Diary of a wanna be :)

yop

Well been at the swimming lessons now and gone once on my own. Finding the sessions in the pool very tough as legs are tired and stiff before I start, but they really loosen me out.
Had 2 lessons and have the legs working a lot better, arms and trying to breath is the next steps now over the next 2 weeks.
Did my first few strokes on my back which went very well, was SHOCKED!
So in the pool again Friday on my own. Will get 40 mins in again. Start with legs only and then try getting breathing at the wall to see if I can get my head turned.
My aim for the end of 2014 is 10 lenghts! That should be fun

Have been on the turbo as well, nothing major just a 15km session. Bit of stretching and my calves are in shreds.

Still no appointment, will buzz them early next week if I hear nothing.

yop

Finally got my date: In on 20th March, op 21st and then out 22nd all going well, in time for the birthday
They are removing the cyst and realigning the discs.
So fingers and toes crossed that this will work.

Swimming now twice per week, bought a snorkel as couldn't manage the breathing, so managed 12 lengths (with breaks after each one) on Monday last and 16 on Friday.

Been out on the bike for last 2 weekends, 60km and 50km. Swimming seems to have loosened up the hips and the pain isn't as bad on the bike.
Few turbo sessions also.

So keeping ticking away. Weight back down to 14st 3lbs so hoping to get sub 14 before the op.

pprendeville

Good luck with the op. Will say an aul prayer for you.

yop

pprendeville wrote: »

Good luck with the op. Will say an aul prayer for you.

Cheers buck.

yop

Well 1.5 weeks away, nearly didn't happen!

First off, its all "swimming", well cheating of course with the snorkel and then I started to use the flippers.
Last week I had a lesson Monday, trying to get the breathing working, not going great, my own fault.
I went then for a swim at lunch on Wed and Fri and then at 8am on Sat morning, did 50 mins and 64 lengths of the 18m pool, was BUCKLED after it.

Anyway, got a call last week from Beaumont (op is scheduled for 21st in Hermitage). Said "we have a bed for you for Friday, 14th.
I said nope, I am checked in for 21st in the Hermitage and with work is it not possible to drop tools and have an op just like that.

I got a call then from Bolgers secretary, she said that they wanted it in Beaumont, I explained my wife with the 2 kids will be leaving me up and collecting me. That she had never driven on a motorway and putting her on the M50 to find Beaumont would be entertaining to say the least and that Hermitage was my preference.

So yesterday I had a few missed calls from Beaumont, returned the calls 3 times but could't get a hold of your man.
Then again the receptionist rang me, said it had to be Beaumont, I said, ok what can I do.
She then says yes but you have to come up Monday next......... I said this wasn't an option, I had a project to deliver for the 19th and that I was working all hours and weekends and 17th in order to achieve this. My contract depended on it and it would jeopordise my work if I didn't get it delivered.

So she said it may have to be cancelled.

I wasn't happy. So she said she would ring me back. After an hour they came back and have restored all the dates and operation again!

Talk about messing!

pprendeville

Good luck with this. Hope it all works out on the M50.

yop

pprendeville wrote: »

Good luck with this. Hope it all works out on the M50.

Cheers, I think I will have to get the presidents cavalcade to escort her

yop

Well I'm not writing from heaven

Op went well, 2hrs under the knife, was out the following day. The Hermitage is some spot though, more hotel than hospital, except the drugs are legal

I didn't go to Mayo on the Saturday as the pain after each bump or hump was not good, so we went to Naas to my sisters and that was plenty. I spent most of Saturday sleeping then and had a great kip. We went home via the motorway to Galway in order to avoid as much of the bad roads a possible, took us 6 hrs as I had to stop every while to stretch the legs and back.

Over the next few days all i literally did was sleep, I have never been so zonked. Pain wasn't bad, I managed a few walks and was in good form. I thought the spams had gone but alas returned towards the end of last week. But I have been told that these will die off after a period of time... we can only hope!

Staples (4) came out today, they were sound, pinchy but great to get them out. Today I did a bit more walking.

Have to return to work next Monday, though Doc and Consulatant are telling me I need 4 to 6 weeks, but it can't be done as I am self employed and my contract will be under threat if I stay off longer. I might do some 1/2 days or something.
I can't drive for another week and not allowed to drive over 1hr for 6 in total.


But I am positive about it all, time will tell of course, but onwards and upwards.

pprendeville

Great to hear it was a success. Hope they didn't put any EPO in the drip.

yop

pprendeville wrote: »

Great to hear it was a success. Hope they didn't put any EPO in the drip.

Not sure what it is but it makes me sleep

yop

Well 5 weeks in now and things are not great, over the last 2 weeks i have had considerable swelling under the skin, what seems to be happening is that the swelling must be occurring on the spinal cord as its pushed the discs tight against the skin.
What this means is that I have a few CM of swelling spread over an area of 8 * 2 inches. The pain is in my hips, deep in my things, my shins, shoulders and chest, I lost power in my arms over 2 to 3 days also which was fun

I have spoke to the consultant who said to leave it a week and buzz him back, when I did that yesterday he was gone for a weeks holidays... not ideal

So as I was not able to sleep, not able to stand and in pain 24 * 7 I went to my doc who put a drain in, took probably 25-30ml of goo out of the swollen area, it reduced it by 1/3 which is no harm, the intense pain and pressure is 10 times less, but I still have the very violent fasciculations in my right leg, but we have to wait to see what happens next Tuesday on the consultants return. The Doc reckons I will be brought straight up to Dublin to get it looked at, after that, who knows!

I guess I won't be back on the bike in June
No one dying, but its frustrating.

smacl

Hadn't read your blog for awhile yop, so just caught up with the back episodes. Delighted to hear your on the right side of the op and on the road to recovery.

yop

smacl wrote: »

Hadn't read your blog for awhile yop, so just caught up with the back episodes. Delighted to hear your on the right side of the op and on the road to recovery.

Cheers for that. Ya on the other side of it for sure, though a very very slow recovery, up with Prof Bolger now next Wed week, he rang me twice over the last few days to see how the swelling was, its reduced but still there, but he will review it now when I get up.

yop

so, went to Dublin last Wed. Prof Bolger said the swelling was odd and that it wasn't expected and couldn't explain it.
I have an MRI booked for 4 weeks time, then another checkup then 2 weeks after. If the swelling is still there, then he will have to open me again....great.

In the meantime he said I should "return to normal". So I am back trying to walk 5km a day, will go back to the pool this week also. He said the movements might help the swelling go. We will see.

Brutal pain in my neck and shoulders though, had physio but still there. Ah well, the joys.