8 weeks post-op - tough times

This last week seems to have felt like really hard work, for both Nick and myself.

Nick has found it very tough trying to get back to school, constantly trying but not managing. And every time he does make it to a lesson he ends up with more work to do whilst having to recover from making the lesson in the first place. He admitted to me that he had considered stopping school completely, which is extraordinary for him because he has always been completely determined to complete his schooling.

He was in school for a full day yesterday, which we now realise was a bit too soon. He was absolutely shattered afterwards and consequently needed a lie-in the next morning.

He is also still worried that something is not right, or at least that he is not progressing as much as he should be. His physio was re-iterating to him yesterday that it will take time because his nerve was compressed for so long. Also, Nick was using how far forwards he could bend as an indicator of progress. The physio discouraged this, pointing out that other aspects may be improving (eg how long he can sit) so he shouldn't focus on just one indicator.

He's had the start of a couple of flare-ups, but each time we have managed to divert it by rest or Diazepam. Each time it has been sitting that has caused the problem.

People are now starting to ask when he'll be starting to play tennis again - well meant questions but for someone who struggles to sit yet alone run it doesn't really help being asked when he can play tennis!

His year group at school are going through various activities designed to help them plan university/career paths which is creating another cause of anxiety for him. Hardly surprisingly he can't contemplate careers when all he has ever wanted to do was to play tennis and that's something he can't do at the moment.

Overall, this is where he is at...

• Can sit for about an hour at a time before his upper back starts to ache and he feels stiff
• Generally standing and walking properly unless pain has kicked in, when he then tends to lean forwards
• Only once taken any pain meds this week, and that was after sitting for too long
• Still needing to lie down a lot
• Finds gentle stationary cycling helps to mobilise his back
• Muscles - generally he says his muscles feel looser... hamstrings slightly, glutes fine, calves slightly. New last night at the physio was that his QL is tight
• Tried a sports massage last night, focusing on his QLs, glutes and hamstrings. Also being taught to breathe better to help relax. Comment re sports massage - yes, seems to have helped
• Emotionally, fragile. Ups and downs. Sometimes very worried about it all, sometimes pretty calm
• Schooling - tricky but slowly managing to sit through some lessons. Took an iPad into school yesterday so that he could type lying down. Double lessons still a bit of a nightmare for him
• Some of his physio exercises trigger pain on occasions so he tends to mix and match what he does, avoiding those that are painful. No new exercises added this week to his 7 week routine

Each evening we plan out the next day. I then email school and his teachers to let them know when Nick is hoping to be in and I keep my fingers crossed that he'll wake up the next morning feeling ready for it. It does make it hard for me to get much done as I never know in advance when I will be needed to take/collect him to/from school but we have found that planning more than one day in advance just doesn't work.

Posted with Blogsy

4 weeks + 5 days post op. 1 step back, 2 steps forwards

One step back, two steps forward

Nick visited the physio again this evening. To his delight he seems to be better now than he was pre his flare-up. His straight leg raise is now about 50 degrees and he can reach about two inches below his knees. He has no sciatica, even when she raises his leg. He does have incredibly tight hamstrings and it is this tightness, rather than sciatic pain, that prevents him raising his leg further. We regard this as good news, because we know that we can loosen his hamstrings.

He has some additional exercises - see page '4 weeks (post flare-up) exercises' and is back to a little cycling and some swimming. He is beginning to think about how he will cope when he goes back to school which we are hoping he will do next week. So tomorrow I need to start talking to the school again about his return.

So, it looks like he took one step back but two steps forwards.

Posted with Blogsy

3 weeks + 3 days

 

Yesterday was a bit of a washout for Nick's new routine. We started off well, but at 11 am there was a fatal accident outside our house and being the first on the scene it took me a few hours before I was free again. Both Nick and I found the whole incident very distressing and neither of us felt like doing exercises. Fortunately one of Nick's friends come over in the afternoon, which both cheered him up and distracted him from the police activity going on outside. Overall he only managed a few exercises and one short walk.

 

Today was much better. Nick carried out all of his new activities (see tab on 3 week post op exercises) except a swim. And to our delighted he was able to reach below his knees today for the first time! He did need to rest between activities and he says that he thinks the key is to be patient, but none the less this is, finally, a visible improvement. Yippee!!

 

I have added a page of his new exercises routine.

Posted with Blogsy

3 weeks + 1 day post-op. Physio visit.

 

Nick went back to see the physio today. Generally happy with progress but did re-iterate that this will take some time. The main issues are twofold. Firstly his nerve is still tethered somewhere, which is why he still cannot get beyond about 40 degrees in the straight leg raise or bend forwards to touch his toes (with his knees straight). Secondly, a lot of his other muscles have tightened up, eg his hamstrings, glutes etc as a result of his limited movement for such a long time.

So, she is stepping up his activity levels. Nick felt ready for this too so is happy with the idea. The main extra activities are

• Cycling, but starting off with only a few minutes and gradually building up and avoiding hills or bumpy roads. Nick will start off indoors until he can manage a reasonable amount of time.
• Lunges, for 2-3 minutes
• Bridge with a stability ball, holding for 10 seconds, 10 times over
• Wobble board balance. Total of 20 minutes a day. Nick struggled just to stand still, but once he can manage that to try squats
• Standing hamstring stretches for 2-3 minutes at a time
• Sitting. To limit to 20 minutes, then walk, then resume sitting (rather than sitting until it hurts)
• Swimming. He can start swimming lengths if he wants to.

He is to continue his walking. For his existing '1 week post-op' stretches, to continue any which he feels are working for him. He's decided to continue the clam and the sit to stand.

Nick also tried out the cross trainer but found that it caused pain in his calf, plus we don't have access to one at home so we decided to leave it out.


Overall, the physio felt that Nick should be reducing the amount of time he spends lying down so we've decided that he should follow a rotation of the above to keep him moving. Not great news for his exam revision!


Will get a page up tomorrow summarising the three weeks post op routine with a few photos.


 

Posted with Blogsy