Discectomy Recovery - Six Months Later (Part 2)

Summary

In this heartfelt follow-up to her disectomy video, the creator shares her recovery journey, which includes moving to Australia, adjusting to life post-surgery, and the emotional challenges she faced. She discusses the non-linear nature of healing, the importance of mental health during recovery, and offers advice for those dealing with similar surgeries. With a focus on community and support, she invites viewers to join her in this journey of healing and adapting to life's changes.

Takeaways

• 🎥 The video is a follow-up to a previous 'disectomy' video that received an overwhelming response with 9,500 views and supportive comments.
• 💖 The creator expresses gratitude for the kindness shown in the comments and feels that the internet community has provided a supportive environment.
• 🏥 The creator had a disectomy and hemilaminectomy surgery about six months prior to the video and is now sharing updates on their recovery journey.
• 🌏 The creator has relocated to Australia with her husband, which is a significant change in their life and is part of the video's context.
• 🏖 The video was recorded during a heatwave in Perth, which adds a personal touch to the setting.
• 🤔 The creator discusses the challenges of recovering from back surgery while also dealing with major life events like getting married and immigrating.
• 🏋️‍♀️ The importance of physical therapy and core strength exercises is highlighted as part of the recovery process post-surgery.
• 🧘‍♀️ The creator emphasizes the mental health benefits of swimming and other light exercises during the recovery period.
• 🤹‍♀️ The video outlines a three-phase recovery process: initial rest, working with a physiotherapist, and a gradual return to normal activities.
• 🚑 The creator advises on the importance of seeking medical advice for any post-surgery complications or flare-ups of pain.
• 💪 The video concludes with a message of hope for pain-free recovery and an invitation for viewers to share their experiences or ask questions.

Q & A

What was the main reason for the video creator to make a part two of their disectomy video?

The main reason was the overwhelming response to the first video, which received 9,500 views and many supportive comments, motivating the creator to continue sharing their experience.

What significant life events did the video creator experience after their disectomy?

The video creator got married in December, immigrated in January, and went on a honeymoon, all while recovering from their disectomy.

How did the video creator's relocation to Australia affect their recovery process?

The relocation added an extra layer of complexity to the recovery process, as they had to adapt to a new environment and possibly new healthcare providers.

What type of disectomy did the video creator have, and how did it affect their physical activities?

The video creator had a disectomy and hemilaminectomy, which initially limited their physical activities but eventually allowed them to return to swimming, running, and other exercises after careful progression.

How did the video creator approach their recovery in terms of work and rest?

The creator was diligent about bed rest initially but returned to work earlier than advised due to their desk-bound job, taking care to manage their sitting time and working from home when possible.

What role did a physiotherapist play in the video creator's recovery?

The physiotherapist, Mandy, helped the creator with a tailored exercise routine to rebuild core strength, gradually increasing the difficulty and eventually clearing them for swimming and other activities.

How did the video creator's wedding impact their recovery timeline?

The wedding served as a motivation for the creator to recover quickly so they could dance pain-free at the event, which they successfully achieved despite the atypical recovery process.

What challenges did the video creator face during their honeymoon in terms of recovery?

The creator experienced high levels of physical activity, including long walks and steps, which led to increased pelvic pain and concerns about their recovery progress.

What advice does the video creator give to others who might be experiencing similar post-surgery symptoms?

The creator advises seeking medical advice, being patient with the non-linear recovery process, and clearly communicating one's pain levels and limitations to those around them.

How has the video creator's perspective on living with disabilities changed after their experience?

Their experience with chronic pain has increased their sympathy level for people living with disabilities and mental health issues, emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing expectations in such situations.

What are the video creator's future content plans, especially regarding their move to Western Australia?

The creator plans to share insights about living in and immigrating to Western Australia, in addition to continuing their digital marketing content.

Outlines

00:00

📹 Video Sequel and Personal Update

The speaker expresses disbelief and gratitude for the overwhelming response to their first disectomy video, which garnered 9,500 views and heartwarming comments. They feel the internet can be unkind, but the support has been a pleasant surprise. The speaker aims to be a support for others going through similar experiences. They mention relocating to Australia with their husband, which adds a new dimension to the video. The speaker also discusses the challenges of wearing a brace for recovery and their niche internet presence, transitioning from WhatsApp for business to sharing personal health experiences.

