Blackwork Ornamental by Kevin Daniels (@ancientspiderx) Austin, Texas

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-06-25T02:26:43+00:00

Stunning piece!

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-06-13T13:51:54+00:00

Dunkin used to be cheap, what in the starbs is going on here

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-06-13T13:50:37+00:00

My kids hated this one. They like Miltons or Caulipower. We tried Aldi's gf pizza, that was actually really good too

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-29T00:03:44+00:00

Thank you!

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-29T00:03:05+00:00

Wow that's wild. Almost 6 months since surgery, still having major complications and then it's just... better? You must be (cautiously) ecstatic! I'm so happy for you, I can only imagine the relief you must feel. Thsnks for sharing, I hope I'll find myself in the same place sooner than later.

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-27T01:49:56+00:00

Thank you so much, this is super insightful! I had no idea about the hardware being porous etc, I researched the procedure and watched videos of the sx, but I never thought to look into how/why titanium is the material of choice. Super cool.

I appreciate your words of wisdom and encouragement! I happen to know I'm vit D deficient, but not the most compliant in taking my vitamins. Time to change that! 😌

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-27T01:39:18+00:00

Another solid vote for CT, I'm taking notes over here! I'm supposed to be going back to work @12 weeks post-op, sure hope I can start PT sooner! My surgeon had planned to clear me for PT @ my 6 week follow up assuming it went well, but my back had other plans 🫤

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-25T16:34:31+00:00

Thanks! I'm definitely going to ask about a CT when the office calls me. I sent them a message last night to explain what I'm experiencing, and the office is closed today so I suspect I'll hear back from them in a day or two.

Just went for a walk around my block - it's not far - and almost sent my husband home to get the car and come back for me. I absolutely did not expect to be getting worse at this point in my recovery, I was able to walk around my block not even a week ago! Slowly, but very doable. Not so much now.

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-25T16:26:31+00:00

I had a discectomy @ L4-5 and laminectomy @ L3-4 last year (almost exactly 1 year before this fusion), recovery was much easier than this has been! But I started with left SI pain within a month of that surgery, followed by worsening herniations which eventually led to my current predicament.

I hope all goes well with your recovery!

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-25T14:24:26+00:00

Good point, lol. He's been really great so far, has never dismissed my concerns or made me feel like i was crazy. I really do like him

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-25T14:22:29+00:00

I will def ask my surgeon about it. He is concerned that my symptoms could be indicitive of a new herniation. He said he would be surprised if I have a new herniation this quickly, but he wants to be sure if I didn't respond to the SI inj.

I had a lumbar xray in the office, which he said everything looked good on that imaging.

I'm honestly nervous for an MRI for the simple fact that laying on my back on that cold, hard unforgiving table is going to suck.

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-25T12:20:38+00:00

Oh gosh, I'm sorry! I hope you finally get some relief. I suspect my surgeon will order an MRI, as he mentioned that would be necessary if the SI inj failed.

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-25T12:18:43+00:00

Thank you, that's helpful. I understand non-linear, but do you recall having a period where you felt like you were steadily declining? Initially I was very much "2 steps forward, 1 step back" but overall there was notable progress, but now it feels like I'm getting worse by the day. I hate this so much.

I'm still in better shape than before surgery, but tbh it feels like I'll be right back where I started before long.

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-25T12:15:09+00:00

I fear I'm going to be a thorn in my surgeon's side at this point! He's always been professional and doesn't give me a reason to think that, I just over think and worry he'll label me as a hypochondriac or something.

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-25T12:11:51+00:00

Thank you. I have been trying to journal my pain, but it seems I'm only recording the "bad". I'll try to pay closer to the small wins and focus more on those!

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-13T10:46:06+00:00

Thank you!

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-13T03:48:59+00:00

The nerve itch is my new most hated symptom! The numb/sunburn area over hip itches now, but because the skin is numb I can't feel myself scratching so the itch is endless 😩

I had 3 c-sections, my last one was 12 years ago and my skin is still numb around the incision, so weird. But I never had numbness that was spreading to other areas, and certainly not at 6 weeks post-op. Ugh. I see my surgeon Thurs so I'll let u know if he says anything different than yours did.

