with hospital bd you raise your torso as high as possible and it is easier. you dont need to push and strain neck.
have your dr write prescription and get it to one of those supply stores that rent beds.

joan

Do you have a bed with any kind of headboard? If so, taking a towel, scarf or thick soft rope (like a tie for a bathrobe) and hooking it to the corner of the headboard, will give you something to pull yourself up with.

Another thing you can try, is having a wedge pillow and using that to push yourself up from.

I found that just "getting it over with the quickest I could" was better. Like ripping a band aid off quickly versus slowly peeling it off.

Posterior cervical surgery is no fun to recover from, but the key is that you do recover. It just takes time. It was a good 3 to 4 weeks before I felt like there was a glimmer of hope that I would eventually feel better. Of course like any surgery, once you get past that point then you feel better and better each day as you get stronger and stronger.

I hope you start feeling better soon.

"C"

Oh, man, I'm so sorry that getting out of bed is so difficult. It reminded me of the first couple of days in the hospital after my TLIF when I had to do the log roll. I was fine until it was time to raise up to a sitting position and then I'd scream in pain. It wasn't pleasant for anyone, including the nurse helping me and my husband having to watch it.

When I was at the hospital, I had a caseworker and she had my doc write a script for a hospital bed and could have had it delivered the day the script was written. I chose not to have it, but if you call your surgeon, you might be able to get a script and have one delivered very quickly. I agree that should help you.

Good luck and let us know what happens.
Cath

When my wife had her bypass what I did was get two med eyehole screws some soft rope and two plastic tube.One of the screw I put in ceiling with rope going threw it and useing the plastic on the other end of the rope. Where she could reach it The 2nd one I did same thing but hook it to wall at the top of the bed. It work just like hospital bed. she love it then a year later she broke two bones under her knee it work out great fot that to. cost $ 7.25 And she got to sleep in her own bed.

Jim

Sorry you are having such a bad time getting out of bed, I had posterior C4-7 done in Dec. with my hip bone graft. It was pure hell getting out of bed, when I got home I found using our futon as my bed I saw it was low to the floor and I as I turned to my side and used my elbow to push myself up, my feet could touch the floor easy and was able to sit up with a lot less pain than I got trying to get out of our bed.
I hope you find as less pain full way for you.

Susan,

Everyone has given you some great advise. Myself I just didn't sleep in a laying down position. Many will tell you about using a recliner. I didn't have a recliner so I used my couch which had the side arms and with some pillows I could make it so I was sleeping almost straight up. I say the couch because in the bed you have more room to move around, should you fall sound asleep and get all that out of position.

As far as the hospital bed you can have the doctor write the script and they should call the company that delivers them and make all the arrangements. AS C said posterior surgery takes sometime to recover from, but you will feel better within a few weeks. Be sure to stay on top of the valium for the spasms.

I called the surgeon and got a script for a bed.It should be here in a few hours. I knew this surgery would be rough but dang (Im trying not to cuss, which seems to be a big part of my vocabulary last few days) Somehow it makes me feel better, lol. Good thing I have a sense of humor. I now have 2 black eyes and a black nose. Dont understand the black nose but more then likley positional. Ill be asking about that when i get the staples removed. I have 19 staples that start at the base of my scull and go down to my shoulder blades. Part of my hair was shaved so Ill be getting my first short haircut soon. Always wanted short hair but was too chicken to cut it. Oh well if I dont like it I can always grow it back out, it is just an inconveinence the important thing is that i have full use of my arms and legs and the surgeon said the surgery couldnt of went any better. Thanks to all that eased my fears as much as could be during a very difficult time for me. I think anyone who is scheduled for this surgery should be given a script for valiumn because the waiting is enough to drive you crazy!!!!
Susan

First, I am so sorry you are in pain.
Recliner, low bed, couch - something you can roll out of. Lots of pillows to prop you once you find a comfy spot. I know it seems impossible, been there. I used ice packs initially to try & numb the pain. Lots of muscle relaxers!!! Muscles are quite mad right now & you need to calm them, after all, they've been sliced into. Take your pain meds as described. Doubling up does no good. Gosh I FEEL FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!
bless you
Julie
04/09 Posterior cervical foraminotomy C5-6, C6-7

Susan, as much as it hurts, please do yourself a huge favor and move arms & shoulders. If you don't they will "freeze" up. That's why my recovery is taking up to a year. You DO NOT want to be in this much pain for such a looong time. Trust me. You've seen some of my posts in here. If you can't move it, have someone gentle move it for you.

I remember those first days. I used to roll completely over until I was on my stomach leaning over the bed with feet on the floor. Then I could use my arms to push myself up. And I would do this in reverse to get into bed.

I know you don't believe this but in a few days this will be gone.

I had posterior surgery on 03/15, left the hospital on 03/17. I went with a new surgeon and he used bone marrow from my hip (I asked to be sure it wasn't bone graft,cause it wasn't very sore), and then added that to some BMP to put in between the bones. I had failed fusions from C4/5/6 and my grafts were sinking into the bones. My hair is shaved too way up the back of my skull and I had long hair. I feel like a doll that some child played with a gave a bad haircut too. LOL. My incision is like yours, goes from the bottom on my head down to my shoulders. I thought it would be like 3 inches at the most, but it's like 6.

This has been the worst pain-wise surgery that I've ever had and I've had anterior and posterior lumbar surgeries and then the two ACDFs. My Lord, I've cussed, cryed, and all the works. I can't use my arms without getting vocal and have had my shoulders seize up on me and not let go until I get laid down. I used to say I was a toughy and could stand a lot of pain, but I must be turning into a weenie or something. Whew! This is hard so far. I'm glad the others have said 3 or 4 weeks,it gets some better. I can't wait. Showering is my hardest thing. I try to use one arm to wash my hair and then the other to rinse, but I'm really hurting when I get done.

Getting up out of bed, I have one of those metal two step folding steps thing that I keep right by the bed and I also have a quilt chest that is padded like a seat on top. So I log roll and twist my lower body and legs off the bed to slide to the chest and hold on to the step stool's rounded top. It still hurts like hades, but it works okay. I have a four poster bed too and use the poster to help turn over sometimes. So far sleeping hasn't been too good anyway. I get stiff and painful from staying in one position and I just can't find that right spot on the pillow or the right pillow yet.

I wanted to ask you if you had a drain after surgery?? I did and they removed it before I went home. The back of my neck is very swollen still and when I slightly move my head left or right, I hear a liquid sound (sorry to be gross). It's almost a gritty sound too. I go back this Tuesday and will ask about it. I wondered why I had to have a drain too.

Good luck and keep posting.
Melisa

Susan,

Did you tell us about your neck brace status and I missed it?

What kind? How - Long - Soft - ?

I found my neck brace, a recliner, and warm moist heat were essential.

Convalesce rapidly!

D

I wore the brace until yesterday, surgeon says I dont need it anymore,thank god. I hate the hard collar braces. Staples are removed and the swelling is almost gone. I still have alot of swelling in the collarbone area but at least you can tell I have a neck now.lol. Everyone was right when they said give it a few days and there will be a big difference. I have not been able to reduce my meds yet but doc says try again in a week and not to get discouraged it just takes time. Im doing better then I expected but still have a way to go. At least I feel human again. Thanks everyone for the support
Susan

keep on doing whatever you're doing - you are one of the lucky ones, like you said in pm) & I am so happy for you...

That you are improving. Just take it slow. Are you still sleeping in the hospital bed? Hopefully it won't be long before you can enjoy your own comfy bed.

cindy