Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Sometimes you have to hurt to feel better....

I will be going in for surgery tomorrow. The procedure will take about 2 hours and recovery will be approximately 6 weeks.

Good news:

Chronic pain in neck and back will be greatly reduced.
Six weeks of nothing work-related.
May be able to do light gardening while off.
Can watch all my box sets (House, CSI, Lonesome Dove, Thorn Birds, Mad Men, Saving Grace) without interruption.
I will be able to read my Book Club book well in advance instead of a few days before the meeting.
Chronic pain will be reduced.
I am planning on trying out some hot BBQ recipes that I never seem to have time to do.
I will be able to sort out my winter and summer closets.
I will be able to sit on my deck for morning coffee without having to rush.
I can have my vodka sodas out on the deck at 5:00 p.m. instead of 6:00 p.m.
Did I mention, chronic pain will be reduced?


Bad News:

I will not be able to ride for 6 weeks.
I will not be able to drive for a couple of weeks.
I will not be able to dig up those dead shrubs that are driving me mad or replace them.
I will be bored.
I can't ride for 6 weeks.
I will not be able to have my vodka soda for the first week of my recovery because of my stupid pain killers.
Did I mention that I will not be able to ride for 6 weeks?

Shannon at It's Quarters for Me and I share the same approximate date for getting back in the saddle. In the meantime, we will be living vicariously through other bloggers to ease our withdrawal. Even when I do start riding again, I will have to arrange for someone to put the saddle on Gem's back because I won't be able to lift 75 lbs. (OK, it's only 35 lbs.!!) up that high. In addition to being behind in my lessons, my body will have to acclimatize to riding again. My goal is to work up to cantering/loping again by the end of the summer.

This surgery was booked last November. It will put a bit of a damper on this summer as far as riding goes, but I will benefit long-term and I am looking forward to being able to enjoy riding pain-free. I should be in great shape for Fall and Winter riding, which are my two favourite seasons for trail riding. Jean will be riding Gem during our regularly scheduled lessons and I have arranged for LA to ride Gem once a week. Just because I can't ride, doesn't mean that he has time off, too! I will keep you posted on how Jean and LA do. :-)

What was I thinking...?

13 comments:

  1. I love Lonesome Dove, House and the Thornbirds. Enjoy watching them for me, I'll be too busy doing other un-fun stuff. Hope your surgery goes well and you heal quickly. Six weeks of no riding is not a fun thing to look forward to but you'll be having other things to keep you busy and you'll be pain free at the end of it. Trust me it's worth it, when I had my knee replaced I was out of the saddle for almost 9 months and now that I can ride again without pain it's great. Good luck.

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  2. I'm guessing this is a vertebral disk issue? I had to have back surgery when I was 26 (yup 26) for a herniated disk at L5, so I have a pretty good inkling of the chronic pain you're feeling right now. I had immediate relief waking up after the surgery but I know that some people don't feel better that quickly. Hopefully you'll have results like I did.

    If only we could trade our bodies in for new ones when they get broken or worn out. Sadly we can't so we have to wait for the ones we have to heal (even when it seems like FOREVER and there are a gazillion things you'd love to be doing).

    Best wishes for a full recovery from one gimp to another :)

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  3. Hope your surgery goes well. What are you having done?

    Hold that thought - pain free riding!

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  4. Ah! Not you too! Well, I think your on the right track focusing on what you can do rather than what you cannot do. I hope the surgery and recovery go by quickly for you and that you are back in the saddle and pain free before you know it!

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  5. Oh dear! I'm sorry you'll be out for so long, but hopefully this will be a big help. My DH has degenerative disk in 5 disks, so surgery is not an option.

    Better life through pharmaceuticals, unfortunately.

    I will be sending you healing thoughts and I'm glad to hear you'll have Gem staying in shape.

    By the way, I learned a new way to swing a saddle - specifically designed for women. It works great. I'll post a video.

    Hang in there!

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  6. Thanks everyone! Your kind thoughts are very much appreciated. I know I will be in pain for a bit, but I am focused on the prize. :-)

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  7. Very good luck with surgery and recovery - and enjoy the things that otherwise you wouldn't feel entitled to do!

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  8. Wolfie ~ I hope the surgery goes perfectly. Kate's right, use the recovery time to enjoy all the things that you'll abandon as soon as you get back on the big Canadian!

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  9. Hi Muddy K - Surgery went well. I am psyched about getting back in the saddle. I miss my boy!

    Hi Shannon - I am actually doing OK. The pain from the surgery is manageable. The really good news is I can already feel the difference in my neck and shoulders! Yipee!

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  10. I wish you the best in recovery Wolfie! You are right, sometimes you have to hurt to get better and put yourself 1st. I had surgery last year and was out for a month. I was miserable, but I've gotten so much more time in my life back as a result. Chin up!

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