Margo Back to the Farm

After 2 weeks in the hospital for neck and back surgery, Margo is home on the farm again.  She has a walker and wheelchair and is still weak and needs help, but is enjoying the early spring warm up by sitting out on the porch watching the wildlife.   Quite a change from the hospital!

Looking from the back -- two sets of lego scaffolding on either side of the spine to hold the vertebrae stable and away from the spinal cord where it had been pinching it and causing pain and weakness

Side view showing the pegs, screws and other stabilizing hardware.  Included, but not visible are some pieces of bone removed from the pelvis and stuck in the back.  

Margo is very sore and weak in the arms and legs, and they are painful, but it is more the pain from the surgery than the old back pain, so it should gradually disappear.  

About all she can do right now is practice working with her hands, arms and doing some walking.  The neck brace is likely to be on for three months.   April 23rd is the first outpatient therapy session which is in Barron Wisconsin or maybe Rice Lake -- not quite settled which Mayo branch is closer or more easily scheduled.  She has a long way to go, but she is home, functioning and with a few oxycodone every once in a while, getting along fine.