The good kind of sore

I was talking recently with a fellow spine sufferer about the differences between good and bad sore. Good sore are muscles fatigued from exercise. Bad sore are angry nerves, torn ligaments, strained soft tissue, basically anything that prevents you from moving the way you would normally move.

All I've experienced for the past seven months has been the bad sore, the limiting sore, the 'when is this gonna end' sore. So you can imagine how good it feels to finally feel my muscles working again! My calves and quads are tingling with delight after another workout on the Santa Monica stairs. Three laps and I had plenty in the tank for more, but I chose to play it safe and live to fight another day. I've come to appreciate the smallest of victories.

View from the top of the stairs

My back is tight, the SI joints are a little en fuego, and I can 'feel' the disc in my back. It's hard to explain what I mean by 'feeling' the disc. My mind knows it's there, and my body can sense it, but I'm not sure if the mind or body is in charge of this particular sensation right now. My legs and glutes are beginning to wake up and remember how to function properly. It's still difficult to sometimes distinguish between a healthy burn in my glutes and a precursor to real pain, but thus far the real pain hasn't reappeared for a couple weeks.

This week I'm back in the pool and will start doing some hikes in the Santa Monica mountains. Get ready to burn!

I sneezed

And it didn't hurt!

That is all.  Carry on.

Week 4 post op - It's just a jump to the left...

...And then a step to the right.

Week four was interesting. Things started off well, took a dip, then picked back up. I had a rough few days last week. I maintained my five miles a day on foot and continued stretching each day, but my low back started to get especially cranky, which made me jittery. A persistent burning sensation set in, followed by a familiar tightness that I was hoping I had left behind in Germany. But I calmed down and reminded myself that this recovery won't always be a march forward. Sometimes a lateral move isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially if new pains replace old pains.

I hit the Santa Monica stairs again this morning and was able to actually push hard enough that I was winded half way up. I'm sticking to two laps per day for this week so I don't overwhelm my quads and hamstrings, which haven't seen any real action in so long they had all but closed shop for the winter. I've increased my daily output to six miles for this week, and finally picked up a decent pair of trail running shoes which have helped tremendously! 

My tolerance for sitting and standing hasn't increased much, but my comfort levels have. I'm good for about 20 minutes in a restaurant before I need to stand up and walk around. But I don't stand in one spot for too long. I'm constantly bobbing and weaving to keep things loose. Fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee! Basically, I feel better when I'm moving, so I guess I can't stop moving. I'm like a Great White shark - If I stop, I die!

Where I notice marked improvements are while doing routine motions. Two weeks ago I had to hold onto the car door and gently lower myself into the seat, making sure not to twist. Last night I nonchalantly stepped into my car, and it wasn't until I turned the key in the ignition that I realized I hadn't braced myself before getting in. Another positive sign is the sneeze test. Two weeks ago even the hint of a sneeze left me petrified. But I sneezed not two minutes ago, and the laser like sharp pain has been replaced by mild discomfort.

So, four weeks out and I'm feeling OK. I stopped taking any pain meds before I left Germany and haven't reached for so much as an Ibuprofen since my return. Pain levels continue to fluctuate, but are definitely moving in the right direction. Mechanical pain seems to be decreasing, and remaining active helps keep my back and hips relaxed. I'm still limited in my movements, but slowly regaining my flexibility. My left hammy and groin still aren't quite as loose as the right, but it's getting close.

Again, I'm guarded, but optimistic!

Gettin' Rowdy

I managed two laps on the Santa Monica stairs today. I could have done more, but I know if I pushed it my hamstrings and quads would have been useless for the next week. After only two laps I'm sure I'll feel it tomorrow. My back didn't feel too bad while climbing the stairs, but going down I took very light steps. The back was tight, but no serous pain. It was the first time I've raised my heart rate above 130 since last summer, and I actually got a little light headed near the top. Nice to finally activate my glutes, too!

It's rare to hit the SM stairs and not run into a celebrity or two. Normally you see a lot of character actors and pro athletes on weekends. Today, UFC champ Rowdy Ronda Rousey was training at the stairs. That is one solid woman. She fights at 135, but she easily walks around 20 pounds heavier, and she wears it well. And no, I didn't take any pictures. Only tourists who aren't used to seeing the occasional celebrity reach for their cell phones at the first sight of someone famous.