05:03

🏥 Recovery Journey and Physiotherapy

The speaker outlines their recovery process in three phases. Initially, they were diligent about bed rest, though they returned to work earlier than prescribed due to their sedentary job. They emphasize the importance of not sitting for long periods and the advice given for recovery post-disectomy. They were referred to a physiotherapist, Mandy, who helped them with core strength exercises. After 4 weeks, they were cleared for swimming, which was crucial for their mental health. The speaker also mentions the gradual reintroduction of more strenuous activities and the importance of listening to their body's signals.

10:03

💃 Wedding, Honeymoon, and Post-Surgical Challenges

The speaker recounts the complexities of their recovery journey, particularly during their wedding and honeymoon. Despite the physical challenges, they were able to enjoy these events, albeit with some concerns about overexertion. They experienced pelvic pain similar to pre-surgery, which led them to seek medical advice upon arriving in Australia. The doctor suggested that it might be a post-surgical flare-up and advised resting and physiotherapy. The speaker also discusses the mental challenges of recovery, emphasizing the importance of managing expectations and communicating one's condition to others.

15:04

🌏 Life After Surgery and New Beginnings

The speaker reflects on the changes they've experienced since their surgery, noting an increased empathy for those living with disabilities and chronic pain. They discuss the difficulty of articulating pain levels to others and the importance of setting realistic expectations for participation in activities. The speaker also shares their relief at being pain-free, with the exception of occasional flare-ups, and their hope that these will subside over time. They express optimism for their new life in Western Australia, looking forward to sharing insights about immigration and their digital marketing expertise in future videos.

Keywords

💡disectomy

A disectomy, also known as discectomy, is a surgical procedure where a portion of an intervertebral disc is removed to relieve pressure on a nerve or spinal cord. In the video, the term is central to the narrative as the speaker discusses her personal experience with a disectomy and hemilaminectomy, highlighting the recovery process and its impact on her life.

💡recovery journey

The recovery journey refers to the process of healing and regaining strength after a surgical procedure or illness. In the video, the speaker's recovery journey is a significant theme, as she shares her experiences and insights from the initial post-surgery rest to the gradual return to physical activities and normal life.

💡hemilaminectomy

A hemilaminectomy is a surgical procedure where half of the vertebral arch (lamina) is removed to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. The speaker mentions having a disectomy and hemilaminectomy, indicating that her back surgery involved both procedures, which are crucial to understanding her recovery and the challenges she faced.

💡physiotherapist

A physiotherapist is a healthcare professional who specializes in the treatment of physical injuries and disorders through exercise, movement, and physical manipulations. In the script, the speaker's interactions with a physiotherapist are a key part of her recovery process, helping her to regain strength and mobility post-surgery.

💡bed rest

Bed rest is a medical treatment that involves staying in bed to promote healing and recovery from an illness or surgery. The speaker mentions being diligent about bed rest during the initial phase of her recovery, emphasizing its importance in the early stages of healing from her surgery.

💡core strength

Core strength refers to the strength of the muscles in the torso, which provide stability and support for the body. The script discusses the importance of regaining core strength through physiotherapy exercises as part of the speaker's recovery, illustrating the focus on rebuilding her physical capabilities.

💡flare-up

A flare-up is a temporary worsening of symptoms, often experienced in chronic conditions. The speaker describes experiencing a flare-up of her pre-surgery pain post-operation, which is an important aspect of understanding the ups and downs of her recovery journey.

💡mental health

Mental health refers to the state of an individual's psychological and emotional well-being. The video script highlights the mental health challenges the speaker faced during her recovery, such as feelings of loneliness and the psychological impact of living with chronic pain.

💡immigration

Immigration is the process of moving from one country to another with the intention of residing there. The speaker mentions her experience with immigration as she relocated to Australia with her husband, adding another layer of complexity to her recovery and life adjustments.

💡nerve pain

Nerve pain, or neuropathic pain, is a type of pain caused by damage or dysfunction of the nervous system. The script describes the speaker's struggle with nerve pain before her surgery, which was a significant factor in her decision to undergo the procedure.

