L4/L5, Active L, 3/17/09, Dr. Rolando Garcia

**runagain** · 07-16-2011, 02:17 AM

Kathy,

How cute...so cute...what a cute baby.
So glad you are feeling good.

R

**KBear** · 10-17-2011, 08:56 PM

I can't believe it's been a whole year of being pain free! Time flies when you aren't confined to a couch.

I had a bit of increased pain after the baby and was a little worried (ok, I'll be honest, I was scared sh*tless that I could end up on the same road again). I know now it was just the normal mommy back pain, as it rarely warranted medicine and is completely gone now.

I finally lost all my baby weight last month, he's 6.5 months now, so I'm sure that helped too. I started doing Jillian Michaels 30 day shred and that has definitely strengthened me up. She is absolutely crazy with her workouts and tries to kill me on a daily basis, but I survive.... somehow. Amazingly, everything other than my back, in my body hurts after her workouts, she's a killer on the knees and ankles. I'm thrilled that I can actually do that kind of workout, especially when simple activities like being up too much, I used to pay for, for days after. Pain free is so much sweeter when you have lived the alternative.

And I'm a little crazy and am actually thinking about the possibility of a 4th child down the road... I have a very short term memory

I'm amazed at just how far I've come and am really pain free, a day I thought might never come. I'm so very thankful for all the wonderful people on here who supported me in the hard times (and the good; but especially the hard ones). I really don't know how I would be where I am today without you- Justin, Cindylou, Trkdoc714, Ruth, Ajj1001, Gil, Katie, Runagain, Linda, treefrog, Terry and I know I'm forgetting a ton of you (that short term memory problem), so thank you!

Some pictures of me, hubby and kids- though not all together!

Hubby and I in front of Jerry's World (aka: Cowboy's Stadium). They actually won this game- amazing!

Eli at 6 months. He's starting to crawl!

Emma showing off her flu shot braveness

Ava (on the left) hanging out at school with her BFF

**ajj1001** · 10-18-2011, 04:27 AM

you are looking amazing and what a gorgeous family. enjoy this special time, they stay little for such a short time (though my 20 year old does let me call her 'my baby girl' still!)

**dalhousie** · 10-19-2011, 03:07 PM

It's nice to see your family pics & great to hear of such an ongoing success story. Congrats on losing the baby weight - as Alison says you're looking fantastic.

**KBear** · 11-14-2011, 02:16 PM

As the title says, it sucks being right sometimes. Last Tuesday, I discovered what I believed to be a large incisional hernia (it's about the size of my fist), right to the left of my scar (my left.) I just got back from the surgeon and confirmed that yes I do have a large hernia, an abdominal 'defect' and need to have it corrected surgically.

Basically the spine surgery entrance on my abdomen weakened those muscles (possibly the cause of the 'defect' as they call the hole in my muscle), then the pregnancy put tons of pressure on the weakened area causing the hernia. I've also been working out like crazy (tons of ab work) and that may have hastened the process as well. Either way, it's there and needs fixed.

It can be fixed laparoscopically, with 2 small incisions (one on each side of the upper abdomen) and 1 larger incision to the right of my belly button. He will then put a large piece of mesh inside to fix the 'defect.' It's done in the hospital, but is outpatient surgery, though he said there is a chance I'll need to stay overnight for pain control (especially because of the size of it.) The surgeon I consulted came highly recommended, specializes in laparoscopic procedures and is also the Chief of Staff at our hospital.

It's really not painful, it does hurt but compared to spine pain it's nothing. It's kind of a burning & pinching sensation. I'd been ignoring the pain just thinking that my abs were sore from exercise. I'm going to wait until the beginning of the year to have it fixed, with the Holidays, all the kids activities and stuff, I think that will be easier to have some down time. Also that will help meet my deductible for next year. I'll keep you updated on when I schedule surgery and how it goes.

Other than that, I'm still doing great with my back, no pain whatsoever. I've been doing a lot of exercise trying to get my core very strong and hopefully protect against future back problems.