So, today felt promising. Being sedentary feels worse than moving around. I still can't stand in one spot for more than a few minutes and sitting for more than 20 is difficult, as well. But climbing stairs feels pretty good...so far.

Nice rack

I've been unable to ride any one of my five neglected bikes since last July. Actually, I haven't been able to even look at them. I thought of removing the bike rack from the Mighty Fit, but each time I consider this it feels like I'm giving up. So I left the rack in place to serve as a bumper guard for now and also as an incentive for getting healthy again so I can get back to pedaling.

Today is March 21, exactly three months from the summer solstice, which I have penciled in as my return to cycling. My ultimate goal is to be back on a mountain, any mountain, crushing climbs and descents on my single speed, but that's much further into the future. For my immediate plans I'll settle for tarmac.

As for my current status, the past few days haven't produced any real big changes. A fairly strong, constant ache has taken root in my low back, but the sharp pains have almost gone away.  Not exactly progress as I've swapped one pain for another, but it's not a step backwards either, so I'll take it.

The tightness in my groin and hips is fading thanks to the massage work, and my downward dog is getting easier to slip in to. My goal for this weekend is to tackle the Santa Monica stairs. 180 steps. Easy peasy.

3 weeks post-op

Well, it's been three weeks since I had Marlene (my new disc) installed. If I'm being completely honest about my recovery so far, I have to admit that I'm pleased with the direction things are going, knock on wood. I'm cautiously optimistic and don't want to jinx anything, but I'm feeling a little better each day.

When I returned home last Monday I was in a world of hurt after the plane ride from hell. I attempted a two mile walk the following morning, then paid for it dearly for the rest of the day. Now I'm walking about 5 miles a day without aggravating my back too much. I'm able to move more naturally and my stomach muscles are coming back. I can rise from a horizontal position using only my stomach, which is a huge step forward.

I credit much of my progress to the regular chiropractic treatments I've been getting. I cannot stress enough how important it is for anyone undergoing this type of surgery to incorporate massage and chiropractic into your recovery. And I'm not talking some 'snap, crackle, and pop' jockey. This is the last type of treatment any disc replacement patient needs. What you should research is called, 'Sacro Occipital Technique, or SOT: http://www.sotousa.com/wp/?page_id=14959

After disc replacement surgery your pelvis is likely to be both rotated and tilted, causing among other things, leg length discrepancies. All of the muscles and connective tissue in your back and groin area are basically locked, which can cause severe misalignment. In my case, one leg was almost an inch longer than the other, forcing my joints to take on an unequal load. I basically walked around the hospital like a pirate with a peg leg.

In the past week my chiropractor has been able to align my pelvis, so now there is no longer any leg length discrepancy and I'm able to walk normally. I'm still limited and move slowly, but my gate has almost returned to normal.

The pain in my low back has been tolerable, but I still can't stand for more than a few minutes in one spot without it starting to act up. The pain in my left groin area is tight, but improving with each stretch. My SI joints still burn at times, but this too is getting better. I can sit at a table and eat a meal without wanting to jump out of my skin, and sleep is slowly creeping back into my nightly routine. I've been adding different stretches to my repertoire and started doing face-down leg lifts in order to start stabilizing my SI joints.

A few days after surgery I was honestly scared that my life was over. But I trusted in the doctors who said I'd improve, and damn if they weren't right. Still a long way to go, but it feels like I can actually see a faint glimmer of the finish line ahead.

Onward and Forward!

10k per day

I downloaded a pedometer app to track my steps so I can monitor my progress. I managed a bit over 10,000 steps today, not counting puttering around the house. Based on some statistic I read, 2000 steps comes out to around a mile, assuming the average person's stride is 2.5 feet. So I racked up around 5 miles today. My goal is to maintain a minimum of 10k steps a day for the next week, depending on how I'm feeling. And each week I'll increase that number by 2k steps until I'm up to 20k.

My distaste for Los Angeles isn't exactly a secret. But I guess there could be worse places to recuperate from major surgery than Santa Monica. Next weekend I'll tackle the world famous 'Santa Monica Stairs' and rub shoulders with all the celebrities getting in shape.

No, this isn't me...yet.