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

JeffreyD · #1 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009, 05:10 PM

Hi Mark,
I'm thrilled that you are healing well, and able to move forward so quickly after surgery.
Blessings to you, and sincere hopes for ever-increasing improvement.
-Jeff

dshobbies · #2 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009, 05:40 PM

MUD BATHS?

I'm relieved that this trip didn't set you back. I was worried but then again, you seem far more resilient than I. Welcome home tomorrow. I'll bet your own bed sounds so good right about now

Dale

sahuaro · #3 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009, 11:02 PM

Great news, Mark!

The knowing I was truly better came with the realization that I no longer was constantly thinking that I was tired of living in this body.

Please say more about the mud baths!!! There are wonderful world-class spas here in Tucson, so perhaps it's time for some R & R in the Wild West???

Gil Denis · #4 (**permalink**) 05-24-2009, 11:49 PM

Hi Mark

I am glad to hear you are doing better.

Have a safe trip home.

Does this mean you need new ski boots

Talk when you get home

All the Best

Gil

mmglobal · #5 (**permalink**) 05-25-2009, 06:09 AM

Coming home today... It's been almost 2 weeks here... YAHOO. I can't wait to see my family...

This has been a tough trip, but a wonderful trip. Getting to know my clients and watching them do well is VERY gratifying. In addition to the three clients I had here, I got to meet and spend some time with Jess and Treefrog. Heather from adrsupport and her family were wonderful. Her mom is a gas... we really hit it off with all our talk of our climbing, skydiving, flying pasts. We went to Deggendorf yesterday and flew gliders. Last night we had a party on the terrace of room 403. GPN provided the food... Theresientor provided everything we needed and even surprised us with a 1/2 case of Proseco... Lisa and Simone from ProSpine joined us, as did Tim Vicknair. The hardware lineup included 18 levels (I think) in 6 pre and post-op patients. It was great to see everyone laughing, smiling and hugging. I love these gatherings! I wish I could post some pictures now, but I have to go see Diane and Zoey!

All the best,

Mark

mmglobal · #6 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 04:54 PM

The flight home kicked my butt. The connection was too tight in Chicago... it took 25 minutes from the time the bags started to come down until mine arrived. I literally ran through the terminal with carry-on baggage in tow... It felt good to run and it was enough of a workout to really get warm and huff and puff a lot. Got to the gate 4 minutes before flight left, but 6 minutes after doors closed. That gave me an additional 3.5 hours of layover and I fell asleep in a chair... not a good position for any cervical patient, but especially for recent post-op patients. Tuesday was rough... Wednesday was worse with some pretty severe pain. To top it all off, I'm trying to taper off the Oxy and have switched from 10's to 5's, going from 30mg/day down to 15 or 20. Since I've only been back on opiates for a few months and at relatively small doses (compared to my lumbar episode), I thought this would be easy. NOT SO! Even this small taper has me feeling really lousy... headache, body aches... just really feeling crappy. If the flight induced episode goes away, I'll consider going cold turkey. From my 2002 experience, from this point in my taper to the end of the withdrawals was about 3 weeks. I think I'd rather do a bad weekend than 3 weeks of mild to moderate withdrawals. We'll see. I see the PM this afternoon and still have to get past the pain episode before I can even consider going below the current 15 to 20 mg.

Last night I had a pretty frightening severe pain in lower throacic spine... far away from any previous lumbar or cervical issues. I hope that there is not more happening... there were lower throacic problems called out on MRI... let's hope that this was just an anomoly and not the start of something new. I have enough metal already.

I'll keep everyone posted. I'm glad I can provide a glimpse into the ups and downs that so many experience... it's not all sunshine and roses. While we sometimes see the amazing recoveries where people are so much better at just a few days post-op and never look back, I think that this kind of experience is much more common.

All the best,

Mark

rhatzy · #7 (**permalink**) 05-28-2009, 05:53 PM

Mark,

You a glider pilot? Besides being an MD80 captain for American, My first love is gliders. It's good to being able to do both.

Mark Martin

mmglobal · #8 (**permalink**) 05-29-2009, 04:07 AM

Hey Mark. I've flown gliders in many different places, but never soloed. I have about 400 hours in lightplanes and 850 jumps. I've taken off in balloons twice, but have never landed in a balloon. Same goes for helicopters.... 2 takeoffs, no landings.

I LOVE formation flying. (photo from my ship.)

Unfortunately, my dad sold the Navion a couple of years ago. Check out the photos on NAvion N4584K. On the Bay Tour page, the photos of the red and white Navion are all taken by Dr. Bertagnoli from the right seat of the orange one. Both the Alcatraz photo and the one with sunset behind the other ship wound up on the cover of the Navioneer magazine.

I love being in the air in any form.... even as a passenger in a big bus. What I really miss is the freefall... getting me knees in the breeze!

This should give everyone some heartburn... Dr. Bertagnoli wearing a parachute!