Bamboo Strong

It’s already been 10 months since surgery! It’s incredible to look back and think about everything that I’ve been through. I had back surgery (still surreal) and I’m one of the lucky ones who successfully healed and came out of it stronger. I can’t believe that my one year anniversary is right around the corner and I’m excited, it will be a huge personal success and a big victory!

I am so exhausted… but in a good way! I really enjoyed my first Pilates experience but I think that I discovered bits and pieces of my body that I was not aware of before; I’m sore all over. The Pilates workshop was pretty intense; it wasn’t just a workshop, it was a workout!  I think I may have pushed it a little too far for the first time. My physical therapist had told me that at this point I have no limitation and that I can do anything that I want. On the other hand, she also warned me to take it slow by trying a few new movements at the time and see how it feels later. I need to be aware that if there’s soreness that’s fine but if there’s pain that means it’s too much, too quick, and tonight I have pain in my tailbone area. Since I’ve been getting stronger, I tend to get into the moment and when I see how much I am actually capable of doing I get excited and just go for it. I’m pretty sure that I know which exercise did the damage and I will try to avoid that one next time. Right now I’m going to soak in a bubble bath and decompress!

Wow, this was everything that I expected and more! It was my first time at “The Pilates Center of Austin” and I’m hooked. Marcos was my certified Pilates trainer and he really is an expert. He understands the human body and how it works. He listened to my concerns, he was able to identify my special needs, and he made me feel at ease. Pilates is quite a workout and it makes you aware of your whole body, including your breathing. As we go about our daily routine we don’t realize how we tense up our muscles with each activity that we do. During the class I found myself having to relax my shoulders and extend my neck repetitively as if like a turtle, I was scared of the day light and wanted to keep my head inside my shell! Today I released a lot of stress and I really did leave the Pilates center feeling tall and strong like a bamboo shoot!

I did it: I finally graduated from physical therapy! It was my second round of advanced treatments and I’m ready to move forward on my own and go on with my life. The goal was to prepare me for Pilates classes and we succeeded. Diana has been warming me up to the different body poses and exercising me on the reformer. I feel comfortable and excited to move to the next step. I’m starting with a Pilates workshop this Saturday at “The Pilates Center of Austin.” I’m feeling good and am excited to see what the real world looks like out there!

I feel that I’m having a Super Bowl day of my own. I’ve been going nonstop all day so my butt is now sitting on ice! It’s all good because I feel like I accomplished a lot. It’s the first weekend of the month and that means it’s “tacos production” time. Larry and I team-up to make 30 bacon, eggs, & cheese tacos for his breakfasts during the next 4 weeks. Once the tacos wrapped-up and ready for the freezer I went to the pool. I actually succeeded to swim 30 laps; 3 times more than my first time back in the pool. I felt completely at ease today and didn’t use a board at all. I jumped right in the water and started swimming as comfortably as before surgery. When I got home I turned on the TV to football and made my famous chili in honor of the Super Bowl. I thought that I was done cooking for the day but I got a special request from my dear hubby to make banana bread. Between the bacon from this morning, the chili this afternoon, and now the hot bread baking in the oven, our home smells delicious. We’re ready for the game to start… I mean I’m looking forward to the commercials and the half time show!

5 years ago Larry and I got married on Friday February 2nd and we had no idea that we picked Groundhog Day! It turned out to be a good thing because how could we ever forget our anniversary date for now on? Marriage is a journey and it’s a constant growing experience. We got to know one another for a year before getting married and we felt that we could never be apart from each other. Larry and I are simply soulmates and little did we know that we would need every ounce of love that we have for each other to make it through the next few years. We managed so far to surpass the test of time. It only seemed to have brought us closer together and I have a feeling that our best years are ahead. For this year’s celebration, my awesome husband planned a perfect romantic day full of surprises. All I want to say is that I am extremely thankful to have my health back and have plenty of energy to be able to enjoy our date to the fullest! We spent the day at The Domain, walking to each special place: an early movie at iPic Theaters, sushi for lunch at Kona Grill, an afternoon massage at Spa Réveil, dinner and wine at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, and a chocolate martini for night cap at The Westin’s lounge. This anniversary was memorable!