**laid up doc** · 11-14-2011, 08:36 PM

aye, that's what i fear about future pregnancy.... my now-scarred anterior abdominal wall.... as well as the forces on my ADR.

i still have a few childbearing years but am scared of what it would do to my body. i don't work in a very forgiving field. my 2 best friends can't be surrogates... sigh. maybe i'll meet the right man and that'll change my mind... but i used to always think i'd just get donor sperm. now i'm not so sure.

**KanRunMo** · 11-15-2011, 03:39 PM

Kathy,
The hernia is a minor bump in the road. You have done so well with your ADR and pregnancy I'm sure this will go fine also. Facing any surgery is never fun. The surgery may be easy but not the recovery. I wish they had an out-patient-one-day-recovery as they do for the surgery. No such luck. As Goldie Ratner used to say (on SNL) "There's always something!" I'm not sure what that means but it seems to fit a lot of things.

**KBear** · 11-15-2011, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by laid up doc

aye, that's what i fear about future pregnancy.... my now-scarred anterior abdominal wall.... as well as the forces on my ADR.

i still have a few childbearing years but am scared of what it would do to my body. i don't work in a very forgiving field. my 2 best friends can't be surrogates... sigh. maybe i'll meet the right man and that'll change my mind... but i used to always think i'd just get donor sperm. now i'm not so sure.

The first time I was pregnant and of course scared to death about delivery, I just kept reminding myself that women do this voluntarily and more than once, it couldn't be too bad. The body definitely takes a beating, but it's all worth it in the end. As to many of us know too well, you can never do anything harmful or stressful on the body and still end up with a bad back (an idiot driver did it in my case.) I guess either way, crap can always go wrong. It's obviously not too bad, because hubby and I have been throwing around the idea of a 4th someday....

KanRun- You are so right, this is nothing compared to where I've been. It's not what I planned or wanted, but heck none of us planned or wanted spine pain either... such is life. I was just thinking the other day, if I've had this many issues and am only 31, I sure don't want to know what the heck is in store for me at 50, 60, 70 & so on! LOL! I have heard it's a pretty painful recovery, because of all the abdominals being messed with. I just keep telling myself that it can't be worse than back surgery (that was motto going into the c-section too.) I'm just planning on continuing my exercises and healthy eating, hopefully being in tip top shape going in and helping with a speedy recovery. I've been doing Jillian Michaels video workouts and she is a killer. It's so challenging, but it's made a huge difference. I have actual arm muscles for the first time ever! I never thought I'd use love and exercise in the same sentence, but I really do love it.

**laid up doc** · 11-16-2011, 12:20 AM

kbear -

i suffer from too much knowledge... that being pregnant is the most dangerous thing the average american woman does in her lifetime!!! that's my answer to women who try to duck the healthcare system w/ deliveries, hiding behind the "well women have been doing it for xyz years" -- and a lot women died in childbirth back then!!!

obviously my concern isn't so much life threat, but quality of life threat. if i'm going to have a child, i want to be a MOTHER... not farm them off. the way my life was the last 3 yrs, i could barely take care of myself, much less a husband and/or child/children. just a lot to think about i guess.... hoping life will help make some of those decisions for me!

best of luck w/ the surgery - make sure you follow those lifting guidelines to a T!!!!

**KBear** · 11-16-2011, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by laid up doc

kbear -

i suffer from too much knowledge... that being pregnant is the most dangerous thing the average american woman does in her lifetime!!! that's my answer to women who try to duck the healthcare system w/ deliveries, hiding behind the "well women have been doing it for xyz years" -- and a lot women died in childbirth back then!!!

obviously my concern isn't so much life threat, but quality of life threat. if i'm going to have a child, i want to be a MOTHER... not farm them off. the way my life was the last 3 yrs, i could barely take care of myself, much less a husband and/or child/children. just a lot to think about i guess.... hoping life will help make some of those decisions for me!

best of luck w/ the surgery - make sure you follow those lifting guidelines to a T!!!!

LOL The leading cause of death for pregnant women is murder too. Crazy, huh? Murder: The Leading Cause of Death for Pregnant Women

I was in the same spot as you before and for a bit after surgery, and am back to normal now. I'll be praying one day this is all a distant memory for you too.