Another step in preparing for baby...

For the last few years, I have endured some pretty intense back pain. I tried a chiropractor, physical therapy, traction, yoga, exercise, stretching and steroids, but got very little relief. I kept putting off doing anything more drastic because I did not know how a pregnancy was going to effect my back and did not want to surgically correct it, only to mess it up again with a pregnancy.

But, the pain progressively became unbearable. Pain medicine did not help and I have not slept well in months because I toss and turn all night.

When we realized that God's plan for us is adoption and not a pregnancy, I realized that now is the time to get fixed! I want to be able to carry a car seat and lift my baby girl. So, I met with a surgeon a few months ago. We tried one round of epidural steroid injections, but I got very little relief. So, we decided to proceed with surgery.

Yesterday morning, I had a hemilaminotomy and discectomy of my L4-L5 vertebrae. In English that means, that they removed the portion of my disc that was compressing my sciatic nerve. This is me right before surgery, all "wired for sound". These wires were there to monitor the nerve function in my spinal cord during the procedure.

I think that I had already had a few rounds of sedation to be smiling like this. I had the surgery done at my hospital, where I knew everyone and knew exactly what to expect, but I was still a nervous wreck! 

I only had to stay one night in the hospital and Rusty was such an incredible nurse to me, helping me all night long. I was in so much pain that I could barely move in the bed, but he was right there to help with every thing. I was able to get out of the room last night and go for a "spin" in the hallway, which my nurse friends decided to document :) 

This morning, the doctor was able to remove the drain that I had in my incision and I was able to walk around without the walker, so I got to come home. I am not allowed to sit for more than 20 minutes at a time, so I have been laying around most of the day. Thanks to some good pain medicine and a wonderful mother in law who is waiting on me hand and foot, I am doing well. 

Mostly, I am just excited about the chance to not live in pain! I want to be able to be a "normal" mommy that can lift my daughter in and out of her crib, to rock her to sleep and carry her around without the fear of dropping her!