One of my stated goals with our Facebook page and this blog is to get as many stories online as possible from people who are at every stage of dealing with schwannoma tumors. This includes checking in with those who have had surgery recently to see how their recovery is going and share what life is like after. My dear friend that I refer to as my "partner in crime" for this blog and facebook page, Jamie Dubinsky, has been kind enough to write a short blog with some information about her condition 4 months after spinal schwannoma surgery. Thanks to Jamie for sharing!
Neil
My Self Progress Report (4 Months Post-Op)
It’s been about 4 months and 1 week since my November spinal
cord schwannoma removal. It seemed like
I would never reach this point, but I am 95% back to my normal activities. I still suffer lack of flexibility in my left
hamstring and experience slight numbness in the front of my left thigh. I also experience pain around my surgical
site, with sensations of muscle tightness and bone pain radiating to my
sacral-iliac joint. Since my surgery
involved drilling of a hole through the L2 vertebrae and the requirement of a
year for the bone to heal, I would think this is normal post-op pain.
Although I am back to my normal fitness activities, I still
need to exercise caution with some physical movements. I absolutely cannot lie on the floor to
perform abdominal crunches for the surface of the floor (carpet, a soft mat) is
too hard on my back. If I lie on a hard
surface for too long I cannot sit straight up, but need to roll onto my side to
avoid the pain in my mid-back. I was
also told “No high impact sport activities for one year” by my surgeon. Yet, approximately 1 month ago I was running
through a snowy field after my dog and I tripped over a hidden tree branch (I
guess this constitutes a high impact fall!).
The impact from the fall definitely induced pain and side effects that
had previously subsided since November.
Shortly after taking the spill in the field I had my follow up MRI,
which revealed no damage to the bones and spinal cord!
Prior to surgery I could not sleep through a night, but now
the only time I wake up through a night’s sleep is if I had too much water before
bed! I could not run, jump or even
throw a ball to my dog without searing pain shooting through my body; now I
can do all of these things without this overwhelming sensation. I am 100% happy with my decision to go
through with the surgery. I can finally
live life like a healthy human being again!
(Disclaimer: advice shared on this
blog or on our related Facebook page can not be a replacement for proper
medical treatment by a trained physician. Speak with a Doctor before
making any medical decisions.)