My friend Misty’s a special girl and I can’t believe no man has snagged her yet… no worry girl, he’s coming! We met about a couple of years ago at in unfortunate circumstances; when my back pain started getting more serious. On the other hand, fortunately, Misty is part of the solution to my problem! I started seeing her for chiropractor treatments and she really helped me alleviate my pain but my issue was above and beyond her power. Misty is actually THE one who referred me to THE man who fixed me: Dr. Smith! I will forever be thankful. Funny how life surprises us sometime, how Misty and I ended up being friends. She is a wonderful person who loves to share and always wants to learn more. She had the brilliant idea to cook with friends to experience new recipes. We got together go shared a few cooking techniques over a glass of wine and ended up in deep conversations. Time flew by and I went home with a big smile on my face and my heart filled with enthusiasm. I’m lucky to have great friends!

Thank you to Dr. Smith for putting me back on the path of physical freedom!

I had always been an active woman with a busy personal and social lifestyle, a successful professional career, and an athletic personality, enjoying all kinds of sports such as skiing, ice skating, rollerblading, softball, volleyball, tennis, swimming, and kickboxing. Somehow I lost the way along with my independence through years of back pain and discouragement apparently due to an injury that happened in my teenage years; a fractured L5 vertebra that slipped, compressed the disc, and pinched the sciatic nerve. At 38 years old, I thought my self too young to accept defeat but until I met Dr. Smith, I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. He identified the problem (Spondylolisthesis), offered me solutions, and guided me towards health again. I found it impressive for a surgeon to suggest trying out other options before jumping right into surgery! He gave me hope and gained my trust.

Unfortunately, after exhausting all my options (physical therapy, medication, epidural injections), the pain was unbearable and I had no other choice but to go under the knife. Luckily for me, I was in the best hands possible; literally! The last result was to do a TLIF surgery and fuse my L5-S1 vertebra.  I am grateful to have gone through this journey with Dr. Smith as he worked his magic on me, utilizing his experience and the latest technology, which brought me on the road to recovery. I appreciate the time that he took to answer all my questions thoroughly and his witty sense of humor always made me smile, even during the serious and more painful moments.

I am now a new woman and I can do those little everyday things again that people take for granted: lay in bed comfortably, sleep soundly, wake-up rested, do the grocery, carry my own shopping bags, clean the house, cook on the hard kitchen floor, sit at my desk and work on the computer, watch TV on the couch, enjoy a nice dinner at the restaurant with my husband, take a 1 hour drive to visit the in-laws, see a 2 hour movie at the theater, stand at a friend’s party for hours, and even travel on a plane. I feel like a productive human being again and a loving wife.

9 months after surgery, I am almost pain free; no more lower back pain, no more sciatic nerve pinching, and no more throbbing, weakness, tingling and numbness in the leg: all gone! I walk an hour every day, I do Pilates a few times a week, and I even swim laps at the pool. I am gaining my strength and flexibility back. I may have a bit of soreness once in a while after doing my daily routine but it’s only a good feeling from the workout that I’m getting and nothing that an ice pack can’t help… no more pills!

Back surgery is definitely the most difficult challenge that I ever encountered so far in my life but it is the best decision I ever made. It is very encouraging when I see the little successes that I gain every day and how far I have come. I went in with realistic expectations and found out that hard work and patience pays off. My sacrifices and efforts taught me tenacity and that I am only as strong as the support of my loved ones.

I stand strong and tall; this is the beginning of the rest of my life!
Thank you Dr. Smith! Lili

It’s been 9 months since surgery and I’m now stronger than I was during the few last months before the operation! I’m back in the pool and today succeeded to do 10 laps; not very fast because I don’t kick very hard yet, and holding on to a board because I still have some fears but I’m gaining confidence. Swimming hurts my tail bone a little but nothing that ice can’t fix. For the past few weeks, my 30 minutes morning and evening walks have been completely painless and I keep walking faster and further in the same amount of time. I feel great!

I started advanced physical therapy today and my therapist thinks that I’m pretty much ready to fly on my own. Our goal is to have me join a Pilates class after teaching me the basic poses during the next 4 weeks. I feel very comfortable pushing my body limits while under supervision of Diana since she has been working with me closely throughout my recovery. I’m amazed of the poses that I’m actually capable of doing at this point, like the Plank and the Cobra! I’m sore after my workouts and it’s pulling in the tailbone area a little but only 20 minutes of ice and it’s all better. I can feel my strength coming back and it feels great!