Three landmarks - Microdiscectomy +3

Three more landmark moments today

1, I went out for a walk after lunch. I walked roughly a mile to Flitwick parish church and back.

Me at the halfway point of my walk

2, My dressing came off today to reveal my wound is healing well (those without a nervous disposition may want to check out the pic at the bottom of this post)

3, I had my first shower since the operation. Bliss. It was so nice to feel clean again.

and one non landmark

1, I haven't had cause to ring my bell yet.

Too Much Information (be warned - you may want to skip ahead one section)
Another restful night's sleep albeit short. I went to bed at about 1am and woke at 6. Aside from stiffness it felt ok. I catnapped until just before 10 then I got up.

Walking was fine. A little stiff but not too bad. I popped some nurofen and a tramadol for good measure. One noticeable change is that in the months before the operation I was woken early every morning by a pressing need to urinate. Particularly bad L5S1 slipped discs are known to have an impact on bladder control, and we know from the comments of my surgeon two days ago that my case was serious. Anyway, I now feel back to normal in my toilet habits which is a most welcome result from the surgery..

Boxset Marathon Begins
I went downstairs and found myself able to sit comfortably. I have a new plan. Watch some tv and then have 10-15 minutes walking around to stop my back seizing up. So I watched the final episode of Being Human (a very good and fitting finale to the show), and then walked up and down the stairs a few times and paced around the living room. I felt icky not being able to shower yet so I decided getting dressed would boost my morale, which indeed it did.

Taking Jo's recommendation I started watching Utopia. An edgy and violent thriller based around the manuscript for a graphic novel that purports to prophesy the future and reveal a global conspiracy. Ok so my synopsis doesn't do it justice but it is a cracking show. 4 episodes watched, and 2 to go. It has me gripped.

Aftercare
At around midday I received a phone call from my surgeon Mr TS. He wanted to check how I was, and to see what improvement there had been if any in my left leg. He was pleased with what I told him though I feel that my initial optimism about recovery of sensation in my foot may have been a bit overstated. There is a clear improvement but it has not fully recovered as I first thought. Hopefully as the inflammation dies down I will start to see more improvement.

So at the end of day 3:

• The unmedicated pain is somewhere around a 3. The best it has been so far. 
• The back is still achy and still but I am bending better. Walking is ok too.
• My pill count was nurofen x4 and tramadol x2 (split between10am and 4pm). I will take another tramadol before bed just to help me sleep better.

That pic