Surgery update

Hi all, well I had my spinal fusion and left hand carpal tunnel release done on 2 June in a 5 hour operation. Going home this Friday, 19th. Absolutely staggered at how well it all turned out. I was expecting to be out of action for up to 6 months. Instead, I'll be back in the shed in a week or two at most. Best of all, I can play my guitar again. Many, many thanks to my excellent surgeon, Michael Knight and the excellent staff at Monash Dandenong Hospital and Monash Kingston south rehab hospital in Cheltenham. Amazing, major spinal surgery and home - fit - in 17 days. No one better knock public hospitals within my earshot.:2tsup:
Cheers
Mike

Well done Mike :2tsup: and I hope it continues to go well for you. :)

Great news for you Mike. Good to see someone who appreciates the medical facilities that we enjoy in Australia.
Having lived in South Africa for the first 37 years of my life where expensive private hospitals are equivalent to what we have in our public hospitals, I can only be very thankful for what we have here.
Regards and hope it only gets better for you.
Les

Good to hear Mike, hope it continues to go well for you.
Cheers

Beauty. :2tsup:

Still in hospital. Damn diabetes has caused some complications. :( white platelets too high because of very high blood glucose number. Home Monday they think now if I can keep blood sugar below 10 Mmol/l. Currently stuck stubbornly around 15-16. :cool: Grrrr!!
Wanna get home. Got some interesting goodies from Germany arrived today for my Duesenberg build. Can't wait to check it all out. :2tsup:

Bugger, hang in there.

Free at last. Home now after the diabetes complication dramas. Had to give up my first born to get out. Wanted to keep me another week. Buggy that I said. Anyway, taking it easy with a lot of bed time. Walking more each day with my Missy. Here'sa pic of the scar if you need proof that I actually had a spinal fusion. :D And no, I'm not a plumber!

Erk. :D

My BIL left the staples in his back op photo he sent me - creepy!

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Originally Posted by BobL

My BIL left the staples in his back op photo he sent me - creepy!

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I didn't have staples. Dissolving sutures internally and ordinary ones on the incision. I'm just amazed. At no time since the surgery have I had any pain in the surgical site. I was up and walking the next day. Plus I got back the 35mm in height I'd lost over the past 3 years. All the post operative complications were due entirely to my diabetes. Mind you, taking so many damn pills I rattle when I fart 😬.
cheers
Sheddy

as I said elsewhere - take it easy and hoping for a full recovery

And try not to fart. :D

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Originally Posted by Shedhand

I didn't have staples. Dissolving sutures internally and ordinary ones on the incision. I'm just amazed. At no time since the surgery have I had any pain in the surgical site. I was up and walking the next day. Plus I got back the 35mm in height I'd lost over the past 3 years. All the post operative complications were due entirely to my diabetes. Mind you, taking so many damn pills I rattle when I fart .
cheers
Sheddy

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That does sound like good news.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Shedhand

Free at last. Home now after the diabetes complication dramas. Had to give up my first born to get out. Wanted to keep me another week. Buggy that I said. Anyway, taking it easy with a lot of bed time. Walking more each day with my Missy. Here'sa pic of the scar if you need proof that I actually had a spinal fusion. :D And no, I'm not a plumber!

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Those operations are not what they are cracked up to be. :D

Hope you recover quickly and get back to the front.

Allan

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Originally Posted by Allan at Wallan

Those operations are not what they are cracked up to be. :D

Allan

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Very droll Ol' fella. Day 28 and off all painkillers! Still going through horrible withdrawal symptoms. :no: Rats chewing my brain and big hairy white spiders dropping out of the ceiling. :C Hopefully, they go away soon and I can get a good nights sleep.
Cheers
Mike

Hello Mike,

I feel for you mate, but hang in there, it does go away. When I had my fusion, ( C6/C7 in neck), the pain meds were Oxycontin, which I later discovered is also known as "hillbilly heroin".

I was half ratty at the time I think, it was like having a nightmare, only you were half awake? Scary stuff. Never so glad to get off something in my life.

Cheers, Harry

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Originally Posted by Redbog

Hello Mike,

I feel for you mate, but hang in there, it does go away. When I had my fusion, ( C6/C7 in neck), the pain meds were Oxycontin, which I later discovered is also known as "hillbilly heroin".

I was half ratty at the time I think, it was like having a nightmare, only you were half awake? Scary stuff. Never so glad to get off something in my life.

Cheers, Harry

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Hey Harry,
Yeah, that's the crap that did Heath Ledger in, poor bugger. What you describe is what it was like for me. The rats n bats have stopped now thankfully. Now I can't sleep - Dr tomorrow for some sleepers. Will use them until the old body clock resets to normal. My next scheduled surgery is a C4 replacement but at my age I'm thinking I'll pass and just let it rot away. If I was 30 years younger I'd do it. I'd rather be in the shed than in constant rehab - it's boring as batshit (the rehab I mean 😬).
cheers
Mike.