Getting ready for 3-level fusion, came up as a surprise!

[supergirl]

Well, I am post-op day #6 and I think doing pretty ok.

No more narcotics since last week and just on Tylenol arthritis- that 8 hour formulation is fantastic as it lasts the whole night!!! My friend recovering from breast cancer told me about just before I had to stop all my NSAID's.

Got out for a walk and this hot swelteringly hot morning was able to do my 1 mile loop including the little hill without too much difficulty. At first the problem was more with the "bouncing" of walking too quickly, or too normally, but seemed fine today. As it was my first walk alone outside, took along one of my hiking sticks (that I started using with my knee injury and after surgery a few years ago) and I can feel like I have a little more stability if I were to stumble a little.

Little frustrated that the collar is going to keep me from doing all the things I had wanted to do this month- things related to looking down at a table in front of me! Will have to find other things and ways to do them. Doc wants my chin neutral and not down for the month, I agree!!

Didn't lose my voice either. Poor family. Just not as loud as usual- less volume.

Eating is not a significant problem- more of a dysfunctional swallow, little extra air, but not painful. Need help cutting my food as I can't see it well! Using extra water with eating to wash it down well.

We'll see what the next few days bring!

Thanks again,

[dridobits]

That's amazing! I'm still on pain meds. Don't know if I will ever be off. That is so cool!!!!! Patience, patience, I remember it took a long time, and I'm still healing. This is special time, time to heal, time to take it easy, time to have other people do stuff for you. You go girl! Don't get discouraged, I was in such a fog for the first week, my boyfriend said it was scary to see me.

[supergirl]

So, I have arrived at 2 weeks and finally got a chance to see under the steri strips! Other than looking like a victim of a mugging gone wrong, the scar is fantastic so far. I am very optimistic! Got my silicone scar sheet on and ready to heal.

I got a little over excited after being able to sit at a table with friends over the weekend and spent a little too much time sitting altogether over the weekend, actually thought I could stop the Tylenol, but at the very least, I am down to just 16 hours a day on the "arthritis" 8 hour dose. Don't need it to sleep.

The post op numbness in my left hand has mostly resolved, just the very tips of my thumb and index finger remain. Not sure if due to the nerve root manipulation during surgery or the arterial line that was placed for the surgery...

Am very attached to my collar, find it reassuring as I move around and prefer to wear it as then I don't have think about whether or not I am flexing my neck too much.

I am blessed that sleeping has been wonderful. I found the with the collar, the ikea contour firm pillow which I found too firm pre-op is actually perfect now. Keeps me all strait and holds up to the rigid collar nicely.

Have been blessed with friends who come by to entertain me and walk with me during the day. I am up to 3.5-4 miles per day. At least I will have tone legs ready to go when I am cleared to hike and ski!

Thanks for listening!

[supergirl]

So I thought I would post an update.

I am 39 days post op, had my first xray and dr visit. The spine looks incredible- he really lined up everything so nicely, restored my curve and instead of looking like a dilapidated tenement building, I have a beautiful spine again.... sort of, of course.

I can officially say I don't have any loose screws

I went back to work this week, and definitely had some pain progressing throughout the week. I guess I can't expect any different. I am at least pleased that when I get pain, if I sit back and relax my neck, it stops, so it is manageable.

I walk about 4 miles daily, and I think that has helped a lot with the muscles in my neck as even though I am still in the collar (see below), the collar is not actually holding up my head when I walk, my own muscles are, and I think that has contributed to a more active recovery.

Back to the collar.... of course he told me 4 weeks in the collar, and I was a bit surprised with 3 levels that was all he wanted, and sure enough he added 2 more weeks on. Which is fine with me, as it really is comfortable and a bit of a security blanket of sorts at this point. He didn't want me to drive with it on, but frankly the thought of not wearing it in the car is a bit chilling.... don't trust my fellow drivers, so I am very careful and I do have very good visibility and no less range of motion with the collar on- it's not as though I would be looking over my shoulder at the neck anyway. I have my little fish eye mirrors on my wing mirrors. I don't think I feel comfortable on the highway and most of my driving can be on single lane backroads anyway, which doesn't seem to need much neck turning. I twist at the waist and hips, as I started doing before surgery anyway as sharp neck turning was painful anyway.

My scar is a little over 3 inches long, but is healing really nicely. I have been using a silicone pad over it since the steri strips came off, and I think it is looking great. I found that the scar looked better the longer the pad was in place, instead of the numerous scar treatment oils and creams I tried. So I am committed to mostly using the silicone as much as I can. The color will have to fade with time, but it is not raised in the least and some small patches of it are even quite faded already.
The worst area is right over my apple where there is the most traction from speaking and swallowing.... dead center. Oh well, I bought a bunch of scarves...

Still on the Tylenol arthritis 8 hour. It varies that I take it 2-3 times, thought I was weaning, but then I seem to need it again. I am not complaining.

Taking all my vitamins, eating a healthy bone healing targeted diet. Only foods with nutritive value will pass my lips... well almost all of them, I do have a little treat now and then.

In case anyone is interested, after spending much time researching, these are the supplements I am taking:

Ca++ with Mag and Zinc
Vit D (I checked a level prior to surgery, and was just a little low, so am taking a slightly higher dose)
"Centrum Performance" multi vit- it has a bunch of the minerals that aid with Calcium absorption, including silica, boron, and a few others not in the other multivits- I read a lot of labels, and this one really seemed to be the one.
multi B50
Vit E
Vit C
iron
Lysine.

I usually don't do supplements. I figure, I will use all the help I can get. None are mega doses, just supplement doses. Remember- if you megadose fat soluble vits, you will overstore them and bad stuff can happen, and the watersoluble vits just get peed into the toilet.

Regards!

[dshobbies]

Supergirl is doing super. Good job.

Know what you mean about the collar. It's like a sucurity blanket.

Regardless, keep up the good work

Dale

[Maria]

Your update sounds like you've progressed along really nicely.
I don't blame you for wanting to have your "security blanket" on a bit longer!

All sounds so good that all I can say is I'm very glad to read your path with surgery and recovery has been so good and wish you a continued excellent recovery and future with your new improved cervical spine

[sahuaro]

Hello Supergirl!
I apologize for only just now reading your thread and so I missed the opportunity to offer support. But it looks like you didn't need it!
Congratulations on a successful surgery!!!

I am wondering if you could "graduate" to a soft collar which would be more comfortable, especially in the summer heat. I, too, wore the collar while driving weeks after I was told I didn't need it because I dreaded the possibility of another MVA jolting my neck. I don't remember when I gave up my security blanket/collar--I think I just forgot one day to take it into the car!

Once you are out of the collar, be mindful of your head position while talking on the phone! Headsets are probably best--not that I use one!

It truly is wonderful that you are doing so well and I hope you continue to recover arm and hand function--if you are going to have poor handwriting, it should be your choice!!! I hope you find (as I did) that an unexpected bonus of being a spine patient is a special added sensitivity to your patients!