Just say no (to c.ompazine)

HI guys! Thank you to all my cyber friends for all your prayers and good vibes. I am doing much better and feeling almost back to normal.

My surgery went well. I have a C5/C6 fusion and a 2 inch scar on the front of my neck, but am otherwise doing good. The first night in the hospital was HELL! The neurosurgery resident was not very forthcoming with pains meds. They had me on IV d.ilaudid and o.xycodone. Which sounds like a lot, but I have a tolerance for drugs because I have been on narcotics over a month. Unfortunately, i have since found out that I am allergic to D.ilaudid. It made me super hot, flushed (and very RED), and restless. And I was supposed to lay flat. I would get dilaudid, pass out for about 15 minutes and then we would start the pain cycle all over again. Granted, I was pretty doped up but every time they gave me D.Ilaudid I felt worse. Making matters worse were the most uncomfortable compression stockings all the way up my thigh, the foley catheter, AND having to lay 100% flat for the entire night. Poor Tommie was with me and trying so hard to keep me positive. Every time I moved or made a noise she jumped up and tried to help. Mostly, she had to "baby" me and just be sympathetic. She didn't get any sleep the first night either! That first 24 hours will always be etched in my mind and one of my worst moments of my life. Luckily, when Dr. S rounded the next morning, he changed my pain meds around, let me get up, and took of the terrible compression hose. Finally, things were looking up. After I took a shower (basically, Mere gave me a shower) and worked with the physical therapists, my pain level was starting to inch upward. I called for another dose of d.ilaudid (since it was to soon for o.xycodone).....once it hit my veins, my heart rate went up, I got extremely hot, and I felt TERRIBLE. That is when it occurred to me that maybe I have a d.ilaudid allergy. D.ilaudid will never go in my IV again. EVER. Period.

The following 2 days were pretty uneventful. Tommie, Mere, and I played games and just hung out and then discharge! Yeah! Unfortunately, our time at the hospital was not over because we ended up taking a trip the ER last night. Around 2pm yesterday I started to feel funny. It felt like there were little bugs under my skin, my mouth got really dry, my neck and jaw stiffened, and I felt TERRIBLE. So, Mere took me to the emergency room. By the time we got there, I could barely talk. The triage nurse took my vital signs and my heart rate was racing at 151 bpm (normal is 40-100, I usually stay around 80). Within 15 minutes I was in a bed, with an IV, and waiting for the doctor. When the doctor came in and I explained my symptoms he said, "have you been taking c.ompazine?" Yes, Yes, Yes. I have been taking it for nausea for about a month. He said, "you are experiencing dyskinesia." And c.ompazine is one of the drugs that leads to dyskinesia. They gave me IV b.enadryl and C.ogentin and I was better within a hour. Talk about a miracle drug. Oh yeah, I will never allow someone to give me IV b.enadrly again...it really made me feel funny (bad funny, not good funny). I have sense found out the c.ompazine cause irritability, mood swings, double vision, and severe constipation...all things that have been happening since I started taking it. All of which explains a LOT. It takes 2 days for the c.ompazine to leave your system so in the meantime I am trying to stay relaxed and take b.enadryl and c.ogentin. But dyskinesia is pretty painful/difficult/strange! It scared the shit out of Mere.

Did the surgery work? I think so but cannot be 100% sure until all the post op pain is gone so I can tell if the headaches are from surgery or a leaky spine. But, I do feel like I am fixed. But, if I'm not then we will come back and do it all over again. Dr. S said my success rate is about 87%, which includes people that he has had to operate on more than once. I like 87%. I will take it. If we have to come back, then we will come back. We are beating this thing for sure!!!!

I think that is all I have to report right now. I will keep you all posted.