English
Below is the latest diary entry from Wiggle-sponsored triathlete Michelle Dillon who has just undergone surgery on her back and is now recovering at home. Mich, have plenty of rest and get well soon from everyone at Wiggle!
Posted: Thursday Sept 25th
I have only today come out of hospital after spending the last week in a hospital bed after having my back operation which has caused me so much grief over the years. I must admit this was a shock to me when I saw the last scans before going under the knife on Friday morning 19th Sept. You see I thought I was having a disc replacement at Level 4 and a fusion at L5 but I had one more CT scan on Friday morning before going in which would help us see the bone better in my back. To my horror the doctor called me into a room to discuss my options that morning after looking at the scans I was scared,
The scans showed a big fracture at the vertebrae at Level 4 which had broken into 3 pieces and was making things complicated. Mr Wilson explained to me that if I were to have a disc replacement at this level the chances of it holding up were slim, so he explained that fusing this level and the one below would be the best solution long term. This meant Double fusion at levels 4 & level 5 and after seeing the scans I was shocked. He explained this as a unique case that he had never seen before and that my back had taken a pounding and needed something to be done. ….
I felt like crying and walking away from the operation as I knew this was the worst case scenario from the beginning. Initially they would only have to go through the front to operate which meant quicker recovery time & more movement with a disc being at Level 4. However now that the operation had changed they had to go through the back and was going to be a bigger operation which would mean longer recovery time and more stiffness.
I decided to go through with the operation although I really had no choice, and said to the doctor lets do this! So before you know it I was being wheeled down to have this done. I spent the night in the intensive care unit on high doses of morphine for the pain with a nurse watching me all night. This operation took 6 hours in total so was given a lot of anaesthetic. I was talking bullsh*t all night I don’t think the drugs agreed with me honestly. LOL. I was talking so much the nurse tried to sedate me to shut me up. Ha ha.
For the next few days I was in a poor state and it got worse the days to follow as I couldn’t eat and had a catheter attached to me so I could go to the toilet. I woke up thinking what the hell is this!
I couldn’t move very much and the pain was bad and after not eating very much due to feeling sick I felt worse because there was nothing in my stomach and so much drugs in my body.
The physio therapist came around to try to get me out of bed to stand up but I couldn’t do it due to dizziness and he tried two more days later I still couldn’t get up. I started to think I was weak and I was being tested so tried to get up and couldn’t it was an emotional time for me.
Finally the turning point came one day when a nurse got me up and sitting up longer than I had before then said just stay there while I make your bed. I kind of had no choice and so had to sit longer which made all my fear of fainting gradually disappear and started to feel more confident to get up.
It was like learning to walk again small steps around the hospital ward and from one lap to 2, then 3, then 4.
As soon as I felt well enough I was out of there I am such an independent person and don’t like everyone doing everything for me so although I was booked in to the hospital two more days I opted to get home and lay on the lunge rather than in the hospital bed.
I am going to be laid up for a while and the whole process of rehab will take 6 months. However I am confident this will make be better and you never know I might be back to competition down the track we just have to see how successful the operation is.
I have included the x-rays of my back with the screws in it now after the operation.
Mish
There is still time to enter our ‘Michelle Dillon Question Time’ and ask Mish any questions you want! We have had to delay the competition while Michelle recovers so keep sending them in and when she is better we will pass the best ones on!
Sheesh!!! Sorry to hear about all this
Hope you have a speedy recovery.
Lots of high impact sports when I was younger caused me to have a similar op 4 years ago. [Not sure if you can see this but xray here : http://www.bikejournal.com/profiles.asp?rname=TheChief I was up mountains in the Lake District with a 2 year old on my back within 50 days of surgery. Stick with the physio and have a bash at pilates – it worked for me. Just taken up road cycling and loving it – no adverse reactions at all.
Best of Luck,
The Chief
Good luck with this – I wish you all the very best – here I am worrying about an anterior cruciate ligament re-construction – but this is something else.
I hope you recover as quickly as possibly and I am sure you will return to competition – you have the drive in you I am sure.
all the best,
Graham
Hi Michelle
Sounds like you’ve been through the mill. I hope you can recover soon and see you back doing what you enjoy most.
Jason
Having had a similar double fusion nearly three years ago I am one of hte few people who can fully appreciate the angst and suffering that you have been through and are experiencing now. Its early days yet and you will feel vunerable that the whole thing might fall apart. The next few weeks are crucial as they wait to see if the bone graft (which is the most painful bit about the fusion) has taken and is starting to calicfy. It takes up to three years to get over the operation. Listen to the physio. The exercises seem daft but they work. It was six months before I was back on the bike proper but age and your sense of well being are important factors. My surgeon had a young surfer who was up and running after a few months. SO good luck with you recovery. Drop me a line if you want to chat about experiences
Hope you get better soon …
all the best
Hi , so sorry to read about your back problems I can`t imagine how much pain and discomfort you must have endured and how frustrating it must be to have to take it easy to allow your body to heal.
But anyone who can reach your standard of sporting excellence must be one tough cookie and I`m sure you will cope much better than us mere mortals.
I wish you a speedy and pain free recovery.
All the very best .
Stuart
Get Better Soon!!!
Thank you to everyone for all these lovely and supporting messages. I am recovering well thank you but still in a bit of discomfort. However I am positive this will all be so much better than I was before the operation. I really hope to come back and compete again one day if not at triathlon in another sport but we will just have to see.
I wish everyone luck with their own training over the coming months and if you have any races best wishes for them too.
Thanks again
Michelle
Hi Mish,
I heard you speak at Pure Sports earlier this year and was really inspired by your attitude and all the hurdles you had already overcome with regards to injuries.
This latest episode about your back is pretty hectic, and as a physio I know that you’re in for some tough rehab…but you’ve managed to compete/train with a fractured vertebra and shot discs so my money is on you making a great recovery. Good luck! Stay patient and listen to your body…and your physio ;-)
Cheers
Parys
P.S You’re still Britains best female olympic finisher!
Hi Parys,
Thank you for that advice I really appreciate it. maybe you could drop me an email at michelledillon1@gmail.com and I could ask you a few questions in regards to the re-hab as the more advice the better from different physio’s. That is if you dont mind.
Thanks so much
Mish
Hi Michelle,
Echoing Parys’ comments above – be gentle to yourself, don’t push too hard and be patient. With determination you will compete again … in the meantime, take it easy!
All the best
Lyn
Hi Michelle,
Glad to hear you are on the mend…slowly as it may seem. Would be fantastic to see you back competing again, how about London Tri in August? Win back your title in front of the London fan base. Seeing you win in London in previous years got me in to triathlons, a true inspiration to alot of us.
Take care of yourself.
Ian
Michelle, being a champion that you are, to achieve what you have achieved shows your amazing fortitude, physically, and emotionally. The hurdles you face with your recovery are just that hurdles for you to over come. Never forget what you have achieved, who you are and what you are going to achieve.
All the best
Belinda Australia