C3-4, C5-6, C6-7, T1-2 ProDisc-C Nova ADR blog

[treefrog]

I would suspect that there are others who are jealous too. I certainly am. I want so badly to have surgery to look forward to, hoping to get my life back, but no plan yet. Just waiting for surgeons to call and discuss it with me.

But I am very glad that you were able to get your surgery done so quickly. You really needed to have it done, whereas I can get along okay for the time being.

Please do take it easy though Mark. You don't want to mess up the wonderful job that Dr. B. did. Did the pizza go down all right? I can't imagine being up for eating pizza so soon after surgery. I am amazed that you did.

You look great though, and I hope that is a reflection on how you are feeling. Thanks so much for keeping us informed on your progress. I hope it continues to go extremely well. Enjoy Germany, and what looks like beautiful weather.

[labeng]

Hi Mark!

Wow, you look great for just a few days out. That’s incredible! How long before you fly back? Keep up the heal fast! Again, let me know if there is anything I can do when you get back into town.

Regards,
Larry

[Justin]

Hey Mark,

Looking good for just having a major 4-level procedure. Those films are beautiful. I've very curious about the T1-T2 approach (when you have time, of course).

Be well...
PS Check your email when you get the chance...

[fuzzy]

Looks great, Mark. Facinating xray. You 2 look great and its nice weather!

I am jealous as well .

[sahuaro]

Mark:
You are looking great! I hope you and Diane get to enjoy the rest of your stay without overdoing it.
The X-rays are amazing! And I took a closer look at your collar: it's huge!
Compared to yours, mine would be a spaghetti strap! I was going to suggest the cut-off tube socks for a cover, but they wouldn't work!

[Cheryl]

Great Job Mark.

Can you believe how many of us are jealous of you?

[mmglobal]

11:30pm Saturday night. Today was day 4 post-op, 2 days out of hospital. The morning was great! I was treated to an amazing moon set / sunrise from the balcony of room 501....



I was up early, so I went down for breakfast myself and made Diane a tray to bring back to the room. I wish I'd remembered that it was our anniversary, I might have gotten more mileage out of bringing her breakfast in bed.

I felt great through the morning. We went for a long walk. We did not expect it to be so warm so we needed to buy some shorts and sunscreen. After a short rest, we were out again for lunch.

Pretty early in the lunch outing, I hit the 'crossover' point. You are feeling better and better. You are taking less and less meds. Your activity levels are getting higher and higher. Well, it all caught up with me. After lunch, I came back to the room and pretty much slept the rest of the day.

I still feel better than I did before the surgery (an amazing statment for just a few days out!) However, some of the symptoms that were gone are back (at low levels). I have some new symptoms that I'm sure are just due to the rearrangement of my systems. All muscles, ligaments, etc, are being asked to support me in a completly new configuration and some of them are not happy about it.

In any case, I think I'm still way ahead of the game.... just back down closer to earth than I was.

More tomorrow...

Mark

PS... in answer to the question on another thread... after 4-level cervical, 3 days seems perfect.

[dshobbies]

Men aren't idiots, they're brainless, above the waist!

[jentop]

I would say you're right on target, Mark. The statement you made about the new configuration of your neck and its effect on the soft tissues is exactly what I felt around the same time. Now at nearly 11 weeks post-op, my neck feels essentially "normal". In other words, not changed in terms of alignment, though I'm sure it is better than pre-surgery as evidenced by the xrays. It's a much better feeling from a functional standpoint especially.
I'm wondering when you and Diane will be passing thru Dulles? Or if you have much of a layover? Tom and Tyler and I were toying with the idea of driving out to see the new and improved Mark, but I mostly want to meet Diane,
Hope we can make it work,
Jen

[treefrog]

Mark, happy belated anniversary to you and Diane.

It sounds like you are doing really well. Keep it up.

[mmglobal]

It's Monday night, 9pm in Straubing. I posted on Saturday that I'd hit the crossoverpoint and it seemed something like a setback. We laid pretty low on Sunday... it was a good day and the setback that I was afraid of never quite materialized.