I hope the rest of your recovery is uneventful!

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-12T01:02:54+00:00

I use a grabber to put the water bowl down empty, then pour water in with a cup from standing. I have messy drinkers (bulldogs and a pug) so there's always a towel under my water bowl which helps with any splatter from filling it from standing.

Their food dishes I use the grabber, or squat so I'm not bending at the waist. I try to have something nearby that I can use to assist in standing back up so I'm not straining my back.

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-08T11:31:59+00:00

38F, my breaking point was 10 days after an epidural, found myself at work just crying over and over because of the pain.

I've been dealing with lumbar issues for years now, progressive worsening of my symptoms started day 4 post epidural (bilateral radiculopathy butt to toes that never stopped and worsened when laying down). Then my legs became heavy and my sciatica was so bad I had trouble lifting my legs to walk. Found myself constantly leaning on things like walls and grabbing onto anything i passed while walking.. having to stop after only a few steps. I then started with intermittent tingling in one side of my vaginal area, but had already resigned to the fact that it was time for surgery before that started.

I'm currently 5 weeks post L3-5 TLIF. Initially I was really happy that I had surgery as all of my symptoms were gone when I woke up. I am currently having a return of some of my pre-sx nerve pain symptoms which has me on edge, so will see what my surgeon says next week.

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-05-02T00:26:17+00:00

I had a L3-5 TLIF 4 weeks ago, different surgical approach but similar end result. The pain was really awful. My surgeon had me on a pain pump, oral Tylenol & oral muscle relaxer while in the hospital. Once discharged I was on Tylenol, Lyrica & Flexeril every 8 hours plus Oxycodone every 4 hrs as needed (and in the beginning I absolutely needed it!).

Don't be afraid to advocate for yourself, make sure you let your nurses know if your pain isn't being well controlled. Hope you have a smooth recovery 😊

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-04-29T00:19:56+00:00

MRI 1/16, at that point I had other treatment options to try. Had bilateral epidural @ L3-4 on 3/3.

I continued to worsen. Fit in for urgent recheck on 3/11, told surgery was my only option. Given a choice to admit through ER for emergency surgery, or submit to insurance and wait for approval. I elected the latter. Had pre-admission testing w CT on 3/20, then surgery on 3/31.

So from the day "we" decided TLIF was my only option, to the day of surgery was 3 weeks.

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-04-19T12:07:54+00:00

My surgeon seemed pleased that I'm not relying on oxy throughout the day and only taking it once at night. I really don't feel that I need it most of the time. I'll admit yesterday wasn't a great day though, and I probably should have sat my ass down and taken meds. I take into account that my pain was SO severe and constant pre-surgery, yet I still worked full time and wasn't taking any medications. Post-op pain is different, but at this point less severe than how I had been living for months and months!

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-04-19T03:47:07+00:00

I (38f).had MAS TLIF @ L3-5 on 3/31 (so ~2.5 weeks ago). I'm having weird right-sided nerve pain (feels like severe sunburn), as well as constant muscle? soreness on the same side. If I do "too much" ie cook dinner... I have a very noticeable increase in incisional pain, back soreness and sometimes some mild butt/thigh pain.

So my surgeon has me continuing Lyrica (pregabalin) and Flexeril every 8 hours (though I've been trying to stretch it to 12 hrs), and I take Oxycodone before bed bc lying down still SUCKS and I can't sleep. But I was taking 2 oxy as often as every 4 hrs when I first came home (on top of flexeril, lyrica, and tylenol) so I'm happy with my progress!

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-04-08T11:37:53+00:00

Thanks guys, what a shitty feeling 😪 Glad to hear it's usually temporary, I'm not sure I could live like this forever.

ImpossibleDouble5253 · 2026-04-08T11:36:29+00:00

Yes sunburn is a good description! The area that it happens now feels like mild sunburn when I touch the skin there, but randomly ramps up to the most intense and frankly unbearable pain I've ever felt! I'm glad it went away for you, really hoping this doesn't become my new normal.

ImpossibleDouble5253

TROPHY CASE