Hi-ho! Hi-ho! (I owe! I owe!)

It's back to work I go went.  Monday, 3 hours a day to start, with breaks every hour if I'm doing something continuous.  My bosses are easing me back into my role.  We have a new computer system and programs have all been upgraded during my 5.5 month absence, so I am learning how to do things again.  Monday all I could access was e-mail... Because I wasn't there to use the system the IT guy didn't set me up for most of the necessary programs... Oh well, it was fixed by Tuesday.  Today I used one of the new search programs with my boss and we're very happy - it's easier and faster than the old way!  Hurray for change!! (Usually I don't like change...at all!)  So I'm settling in... a little at a time.  I'm sure there are still a handful of people who don't even know I'm back at work.  I startled a couple of the lawyers - hey! Wait! You're back!  That's a good thing - at least they haven't forgotten who I am!

My orthopaedic surgeon basically discharged me from her care at my appointment last week.  My shoulder is not a surgical issue and she does not need to operate on me, therefore discharged with instructions to get back in touch with Dr. Gentili.  The ortho is fairly certain that my brachial plexus injury occurred when I had my decompression surgery and will be sending a note to my family doctor stating the same. So I'm being referred back to Dr. Gentili. 

Kinda scary... my physiotherapist and I were going through my return to work plan last week... she told me that if I do too much I could injure the brachial plexus further, resulting in permanent nerve damage.  I have to be very careful at work.  No overhead lifting.  Nothing over 5 lbs (basically, a pack of copy paper is too heavy).  And breaks when needed.  If I'm in pain for more than an hour after I finish work I've done too much.  Today, I've done too much.  I have sharp pain in my shoulder and upper arm, my wrist is sore, my hand is sore and I can feel pain up my trapezius into my neck and back of my head...  I picked up a minute book today - and knew right away it was heavy.  But some are full, some are empty.  How am I to know unless I pick it up off the shelf??  The last thing I want to do is have permanent nerve damage...  Guess from now on I will have to ask someone to get my minute books down... (insert heavy, feeling useless sigh... pffff!)

In other news, I've made is quite successfully through another craft show season.  I had my last show last Friday and Saturday.  It went quite well.  The day before the show my mother-in-law and I took my crafts to her old office (she retired in May).  The ladies there cleaned me out of my Christmas spiders!  I took 27, came home with 3!  Yikes! I had to go to the consignment shop and pick up some I have for sale there and then scrambled to make some more Thursday night for the weekend show.  They are my biggest seller at any show.  But I didn't expect my m-i-l's colleagues to completely clean me out!  Happily I had enough for the weekend and sold 8 more.  And I've sold 9 or 10 at the consignment shop too!  So now that you're going "what's the deal with the spiders" here's a pic....

And there's a legend which goes with each one on a scroll...

The Christmas Spider Legend

A long time ago in Germany, while a mother was busily cleaning house in preparation for Christmas, the spiders that usually stayed in the living room corner fled upstairs to the attic to escape from her broom. From the attic they could hear all the excitement from the living room as decorations were being made for when Santa was to come on Christmas Eve and bring gifts for the children.

Frantic to see the decorated tree, the spiders slowly crept downstairs for a view. Oh, what a beautiful tree! In their excitement, they scurried up the trunk and out along each branch. They were filled with happiness as they climbed all through the tree to see the glittering beauty.

But alas! By the time they were through climbing all over the tree, it was completely shrouded in their dusty-gray spider web.

When Santa came, he smiled as he saw how happy the spiders were. However, He knew how heart-broken the mother would be if she saw the tree covered with the dusty webs. So He reached out and touched the webs, blessing them and turning them to silver and gold.

Thus, the custom to have a spider ornament amongst all other decorations with tinsel of gold and silver on the Christmas tree was born.

And on that cheery note... ta ta for now!!

Stuff

Well, Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers... Enjoy your turkey drunk today and shopping frenzy tomorrow!  Wish I could be in the States shopping... but not in the crowds!  I love our shopping trips to the US.  We usually stock up on all of the nom noms that I can't buy here.  The selection of soy based products here is very limited.  There is one store which sells soy yoghurt. I can get soy milk and almond milk easily enough, but other delicacies aren't as easy to find.  Like soy ice-cream that actually tastes good... Soy cheese, dairy free foods in general... Love shopping at Whole Foods in Duluth!!

