No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed

I went for my first post-op appointment today and the doctor took out my stitches. Since I was no longer in a drug induced stupor, I was able to ask several questions and then the doctor gave me a print out of the surgical report which says that I have spondylolisthesis and spondylosis L4 and that they did these things.

1. Lumbar laminectomy, L3, L4, and L5.
2. Complete bilateral foraminotomies of L3, L and L5 nerve roots.
3. Discectomy at L3-4,and placement of pedicle screws at L3-4, L5 bilaterally.
4. Placement of interbody disk spacer with fusion bone L3-4
5. Overal reconstruction of spine L3-4 and 5.

So there you go. He said I will be off for two full months, so I'll miss the first week back to school, most likely. He said I can't lift anything over five pounds. I said, how about seven because my nephew weighs about that much. He said no nephews and no small dogs. I said what about big dogs? He inquired what kind. I said, dumb, big dumb dopey dogs. If I knew what Randi and Earl were then I would tell people, but given their lack of AKC papers I'm always at a loss for words. He said whenever I feel like it I can ditch the walker, then the cane, then I can run a marathon. Ok, he said two of those three things. He said no pool for me. He said it's not surprising my back keeps spasming and whenever I feel ready I can drive.

I don't feel ready to drive at all, but I did get the paperwork for a temporary handicapped sticker because I figure if I need people to drive me around I am more likely to get more friends if I have a handicapped sticker.

Bill called and asked how I was spending my days and so here is my daily agenda.

8-9ish: Wake up and waddle to the living room. Watch the Tour de France. Drink coffee with my dad. Wait for my dad to make me breakfast.

9-10ish: Go back to bed. Watch the Tour de France and/or read.

10-12ish: Finish morning reading and Tour de France watching and/or take a nap or read

Noon ish: Waddle to the living room and ask my dad to make lunch.

1:00-3:00ish: Go back to bed. Continue to read and/or watch the Tour de France.

3:00: Get up and ask my dad for some water. Sit up and do something.

4:00-5:30: Go back to bed. Continue to read and/or watch the Tour de France.

5:30-6:00: Get up when my dad says dinner is ready and drink my glass of milk and take my vitamins.

6:00-6:30: Tell my dad I want to go for a walk. Wait for him to finish cleaning up all of my dishes and then go for a walk.

6:30-7:00: 4 house long walk

7:00-10:00: Go back to bed. Continue to read and/or watch the Tour de France or Bravo.

10:00: Take pain pill and go to sleep.

Of course, there are some minor variations like sometimes I don't just watch the Tour de France, I also hold Max or feed Max. And sometimes people come and visit and then I miss reading or I miss a nap. And sometimes I get up and do the computer until I'm too tired to sit up any more, which is usually less than an hour. You can see that my day is just filled up. I hardly have time to do anything.