💡digital marketing

Digital marketing is the promotion of products or services using digital channels such as search engines, social media, email, and websites. The speaker mentions her background in digital marketing, indicating that this is her area of expertise and suggesting that she will continue to create content related to this field.

Highlights

The video is a follow-up to a disectomy video that received 9,500 views and positive comments.

The creator feels supported by the internet community and aims to reciprocate that support.

The creator underwent a disectomy and Hemy laminectomy six months prior to recording.

A significant life change was relocating to Australia with her husband.

The creator wears a brace for comfort during recovery from back surgery.

The video discusses the creator's journey from South Africa to Perth, including getting married and honeymooning.

The disectomy was not a micro disectomy, and the scar's appearance is discussed.

The creator's recovery journey is divided into three phases: initial rest, working with a physiotherapist, and further recovery.

Bed rest was strictly adhered to during the first phase of recovery.

The creator returned to work earlier than prescribed due to a desk-bound job and supportive employer.

Physiotherapy played a crucial role in the second phase of recovery, focusing on core strength.

Swimming and light exercises were introduced as part of the recovery routine.

The creator experienced a flare-up of symptoms post-surgery, similar to pre-surgery pain.

A doctor's advice on dealing with post-surgery flare-ups and the possibility of an MRI is shared.

The mental challenge of recovery and the feeling of loneliness despite a strong support network are discussed.

The creator's increased sympathy for people with disabilities and chronic pain is highlighted.

The importance of clear communication about pain levels to manage expectations is emphasized.

The creator is now pain-free and no longer feels the need to disclose her surgery to a new employer.

The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to reach out for support and to share their own journeys.

Transcripts

okay I can hardly believe that I'm

saying this but this is a part two of my

disectomy video because you guys just

blew me away I got 9,500 views on that

video so far and just the kindness and

the comments really warmed the cuckles

of my heart I feel like the internet is

not normally that nice a place to be a

lot of the time and I just feel like to

be a support structure for many other

people who going through similar things

and in many instances worse things it

just makes you feel so seen and heard

and I'm hoping that I can be that for

you guys as well so if you haven't seen

that video you might want to go and

watch that first but in a natural I had

a disectomy and Hemy laminectomy last

year it's now February of 20124 so it's

about 6 months later but you might

notice that my background has changed

and that is because I have since

relocated to Australia with my husband

so needless to say it's going to be a

juicy video so I hope you've got a

beverage I've got my lemon water because

Perth is in the middle of a heat web but

yeah I'm going to be covering some of

the things that I left out in that

original video as well as more things

that I've learned since being on this

recovery Journey with a back operation

if you're thinking this is a bit of a

weird outfit to be wearing to record an

online course with um at legia Ties on

the bottom it's about to get

weirder

[Music]

[Music]

if you missed the video I've actually

recently had a back surgery so

unfortunately I have to wear this

gorgeous looking brace so yeah Comfort

is key at this point in my recovery if

you're new here it's so good to have you

my name is migs normally I make digital

marketing videos but it seems like I

have a knack like weird niches on the

internet first it was WhatsApp for

business and now it's dis get to me so

welcome to my weird

world all right so just a little bit of

context in terms of how I got from Nisa

Western Cape South Africa to Perth

because you'll need the context for the

story I'm going to acknowledge up front

that the disectomy journey was a little

bit different for me because I was in

the process of getting married in

December

[Music]

