Day 24 of PLIF recovery

Been a few days since my last post. I've been distracted by Assassins Creed 3 and test cricket (jeez the Aussies are struggling at the moment)

The facts:
3x 30 min walks. Stride is freeing up, walking much more freely and looking less and less like a senior citizen. I'm walking between 4.5 and 5.5km a day. The pain is very manageable. Probably 2/10 if I forget to take pain killers. I'm using pain killers less and less.

My Mum went home this morning. It was awesome to have her up here for a week. Someone to take the pressure of looking after me off my 25 week pregnant wife. It was great to have someone do all those little things around the house; washing dishes, hanging out clothes, making lunch etc. All the little things that add up. Plus with baby on the way, there were plenty of stories about what my brother and I got up to as kids, some hints, tips, methods to cope etc. Also, living 3 states away, it was great just to hang out, watch a movie and have a chat. Thanks Mum.

The other point now is that I largely feel OK. I sense that this is the "danger zone" (Archer quote there - you like that Jarrod?). An example; I'm spending most of my days lying in bed. My iPhone is next to me. I get up for lunch and my phone rings. Sure, I feel fine, I'll just lean over and grab it  - NO - don't do it. I find I'm picking myself up on these types of things. Constantly reminding myself not to over do it, not to twist, bend, lean, lift, all those little everyday things. Very frustrating and a major exercise in self-control. I've got the time off work to recover, use it, don't do anything stupid to risk the recovery.

I have an X-ray this time next week, followed up with an appointment with the neurosurgeon back up in Sydney. I'm very keen to get this done, and see how its all going .