TLIF Surgery - Post-op Day 12 (some pictures included may not be suitable for some)

Consider yourself warned.... Some of the pictures below may not be suitable for some.


TLIF Surgery - Post-op Day 12...
Fitbit says I slept a little over 6 hours last night. It wasn't the most comfortable sleep...but it was sleep. As you can see from the picture, when I got up with Ron this morning I lost my chair for a bit. Diezel is such a booger. .... Yesterday was a pretty good day, so I stuck to my plan and only took half of a Percocet (with half of a Phenergan). It definitely didn't work as well as taking the whole pill and I ended up taking some Tylenol at 5am. I guess that's a better choice...maybe. ... My plan for today is the same as the previous days: watching 📺, reading 📖, writing 💻, sleeping 😴, thinking 🤔, walking... The staples come out tomorrow. Woot woot! I hope that takes care of some of the uncomfortable feelings. ... Here's to a great day! Staying positive and continuing to heal.







3pm -  Gotta give a shout out again to UPS and Diezel's favorite driver. Once again Diezel got his treat AND he put my packages inside the house for me! I know they are on a time schedule but it really means a lot that he took a few extra seconds to help me out. 😀 🐶📦 📦 📦 Now to wait on Ron to get home to open them.  
Diezel decided to spend some time on the other couch today instead of in the recliner.  I guess he felt like I needed some time by myself in it.  He spent almost all day sleeping on it...except when he decide to explore a little to see what's on the counter.  😁

9:45pm - Today has been an interesting day.  For the most part it hasn't been too bad.  I walked almost 2 miles so far today...which is a little less than some days but a little more than others.  I had an interesting experience trying to get ice earlier.  My hubby has been keeping a cooler with ice for me on the counter.  He put ice in it last night, but didn't change the cool pack, and today when I went to get ice my bowl was nothing but water.  I thought about it decided that maybe I could get some ice out of the freezer drawer (below the refrigerator) by squatting and using tongs.  I managed to do it but I don't think I'll be trying that again.  My legs are not quite strong enough to squat to that degree for very long.  I did manage to fill my Yeti cup up though so I was good until my hubby came home.
The staples have still felt like they were pulling...which I know is normal for the healing process.  I've been feeling like I was doing good but got a shock when I went to take the shower.  When I turned to the mirror to look at my bandage and take it off it was full of blood on the bottom half!!!  Holy moly!  It really kind of freaked me out!!! 



Just ignore the tape residue - it can't be helped when wearing sweatpants all the time.
It took a minute to get the bandage off because I'm so paranoid about pulling the skin around the staples.  I guess I either pulled something the wrong way OR have some drainage issue.  I still have a real puffy spot on the upper right side.  When Ron pushed on it more drainage came out.  He thinks the puffy spot is full of fluid and it's found a small hole and is now dribbling out.  Yuck!!  

The incision looks a bit different than before - there's been some movement.  Thankfully all of the staples are accounted for.  I've taken three sets of pictures since the surgery.  When putting them side by side you can see the difference:



The picture on the left is the one taken a week after the surgery.  The second one was taken 9 days after, and the third one was taken tonight.  It's still dribbling some.  I don't think it's actual blood because of the color of it.  They told me their might be some drainage and to not worry unless it was bright red in color, which this is not.  It is weird to me that it just started though.  Thankfully I'm already scheduled to see the doctor tomorrow for my 2 week post-op appointment and will get the staples out.  Looks like I might be having some drainage done too...  Yikes! 😱