Category: Sciatica (Page 4 of 4)
Whining is never becoming, but six months ago, I ran for the last time then laid on the operating table and spent 9-days in the hospital. I quite honestly felt I should be fully recovered by now, but I’m far from it. It goes back to a statement I heard from a neighbor but didn’t necessarily believe, “the surgeon’s knife is a year long.” I felt that I was in decent shape for a 72-year-old, who had never had major surgery. My blood tests proved “perfect,” but good cholesterol has always been a concern. The doctors confirmed that there were no obstructions in my blood vessels, but I needed a new aortic valve, along with repairs to both my aortic roots and an aneurysm fix. It took two consecutive days. Beforehand, I had no related symptoms but the correlation with “time bomb” was used all too frequently. Thankfully, I’ve been diffused!
Six months have slowly passed, and I have to sit on an ice bag every morning to ease the pain in my spine. I’m still not sure how this is related, or it may not be, but my sciatic nerve is angry. It started in my left thigh and calf, and with chiropractic treatment, moved into my lower back. Now, it’s moved again to the side of my leg, hampering my ability to walk without discomfort. First thing in the morning, it can be painfully debilitating. I’ve tried to cut back on Advil and make the switch to Tylenol, to relieve some of the water retention that causes my feet and ankles to swell. Medication adjustments have been made for this excess fluid issue in addition to countering bouts of dizziness or unsteadiness. I’m taking over 15 pills/vitamins a day, plus eye drops for my recent cataract surgery, and have to wear funky sunglasses. Old age sucks!
I don’t seem to be getting stronger, but I keep working out every day without fail. Seemingly small tasks make me breathless, especially when I’m outdoors in the Florida heat and humidity. I began to increase my walking distances once I came home from the hospital, initially aided by my new friend, “Sky Walker.” This continued through our Cross-Atlantic cruise, but then cramps, Charlie Horses, and lower-back pain began to seize my left leg. This comes and goes but has destroyed my walking confidence. Stretching at intervals seems to help and I’ve restarted my once-a-week Chair Yoga classes for more flexibility and balance. I go to the fitness center every day but would like to walk there and back. Instead, I rely on the treadmill where I can lean on the siderails and take pressure off my back. I do not have trouble with the stationary bike, rowing machine, or weights.
Weight gain seems to have stabilized, but I’m still about 10-pounds heavy. Gym work makes me hungry, while daily running tended to curb my appetite. I do sit around a lot these days watching TV, writing, reading, and snacking. I wish I felt like being more active. Cataract surgery, one eye at a time, has restricted my pool usage, but at least I can do some yard work, lug my own suitcases, and bring in the UPS packages. I have discovered a hernia around the bottom of my chest incision, but it isn’t painful, and the doctor feels like we should wait to see what measures need to be taken. It is annoying when I cough or sneeze and please don’t make me laugh too hard!
The muscles in my upper chest are still stiffly sore around where my breastbone was severed, as well as in my upper arms. It may be from overworking on the rowing and weight machines. My wife stresses to keep me workouts limited to one-hour, but I’m frustrated with my recovery time and tend to push that a bit. Even a simple matter like rolling over in bed is still not easy. Tossing and turning is the norm complicated by frequent trips to the john. Oh, to have the bladder and stamina of a teenage stud once again!
One thing tends to lead to another. This year has certainly been a medical nightmare, with visits to the Neurologist and Urologist yet to come. I continue to work with my Chiropractor on what he calls “the bypass-sciatica issue.” Electrical stimulation, ice, massage, and “the stretching rack” are included in the treatments. My left knee is also sore from compensating for my right leg pain, so I occasionally wear a compression brace. All in all, I’m a mess from head to toe!
Twenty-one weeks have come to pass since surgery with the only remaining indications being a long scar and some mild tenderness in my chest. The gym is restoring some of my strength, but I miss the ability to simply lace up my tennis shoes and hit the streets. The chiropractor has diagnosed my leg issues as bypass sciatica and the treatments continue. I have been finally able to surpass the mile mark on the treadmill with only mild discomfort. As we prepare to be on the road the next ten days, my home exercise routines will be on hold. I know there’s a gym at the Marriott Vacation Club and workout equipment in Porland, but I’m hoping to get in several miles of walking each day. The benches at Disney World will undoubtedly become my new friend.
I have a couple of birthday poems that I need to write on the plane ride. One will be an update from this tribute 30-years ago:
“Who’s Zoomin’ Who” became our theme,
“Four Asses,” we were quite a team.
Was wearing tights a real-life scheme?
Or was it just a silly dream?
We once turned on your garden hose,
And dove for Dickel, legend goes.
We Dickeled too much, I suppose,
Cause Doug blew noodles through his nose.
Tim, you’ve picked your friends and foes,
I’ll bet you’ve even picked your nose.
The thing you can’t pick, everyone knows,
Is a relative like Mike, and that fact shows.
To keep in shape you both abide,
But there’s something age can never hide.
Your body’s like a classic ride,
Shiny on the surface but rusted inside.
So here’s to a couple of Birthday boys,
Eat, Drink, Spend, and make some noise.
Cause he who dies with the most toys,
The winning widow still enjoys.
Happy 40th, Mike and Tim
For those of you that don’t know, George Dickel is a whiskey brand, “Who’s Zoomin’ Who, a hit song by Aretha Franklin, and Doug a fellow partier. To really understand, however, you would have had to be there.
Both Mike and Tim were born on June 19th. It was tough to write at the time, because Mike was a close friend while Tim was only an acquaintance. In fact, I’m not sure that I’ve even seen Tim since then. Mike’s wife, Karen, recently posted a Facebook request to send them both greetings on their upcoming joint 70th birthday. Karen is Tim’s brother.
Coincidentally, my wife was also born on that Juneteenth day, although a few years younger. In fact, she wasn’t yet my wife thirty years ago. I will craft her poem separately, as part of a traditional Limoges Box gift.
Fortunately, none of us have a widow.
Write On!