I went to the dentist for the first time today since my decompression.  I'm just happy it's been 5 months since my surgery!  The little jerks and movements during the cleaning would have been really unbearable before now.  My hygienist was really good about not moving me into any hyper-extended positions.  Everything was good.  I have a bit of a stiff neck and mild headache now, but I usually have a headache after lying on my back with my mouth stretched beyond the limits of the tendons.  And this afternoon I get to go to the orthodontist - I broke one of the permanent retaining wires - two dental professionals in one day - LUCKY ME!  :P

Mum and I went to see Mamma Mia on Monday night.  Now, if you're a 70s child - which I am; you were brought up in a house filled with music day in day out - which I was; and you knew every ABBA song by the time you were 8 - which I did; this is the show for you!! And, even if you vaguely know who ABBA is, enjoy an excellent live musical theatre show, then get your butts to the box office when it's in your neighbourhood!! It was phenomenal.  The singing, the choreography, the storyline, the comedy... all top notch.  It was so much fun.  It was my first "loud" event since my surgery, and despite clapping and tapping my foot all night, singing along and standing for a good 8 minute ovation, I didn't feel bad on Tuesday - stiff and a little tired, but NO headache!!  I couldn't go to events before my surgery for the last while... shags (aka Doe and Buck, Jack and Jill, pre-wedding social - NOT the British shag), concerts, conventions, etc... the noise and the crowds were way too much for me to handle.  I'd have a headache for days. So, I was very happy to have such a wonderful time and NOT spend the next few days suffering for it.  

Still working hard work-hardening... About 4 hours a day most days.  I see gains and I have set-backs, but all in all, I think I'm doing well.  My physiotherapist did some more assessing and testing yesterday and it is still indicating a nerve issue - especially in the radial nerve.  Only 5 days until I see the orthopaedic surgeon for the neck and head MRI results and HOPEFULLY a diagnosis.  I cannot shovel snow, carry much, scrub the bathtub, but in time I hope I will have the strength and range of motion to be able to do so again.  Not that I miss scrubbing the bathtub ;P  (wishing this blog had smilies available...)

Now, off to the orthodontist... 

Shoulder Update

I'm beginning to feel like this is a never ending circle of assessments, appointments, physiotherapy and MRIs.  And all I want is to get better and go back to my life!

I saw the orthopaedic surgeon yesterday for my shoulder.  She reviewed my MRI results - there are no tears in any of the muscles or ligaments of the shoulder.  There is a cyst on the head of my humorous, but it is consistent with the anchors placed during my two shoulder surgeries for the rotator cuff.  This is good news - no tears = no need for surgery. 

So where does that lead us??

Orthopaedic agreed with my physiotherapist's diagnosis of a possible brachial plexus injury.  And to see if this is the case, another MRI of my cervical spine has been ordered.  I'm already having an MRI on my head on November 7th as my follow up  from my decompression surgery, however the head shots only go to C2 at the most.  The brachial plexus anchors from C4 to C6 and T1. 

Because I am still in inconsistent pain and it is not fully diagnosed or controlled, orthopaedic said no return to work until she sees the MRI results in early December.  (Yes folks, it takes 2 weeks for the radiologists to read our MRIs after the scans are done, and then allow about a week for the report to electronically cross the hospital parking lot to her office, get downloaded and placed in my file.) If it is a brachial plexus injury then the orthopaedic will be sending a report back to Dr. Gentili and I'll be heading back to Toronto... They don't deal with it here unfortunately.   She advised my physiotherapist to start work hardening for a prospective return to work, if I can tolerate it.  My pain is so intermittent that this will be an experience.  Difficult, easy, painful, don't know how it will be.  I'm on my way to physio this morning to report to Bee.

Luckily I saw my family dr. in the afternoon yesterday as well and he ordered the C-spine MRI with a 10 day window, instead of the up to 12 week wait.  He recommended that they have my C-spine done at the same time as my head MRI - I doubt it is possible, but I can only hope the booking clerk can fit both scans in on the same day!

But gotta run!! I'll report on my lunch with my best friend and phyio's reaction to the orthopaedic's notes later!

Post-Op Report

Monday was a long day.  It was also extremely hot.  Mum and I flew to Toronto for my follow-up with Dr. Gentili.  The basic gist of the appointment...

Posterior fossa decompression surgery looks like it was successful.  Dr. Gentili is very pleased with my recovery and progress thus far.  

My scars look good - the head is great, the thigh is not as good, a little hypertrophic - it's red and wider than it should be.  I can get some serum to reduce the look of the scar if I want to. But as I see it, it is a battle scar, not a beauty mark.

I can start driving in about two weeks.  But no driving in Toronto - hahaha!!  And just for short periods of time to start.  No 3 hour trips for a while.