and immigrating in January and doing so

on rout with a honeymoon in in the mix I

was asking a lot of my buddy and you'll

see as I recount some of the experiences

I'm sure that many other people would

have maybe had a more restful time post

up but because of what was going on in

my personal life I did find it hard at

points to take things as easy as I could

or should should have and many people

ask me what kind of disectomy it was it

wasn't a micro disectomy so it was just

all the surgeon called it was a

disectomy and judging by the length of

my scar which is about that big I'm

guessing there was nothing micro about

it so I will include some pictures of

the scar soon after the surgery as well

as what it looks like now because I

think that is one of the concerns is you

know am I going to be able to wear a

bikini or a bathing suit after all of

this is said and done and yes I mean the

is pretty inoffensive as far as I'm

concerned and unless you're a model I

don't think it's something that should

put you off the surgery but needless to

say I had this disectomy hemil

laminectomy and was very worried about

the prospect of getting married later on

in the year because I wanted to be

painfree and basically doing the worm on

the dance floor so we were never going

to get quite there but I am thrilled to

report that we had a beautiful wedding

and I was able to dance

painfree allow me to re myself my name

is H to the although the healing Journey

hasn't been as straightforward as what I

was hoping or expecting how I described

it in that first video I believe was

that there was a 6 we initial recovery

period post up where you were primarily

resting then following that there was a

second six- week period where you would

work with a physiotherapist which is

what I did I went back to Cape toown

which is where I was living and working

at the time and worked with a

physiotherapist at a hospital called

Vincent pilatti and I really liked the

idea of this physiotherapist because

effectively there was a pool next to her

practice which in my mind I thought if

there was like an aqua theapy part of

what she was going to help me with that

would be amazing it turned out not to be

necessary but I'll take you through that

process as well but yeah basically then

you have your second six- week period

where you work with hopefully a team of

Medical Specialists and then I'm going

to introduce like a third chapter which

is maybe the 6 weeks to 3 month period

after that so basically think of the

recovery in a three phase process so in

the first phase I was incredibly

diligent about bed rest I must admit

that I didn't take as much time off of

work as I was allowed to so I was booked

off for longer than what I ended up

taking because I have a desk bound job I

was working in e-commerce and a

primarily desk based managerial position

I felt equipped to go back to work

sooner which I can guarantee wouldn't be

the case for a lot of people because a

you just want to use the leave or B you

have a more physical job in which case

it would be less likely for you to be

able to go back sooner regardless I

wanted to go back because I felt like

any more weeks of bed rest would end me

in the Looney been so basically I would

either work from home which was amazing

because I had the flexibility to do so

and an employer that was incredibly

sympathetic in that situation which of

course isn't the case for everyone and

then when I did go back into the office

I would just be mindful about the amount

of time I was sitting so some people ask

why you can't sit I believe it's just

that that's when there's the most

pressure on your spine and so if you can

avoid it it's better to rest on your

back or sit on a bar stool that was

basically how it was explained to me it

might be slightly different with the

micro disectomy but certainly with the

disectomy that was the advice that I was

given and I did find that it was easier

even if at my desk I would sit with a

bench underneath my work desk so that

I'm either reclined slightly back

backwards slightly forwards as in

perching on a bar chair or I would be

lying down so basically just took it

very easy that first 6 weeks and

probably started working at the five

week part let's say then I was referred

to this amazing physiotherapist it's

probably very unlikely that you guys are

cap tonian based but I will link her

details Mandy so Mandy basically put me

on a nice routine where once a week I

would go and meet with her and she'd

make the exercises harder and harder it

it wasn't exercise as in the exercise

that we thinking of it was more like

lying on your tummy and doing this with

your legs so just trying to lift your

legs a little bit behind you I would

describe it as like micro exercises just

focused basically on getting your core

strength back and then only within like

let's say 4 weeks did I then start to go

fortn nightly and I could do more

interesting activities so it was very

mind numbing in the sense that the

activities were very micro and minor but

I'm sure that that's part of the course

and then I begged her at some point and

just said go I need to swim I need to

get on a bicycle I need to do something

so she cleared me then for swimming

probably 4 weeks into seeing her so 9

weeks post up and that was actually my

sport of choice because I felt like it

had that like mental health uh component

which the other exercises obviously

didn't and I just felt better about

myself because I was able to go to the

gym put on a czy and just feel like I

was reintegrating back into society

versus just taking a little bag I had a

bag of like fah bands like small Ferra

bands which is totally fine but it just

does nothing for you mentally and I'd RI

