Five Months

Well, actually I'm a week shy of the five month mark. I've been back working on my university studies full-time, or as close to full-time as I was managing before my surgery. I have been able to sit up for nearly a full day, but having said that I'm back in the lazyboy today as I overdid it a few days ago. I've been rushing to complete all the paperwork for ethical approval of my study, so that's meant longer hours up and working. It's now 2 steps back, as I can't do much sitting up as a result of the extended time up working!

I'm able to do a lot more at the gym, I've started doing cardio properly again, when I make it to the gym that is! I'm also doing Pilates on the reformer regularly. I haven't done it for a few days because of the flare-up that I'm experiencing, but other than that it's going really well.

Pain wise, I'm only taking the odd panadol and anti-inflam drug. Gone are the narcotics of pre-surgery! I am still getting pain, and it can be intense, but nothing that I can't handle!

My physio and I were talking about how it was such an unknown going into the surgery, if it would be helpful or not, but how well I've done. She also said that even though I was working really hard to stay on top of pain and keeping my back strong, she could see it was a losing battle as I had gotten worse over the year that I had been seeing her for. So far, I'm a success story but it is still early days, I will find out at my 6 month check up if the surgery has been successful. If the bone hasn't healed, it's another trip to the OR. But I'm not focusing on that, I really feel like it's all going well.