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I unfortunately was dealing with ‘serve sciatic pain’ for two weeks before I went back to work for 3 days and ended up crippling in pain. I began to loose sensation in my ‘saddle area’  which means inner thys, genitals and bottom. On the Sunday I noticed this. Also I was weeing a lot more than usual! on the Monday I called the doctors to be told they had no appointments left for the day. So I rang 111 for some advice. I then got sent out an ambulance and was taken to the QEH where they done lots of examination and told me they were worried it could be cauda equina syndrome. The following day I went for my mri. While I anxiously waited for a consultant and the results. 

A lovely nurse come out to inform that the consultant was on the phone to the spinal specialist in Norwich hospital which obviously made me worry ridiculously. I then got pulled into a little side room and told by two consultants that I had a large herniated disc that was causing CES. I was told to get straight over to Norwich hospital and to take an over night bag! To top it off to stay Nil by mouth..

With little knowledge of what was going on, I got my mum to pack me a bag (forgetting most things in my moment of worry) got over to Norwich where I was put in a room and had all of my pre operation obs done like bloods and swabs. With that I was put on to a ward with some older women who were all so lovely and kind! I was told I would potentially being going for surgery first thing Wednesday morning but was finally allowed to eat.  Obviously I did not sleep well at all that night worrying about what the morning would bring! 

Wednesday morning the Surgeon came in to greet me and told surgery was going to happen. Went through all the pre surgery paperwork and you know the normal things like risks etc...

I was told I was second on the list and then A few minutes later people coming rushing over to get me down to surgery. With covid it was a strange experience and was took straight into the operating room. And was sedated it in there. However all surgeons etc was lovely and were very calming and kind. 

An hour and a half later I woke up in the recovery ward. With two beautiful human beings. The large prolapsed disc had been removed but there was a lot more than shown on the MRI, Unfortunately my heart rate was low which is normal for myself but also my blood pressure was really low too. I spent around 3 hours in recovery before taken back to my ward. 

Obviously the first thing you need to do is wee. Well stubborn old me would not go on a bed pan instead I had two nurses get me on to a lovely commode. Lovely experience. 

WAS SOOOOO HAPPY to have a coffee and a bite to eat!! 

I spent the next 24 hours very uncomfortable. I had a drain going into my back. Being fed morphine to ease the pain & struggling to sleep but with this I was so sure I wanted to go home I was walking to the toilet regularly and dealing with it really well as I just wanted my bed and to see my cats!!

I had my drain removed and it was like a horror film. The nurse told me it would feel strange. Breathe in... with that I felt a gush of blood it went all down my legs on my new slippers, all over the floor! So I come over all dizzy yano how it goes! Had to have oxygen and everything! Worse experience of my life haha

I was sent home with loads of tablets and also 2 injections for 30 days in my stomach as I am over weight I had to have two instead of one!

Finally late Thursday I was allowed to go home with a long uncomfortable journey home with my beautiful sister I finally got home to rest with my husband and cats. I spent around about two whole days in bed where I was very uncomfortable, laying on my back and getting up every now and then to walk around as recommended. I seemed to recover really quick - from the anaesthetic and other drugs not so much spinal surgery. 

I spent a lot of time resting and sleep but around ten days later I began to become incontinent not as in I was weeing myself all the time however - I would not get the sensation I needed to wee until very last minute and if I didn’t get to the toilet quick enough well you guessed... I’d wee myself which after spinal surgery is hard to walk quick without causing discomfort. Being stuck in the house mainly the bed has took a toll massively on my drepression. Having to get somebody to do simple things like put on my socks and trouses. For a few weeks I could not cook WHICH I love to do! And I still 7 weeks post operation have to get some help getting things out the cupboards and stuff it really affects your everyday life!

I still have normal pains for after surgery and complete saddle anaesthesia. My two week phonecall check up come and was told to go straight to Norwich hospital again for an mri to make sure all was okay. A long day in the hospital but nothing concerning showing so was allowed to go home.

So I just spent the time laughing about the weeing problem and wearing some lovely pads for this. Recovering from spinal surgery. And unfortunately after 6 weeks my weeing issue did not seem to get any better. Numbness still really strong and my leg and back pain. I called 111 for an out of hours appointment just for some tablets to get me through. But of course they sent me to a&e at QEH. Was seen so quick and was out within an hour and a half was sent home and to come back in for mri. Mri showed scarring on root nerve and was told my consultant will following it up on my appointment,

My appointment finally come round only 4 days after my 6 weeks post op. But unfortunately I was told that my bladder may never return to normal due to the damage being done at the moment my disc herniated. I am now being sent to a specialist to learn how to deal with this huge change. Surgeon was very apologetic and was lovely. I now have to loose weight to stop this happening again as there is still a small amount of my disc still there. If this is to herniate then this will be a lot worse and could cause me to have to be catheterised. He’s hopeful my numbness will go over time but will catch up with me in 2 months  

I guess I was expecting to hear this news but learning to deal with the fact that at the age of 25 I could be using pads for the rest of my life is heart breaking. (Some people will think I’m being dramatic and some people completely loose the use of the bladder) but sometimes it’s hard to hear and also the worry off how I will change my life to suit this problem scares me. 

But basically had it have not been for the woman on 111 who called the ambulance, the doctors who sent me for an mri, for the surgeons who knew what was going on I could have lost complete use of my bladder, bowel and leg! For this I am forever grateful! 

If it was not for the knowledge of CES it would have been to late. If I can give back just a little I would be soo happy! Even a pound would fill my heart full of happiness! Anything you can give please give! 

So with this and the need to exercise and loose some weight I am going to be walking 60 miles over a month. This may not seem much to some but remember I’ve not long had spinal surgery and will be returning back to work in 3 weeks time (hopefully)!