Two Weeks Post-Op

     It is now two weeks since Dr. Stovall chiseled away a few pounds of bone spurs and realigned and stabilized some of my lumbar vertebrae. I guess that's as good a milepost as any to assess and report progress. Although I could, with the help of a walker, walk almost from the start, it has taken this long to get my legs, particularly my quads, to go along with the program. They have been tight and sore and have made it difficult until recently to stand up straight. I'm looking forward to walking more and easing the stiffness in my back.
     We have settled into a routine. For the first week I slept in the recliner. Then I returned to our big Tempur-Pedic mattress, sleeping on my back with a pillow behind my knees. Sleeping on my back meant mouth breathing and snoring, so Durelle used the guest bedroom. Given her role in this process, she needs a good night's sleep more than I do. Every other day I take a shower using a shower chair. Yesterday I went out to the street to get the mail and made another trip to the garage to hook up the battery charger to the Corvette which hasn't been driven since before the surgery. 

      
     I still can't stand without having my hands on something, but progress is happening. The physical therapist rolls his eyes when I talk about driving out of here in two months. We'll see. I am just beginning to help out with the cooking again.

     I've got a new definition for Wikipedia...Predicament:

     The state of affairs at 0400 when you are balancing on one hip while simultaneously protecting a tender spine as well as a half-full urinal and you get hammered by a hamstring cramp.