[Kathy]

Mark,
Wow, you have alot going on, make my head spin. I had no idea that you had so much pain and so many issues prior to surgery. I had thought this had just been an off an on thing, that had just gotten worse a few months ago. After reading your post, I'm feeling like a sissy, just back pain pre-surgery and muscle pain now.

Just curious, how could your head be crooked? I don't understand how that is even possible Aren't your vertebrae flat (basically) and during surgery they shave (chisel) off any abnormalties to make them flat and make the implant fit correctly? The implant is designed to move and flex in different directions; but is implanted flatly between the two vertebrae... So, how would it be tilted that would make your head crooked? I remember reading someone ask something about one of your first x-rays; but all that x-ray reading and lingo is above my head. Is this what they were asking about? I have never heard of this happening, is this common? Or just a freak accident? (Can you tell I was the kid in the classroom with my hand up all the time with a question? I just have to understand things, how they work)

Take it easy, sounds like you are doing way too much too early. Remember the pain medication can be a good and bad thing, good because you don't hurt and feel good, bad because you don't feel if you are overdoing it. You still got a lot going on with your spine and need to give it a chance to heal, like one of the earlier posters said, you only get one shot at healing. Take Care, Kathy