Back Surgery

Woosh! What a ride! Besides ER visits, croup, weekly OB appointments, and twice a week hospital visits for NSTs (non stress tests) and ultrasounds, we also had a back surgery! We knew Josh needed surgery (we've been through this kind of pain before). Josh actually had this same surgery 4 years ago. I was 6 months pregnant with Jinaya. Josh had an MRI at the beginning of January. I immediately went into panic about when we could even plan for a surgery. Finally I turned the timing over to Heavenly Father and honestly Never thought about it again. We spent the rest of the month trying to get into a back specialist. Being on Self-pay makes it hard to see anyone. A lot of rigamarol later, we ended up seeing the back doctor in the ER. The first thing they asked if we were on the wrong floor, Labor and Delivery is on the fifth floor. ha ha. We soon realized how serious Josh's condition was. Josh was admitted into the hospital that night and had the back surgery the following night. It was late like 6:30pm.
I had the suspicion of surgery when they guy in the next bed was getting ready to go in. Then when the PA asked Josh when he last ate, I was sure. Josh was a little skeptical about the timing, and I just thought we already have everything set up for me to have the baby, it is very convenient for our parents who are already taking off work to help us out. We also learned that we had one of the best doctors in the nation. We were extremely blessed from Heavenly Father to be able to have this procedure. Josh did extremely well, up and walking around, we were ready to go home by 11am the next morning. (We did have a birthday party to get to.)I am so thankful for neighbors I can call at the very last minute to take care of my kids way into the night. I came home and took care of things while Josh 'hung-out' in the hospital. Plus I had to go in for a NST & BIO. My mom came up really late that night and stayed that weekend with the kids. Josh's parents also came down and took our two little ones, Jaythan and Jinaya, home with them for the week. What a lovely week. Our two older children learned a lot of valuable responsibility. Josh was so pleasant and nice. The week was very slow for me, but I kept busy with hospital and doctor visits.
Well Josh started to get into a little more pain after about 9-11 days. (our baby was born on day 10.) On day 11 I met him in the Ultrasound room at the hospital to check Josh for blood clots. He looked clear, but had the same pain symptoms as blood clotting. Josh finally was able to talk with the neurosurgeons office and found out that he had a couple more "-ectomy's" than we thought. They worked more on his bones and moved his nerves around more than a regular discectomy. Also, he had some pain meds right inside his back after the surgery that wore off at about a week and a half. Josh is still recovering. It is a long process. His progress is measured in millimeters rather than milestones. He can't lift 25 lbs. or more from the floor or above is waist for about 6 months. (not a typo) Jaythan is right around 25 lbs. and it has been quite a chore not to pick him up or get Jaythan off things he's been climbing on.
The pictures are of me taking the stitch out of Josh's back. The Doc just did one long stitch with no knots. It was pretty cool to take out. The scar left behind is healing very nicely.