusely. I mean soak the clothes, sheets, blanket, pillows wet. My body temp is normal when this is happening. Post surgery? The sweating is much worse. Once I’m up on my feet, I plan to see an endocrinologist. Pretty bad my bedding has to be changed twice a day.
Still waiting to see if bladder/bowels return to normal.
I plan to use my walker to do some walking.🚶Maybe to the post office and back — about 4 blocks. My RN nurse sister thinks that may be too much, too soon, but she knows I’m always right, even when I’m wrong. 🤣🤣 Baby sisters, right? (Yes, my humor is starting to return.)
Thanks for caring. 😘 Your words of kindness and support were/are greatly appreciated. ❤️❤️
PS. The cats 🐈⬛ were all waiting at the door 🚪 for me when I came home. Did they miss me? Or did they just think I had food? 🍲❤️❤️🤣🤣 I know I missed them.
Glad you’re home. Here’s to a good recovery. ❤️
Good to know you no longer have a physical pain in your ass… Just the inescapable Dr bloody Tea.
Best wishes for your recovery.
I’m glad you’re home, Bruce and I’m glad you got relief from your pain.
Cats are wonderful when you are ill or recovering and I’m glad your cats were at the door to greet you.
OK! There’s no pace like home for recovering. Listen to your Sis Bruce. You are more fragile than you feel because painkiller is still in your system. After a couple weeks I was a lot more fragile than when I left the hospital.
Regarding the night sweats, I started having what you describe after my spine surgery. For a couple years I blamed night sweats and chronic debilitating fatigue on the spine surgery. I told people my surgery was a success but now I’m too weary to move and have night sweats. Eventually a smart Doc friend tipped me in confidence that it might just be the vaccinations UCLA Med Center required before they would admit me for the surgery. Apparently Docs can be sanctioned for criticizing vaccination in any way so it had to be confidential. It provoked a lot of study and now I know the vax connection to fatigues and sweats makes sense. Very unlikely spine surgery was causal. Some have bad reactions to vax. On the upside, the fatigue eased up after 7 or8 years. The sweats became less intense but still happen. Hey, any day above the grass is a good one so we are doing OK. Be gentle with yourself for awhile.
I pulled in to Nazareth
Was feeling ’bout half past dead
I just need some place
Where I can lay my head
“Hey, mister, can you tell me
Where a man might find a bed?”
He just grinned and shook my hand
“No” was all he said
Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (And, and)
You put the load right on me.
(The Weight, by the Band)
Oh, Bruce, life. Our hearts are with you.
Great to hear that this should be helping. I have been thinking about you and hoping for the best.
I discovered Bruce’s blog by chance a few months ago. It makes for very interesting reading and of course, I’ve been following about your health problems too. Good you are okay and best wishes from England.
Hey Bruce, I’m really pleased to hear the surgery went well! Life is what it is. Your tenacity is amazing!
Hang in there Bruce! It’s adorable that the cats were waiting for you.
Good to hear from you. Like your Sis, and also a former RN, sometimes less is more. 🙂 Take it easy.
I am glad to hear surgery went well and wish you a very fast recovery! The cats were happy to see you whether they will admit it or not. They pretend it’s all about food but it isn’t. 😆
So glad you’re home and on the mend! Sending lots of love from the UK!
Glad to hear everything went well.
Our cat 🐈⬛ is always waiting by the door. I heard a podcast story about a study about cats somehow knowing when their owners (and not just random people) were close to the front door of the house or apartment.
Glad to know you’re home and recovering. Progress is good. Take it easy and let the body do what it can.
Scott
So glad to hear from you. I didn’t want to message Polly and bug her, figuring she had enough going on without answering messages from internet strangers, but I was thinking of you. Not praying. Hope that what you’ve gone through with this surgery will have the intended result.
I’m glad you’re in less pain. I hope you continue to recuperate and can get out with Polly for more drives and nice dinners.
PS–of course the cats missed you.
Sending love. I hope your recovery is as smooth and easy as possible.
Pleased to hear your surgery went well and you are already seeing improvements. Take it easy and don’t over do it with the walking. I used to have terrible night sweats for years till I was diagnosed and treated for several tick bite infections. From what I have heard hormone insufficiency and hypoglycemia can also cause it. And these new fangled memory foam covered mattresses they make nowadays makes it even worse because they hold in the bodyheat. Hope you feel better each day till you are free from all the pain and nerve issues.
I am so glad you are home, Bruce!
I had to chuckle when you mentioned your cats. When I had surgery, and any other time I’ve been away from home for more than a night, my cat(s) have been at the door when I returned. I had the same thought: Did they miss me—or think I came bearing a treat or toy.
Welcome back!❤️
It’s nice to hear that you are home and recovering your health and your sense of humor! I hope you feel better and better.
Glad you’re home and the surgery went well! I have had three major back surgeries and I am recovering from one of them now. So I can really relate to your issues. I will be beseeching the Magic Sky Man in your behalf for a speedy recovery! Glory!
Happy Saturday,Bruce, it’s great to hear from you. You know, cars arr more cognizant than they get credit for, and yes, they knew you were going through something , and could hardly wait to see YOU. They are part of the family unit,and of course they know it. I found out that it only takes one parent to inherit hyperhidrosis. My mother and brother had it big time, from HER father. I’m not surprised to hear that vaccines can sometimes aggravate a condition. And here in Los Angeles, you couldn’t get inside many government buildings without proof of vaccination. I had to do that before I could go to the morgue to retrieve my late friend’s body. My immune system was already buggered because of inflammation biomarkers, and the Pfizer series kicked my fat butt ! When you’re up to it, maybe your doctor can see about treatments for calming inflammation triggers. Your medical plan may have things that they send to patients through their catalog,and this pedal thing to increase circulation while sitting or laying down,( like the Cubi advertised on TV)helps with that. Exercise without putting pressure on bones and joints. I was looking at the library magazines yesterday,and vaccines for cancer are coming online soon. I had no idea that was a thing yet. Genes as medicine, and I’m all for it. To hear that you’re improving at home already is fantastic news ! You’ve made our day !
