Imagine if they only showed "After" photos like this:

This was taken four days Post Op. Looks like I got my butt stomped.

Post-Op

I made it through and I'm still standing. We got up to Wilmington SurgiCenter shortly before 10 and they called me back a bit after. Four different people asked all the same questions. The doc drew hirogliphics(sp?) on me. I was lead into the OR at 11. I remember laying down and them injecting me with the "fuzzy" stuff. Woke up in Recovery feeling pretty good and wearing a two sizes too small girdle. They're like Spanx--they go from the rib cage down to my knees with accomodations for going to the bathroom. In between me and the girdle are pieces of foam in select places to discourage swelling and encourage shrinking.
Anyone want to guess how much fluid they removed?

A week later and it doesn't hurt as bad.

By Monday, I was able to move around without wishing my head wasn't so heavy. I went to the doctor that morning and he diagnosed "cervical strain." Sounds kind of gynecological, doesn't it? He also put me on a profile for "no pushups, no situps, and no running"; which means the only part of my PT test that I could do would be: taping my ab circumference. That's not good. Max points I would get for my 34.5 inch waist would be 71. I need 75. Anyhow, he also gave me Tramadol for the pain. I took it at 1oam Monday morning and had a buzz by 11am. I couldn't even leave for lunch 'cause I didn't trust myself to drive. One of my coworkers shared her lunch with me. Thank goodness. I took another pill Monday night with the thought that the "buzz" would/could happen while I was sleeping.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case but I didn't realize it until I was halfway to work Tuesday morning. We had Commander's Call at 5:45am because someone got a DUI. Halfway through it, I had to rush to the bathroom so that I could be sick. So much for breakfast. An hour or so after the CC Call was over, I went to sick call. They tried to get me to come back that afternoon cause it was 8:01 and sick call was over at 8am. I said: "I'm having a reaction to the medication the doctor gave me. I don't think waiting til this afternoon would be a smart move." Long story, short: no pain medication for me. I'm allergic to Ibuprofen products so I can't even take an anti-inflamatory.
My neck is currently just a little sore. The profile my doc put me on expired Friday. That would mean I would have to test all components of the PT test. It hurt to do situps and I didn't want to injure myself further and run the risk of failing my PT test. See, the Fitness Director has us do pushups and situps first, then we run. If I did situps before I ran, I might hurt myself to a point that it would compromise how I performed on the run. So, back to the doc I went...to get an amended profile--no pushup, no situps but run okay. I got that. Yeah!
So, I test this coming week. Sometime before Friday because Friday is our holiday day off and Monday, the day my PT test is due by, is a base down day. Wish me luck and have a good weekend.

Damn! That hurts!

I don't know how it happened but I managed to hurt myself in such a way that I can't move my neck, shoulders, or head without some serious pain. I feel like I did neck lifts with a thousand pound weight. You know how it feels when you sleep wrong and you can turn your head all the way without a bit of discomfort. Well, multiply that by 100. It hurts so bad that I feel like a baby who can't lift her head 'cause it's too heavy. My BBF here brought me one of those microwavable thingies that rests on your shoulders to alleviate some pain. It's working...a little bit. I was fine yesterday but as my sleep wore on last night it became harder and harder to roll over without pain. This morning, it took all my strength just to do so.
I think this is God's way of saying "take it easy", "no days off for 22 days is not something to be proud of." So, I'm sitting on my butt and watching TV with as little movement as possible. I'm just glad it doesn't hurt to click the mouse button or type. lol. Have a good weekend.
Five more duty days until my PT test.