Just have to make it for a little over a week...

Eight days until surgery (bilateral discectomy, L5-S1) on January 18.

Busy day at work. Trying to wrap up work for med leave - announcement of my leave launches the series of predictable requests by various parties to squeeze every last bit of work out of me before I go on leave. I am slated to work through the 17th. I anticipate it will only get worse.

Honestly, if I got hit by a bus or died on the operating table my workplace have to get by without me, so they need to chill out. There will be some chaos, and life goes on. Everyone is replaceable.

Prep work for the slice and dice

Pre-op is finally scheduled for next Wed. There was a lot of phone tag, but the surgeon's office managed to get a hold of me in between meetings. Now have to deal with getting FMLA paperwork in order, so the doctor can get his portion filled out and I have to get it back to my employer to process before I go on leave. So I am delivering it in person tomorrow, and telling them I will pick it up and hand deliver on this end so it doesn't go in some black hole.

It would be tiring enough with all I'm doing under normal circumstances; unfortunately I'm in pretty rotten declining shape as the steroid shot in my spine is wearing off, and I still have my rheumatoid arthritis adding to the misery. At least my brain is functioning despite the pain. I don't know how I'm managing, quite frankly.  When I get home, I'm wrung-out dishrag tired, wondering how I will get myself together again in the AM.


Timeline 

Thurs 1/10 

Take FMLA paperwork to surgeon's office to get medical documentation

Fri 1/11

Stop taking aspirin.

Wed 1/16

Hopefully pick up FMLA paperwork to take back to employer.

12-2PM: Preanesthesia counseling -- the usual tests:  bloodwork, EKG, anesthesiologist. Eval of all current meds and what I can and cannot take before surgery.

4-4:15 PM: Pre-op Counseling: Meeting with surgeon’s assistant. Pay initial deductible + fee for the surgeon. Rest of the bill will be from the hospital itself; they will bill my insurance and I will be invoiced post-surgery. Since this is the beginning of the calendar year and I am responsible for 10% of the total surgery/hospitalization, I will have to shell out a big hunk of money -- the whole deductible in one fell swoop.

Thurs 1/17

12PM-4PM. Await Hospital Prep call.  Will let me know what time to be there for surgery on 1/18. Of course I'm used to the pre-op drill:

• Do not eat or drink after midnight. 
• Only take AM water for meds.
• Will be told what injectibles to take
• Will be told what to bring to the hospital (I may or may not stay overnight depending on time of surgery and how things turn out).

Friday 1/18

Day of Surgery: will know whether I will stay overnight after surgery. Got someone to sit the dogs in case Kate has to stay overnight with me.

I know I won't be able to lift more than 5 lbs for a long while, with limited bending and NO twisting at the waist. I will, however, have to get up and walk as soon as possible (and frequently, distance isn't as important as beginning to move ASAP) to avoid scarring inside near the spine.

Tues 1/29

1:15 PM: Return appt w/surgeon. At that time we'll have a better idea of recovery.