Artificial Disc Replacement Surgery | Part 6 of 12

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After waking up from the anesthesia and immediately feeling the new stability in my spine, I also noticed the problem area of my back was no longer tender to the touch. Specifically, the area of my first back surgery. I figured the area would be more tender, but this also proves the immediate relief the surgery had on my spine and stability.

Week 2 – Monday

My first full day home with a new disc and I felt like a million bucks, no joke. Being in a place where my normal everyday life was pain ridden, it was definitely odd to feel pain free. I looked around and wanted to do all the things I had been neglecting due to my pain. However, I didn’t quite have the energy I needed to do everything just yet. I was able to get dressed and go out to lunch and run a few errands, but after about 3 hours I needed to go home to rest. I remember feeling frustrated, but also hopeful I would gradually gain more strength.

Tuesday

One week post op (7 days) and my birthday! I got dressed and my brother took me to the grocery store to get my favorite goodies to celebrate my birthday later that evening. Again I didn’t have much energy or strength, so after about 3 hours I needed to rest. Usually that would be the end of my day, but it was my birthday so I pushed myself a little more than I normally would. I went shopping with a friend and then socialized with more friends and family while celebrating both my birthday and my surgery! I felt pretty good, but still fragile and slow. Pre-surgery, a day like today guaranteed I would have pain the following day. I remember going to bed so grateful because I felt different and knew I wouldn’t be hurting in the morning. I think this is the day I realized the surgery had truly changed my life, what a great birthday present!

Wednesday

I woke up feeling solid..not quite a million bucks, maybe just half a million. I think I was just tired and low energy, but pain levels were the same. Up until yesterday, I had planned every detail and day since surgery, so it was nice not to have a plan and know I could just rest and continue to allow my body to fully heal.

Thursday – Monday

I don’t remember doing much these days other than taking pain pills, a little bit of walking, and trying to rest as much as possible. When a broken bone heals in a cast, it is immovable. Healing an area like the back is a little tricky because it is so hard to keep your back completely still all the time. That is why it was so important to stay still and not bend, lift, or twist. Consciously trying to ‘not move’ was the hardest part about post surgery life. When I did too much moving one day, I felt tingling down my calves and the bottoms of my feet as a consequence.

Week 3 – Tuesday (14 days/2 weeks post op)

Today I had a check up with my primary care physician and my first physical therapy appointment.

Primary Care Physician – Dr Rohani

He checked my incision and told me it is fully healed. He gave me a few precautions that matched the precautions from the surgeons in Texas. No bending, lifting, or twisting. He was concerned about my incision healing with lumps if I didn’t follow the precautions. Lumps? No thank you! He was also the one to recommend my physical therapist due to their special experience treating back and spine issues.

Physical Therapy –Performance Physical Therapy

After an initial consultation, they outlined the plan. Every session would begin with 15 minutes on the TENS machine, followed by a 15 minute massage on my back, then wound healing, and when I was able to move more easily I would head to the gym area for glute strengthening and other movements to gain my strength and get my body moving again.

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Photos by Devin Bendixen

For my next and final surgery post, I’ll be sharing my physical therapy progressions, new workout routine, and the extra precautions I’ve been taking in my workouts. Thank you so much for reading, sharing your stories with me, and following me on this journey. Please let me know if you have any questions about my surgery or recovery, I’d love to hear from you!

If you’d like to continue reading, I’ve linked each post here:

Previous Posts: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5