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We all have curve balls that come up in life, and as we age, they seem to come up more. In my head I feel like a 24 year old, but my birthday cards seem to be flipping that first number to a 6.
I’ve been suffering with something called spinal stenosis for a couple years. I started my self-prescribed treatment with massage, physical therapy, injections, a minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD), etc. I just kept going downhill (downhill = ever decreasing ability to stand.) At my worst, I was barely able to stand long enough to show a home.
My path took me to New England Baptist Hospital and a surgeon willing to do a laminectomy …. I compare this to removing the shell on a lobster while keeping the lobster alive. I am staying with a friend 1.5 weeks out from surgery. Here are my reflections….
- “We’ll have you up and walking the first night.” You walk about a foot. The recovery on this is measured in weeks…not days.
- “You can’t twist your body – your spine was compromised.” Great, I get this, and don’t understand the blank stare when I ask, “so how do I use the toilet?” The short answer is to use “toilet tongs” – think the tongs you have for cooking a steak. Wrap that in wad of toilet paper and you are good to go. (Or get a toilet accessory bidet. $50 on Amazon and relatively easy to install. It’s a real answer.) Nobody wants to wipe you.
- Walkers – yes, I left the hospital with one. I can’t move it between floors… so we got a backup (pun intended). I hear the senior center has them. Neither walker was ready for the rigors of walking on Route 30…I had to get an “all-terrain” model. Walking is a big part of my recovery…so I am anxious to get rid of it.
- Pay attention to the medical people. They are all very busy…and you need to make sure one care giver doesn’t diverge from the Drs orders. And you need to make sure providers don’t show up expecting payment (my doctor didn’t order a bone growth stimulator…since he removed bone, I didn’t think he would be growing replacement.)
- Don’t be humble. If someone wants to bring you food, let them! It’s good for their soul and it’s something to look forward to each day.
- Finances – I paid all my bills before going in for surgery. Yet those suckers keep coming. I pay many electronically….not all. Keeping an eye on your mail helps.
- Packages – Amazon, USPS, FedEx, and UPS all keep delivering. I’m not buying nearly as much when convalescing; and I can order a bidet from Amazon with a 4:00AM delivery.
- Remote hands – I was able to do “desk work” after a week and my colleague Sue Gordon picked up most of the hands-on slack. Lamacchia Realty has a group, agent field services, to help with hands on. We got a listing on the market while I was out of commission.
Life is constantly changing, and we must change with it. If your housing needs are changing, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. As you can see, I have been there!
Here is free app for your phone/tablet tied directly to the MLS https://www.homesnap.com/Gary-Kelley
Gary is heard on WCRN AM 830 and/or seen on WMCT-TV discussing “All Things Real Estate.”
If you need advice on selling your home or buying a new one, give us a call 508-733-6005.
