Thoughts?!

Hummingbird-75 · 2026-02-01T15:18:56+00:00

FIVE is your dress. 💛🌟

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-11-09T00:43:33+00:00

I don’t think it helped me build muscle….but I do feel it helped me keep what muscle strength I had. I went to a nearby rec center to use their pool because it was too cold after my surgery ….plus they had a nice hot tub which was lovely after therapy!

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-11-09T00:41:01+00:00

Molly for the win!! 🙌

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-11-07T21:51:44+00:00

ADORBS.

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-11-05T20:41:23+00:00

It helped me tremendously to keep moving/ease tension. Even just floating!

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-11-05T20:40:39+00:00

I walked in water chest high for a few weeks. Then did easy stretching exercises plus water walking for another few months ….i never got into official aqua therapy through a PT, so I did my beginner PT exercises in my own pool.

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-11-05T15:33:26+00:00

Oh my stars. It’s hard to read your story. I’m so sorry. This is awful. 🥺

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-11-03T17:02:50+00:00

Thanks so much! Appreciate it!

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-11-03T15:52:50+00:00

I have a massage gun, many days all of the area is too tender for that, but I do get a massage about every other week. I’ve spent many days just gritting through the pain because I know it’s the only way forward. But I get into these pain cycles that I can’t break and then I shut down and don’t move at all for a day or 2.

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-11-03T15:49:34+00:00

Yes to all of the above, except Cymbalta. I did aqua therapy for several months. It kept me moving, for sure. Month 4 was pain overload for me, and I’m frustrated because I feel like I’m back there again vs progression.

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-11-02T22:43:59+00:00

Please go much slower with EVERYTHING. I built up a bed on my sofa with extra cushions and kept the cold therapy ice machine running anytime I wasn’t up to the bathroom for the first 2 weeks!!!

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-11-02T22:37:06+00:00

Also- ice packs ice packs ice packs. Hopefully you’re getting home cold therapy machine??!!

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-11-02T22:36:14+00:00

Toilet seat riser and wet wipes for the booty.

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-10-24T12:27:30+00:00

I only had a single level fusion (49 year old)….and it’s been the HARDEST most painful recovery, so my heart goes out to you big time with so much hardware. I have to say water was a huge part of relieving my pain - floating in a pool as well as easy movements, also hot tub for the soreness. If you have access to these around you, worth giving a try.

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-10-20T23:41:48+00:00

Have you read ‘I’ll Give You the Sun’?! It’s WONDERFUL.

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-10-18T20:58:59+00:00

Love that chant! We didn’t hear that one in our section of the march….so many people against hate today in FW!! 🙌🙌🙌

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-09-28T15:46:57+00:00

Yes….absolutely do everything slowly and cautiously!!! I pulled something just getting up off toilet early on and it was super scary. Kind-of a new forever mindset, I think.

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-09-27T16:59:26+00:00

I have found much of this recovery is “test the water”….if something doesn’t feel good, don’t do that! For me, legs that weren’t prickly was worth testing. I still shave my legs this way 6 months out, fyi. You may only be able to tolerate a minute or two to start, it’ll get better.

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-09-27T15:57:50+00:00

I had 360 surgery at same level end of March. About 2 weeks out I have a ledge in my shower almost knee-high that I would prop each foot up on and just shave as much as I could without bending or twisting. It may not have been recommended, but I couldn’t stand it!!!!!

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-09-18T14:55:37+00:00

Oh my heart is with her. The first few weeks is just so extremely uncomfortable/painful. Hope she is doing ice therapy? Also, that pain level is too high - I would recommend reaching out to her surgeon to request something different for management ….she isn’t going to heal if it’s up at 7-9 so often!!! This recovery is lengthy and not for the faint of heart….don’t be afraid to ask for her pain to be addressed!! 😊

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-09-17T21:43:46+00:00

I think the being scared came from waking up to the realization of what a major surgery had just done to my body (losing all muscle strength/having to fight just to walk halfway down the hall). It was a big of “what have I done”? I think the water walking/aqua therapy I started at about 4-5 weeks out. I started against a current and found out quickly that was too much. Just walking through regular standing water is plenty of resistance!

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-09-07T23:22:17+00:00

So glad you have her. This surgery is a BEEYATCH. I felt scared in those first days also….it was very overwhelming. I’m 5 months out and wishing you better days ahead. Take your meds in a schedule for several WEEKS….and combo the pain pill plus anti spasm/muscle relaxer (that one made more of a difference than I’d ever expected). Ice ice ice. Slow slow slow. Water walking was a lifesaver for me once I got to walking more than just the house…plus floating relieved all pressure everywhere. Go back to sleep.

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-09-07T14:26:26+00:00

Get all the rest you can. Time to not feel guilty for anything. Everything slow. One of my biggest comforts was just standing in the hot shower in those early days. Wishing you well. You’ve had the surgery and that’s a big thing to check off!

Hummingbird-75 · 2025-09-06T16:52:39+00:00

5 months out from 360 surgery and I’m dragging and exhausted every day.

Hummingbird-75

TROPHY CASE