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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Rapid Recovery Back Surgery Tests The Inner Strength Of A Sandpoint Teen - Read Excerpts From Her Jounal

Last year, Riley Smith was like a lot of teens - generally carefree, primarily painfree. But being an active teen led to a problem with her back that meant complicated surgery. Riley kept a journal of her operation and recovery; Our Generation is printing a shorter version today.

November 21, 1996:

I’ve led a rather sheltered life. I’ve been lucky enough to avoid hardships. Therefore, I’m looking on my upcoming back surgery as quite possibly the hardest challenge I’ve had to overcome in my short life.

I’ve no idea what to expect from this surgery. The doctor has told me I have a bulging and ruptured disk in my lower back. This rupture is pressing on the nerve which runs down my right leg. A simple analogy would be that my nerve is being squished by a pair of pliers. And let me tell you, it’s very painful.

I’ve been dealing with this pain since mid-July. We think the rupture is a result of tubing this summer or maybe cliff jumping - two of my favorite activities. Not only has this injury been a hassle because of the pain, but it has also caused me to be temporarily laid off from my job.

My doctor, Ernest Fokes, a neurosurgeon at Kootenai Medical Center, has predicted a 95 percent chance that this surgery will relieve all the pain in my leg and a 60 percent chance for it to relieve the pain in my back. Even though I really couldn’t ask for much better odds, I’m extremely scared.

As I said, I’ve never had to face anything like this before, and the fear has been building up in me in the two weeks since I found out I had to have surgery. When I really start to think about it - that tomorrow is the day - I want to cry.

I know I’m being a wuss. My situation really can’t get much worse, and I know I’ll be grateful for any amount of improvement. Still, I can’t help but be intimidated. I think my biggest fear is that it won’t work.

November 22

Well, today was the day. My surgery was scheduled for noon but we had to be there at 9:30 a.m. First, there was all the admitting paperwork. Then, I was led to the waiting room where I changed in to my hospital gown. I was weighed and all my vital signs were taken. Almost immediately after that, one of the nurses started my IV.

Both my mom and dad were by my side the whole time and, when she put in my IV, first requiring a shot of novocaine, I think my dad was in more pain than I was. Luckily, needles don’t bother me that much.

Then we waited.

Waiting is the worst. The IV started to get to me because I’d not been allowed food or drink since the night before. Going to the bathroom with an IV is kind of a pain, too. Also, during this infinite wait, a nurse came in and told me that right after surgery my mouth would be very dry because of a shot I would receive before going in. The stuff in the shot dries up pretty much all my fluids so my lungs don’t fill with liquids during surgery.

She told me that for the first few days after surgery, my leg might still hurt and feel numb, but I shouldn’t think the operation didn’t work. After pressure is removed from nerves that have been compressed for so long, she said, the nerves are like cats - you never really know what to expect.

I talked with the anesthesiologist, then got a shot and two Valium to relax. Then after waiting so long and thinking I was so ready, they came for me. That’s when I realized I wasn’t ready at all, and I started to cry.

They wheeled me into the operation room. Probes were placed on my chest to monitor my heart beat and an oxygen mask was placed over my mouth.

When I woke up, I was pretty groggy, and in a lot of pain. While in the recovery room, I received four shots of morphine. Then, I was taken to my room where my parents were waiting. I had more painkillers and the rest of the afternoon passed by rather uneventfully.

The staff was afraid that because of all the anesthesia and medicine that I wouldn’t be able to hold down solid food. Quite the contrary, I was starving. I virtually inhaled the hospital dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy.

After dinner, my parents and I walked around the hospital, my back and leg feeling much better than before. Dr. Fokes also stopped by on his rounds to see how I was doing, and so ended one of the longest days of my life. I would have slept relatively soundly had it not been for the nurses coming in every two hours to take vitals.

Nov. 23

Dr. Fokes came by again and I was able to thank him for my extreme lack of pain now that the surgery was over. By this time I just wanted to go home. After all the paperwork, we were on our way.

The roads were bumpy, which made the ride kind of painful. I now have a four-inch long incision down the middle of my back which makes sitting against anything painful - bumps or not. Regardless, I was able to nap most of the way. Once home, I did nothing but nap and watch movies. My first night home, I slept in the recliner because the position was more comfortable than flat on my back.

Nov. 24

Today my bandage came off (on schedule) and I got my first look at the incision. It really doesn’t look too bad. I have only four stitches, but I still feel like Frankenstein or something.

I’m supposed to walk four to six times a day, so I started off by walking up and down the stairs in our house six times. Later on in the day, I walked around our driveway accompanied by my mother who was afraid I might slip. After walking, just more movies and sleep. I can’t seem to get enough sleep.

Nov. 25

Today I went to Natural Fitness with my mom and walked two miles on the treadmill. I still have a little bit of pain in my leg, but that’s to be expected. My mom took me to see a couple of my friends who were shocked to see me up and walking so soon. Like me, they all thought I would be incapacitated for about a month. I’m so glad to be young and able to have a fast recovery.

Nov. 26

Today we went to Natural Fitness again, and I walked another two miles. I’ve become a little bit panicked because I’m beginning to feel some of my initial pain. We called the doctor, and he reassured me that especially in the first two to three days, there will be an inflammation of the nerve that was crushed, causing some of the old pain to return. He said it should be totally gone by the end of my four-week recupe. Even though he reassured me, it’s still a little worrisome.

Nov. 27

Another day, another two miles. It’s becoming easier and easier for me to walk this distance, and I am becoming less and less reliant on my pain pills.

Nov. 28

Today I was actually able to run one of my two miles. I went with a group of friends sledding but I didn’t sled - just watched with envy or walked. Walking in the snow is a bit more exercise than walking on a treadmill. I certainly got my allotted exercise today.

Nov. 29

I am amazing myself at my own speedy recovery. I feel almost back to normal, although I know I must still take the precautions so I don’t undo what has just been done. My flexibility is coming back slowly but surely and my pain is lessening. I feel certain that I will be able to return to school after the Thanksgiving break.

Nov. 30

Well, this Thanksgiving - although our family was without electricity and we were forced to barbecue our turkey - I have a lot to be thankful for. Primarily all the people who have shown such kindness to me during this hard time. Although I know I am far from complete recovery, I am well on my way and feeling better all the time. I’m just to keep walking and shortly after having my stitches out on Monday, I should be as good as new.

Jan. 22, 1997

Here I am, almost two months after my surgery, and I feel almost 100 percent better. The initial pain of my incision is completely gone and I have gone back to basically all my normal activities.

I still feel a little pain when I stretch or turn certain ways, only because my nerve was tweaked out for so long. I’m working hard to get my flexibility back, which was lost due to about four months of absolutely no activity (save for complaining about how much my back hurt).

I’ve begun taking karate classes twice a week and have resumed working out. I walk and run on the treadmill, use the stairstepper and bike, and lift weights on the machines.

I’m overjoyed at the outcome of my surgery. Things couldn’t have turned out better and I’m extremely grateful for all the support from my family, friends and teachers - and especially Dr. Fokes. They were all aids to my swift recovery.

I feel as though I have my life back. With this worrisome ordeal behind me, I have moved on to other “normal” worries for a person my age, such as life after high school.

So, the scariest thing I’ve faced so far turned out to be not so bad after all.