It's been 26 days since my spine surgery and I'm doing okay. A little problems with my legs hurting and very tender but not sure if this is related to the spine. Have to make a trip to Henderson on Tuesday to have the doctor check me out.

The brace below is what I have been wearing during the day since surgery. It gets rather warm wearing the brace and very restrictive but I'll do whatever it takes to heal correctly.


Today I received my newest post surgical equipment. It is a "Spinal-Stim Bone Growth Stimulator". I must wear this 4 hours a day and that white object that looks like a cat's face is the timer. It is not as uncomfortable as the brace and much cooler, but still awkward to wear.





I feel like I'm wearing equipment to track UFO's!

Check out this really neat "birthday" website and find out some things you didn't know: http://www.paulsadowski.org/BirthDay.asp

Have fun!

My best friend, Ede, headed back to Colorado this morning but we were able to take pictures at the Needles wagon before she left.

I've had company all week, my best friend, Ede, who lives in Red Mesa, Colorado (near Durango, CO). It's been a great help in my recovery from the spine surgery.
Chris is our "Chief Chef" and is doing a mighty good job. He says he's going into retirement after my full recovery...... but by then he will be so good at cooking it will be so automatic for him to head to the kitchen to cook a meal - What a guy!

Hope to post some pictures soon.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone

A diehard Cardinal's fan, my Brother Tom who rumor has it will be turning 60 on May 15th and so will his brother-in-law, Chris on May 23rd. Where did the time go? Weren't we all just in our 20's?

Thank you Sally for a wonderful dinner on Sunday and the leftovers on Monday. As you can see there is not a crumb left.



9 days since surgery and most of the time feel pretty good. Often times the pain is unbearable and when the spasms kick it, it is even worse. Going to Henderson tomorrow to have the staples removed.

St. Rose Dominican Hospital, Sienna Campus, Henderson, Nevada

A picture of the hospital I had my spinal surgery at. The entire staff was wonderful.If anyone is worried about jobs - go to school and become a nurse as there is job security in this profession.

My stay was much longer than anticipated - Monday was surgery day (about a 3-hour procedure).

Day 2 I was moved to ICU (Intensive Care Unit) for 2 days due to low blood pressure 78/38. They called in a heart doctor to assess what was going on. Once I was regulated they moved me to a surgical recovery wing. Then a Puliminary doctor came in to discuss my low oxygen level. They kept taking my oxygen level and found that it was way below the acceptable level to be released (should have been 95 or higher and I was at 80). So the next step was full-time oxygen and breathing treatments. Also did a CT-Scan on my pulminary artery, ultra sound of leg artery looking for blood clots and a special blood test that they had to extract the blood from the artery.

Saturday morning, all tests came back normal but had to wait all day until the house doctor showed up to release me (6:00 pm Saturday) Too late to drive home so we are staying at the Fiesta Hotel and Casino, where Chris stayed at night.

I was one doped up gal for a few days with all the medications they were pumping into me so my recollections are kind of foggy. All the specialists confered and I most likely had a reaction to the anesthesia causing the low blood pressure and the low blood pressure caused the oxygen level to drop, which means I had fluid around or below or somewhere by my lungs.

Thanks all of you for your prayers, telephone calls, e-mails, inquiries through family and friends. Now I am on the road to recovery, dealing with the pain, limited mobility and wearing a mid-brace that I swear weighs 15 lbs.that I will be wearing for 3 months.

I especially want to thank my husband of 35+ years, Chris, for taking such good care of me before the surgery, while in the hospital and when we get home. Love You!

Monday is the big day for my back surgery in Henderson, Nevada. I'm very nervous, and my anxiety level has escalated. I feel confident the surgery will go well and I will soon be able to do the things I've missed doing and hopefully be 99.99% pain free (I'd even take 98%). Thanks to all of you who have called and sent e-mails wishing me good luck and praying for me.