I’m so glad it went well! I hope everything improves as much as it possibly can.
I’m glad to hear your surgery went well and you’re already having some pain relief. The cannabis should really help. I had a friend who used it with great success during cancer treatments for pain, nausea and sleep!
Glad to hear you are home. I hope,your recovery goes well and gives you the relief you desire.
Let’s just assume the cats like you. All that other stuff is just a bonus to them.
Like all of your faithful readers I’m glad you’re through the surgery and look forward to your continued recovery. I’m also thankful we don’t have to endure countless praying for you comments and folded hands emojis
Bruce, I am so happy to hear you got through your surgery successfully. Heal up fast! ☘️☘️☘️
Hi Bruce! I’m so glad you’re back home and on the road to recovery. That’s funny about the cats, they are happy to see you…and yeah, they expect treats too.
Jim and I have been thinking of you. Appreciate the update.
You know nothing about pain…. Yet. 😭
Praying for you to be saved.
RF, others have that privilege when it comes to praying. No one needs a reminder from YOU of all people!
Revival Liars this is a terrible thing to say to someone, but I’m sure you already know that. What a great way to show the presence of Christ. That’s sarcasm in case that went over your head. You’re a jackass trying to represent Jesus, and I think you’re the one that needs prayers said on their behalf.
RF, there is no need to be a jerk for Jesus. Have you nothing better to do with your time?
Best pray for yourself Revival.
Fuck you, Dumpster Fire, and fuck the Holy Spook too. You’re a textbook case of all that’s wrong with ChristInsanity.
Happy to hear you are recovering well, and I hope they can figure out the hyperhydrosis. Sometimes it can be a sign of other illness, but in your case, I hope It isn’t.
Take an internet break, and look what happens–one of the people I care about has surgery while I’m gone! I hope you’re feeling better by today, Bruce, and that the numbness, as well as the pain, is lessened. It’s OK to push yourself, but not over the edge. Listen to your baby sister.
Of course the cats missed you. They are creatures of routine, and you’re part of it. Pet the kitties! Take care, Bruce.
The American Medical system is a special kind of hell. Once it has you in its grasp, it will never let you got until it wrings every last cent from your corpse. Don’t let these assholes get the last word on you, Mr. Gerencser. They don’t give a shit about your hell. They want you to die.
There is no objective truth in Western civilization. Only the rule of power is what remains under its seemingly benevolent façade hiding the face of a snarling wolf.
I’d move to Russia if it were possible. At least, the country is run by sane human beings who actually represent their people as opposed to America where supposedly elected officials all represent corporate power, big woke education, Wall Street, Hollywood, and the Military Industry.
Places like California are rapidly setting the stage to become the worst tyrannies on the planet
Sorry Elliot, but Western Civilisation is based on truth, albeit naysayers like yourself trying to undermine it. If you like Russia so much then why not bugger off and live there. Nobody here would miss you.
Hello, Elliot. I see your comment about Russia there, and having one Russian parent I have to weigh in. I do agree that in most respects the American medical system is lousy. Greed rules, along with the politics involved. It’s overrated, and needs improvement, especially when it comes to research ! And as long as the AMA and the FDA can be bribed by corrupt politicians, and people don’t bother to object, they get away with it. The West has been infested with people who want to ruin it, like the Neoliberals who took out the Kennedy brothers and MLK. Then on with Reagan, Bushes, Clinton and Trump. It’s almost unrecognizable now. All the more reason to do one’s own research on things, like Project 2025, which will end any affordable medical care. I wish that I could agree with you about Russia being run by sane people, something we NEVER had going for us ! All that Eastern patriarchy, you know. The Tsars, the Khans, then the Commies. And Putin is really going after Russian-American visitors and returnees with a vengeance ! Besides having US hostages to bargain with, he makes a frightening example of dealing with” runaways,” which we ARE. Putin is a nationalist- Communist hybrid. He’s also quite corrupt. Workers don’t have rights. If he truly represented average Russians, he’d do what is done in Scandinavian countries. A great standard of living, good pay for jobs, care for the environment, cops can’t murders or beat people, the FSB gone. Clean up our environmental damage from the Communist era at least, rights for women, kids, pets. He COULD do that, but like Yeltsin, he didn’t. Tradition over logic. That said, I was born and raised in Southern California, and I’m old enough to recall the changes, mostly bad, since 1980. Ugh ! Talk about Hollywood, Wall St., effed-up education(bad families and lousy school officials wrecked that)corporations given too much power, thank Lewis Powell Jr, his memo of 1971-that all should download, and Nixon, for that one ! Ditto Eisenhower’s warning about the military industrial complex. Nailed it-but BOTH parties are to blame for this California tyranny that I live with daily. Only this year has any attention been paid to housing costs causing homelessness. I blame the Dems/ Reps, and real estate cronies for the homeless crisis that kicked in, around 1980. Cali actually looks like Crimea in some ways, like Malibu and Orange County beaches. Russia COULD be Heaven on Earth, if the right people were in charge. That goes for America too.