Dr. G (I'm tired of typing his whole name, sorry folks, you get who I'm talking about) isn't confident that the numbness in my left leg is Chiari related (I disagree with this, but he is the doctor) and said if it persists that I should bring it up with my family doctor.  I also have some disc issues in my back which might be why I have the numbness.

I was told to see my eye doctor to make sure I don't have any retinal issues as I've been seeing more spots and halos than normal and Dr. G wants this monitored but doesn't think it is from the surgery.

I will have an MRI done here and send the results to Dr. G.  He will use the MRI as a base line to monitor my herniation and the arachnoid cyst in my right temple.  If the MRI looks good I don't need to see him until June next year.  If he sees something amiss he will let me know and I will see him in December or January.

After checking the clinical notes for the length of my herniation (sorry, didn't record it, but the tonsils were into the first vertebra) and if he took a picture during surgery of my brainstem (sorry, guess I didn't this time) he also looked for anything about my shoulder (nope, sorry, don't see anything and the positioning during the brain portion of the surgery should not cause my shoulder distress).  For the brain surgery I am laid on my face (obviously) with my arm externally rotated at my sides, not splayed out in a T.  But he does not know what happened when they moved me or rolled me over like Raggedy Ann.  He is sorry about my shoulder issues and did concur that the orthopaedic I found at Toronto Western is an excellent shoulder specialist and recommended I be referred to him by my family dr. as well.

Dr. G left the return to work discussion up to me and my family dr.

Mum and I walked approximately 7 miles in the 40C / 104F temperatures.  We walked through the Eaton's Centre, China Town, to the hospital, back through Kensington Market and back to the shuttle to the airport.  We were hot and exhausted, but it was a good day.  We had a few good laughs and a really nice early supper at Red Lobster.  And thank goodness for air conditioned airports and free cold drinks. And our flight was only about a half hour late getting in, so in all it was only a 18 hour day.

Today was the trip to my family doctor to discuss the shoulder and the return to work plan.

Family doctor (from hereon in fam dr.) did the referral to the second orthopaedic surgeon - the one at Toronto Western.

Fam dr. also did my referral for my brain MRI at Dr. G's request, sooner than later.  Hopefully it will be in the next couple of weeks instead of the traditional 6 to 12 week wait we usually have here for MRIs.

Return to work - hahahahahahaha - not possible with my shoulder right now.  My shoulder is getting worse by the day and the activities I can do with it are less and less.  I cannot hold a bath towel with my arm outstretched to fold it.  I cannot pour the kettle without supporting my arm with my left hand.  It's killing me to type my post, but I can't stand typing left-handed only... And the pain gets worse as the day goes on to the point that by 3:00 or 4:00 I'm usually very uncomfortable and bordering on wanting to go to the emergency room.  (but what's the point, they can't do anything for it anyway)  It burns in my shoulder, radiates down to my fingers, down my clavicle into my chest, up my neck into my jaw and ears, and down my spine.  OUCH!!!! And no pain killers work.  Where was I?? Oh yeah, even without the shoulder issue my fam dr. would like me to have 4 more weeks off of work.  But because of the shoulder 6 to 8 weeks more off work, minimum.  We will revisit the return to work sometime early October.

Fam dr. would like me to have the MRI results before I return to work.  And if it's in the stars, the cards, the heavens, and any other thing that could work in my favour, also to see an orthopaedic before I return to work.  So I'm on extended "vacation".

After my appointment I stopped in at my office to let my two bosses know what was up and talk to the HR department about the end of my short term disability coverage and the start of my long term.  Good news there, there should not be a lapse between the two plans and when we get close to the end of October I just have to pay my fam dr. to fill in more paperwork to confirm my symptoms and that I cannot yet perform my duties at work.  (I have not mentioned how much I dislike having to pay $30 for my fam dr. to write on a form for my insurance company telling them I cannot yet return to work.  But them's the breaks right??)  Both my bosses were in meetings, so I had to hang around for a while.  I chatted with a couple of colleagues and then brought my bosses up to date.  Both are sad that I cannot come back right now, but neither want me to rush back either.  My male boss noticed that I'm still having trouble with the cognitive thinking and transferring it to speech, but he was nice about it - said he could live with it.  (not in a condescending way, typing it out sounds condescending...)  It doesn't happen all the time but only when I'm trying to think quickly - like responding to a question.  My female boss misses me and really wishes me nothing but the best (she is possibly the nicest person I've ever met).  She too said once I am back she will accept any difficulties I might have returning to my duties and we will work with them so I can be the assistant I was before my surgery.

So, 6 to 8 more weeks off, at home, continuing to heal my head and hopefully hear from an orthopaedic!!