40 Days post ACDF surgery

 So last I left you,  I was almost off meds and that next day I went cold turkey.  Had only one muscle relaxer in the first 3 days of no pain killers and I'm doing OK. Pain is there but eh, liveable and I'd rather be able to drive.  

Scar at 38 days, aka my 48th bday

But what was the pain killers masking?  A UTI. Oh goodie!  So two days after being off them I was at my doctor's office to get antibiotics for that.  Prescribed a new drug I've never had before and that Friday night at 10pm I had chest pains for a good 30 mins.  Didn't really know what was going on but since it went away, oh well. Then next day, from 6p-8p same thing only even more intense.  Felt like someone had a glove made of tiny needles had my heart in their hand and would squeeze any time I breathed in.  I knew it wasn't a heart attack as it only happened on in breaths. Looked up drug and it said a rare complication was breathing problems and chest pain.  Ok, not gonna take that again.  Left message Sunday at MDs office so that Monday they could give me new drug. They didn't call me all Monday. So at 345pm I left a message instead of on the general office (only option on Sunday) on my MDs nurse's voice mail (as this office has like 6 doctors). Tuesday morning first thing, they call saying "sorry no one listened my first message from Sunday until now" 😲🤨 but please immediately go to ER to be checked for pulmonary embolism since I recently had surgery.  Oh so fun 4 hrs in ER to learn, nope possibly the drug, possibly some random complication from surgery, maybe GERD, we don't really know.  But here is a different antibiotic.  

My birthday outfit to make my brace as invisible as possible 

After that excitement. Wednesday I went and got my nails done and ran a few short & close errands as my first time driving.  Oh, driving is a bit scary as I'm fearful someone will hit me and paralyze me. And turning my head at lights (particularly left) hurts and I can only turn my head so far.  

It's amazing how AI can now fake a picture 

Then Thursday for my birthday we had reservations down at Joliet to do a little casino time, dinner and drinks (had not had a drink in seven weeks). Turns out being in a recliner so much, I can only hold my own head up for about 4 hrs before I'm in need of laying down.  But enjoyed two rum & diets and one cosmo with a piece of tiramisu.  Happy Birthday to me.  And we only lost a little over 50% of our gambling budget so that was nice.  

And Friday, was my work department's Christmas luncheon that I went to.  2 hrs at Biaggi's.  I feel I talked too much about me.  But admittedly after 7 weeks of not seeing them I felt like I needed to tell all that went on from my surgery as a sort of "I'm off work for a reason, it's not been fun and games" (told ya I get massive guilt about missing work).  But it was so nice to see everyone and know they're caught up enough spreading my work between 3 people that I won't be coming back to insanity in 10 days.

Took brace off for picture and eating.  Kept turning my head so much to hear stories from either side. Probably should have been at head of table for less turning...but that was for two bosses.

But then OMG am I dead from 3 days of doing stuff. Even just a few hours here and there.  So Sat/Sun will be resting. Monday is first day of PT and then Tuesday is my 3rd follow up appointment with Ortho (second set of x rays and work clearance).  Then the Holidays with Xmas Eve at friends and hosting Christmas dinner here.  Then I'll probably need those next three days to rest up again before returning to work.  

But basically after 7 weeks of being away from society as a whole, today was the start of returning to the world outside my little bubble.  Small victory to remember aside from what is above: while trying to sleep on my side still hurts beyond belief if trying to turn to my left.  I was able to sleep on my right side for 15 - 20 mins once this week. I'll take it - as maybe this means I'll be back to my side sometime down the road.