SURGERY

Well, I finally did it. I went under the knife for that herniated disc. Wasn't as bad as I thought, or heard, it would be. The worst time was the first hour in recovery. Pain level there was about a ten. But once they had the pain medication going in through an IV, it started subsiding.
Next worst case was when the IV came out, and they put me on pain pills. The first few hours was pain city. Just goes to show you how much that IV worked its magic. The pain pills started kicking in, and it was downhill from there.
When I was in pre-op, I had this vision of being wheeled into the operating room, and a surgeon who looked like Peter Lorre would be standing there, sharpening his knives on that big leather strap, with an evil grin on his face. Guess I've been watching too many late night horror films.
Went home on the third day. But I was up and walking on the second day. Therapist said I probably wouldn't need any physical therapy, as I was doing so good in the hospital.
My doctor saw me a few times after surgery, and was impressed on my recovery.
When I saw doc about ten days after surgery and told him I needed only two pain pills a day, if that, he said that I was doing better than most patients after back surgery, some of whom take up to ten pills a day.
Definitely on the right road to recovery. Just can't drive for six weeks, and no bending, lifting, or twisting for three months.
Joannie, my wife, is on call 24/7 now. She is a delight in taking care of me. Constantly asking me what I need. Not bad, huh?
Catching up on a lot of reading, which is one of my great pleasures in life anyhow.
When not reading, it doesn't hurt to sit in the recliner and have the remote in one hand and a cocktail in the other. Only problem with that is, I don't know how many more re-runs of Gunsmoke I can watch!
Will I be able to go back to bartending?
Really don't know. Have to talk to my doctor about that. Kind of afraid of pulling my back out of whack again. Really don't want to go through this type of surgery a second time.
If I bartend again, great. If not, I'll miss it terribly!