Ripple Effects Of Surgery – Recovering From Slipped Disc Surgery

Instead of my usual lunch break walk to get some fresh air I decided to stay in the clinic to sort out paperwork for a coming workshop. I answered the phone to a weak and troubled voice.

Mrs. Lopez had been recommended by a friend to consult me for post surgery pain symptoms.

Discharged from hospital only two days ago, she was now bed resting to recuperate from a slipped disc surgery in the lower back. With her limited mobility and severe pain she was unable to come to the clinic.

I was happy to do a home visit.

Don’t Suffer Alone

I had gone through a similar experience myself many years ago, so I had an idea of the pain and suffering Mrs. Lopez was enduring.

A small, kind woman in her early forties dressed in loose fitting clothes greeted me with a warm handshake at the door of her house. I followed her to the master bedroom where she immediately lay down on the king sized bed. She was exhausted from greeting me at the front door.

By observing her cautious steps and stiff upright body, I knew that she was not only in pain but also trying to control her movements to protect the recent surgical procedure from any sudden undesirable twists.

The successful slipped disc surgery three days previously had left her with intense neural pain running down the right leg and all the way to the big toe, which made it difficult for her to sleep, sit and to get out of bed.

She was wearing a lower back-girdle and tight fitted stockings to prevent thrombosis. She was taking strong pain medication and was on bed rest until the neural leg pain reduced.

She was physically and mentally drained and worried about the prognosis, as two years previously she’d undergone two identical surgeries.

Mrs. Lopez was a homemaker, mother of two teenage children, part time teacher and married to an executive businessman, who traveled abroad for most of the weekdays. She was, without a doubt, the anchor of the family. Almost like a logistics manager, whom the husband and the children highly depended on to look after the family’s personal and social activities.

Not Just The Body, The Mind Needs to Heal Too

In the midst of her sufferings she radiated so much kindness and love. She clearly put other people’s needs before thinking about herself. I sat on a wooden stool next to her lying on the bed, while she explained how inadequate she felt as a wife and mother, and all the worries her limited mobility and pain had caused her husband and two children.

I listened attentively and after a short while I asked her to change her focus.

I asked her to think about what she really wanted, and how she wanted to create a life she loved.

I gave her time to digest my question and to express her desires to be pain-free, gain physical mobility to endure her daily activities like cooking, swimming, work, travel and to take part in her social life together with her family and friends.

When her emotional fears had diminished and her body started to relax she felt ready for the session.

My knowledge and experience had taught me, that a body in distress can be highly sensitive and needs to be treated with minimal input, as even the smallest touch at specific points can have a huge effect.

My objective was to create a gentle muscle release of the lower back and pelvic region by reactivating specific nerve receptors, and to reset and desensitize the tingling nerve running down the right leg into the big toe.

After a few light finger touches around the pelvic and lower back I noticed a slight relief of body tension and heard a deep sigh.

Empathy Engages

I let my own body memories of the symptoms after an old past slipped disc surgery connect with Mrs. Lopez’ tingling nerve. This allowed me to better understand her needs and guide me in the process of the treatment.

After some more gentle moves Mrs. Lopez looked very peaceful with softening lines of the forehead.

There was no need for a lot of words. When I knew that she was feeling good, I placed my home phone number on her bed table and left her to relax. As I was leaving I was greeted by her tall, friendly daughter, who had just come home from a basketball game. I assured Michelle that her mother would be fine but needed some time to rest and heal.

Recovering – It Takes a Team

Three days later I went back to Mrs. Lopez’ house and was greeted with kindness and gratitude from a well-dressed and freshly showered woman. She looked so different with a softer posture and energetic attitude.

Eagerly she told me about the improvements that had become apparent within hours of the first treatment. The pain had reduced significantly and enabled her to enjoy a good night’s sleep for the first time in weeks and helped her gain energy to get out of bed, sit down for a short time, walk around to carry out her personal toiletries and minor household chores.

She claimed that calling me for a treatment was the best thing she had ever done and put her full trust into my hands for a speedy recovery. We proceeded with the session and the positive outcome made her feel so confident that she was actually looking forward to the follow up with her orthopedic surgeon.

When treating people in severe pain and especially post-op clients, I feel a strong satisfaction by working in a team. It creates trust and ease for the client and helps focus for optimal rehabilitation.

After the fourth and last session, Mrs. Lopez had resumed her previous active life as a homemaker and part-time teacher. She was eager to get the green light from the surgeon to take up swimming again to rebuild muscle strength and lower back mobility.

She was confident of being able to return to an active and healthy joyful life and felt less mental pressure from her husband and children.

Since then Mrs. Lopez has come for an occasional treatment to maintain good health and body alignment. She is now on her sixth year of living an active pain-free life and enjoying life to the fullest together with her family and good friends.

You really can return to your best and enjoy a pain-free fulfilled life. It is just one connection away.

In the next few articles, I will be giving you some true, inspirational stories from my book Pain Free, because I really think that they will bring you closer to understanding the meaning and purpose of what we do and how you can become pain-free.

Do you have a similar story? Please share it with us.