heavily on exercise for that and to like

you know curb anxiety and just feel

peaceful and like myself so I really

struggled with that because anyone who

knows me in personal life would know

that I'm often considered the sporty one

I love Outdoors Z activities I like

hiking I love sports I love tennis I

love running I like being on the

mountain in K toown I like all those

sorts of things so for me that was one

of the hardest parts was yes you're okay

and you can walk and you going go to gym

and at some point you can drive I think

it was maybe 6 to 8 weeks after I could

drive but you don't really feel like

yourself and I think that part is just

mentally very challenging to come to

terms with anyways after 6 weeks of

working with Mandy taking me to the 12we

recovery part she said you have made

great progress you don't need need me

any longer just keep on building up so

at that point I was still swimming and I

would swim let's say 2 km I think

normally spending between 30 minutes and

40 minutes in the pool I'm not a very

strong swimmer so don't read into that

it was basically just me flailing around

and at least having the mental health

benefits of being able to go to gym not

daily but sort of every second day and

then I did run my first 4 kilm run with

my husband where we just took it very

slowly and like I think walk around and

then now more recently I actually had my

second run post up even though it's now

months later it's now February of 2024

and that was a 7K run walk as well so I

would definitely not say that I'm like

1,000% but certainly I can run walk 7 km

I can swim I can do all the normal

things I'm back to being able to lift

things although I'm very mindful of what

I lift where the healing Journey got a

little bit more complex was the wedding

and the honeymoon so the wedding was

very fortunate to be able to dance have

a great time I'll insert pictures it was

just like the Best Day Of Our Lives like

just truly phenomenal but obviously

recognize that this is so not normal for

that to be the biggest consideration but

I guess anyone would have some sort of

things coming up that they might be

nervous about and this just happened to

be mine we did sort of ramp up in terms

of seeing family ended up playing padel

the one day um with my husband's family

and just having a great time sort of

letting the hair down there was

definitely a day after the paddle that I

felt not great at all I felt like oh my

gosh have I overdone things but at the

same breath I felt like you have to

strike that balance in terms of doing

things for you and for your mental

health and pushing yourself slightly

versus just being bedridden the whole

time with this disectomy but then where

it started to get a little bit more

complicated was we were going on

honeymoon on the process of immigration

so that was quite a tricky one because

we were honeymooning in Singapore and in

Bary in Singapore a lot of the days we'd

hit 23,000 steps and of course I mean

even someone who doesn't have a back

injury that would be hectic for but I do

recall feeling quite frightened in

points where I would just have this

severe pelvic pain getting out of the

bed in the mornings was tricky again and

I still thought to myself oh my gosh

have I repped something am I going

backwards and that would be my biggest

piece of advice with the physical

recovery is it definitely feels like two

steps forward one step back but with

anything I think there's that like cute

graph of like what progress actually

looks like you do find over time that it

tracks a bit better nevertheless I did

have some down days and then similarly

in B it's much of the same basically I

couldn't lift my bag and I know that I'm

not meant to be lifting heavy things but

it was like worse than usual where like

I couldn't I didn't even feel like I

could have like a laptop bag on my back

so so there were just a few instances

like that where I did feel actually that

it was affecting my quality of life

anyways ended up going to a doctor as

soon as we landed in Australia just to

get medical advice on this pelvic pain

which was very similar to the pain that

I had prior to the op if you've watched

the first video you'll know I never

actually had back pain prior to getting

The L4 L5 dis kick to me because in my

mind it was a hip issue because of the

pain in my hips so very similar pen

thankfully both what I'd Googled and I

know obviously Googling is not the best

idea but both what I'd Googled and what

he had told me was that you often are

likely to have what they call flare reps

post the surgery so that means that

maybe the inflammation comes back a

little bit you have similar symptoms but

it's not nearly as bad as the original

pain although in my case I would say

some days it did feel close to the

original pain the difference though was

when the doctor did the assessment

there's a particular assessment where

they make you lie on your back and you

pull your legs up and push your legs

down while they push against you that

was the exercise that I failed prior to

the up because it was part of the reason

why I wasn't driving I had no strength

in my feet I still had the strength in

my feet so he just said to me like look

it is likely to be a flare up that

you're worried about I suggest resting

seeing a fizio again to work with you to

help you and then only if you are really

truly serious about reinvestigating this

you could get an MRI it's different in

Australia because MRIs and imaging are

on Medicare so it might still be

something that I investigate but

basically his explanation was an MRI is

typically something that a surgeon would

assess and by the time you've gone that

route you're basically saying like am I

