Traversing plateaus - Microdiscectomy + 13

There comes a point in every climb...
...when the steep climb drops away, the horizon emerges and you reach the top. But sometimes you realise you haven't actually reached the top. You've reached a plateau. There is further to go, but you have to traverse the plateau first.

I feel like I've reached a plateau in my recovery. There was a rapid improvement over the first 9 or 10 days. But the last few have felt much of a muchness. It's not as if I feel right. Certain movements cause back spasms from time to time, rather like when I first injured my back. Though overall the stiffness and aching have diminished. I have an occasional a pain around my left hip, and the numbness in my left leg and foot remains.

Work it baby
I have not been overdoing my exercises. Just 4 simple gentle stretches, plus the walking I have been doing. Tomorrow I will start using the treadmill to enable me to do a few short walks every now and then, no matter what the weather. I am listening to my body. I am stopping when it yells at me. But I am not going to let it off the hook. The easiest thing in the world would be to just vegetate in front of the tv and plough through my boxsets (for progress on these see below), but my long term prospects are linked to the sensibly paced strengthening of my core strength. So I need to try to strike a balance that doesn't risk injuring myself.

The power of hello
Never having had any significant period of illness before I don't think I had quite appreciated how much even the smallest gestures can mean. A text here, a phone call there, or a visit. They all do wonders to lift the morale. I wrote last time about my friend Stef and her daughter Hannah taking me out to lunch. Today it was the turn of my Mum and Dad. Although they only live about 30 miles away, for various reasons the drive to Flitwick is quite a big thing for them. So it meant an awful lot to see them and spend time with them.

It doesn't matter that you are doing well in your recovery, it still means a lot when people take time out of their day to say hi. It is that power of hello that is one of the big things I will take from this experience.


Wound pic time

Now looking nicely scabby. Note a cheeky bit of stitching poking out at the top. I know a friend who removed her own stitches once. I'm wondering if I will have to follow suit.

Boxset watch

TV

Utopia - full series (6 episodes)

Sopranos - S1 eps 1-4

Parks and Recreation - S1 eps 1-4

24 - S1 eps 1-8
30 Rock - S1 eps 1-8

Film / my rating out of 5

The Muppets 4/5

Beginners 3.5/5

Friends With Benefits (partial) 3/5

Jeff Who Lives at Home 4/5

The Space Between 4/5
The Challenger 4.75/5
Genevieve 3.5/5
Simone 3/5