another day, another back operation

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Today was my wife's fourth back operation she's had to undergo. Her first was nearly 20 years ago. As each operation has been performed hardware has been both added and removed from her lower back. The first major set of hardware was composed of surgical steel, and was removed when the second major set built out of titanium was added. This time the titanium set has came out.

The latest operation used a far smaller incision than any prior and orthoscopic-based tools and techniques to minimize the "trauma" of cutting into the body. The amount of hardware they use now was remarkably small compared to the last time. The surgeon also used stem cells this time in order to stimulate the regrowth of bone in the lower back.

We arrived at 6am, she was prepped and the operation started at 7am. An hour and a half later she was in recovery and stayed there until about 11:30am. She's been in great spirits and has required remarkably little pain medication. That need for minimal pain meds is due in part to her continuing exercise at RDV Sportsplex and part to her attitude; she just accepts it and deals with it by attitude as much as chemically. She's just one tough bird.

She'll spend tomorrow resting and recovering, and then she'll come home on Sunday. In the mean time I'll be cleaning and straightening and running errands to get ready for her arrival on Sunday.

Technical

Panasonic GX1, Olympus M.Zuiko 1.7/45mm, post processed in LR4.4 and Silver Efex Pro 2.

Comments

  1. Wolfgang LonienJune 01, 2013

    Oh wow. Thanks for sharing this, Bill. And our best wishes to your wife, may she have a good recovery, as pain-free as possible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. BillJune 01, 2013

      She will. She comes home tomorrow.

      Delete

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