My c-spine acting up again... (discography results)

[mmglobal]

Here is a tip, boys and girls.... with a 10 month-old around the house, you cannot walk around in the dark. Last Thursday, I tripped over some baby stuff and had a great fall. Good thing I didn't drop the laptop... but I did break the cable-end for the AC adapter. Got some good bruises, but I thought that I was just OK. Just a few hours later, I was beginning the 20 hour travel ordeal, LAX to Munich. The flight to Atlanta was OK, but by the time we boarded for the ATL-MUC flight, I started to notice that all of my c-spine symptoms were flared... not too bad yet... but definitely there.

In all the trips I've taken with clients for their surgery (now more than 20), this is the first one where I've had a worse time flying than my client. Interscapular pain constant with great increase if I turn head in either direction or put my chin to my chest. Extension is OK. Hand numbness was worse, but that has gotten better. Neck/upper back pain is a little better, now 4 days later, but it's still way significant compared to before.

Those who have followed me on the forums for years know that I've been talking about getting discography on my neck for the last 2 years. I've always been too busy and my pathology puts me into the 'quality of life' decision category instead of needing to do surgery because of more significant symptoms or fear of permanent damage. This has me motivated... I'm always an accident waiting to happen. I know this isn't getting better on it's own. I should have time on this trip to do the disco... if the results are conclusive... I may be good to go. The problem is that I have 2 obvious bad levels, plus a third level that may be causing some unusual symptoms that are difficult to correlate. We'll see what the disco shows... hopefully Friday or Saturday... I'll know more.

All the best.

Mark

[dshobbies]

Mark,

I wish I had the words to express how sorry I am for your pain and plight. I believe your own sufferings have turned you into an angel of mercy for so many of us... you have walked a mile in our shoes... but it ultimately makes it no easier to bear.

You also need to know that in a marriage, it is usually agreed upon that only one of you can go crazy at any given time so you'd better discuss this flair up with Diane and decide which of you needs to take care of the other! Maybe you can delegate that responsibillity to the 10 month old.

Please take care - and I hope this doesn't affect dinner

All my best, Dale

[ellecincos1]

Mark,

When my children were little I constantly looked down to the floor to make sure I wouldn't fall and break my neck. The large amount of toys all over the floor kept me in a constant alert. Luckly I mastered the technique to jump over them. I hope with some antinflamatories and rest it will calm down and feel better. I agree with dshobbies you have walked in our shoes we don't want you to have to also deal with more pain issues. I hope all goes well.
Take care

[KL Aguilar]

Mark, I am so sorry to read this, but thank you for the new word (for me) to describe my almost constant companion: interscapular. Flexeril helps for me and I have gotten trigger point injections in the last month that have made a big difference.

[fuzzy]

I hear you Mark, I am still watching very carefully where I step even though the few minor mishaps I have (already) had clearly show that my spine is a lot better then it was before, but I really dont want to chance any more trouble down the road (no more motorbikes, traded those for some more camera gear!). Dr. Z. told me to "live life, don't worry about spine .. but at the same time to always use the hand rail." When ever I "forget" to use the handrail and my wife reminds me of Zs words it becomes very obvious how we become complacent so easy in light of lower painlevels. I tripped over one of the cats a couple of days ago, o boy!

[fortitudine]

Mark,
I hope your pain disappears, and I hope you don't show up as needing surgery ASAP. Keep us posted.

[Maria]

Hey Mark,
Yeah that can be so limiting as well as incredibly painful when the cspine flares up. My acute incident took me a few weeks (3) plus toradol shots every week and being very careful to get over and then a few months to be rid of the weird sort of guarding pain.

Acutely I couldn't even look downwards w/o severe spasm/pain in neck and rotating head left to right wasn't even possible. That was so weird and actually worse than my lumbar spine in terms of limitations.

Good luck with your disco results and whatever you might do. Hope you get yourself taken care of pain and spasm wise and your trip back is easier on you.

[mmglobal]

Thanks for all the kind words... all the acute stuff is almost gone (6 days after fall)... not too bad now. Focusing on this kind of brings it home... how limiting the daily stuff is. It's strange not having acute pain, but by the end of the day, what seems like a minor, dull ache; pretty much has you exhausted. Trying to sit and get some work done when something is gnawing at you is really difficult.

We'll see what the discogram says. It'll be wierd being on the table.

"Ow, ow, ow.... that's a ten!" said Mark.

"I haven't even touched you yet" said the doctor.

Take care all... I'll keep you posted.

Mark

[Maria]

Perhaps you could get some Marcaine or an ESI done after the disco if it's going to be leave you in the type of pain the lumbar ones left me in (or would have if not for the Marcaine injected after '03 one and ESI/transforaminal after '05 one).

Or a Cadillac Margarita drip

[ans]

Hey Mark,

Sorry to hear of this. Wishing you my best. - Allan