05/22/18 Back Surgery

Waiting for surgery...a little nervous!

A week or two ago Andy went back to the neurologist due to left drop foot and continued other problems.  The neurologist had done a nerve conduction study and studied all his previous MRIs.  When we returned he ordered another MRI. We completed the MRI and went back into the neurologist office.  He said that Andy needed a fusion on is L4, L5, S1; a decompression and there was a cyst that had developed and grown larger on his spine that needed removed. He referred us to a neurosurgeon.

We got an appointment with Dr. Fox, the surgeon who had done Andy's neck. Dr. Fox agreed that surgery needed done and got him in less than a week later. 

Surgery was scheduled for Tuesday, May 22nd.  We had to preregister and then were told to report at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday morning.  The surgery was scheduled for 7:15 a.m.  Expected surgery time was 2 or 2.5 hours with 1/2 hour prep and post-op expected on each side. 

Cool board shows your Dr. and what stage their patient is in. You can see it says AG, FOX
Ready for surgery.  This was up on the board shortly after he was taken back. 

We arrived bright and early and the immediately got Andy back, signed a few more papers, started an IV and they took him back at 7:15 a.m. 

The wound is covered with a bandaid.
The bag is jokingly referred to as a blood grenade.
One of the staff told about a man sitting on his full bag
 and it exploding all over the patient and room.
I like to call it the blood bomb. 

While Andy was in surgery I did a 2 mile walk and went over to Harmon's and picked up some breakfast.  I came back and Mom and Dad Griffin came over around 9 a.m. after mom's dr appointment which was at the next building over. They sat and stayed with me until Andy came out of surgery. They had to leave shortly after he came out because mom's oxygen tank was almost empty.

Shortly after surgery. 

It was actually noon before I got Andy back from post-op and we were sent to room 413 (right across the hall from our last hospital stay...guess we have our own special wing on the 4th floor! haha)  I really like the rooms because we were at the end of the hall and so it was very quiet down there. You have to walk quite a way to get to it!

Shortly after surgery. 

Andy looked pretty good after he got out of surgery and got some medication in him.  We were able to hang out for a couple of hours and get him situated until around 4 p.m. when I had to go to work -- Tuesday...court day!

I left him with his parents and Holly.  McKayla and Dallas soon came. While I was at work he got visited by Bud Long, Bishop Clark and Jerry Fullmer, his sister Laura, & Wendy with Aaron. By the time I came back just McK & D were left along with Holly. Everyone shortly went home and we tried to settle in for the night. 

Andy hadn't slept since surgery at this point and was getting tired. We got everything done and lights about by about 11 p.m.  I put in some ear plugs and didn't hear anything until about 2 a.m. 

Medication must be working...he's smiling!
(Plus I think there is a milk shake in that cup!)

While I was sleeping poor Andy started the beginning of a horrible night.  He must have rolled onto his IV and pulled it out.  Four different nurses came in and tried to reinsert the IV multiple times each but had no luck. They decided they needed the expert nurse but she was in trauma and wouldn't arrive to our room until about 4 a.m. 

Changing the bandages. 

In the meanwhile they were giving Andy a hard time because he hadn't been able to pee yet. One of the helpers came and got him out of bed and left him in the bathroom and then left our room.  Andy got very light headed and began to almost pass out. He called to the CNA but he was gone and didn't hear. He also called to me but unfortunately my ear plugs were working very well with my tiredness and I also heard nothing. 

Counted 17 staples in his back.
Also the tube to the blood grenade. 

He quickly stumbled back across the room to the bed -- which is where the nurse found him when she walked in the room. She scolded him for not having help and he explained he HAD followed the rules but his help had left him!  All the commotion woke me up.  

As the saga continues the nurses were upset because he hadn't gone pee since coming out of surgery and kept giving him an ultimatum that he had to pee or get a catheter.  At 4:30 a.m. they got a catheter and removed his pee from him.  Not a good experience at all. 

Dr. Fox brought out photos of his work after the surgery. He said all went well.
There are screws and spacers top and side view. 

Wednesday morning the Dr. was informed of the previous night's goings on and said not to worry about whether or not Andy peed and to pretty much leave him alone about it!  He was able to actually go on his own about 17 hours later and has been fine since. 

So needless to say Tuesday night was an absolute fiasco and an awful start to things but on the bright side things have been much better ever since! 

Wednesday he walked around the floor 3X, sat in a chair 3X for about an hour each and spent the rest of the time in bed. Given the awful previous night we talked to the evening staff and asked if they would please not bother Andy unless absolutely necessary.  They worked together to come in all at once to accomplish vital checks and medication doses etc so that he was able to get a pretty good night sleep from about 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. 

Dr. Fox and Joe Ferguson his assistant came by early again and said Andy looked good and could go home probably by 11 a.m. Thursday morning. Yay!!!  They requested he come see them in 2 weeks for a follow up visit. 

Andy is not allowed to drive, bend, lift or twist (BLT) and has to wear a back brace for at least 3 months. They said he may "recover" for up to 6 or 9 months -- meaning he may not be able to do pickleball, basketball, etc for quite awhile. 

He says he already is feeling like he is regaining some feeling in his feet and his left leg doesn't seem to drag as much as it did.  It's too early to tell for sure but there does seem to be some indication that things will improve!!!! 

When we left the hospital we went to Zepee's and got a Hawaiian and custard shave ice treat.  So yummy!!!

Andy has been pretty groggy today (that muscle relaxer seems to really knock him out!) He is moving pretty good though but we try to stay close to make sure he doesn't lose balance and fall. 

Dr. said the key to recovery is to keep walking and moving.  Lots of little walks. So that's the goal! Keep moving and start recovering quickly!! 

Follow-up: At the hospital we were given a referral to a urologist because all Andy's systems had shut down. We were just released from the hospital on Thursday May 24 and the urologist called and got us in the next day. It was pretty rough for Andy to move around and get in and out of the car etc but we were able to load him up and take him over.

They did a bladder scan and found that he had over 1500 cc (1.5 liters) in his bladder and he still couldn't make it come out.  (Normal bladders feel urgent at 500 cc or less).  They had to catheterize him again (3rd time in 3 days) The Dr said that he would have the use a cath 4X a day and measure all output. If he is unable to get things going again he will require another surgery. However due to his recent surgery it would probably be two months before his body could handle another surgery.

We are hoping that things will resolve as he gets off the pain medication (which slows all systems) and his surgery starts to work and allow his nerves to start working again and his brain to communicate with his lower half more effectively. It was kind of heart breaking to get the news that another surgery might be needed after all that's gone on in the past year.