ALIF Part 2

As you know I really suck at waiting. And this was probably the most nervous I have ever been while waiting for Rick. I found a seat in the waiting room and gave my mom and Rick's mom a call to let them know he was in surgery. They were both going to come sit in the waiting room with me so that I wouldn't have to wait all alone. While I waited for them to get to the hospital I found myself very upset. I tried to read my book but I kept realizing that I had no idea what I had read. I just kept stopping and praying that everything would go as planned. My eyes kept filling with tears but I didn't want to cry in front of the other people in the waiting room.

Our mom's arrived and they tried to talk to me and keep my mind off of what was going on. But I couldn't help but have my mind keep drifting back to what was happening in that operating room. I knew that Rick was hooked to a breathing machine and that there were doctors messing with his spine. That was a terrifying thought for me. I just couldn't help but think about what was happening. Part of me wished I could just make sure that everything was going okay somehow. But I also had complete faith in his surgeon. And that was comforting; knowing that his surgeon truly cared about Rick.

I pretty much have memorized what the little clock in that waiting room looked like. I basically couldn't take my eyes off of it. I was told that the surgeon anticipated the surgery only taking 90 minutes. At the two hour mark I couldn't take it anymore and I asked the receptionist if she could find out if he was okay. She phoned back and found out that at that moment he was being wheeled into the recovery room. The doctor would be out shortly to talk with me. At that moment I thought I should feel relieved to know that he was no longer in surgery but I didn't. I just wanted to see him for myself but I couldn't.

The surgeon came walking down the hall and I jumped up to find out how it all went. Apparently the disc was completely obliterated. It never would have healed on its own. (Take that you other stupid "wait and see" doctor.) The reason surgery took longer was because it took a lot of work to get the part of the disc out that was bulging into the space where the nerves run (I can't remember exactly what that is called). And they had to use a bigger capsule than what the surgeon thought he would need. They are measured 14, 16, and 18 mm (at least I think it was mm). The 16 was just too loose when he inserted it, so it had to be removed and the 18 had to be forced in place. Rick is now 1/8 inch taller. It took a lot of work to get the 18 in place, and it is apparently in there very snug. The capsules are filled with growth hormone that will stimulate bone growth and over the next year the two vertebrae will grow together, thus the fusion will be complete. But for now the capsules and vertebrae are held together by the fibrous tissue that makes up the outside of the disc. That part of the disc was left in place to hold the vertebrae together. The good news is that there was no need to insert any rods or screws. That was something that Rick was really hoping to avoid.

I thanked the surgeon, I wanted to hug him but I didn't. And then even more waiting continued. Family is not allowed in the recovery room so I wouldn't be allowed to see Rick for another hour and a half. I think that wait was almost harder because I knew he would be waking up in pain and I wouldn't be there with him. I just wanted to hold his hand and be there but I couldn't. So yet again I just stared at the clock. I did break down a little at that point.

As soon as I heard a nurse say Wallace I jumped up out of my seat and I could see Rick being wheeled down the hallway. I was able to get in the elevator with him. He looked so pale and when I asked him how he was doing he just made a little noise. The elevator doors opened and I was told to wait in another waiting room while they transferred him to his bed. I was NOT happy about having to wait again. I did not wait in the waiting room, I waited in the hallway. And then after he was transferred to his bed, using a back board and pain apparently, I was told to still wait because the nurse wanted to check his vitals. The heck with that!!! I waited about one more minute and just walked into his room. The nurse didn't seem very thrilled with me but I was not going to wait any longer.

I knew he was in pain. I could see it all over his face. And that totally sucked!!!!

I think I will continue later. That's probably enough for now. I will have a couple pictures for the next post. I didn't really take pictures this time.

Until next time,
Jaime