Promises to Bones and Body

I had my third post op and actually got to see the neurosurgeon.  I haven't seen him since before the surgery, the first and second post ops were with his Physician's assistant...if that's what PA stands for.  People sure love their acronyms.  Like STD....that's short term disability.  Love, love, love emailing my boss to talk about my STD.   Anyway, I was glad to see my surgeon wasn't in jail and hadn't left the country.  He will be out for the holidays so this was his last day before his vacation.  The office was packed, we noticed a lot of people had some type of limp just like me.  We looked like a herd of lame mules, the girl next to me had the same surgery as me and similiar nerve damage. Guess they go hand in hand.  

Anyway, this is going to sound stupid but I really didn't know what part of the bone they sawed off.  Yes, I know this is a pre op question but I was so loaded up on drugs and in pain when I talked to the surgeon pre op I can't remember much of the conversation.  Hubby said he talked about it but all I remember was reherniation, surgical options, and me crying.  So they showed me again on the model spine that it was the dorsal fin looking part.  I'm not a doctor, I don't play one on TV and I don't  feel like googling it so I look educated, so that's what I'll call it.  The screws I was worried about are in the right place, I was assured if they were wrong the would have fixed it during the surgery, they checked it prior to stapling me back up.  So that was good news too.  And best of all, they saw some bone growth action!  Yeah bones!  Grow!  He was happy with my progress and said that there was not too much I could do to screw up my healing.  No horseback riding yet, no yoga downward dog, no eliptical, use good body mechanics and listen to my body.  Don't power through pain, respect it telling me to slow down.  I think I can do that.  And finally I am released to work part time!  I hope all my office plants aren't dead. I asked others to water them but that was a long time ago.  

Let's talk medication.  I have quit taking all medication and I told the doctor's office that prior to doing it.  She asked why I quit taking Gabapentin but didn't say take it.  Its been a month or so drug free.  The neurosurgeon said I should still be taking it because it can help with nerve repair.  Huh, well that's interesting.  So back on that.  My left foot feels icky when it's touched, it doesn't like shoes and socks or me touching it.  It's like when you're swimming and seaweed touches your foot, it's so weird icky gross.  It's like that, maybe the Gabapentin will help with the strange numbness but hypersensativity that seems to be going on.  

My back feels great, I'm just really happy about that.  I can sit, stand, walk (ok a little limpy),  sleep, like a normal human.  My main complaint is the hip pain and inflammation and nerve damage, but nerves grow about an inch a month so they're doing that, and I'm working on stretching and strengthening my hips.  Keep my weight correct, stay active, use proper body mechanics, that's what I have control over.  I vow I WILL NOT allow work and life stress to make me sacrifice my health and fitness.  I say that now, publicly and in bold.  Let's see if I'm a liar in 6 six months.