Today was amazing, not for anything to do with me, but because of who we spent most of the day with. I've overdone and it's time to rest... I'll blast this out and retire.

After breakfast, we started the day with a walk down by the Donnau in order to scope out beer gardens for lunch with our important visitors. It's official, my height advantage over Diane is vastly improved. I wonder if I can dunk now?


I've known Alan and Ingrid for a couple of years now and his story is one of the most amazing I've ever been involved in. He spent 6 years of his life completely disabled after a long litany of spine surgeries. He could barely speak because of the effort it took and the pain it caused. They will come and tell their own story... I'm just going to post these shots so I'll continue to marvel at the transformation I was able to witness. I'll write more another time.



After a wonderful lunch, I took a break while Alan and Ingrid explored Straubing. We got back together for the obligatory iced cafe in the town square. Remember... this is good luck!





As you can see, the day was filled with smiles and laughter. This was quite a long outing, so I took another break and Diane met them at Rapunzel to pick up dinner to bring back to our room. The warm and sunny day turned breezy and chilly as we wondered if we were going to get rained out. We were treated to a light show, as the evening sky seemed to change by the second. We were even treated to a rainbow.



I'm sorry I haven't been able to keep up with everyone's posts... time on the computer is still somewhat limited. Still nothing but good news from Bavaria. I don't want everyone to think this was easy. The good recovery is still very tough, it's just nothing like the difficult ones. Whatever the few weeks after surgery are like, there is only one thing that matters - long term outcome. I still cannot unwind some of my pre-op symptoms and post surgical pain. I will not know for weeks how complete a recovery I'll have. I'm just pleased that I'm not worse and things seem to be going so well. More as I know it.

All the best,

Mark

[nomorepain]

now you truely are bionic!
i'm in awe!
let me know when you are ready to start a bowling
league, be cool to get a bunch of ADR's together
for such a feat.....

[fuzzy]

I hope you are are recovering well, Mark. That jet lag doesn't help I am sure.

[soljagal]

Short term can certainly be called a success...you look and sound great.

Best wishes for continued success!

[Michelle Maree]

Hi Mark,
Just wondering how you are going since you have been home. Still improving in leaps and bounds I hope.
Looking forward to a post surgery update.

Michelle.

[dshobbies]

I'm butting in here for a moment. Mark is working too much and is literally interfereing with his own recooperation. We all knew he would do this. If anyone lives near him, please tie him down!!!!

Time to fess up Mark and take your punishment

[Maria]

I kind of figured this much. Mark do want Lola to come over there and take you back to your master (Taffy)! Oh well.. some people recover differently tho I hope you're not carrying or lifting a bunch of stuff and/or even sitting in a weird neck straining position Mark~ (did you relocate your office to the beach?)

[Kathy]

Dale,
Just wanted to check and make sure that everything is ok with Mark. Your post scared me, sounds like recovery is going rough? I had noticed that I haven't seen any posts from Mark in a week or more..... I was worried about Mark and then I was your post saying he was 'overdoing' it and it got me wondering about Mark again. What work is he doing? He isn't traveling to the spine conference in London this week, is he? Or is he just doing the medical travel stuff? Does he work another job? Just curious about Mark and sounds like you might know how he is doing?????

Hope and pray all is well with Mark,
Kathy

[Cindylou]

I was wondering the same thing Kathy. Mark, are you out there? Dr. Stark sends his regards. Please post so we can stop worrying. Slow and easy, remember, wins the race.

Cindylou

[dshobbies]

I think it's up to Mark to speak for himself but... he's been going into the office everyday and not being kind to his body's healing efforts. I think a resounding STAY HOME from all of us might be in order. Once he begins to follow his own as well as the doctor's advice, he'll be back on track.

Please copy and paste, Mark, STAY HOME!

[phylly]

I was hoping that you would set a great example for all those Spiney's out there. Please be kind to your body as you have been given a chance for a pain free existence. I agree with Dale, Take it slow and atay home.
Phylly

[Kathy]

Mark,
Sorry you are having a bump in the road of recovery. I hope you get to feeling better soon.
Kathy