I'm Alive!! Just got into my room from recovery.

ouch cher that sounds painful...

Hi cher. I was awfully groggy when I typed this discussion. Wasn't sure if it even made sense so, as soon as I got home (just about 10 minutes ago), I got right on my computer to see if it actually made sense. Okay, I wasn't too bad, excpet for typing and I'm still bad with that because I had delaudid in me at the moment. (VERY potent stuff!) But, I am home. I just wanted to let someone know so maybe the others will see it and understand why I haven't responded yet. I only got about an hours sleep last ngith because I can't sleep on my back but wasn't allowed to sleep any other way last night. They told me I can start lying on my side as soon as I got home so that's exactly what I'm gonna do. I'm sooooooo tired! I am feeling much better, though. My hand/fingers aren't numb and there's no pain in my arm (excpet for where they put all the IV's and took blood from). I'll be back, maybe later this evening but definitely by tomorrow morning at the latest, and respond to everyone's comments. Oh, I just noticed your question. How long will I be in for... I was ready to go home this morning but they made me wait until I had eaten solid food to make sure it would stay put. (It did.) That was lunch. Yesterday's food and this morning's breakfast were fluids. YUCK!

No, no vacuuming, promise! I had all my wisdom teeth extracted, too. They were all impacted. I never even saw them! All I know is that I was put to sleep, woke up in a lot of pain and had to pay a pretty big dentist's bill. I'm starting to mosey around the house a bit more today. I got home from the hospital yesterday around 4:00 p.m. It felt soooooo good to be in my own bed again! Plus, I can sleep better here. They had me on a bed that kept moving around all by itself. They said it's to prevent bed sores. I told them that I wouldn't get bed sores if they'd unhook me from all the wires, tubes, hoses, etc. and let me walk! Geez. Instead, I got a bed that kept moving... ever so slowly but noticeably. Plus, they had me in these leg thingies that would inflate, one leg at a time, starting around my ankles and working their way up my legs. That was to prevent blood clots. Of course, with all this stuff going on and having two IV needles in me, they had me using a catheter. So, there was yet another hose. (Oh! how I hate catheters!) I had to pass some "tests" before they'd let me go home. First, I had to walk without support and without falling. SEcond, I had to eat solid food without my stomach having it's own thoughts of not liking food in it. Third, I had to go pee pee without the catheter. So, I said, bring it all on! And they did. And I passed so I got to come home. I am able to wander around a bit but don't plan to do anything the least bit strenuous for at least two weeks. That's what the surgeon told me. I can actually stop wearing this neck brace in two weeks as long as I keep healing. Yippee!!! But, shhhhhhhhh, don't tell my husband, I'm gonna milk this for all I can! LOL He's been all over the house today cleaning things. Yeah, maybe I can get a month to six weeks worth of housecleaning out of him. Aren't I bad?

Hehehe Hi Paula. Not much keeps me down, never has. I didn't do much at all on the computer the afternoon that I typed this discussion, though. I was drifting in and out of sleep. I had to stay on my back and, unfortunately, it's impossible for me to sleep any length of time that way. I managed to actually fall asleep on my back only because I was exhausted but couldn't stay asleep. Anyway, I'm home now. I'm going to try to get to all the comments here eventually. I still can't stay awake for long. Probably just as well anyway since it seems that I'm allergic to all kinds of tape. I though I was just allergic adhesive tape (that white, plastic stuff) and could use paper and silk tape but, sadly, no. Not now, anyway. I have rashes and blisters all over the place! The only thing I can do now is to wrap whatever needs a bandage entirely around, then put the tape on that so it doesn't touch my skin. That, plus the pain in my chest/back from the anesthesia are my worst issues. The incision on my neck doesn't hurt too bad! I'm pretty surprised by that but quite pleased. Oh, and I have the feeling back to my hand and fingers! Yippee!!! No pain down that arm, either. The surgeon said that, when he had opened my neck, he saw that it was worse than what the X-rays and MRI showed so it took him about another hour to finish the surgery (4 hours in all). The disc that he removed was actually pressing against the nerves going down my back which made it a much more delicate surgery. I'm just VERY glad that it's over with and, each day, I'll feel a little better. I can't wait for the day I can take this stupid neck brace off! I hate this thing. Well, I do have to take it off once a day to change the bandages on my neck but then it has to go right back on. I was given dilaudid in the hospital and Vicodin for home but I haven't taken any yet. I did take a Tylenol 3 (with codeine) last night but, other than that, I'd rather not take these really strong pain pills. I think that the more I walk around, the faster I'll feel better and I know I'll walk around a lot more without those strong narcotics in me. Anyway, thanks so much for the positive energy! It really has helped.

I have some unfinished business? What could that possibly be? If you know, won't you please tell me or at least give me a hint? Actually, I think we all have unfinished business until the day we die. I'm always learning so, to me, that is the same as 'business'.

I'd like to know also. The only business she should be attending to is her healing. If this is suppose to be some kind of cynical remark, then take your remarks elswhere.