Copied this from my discord server. Consider joining for more smaller updates instead of waiting for me to post on FA!

https://discord.gg/RhRk6aGzs2

One big massive update!!
As you all probably know I’ve had major back surgery. A herniated disk had calcified and was at risk of causing partial paralysis. This is an issue the neurosurgeon thought has been going on for 15ish years. It’s also most likely the cause for a lot of pain and problems other doctors had suggested were from different sources and nothing ended up working.

My pain levels right now are at about an 8, but compared to the agony I was in when I called 911, around a level 20, an 8 is an absolute blessing. By the time the EMTs came to get me I was unable to move and they had to help dress me into a night gown because I was completely nude and unable to move to even dress myself. From then on every doctor and nurse and assistant I saw was very attentive and worked diligently to make sure I was taken care of. They even let me listen to LOTR music while they did my mri.

The surgeon they got for me was head of neurosurgery department at the best hospital in the state and he drove almost an hour just to treat the severity of my injury. He even drove almost an hour late last night after all of his scheduled surgeries to check on me. This man has changed my life.

The herniated disk was impossible to remove or replace due to the calcification so part of my bone was removed instead to relieve pressure and give them the ability to clean the area up around the nerves. I have numbness in part of my right foot and leg, and potentially other areas, but it is only surface level and I can still use the muscles just fine to walk. I haven’t been able to have any bowel movements since Saturday so I am worried about that. Let me know if y’all care to get a poop update. The reason I say this is because if the herniated disk wasn’t taken care of, my bowels were at risk of being paralyzed. They’ve been giving me stuff to soften the stool so here’s to hoping everything works fine down there ❤️ due to how low the surgery was on my spine pushing down there hurts a lot still so there’s potentially other reasons outside paralysis and the nurses and doctors are all aware.

I’ll be out of work for the rest of the year and then some, all unpaid, but I have a social worker on my case that’ll help try to get me on paid disability. I hope it works out.

I feel very vindicated. I’ve had pain for a very long time that has been treated like it was all in my head, hips, legs, uterus, bad posture, being overly sensitive, needing more exercise, etc etc and now that I know that this has been going on for half of my life, it’s both so very frustrating and also very reassuring that I had an extremely legitimate reason for all of this pain. Im really hoping I have no side effects because I’m so ready to live my best life after this. In fact, and the doctors all think this will improve my quality of life. We’ll let y’all know when I’m finally discharged! About to eat breakfast!!! Love you all so much! Thank you so much for your care and kindness!!!