Back at home...my home..4+weeks post-op

I am writing this from home for the first time in over 4+ weeks which wow is all I can say - both where did these past 4 weeks go and at the same time feels like time has stood still in other ways. Ive been staying with my parents since that initial 1st week in the hospital for the past 3 weeks which was a big help, my dad helped me bring my 3 cats to their house (my youngest cat totally adored their 2 big dogs which often was funny to watch) and so I didnt worry about them and my neighbor took care of the strays cats that hang around my apt building so that also was little worry. At just over 2 weeks post-op I was able to start driving again because my neurosurgeon wasnt concerned w/my left sided leg weakness affecting my driving and so I would stop at my apt 1 or 2x a week when I was headed to milw to get mail and grab a thing or two and drop of a thing or two which is what made it all bearable. I live only about 15 mins highway time from my parents so not to bad overall. It will definitely have ups and downs being home ie some things are definitely not back to normal and thus will be harder doing some things but that I can deal with and work around. Even in the 5 or so mins ive been sitting here at my desk my leg is becoming increasingly uncomfortable and painful from low back down the back which is an area that has really woken up a quite a bit in the past 5 or so days and so while im thrilled that it's is waking up/losing the numb feeling I definitely dont enjoy this pain/unfomfortable feeling it needless makes sitting and driving a very interesting chore! Weds on my way back from milw which is about 1 hr I stopped no less than 3 times to stand up as it became so uncomfortable and getting in and out of the car on the drivers side is no easy task just yet so needless I wasnt all that happy about it or with my body! My low back conts to move between numbness which is when I have increased bladder and bowel issues to painful much less numb feeling w/subsequent muscle/nerve irritation at just about any point. This still is an improvement bc even a week ago I had much less feeling, much more sweling (there conts to be some at very base of spine and around shunt/spine incision but less than even a few days ago) and overall much more issues with GI and bladder than currently. I am hopeful this will cont in an upward trend! Walking improves though kind of sits right now with a mixed limp/foot-leg dragging combination due to some numbness in other parts of leg and so while I can do stairs carefully it is much less painful and overall simpler on leg and low back/incision to walk with this weird leg thing bc everything doesnt quite go together yet in a quick fashion.

I do have to say I feel like im in this sort of limbo of my own making perhaps because its not that easy to just go out and do a lot at once so I only tend to do a little especially if I am driving and it feels like summer hasnt even been I suppose mostly bc my nephews havent been here for a summer party yet nor has my neice and I havent seen as much of either of nephews due to this surgery and I miss them like crazy, (Quinn is coming this weekend and will see Zander to). I also feel like life has been a little on hold bc of this surgery and recovery and the length of it all + while ive cont to work on projects most especially for APF ive not been doing the outreach aspect as much (more helping families, connecting to groups and getting awareness of pain out to people in general) other than with a few smaller projects I was previously working on.  I do have meetings coming up on the 12th and 21st and perhaps those will make me feel a little more a part of the actual human life?? Hope so cause this is a really weird feeling - one im sure ive experiened with other surgeries and just dont remember but non the less weird!

Will update soon - off to endocrine tomorrow,

Erica

ps wisdom teeth so far has been very smooth.