a candidate for surgery so he's just

saying like basically be careful of the

questions that you ask because it's

going to go very surgical route quite

quickly whereas if you start with a

physio see if things get better anyways

I was unemployed and looking for work so

I was able to rest a lot but also

worried about price of a Physio and so

basically I just bided my time time for

a little bit and thankfully for me the

symptoms started to decline so Point

number one I mean obviously everyone's

going to be different but the process I

can't articulate enough is just not

linear at all because to be totally fine

for the wedding in December dancing

playing pedal doing all the sorts of

things that I was you know wanted to be

able to do to like a few weeks later

which was now 6 months postop to still

be feeling like oh my gosh I have these

down days where I'm just teary I'm at

that like low level of chronic pain

where Everything feels like a big

inconvenience or a bigger inconvenience

than what it should so just a few things

like that where I would say definitely

seek the medical advice I'm not saying

don't but there'll definitely be Parts

where you feel like you've taken two

steps forwards and one step back and

that's okay and then the second part of

that is just that the mental challenge

cannot be overstated it really is such a

mental game where you feel like so alone

you can have so many people around you I

have the best support network in the

whole world my husband is like basically

Mother Teresa and my friends are

incredible like they made such an effort

in terms of like coming over for coffee

and tea and all the things that didn't

require um physical exertion so it was

not for lack of people not understanding

the magnitude of the situation but you

do still feel alone and lonely and like

no one really understands what being in

chronic pain is like which brings me to

my next point which is I think that the

surgery does change you in terms of your

sympathy level for people living with

disability of any kind and I know

specifically with mental health people

will say if you break a leg you have a

cast and then people know how to handle

that whereas with an injury like a back

injury no one really knows a how much

pain you're in or B how to handle it so

I would suggest clearly articulating to

the people around you today my pain is

at a level 6 out of 10 or 8 out of 10 or

10 out of 10 I'm not going to be able to

participate in X Y or Zed or I'll have

to let you know closer to the time and I

think the more candid you can be

although initially it felt like a bit

victim complex to me to just

consistently Drive the point home of

like bear in mind I'm in pain and I

think it is better for everyone involved

because you can manage expectations in

terms of what you can and can't do and

feel free obviously in the comments also

reach out to me if there's something

that you want to ask or feel less alone

about because I think that mental peace

is really really tough but overall I

would not obviously say that I regret

the surgery you can tell that I'm now no

longer in pain hopefully that's obvious

um apart from these semi bad days where

I just feel like I get very tired like

let's say at 4:00 I'm starting a new job

and don't even feel the need to have to

disclose that to a new employer which

was something that I was really worried

about because it's not something you

want to lead with in a job interview

that you'd had B back surgery recently

but it no longer affects me to the point

that I feel like that's relevant

information and just in general to not

have the nerve pain I think that the

nerve pain that would travel down my leg

like shooting um tingles or shooting

pain so the nerve pain was really what

irked me I can still I can can handle

pelvic pain if it's like minor and I'm

hoping that you know over time it

subsides and eventually goes away but

it's that tingling pain and the loss of

feeling that was really stressing me out

prior to the surgery so if you have

anything that vaguely resembles not

being able to feel parts of your leg not

feeling like you're able to drive and

especially with The L4 L5 they will

often ask you about your balls so not a

nice thing to talk about but if you have

any issues that are like bladder related

that's also a very strong indicator that

you need help immediately in the first

video I did mention that I made the

decision to have surgery very quickly

which I know other people in the

comments have said that they've waited a

lot longer so I think only you can know

whether you need time to make the

decision or not in my case I was so

panicked by the pain that it sort of

overrode all sorts of logic and just

made me want to get it over with as soon

as possible but it has worked out

because I had a wedding to attend and I

had a honeymoon and all sorts of other

things but yeah I hope you guys are

going to stick along for the journey as

as I say we're now living in Western

Australia so if you want any insights in

terms of what it's like living here or

immigrating from South Africa or

anywhere else then a lot of my content

will be focused around that and then of

course my digital marketing stuff that I

always do but if you have any questions

or comments specifically please do get

in touch I'd love to hear from you guys

thank you so much for the support in the

previous video and for thinking of me

and I'm very happy to say that I'm pain

free and I hope that you will be too and

yeah let's all just be on this journey

together of healing being kind to one

another and hopefully eradicating this

terrible back I can't wait to see you

guys in the next video so we can keep on

doing digital better

[Music]

bye