4 weeks after cervical osteotomy and fusion

[newhere]

Originally Posted by jsewell

Newhere,
My cervical and thoracic areas are great, the lumbar not so good. but only one left to fix.
so that is good for me.
judy

im sooo glad to hear that...at least they could help and "fix" you
and how is breath problem going?

[jsewell]

Thanks for asking Newhere,
my breathing problem will remain the same. I thought a neurosurgeon could fix it , but when it came down to scheduling surgery, he said it was too dangerous and he could make it worse . So I am stuck with only 50%lung capacity, There is a surgery i can have (maybe ) on my diaphragm muscle which will improve my lung capacity by possibly 10%. My pulmonologist said that is in the future.
For now i will try to lessen my lumbar pain by injections and now i found out i need surgery on my big toe (it is arthritic and causing lots of pain). I will be back on crutches for a little while. Always something
judy

[dshobbies]

Judy,

We shouldn't underestimate the pain in your toe. Sometimes I'm amazed at how much pain a little papercut can cause. However, pain elsewhere, takes away from the pain we feel in our spines. Take for instance, the fall in the shower I had on Thursday - you'd be amazed at how good my back feels

What is being done to your toe? How long will you be on crutches?

And I'm still overwhelmed with your lung issues and the whole situation!

Good luck with your toe - Dale

[jsewell]

My toe, i am having a cheilectomy and osteotomy and removal of 2 bad toenails. The cheilectomy is like a cleaning out of the joint and getting rid of bone spurs that showed up on an xray as well as joiont space narrowing. Then he will cut out a wedge of bone to correct something else!!! He will also do a little microfracture if he finds a cartilage defect. ( He thinks he will for sure)I was just shocked that it wasn't a simple tendon thing that a shot of cortisone would fix. Surgery is on the 20th . After hiking yesterdy and the toe hurting all the way down hill, i am still in pain today so no hiking. I am going to try going to the gym and maybe riding a bike and the eliptical.
I also felt pain in my other big toe yesterday as i was limping down the trail and putting more weight on it. OMG
I know the first 3 days are totally in bed with foot raised and only allowed up for using the bathroom. Not sure of the whole schedule , but i will find out more at my pre op on friday. i think it will be a full 3 months before any sport will be allowed. UUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!

How are you after your bathtub fall? That sounds horrible, must be the week for falls, i fell going up the stairs carrying my morning coffee.

judy

[dshobbies]

Fall wasn't bad but to catch myself, stepped down on shower door frame and twisted my thigh, the bad one. Thigh feels better but the bottom of my foot - ouch!

My husband has had several knee surgeries and his pain was intense. He almost passed out the first time he put his leg down. I understand foot/toe surgery is just as bad and I'm sorry this is something else you must endure. My neighbor had bunion surgery and it took a year before she was glad she did.

I'm pretty sure I need knee surgery and I won't even go to the doctor. I'll probably endure until it's too late.

I'll be thinking of you on the 20th. Good luck -

Dale

[jsewell]

Hi Dale,
Yes i have had knee surgery too. Cleaning out the joint and microfracture to try to grow some new cartilage. It worked pretty good. I do sometimes have knee pain, but i think the combo of the surgery and all my down time with surgery on my spine has made it much better.
All morning my other big toe was hurting too. Now this is not even funny for me.!!!!
I had my pre op appointment with my primary today so i am on my way once more. The hip pain i haVe is still intense when trying to get up off an exam table. I can't get straight up, i have to roll on my left side first.
It is related to the spine and not my new hip. My doc is trying one more time with injections on Wednesday before taking care of it in surgery. I still think it is coming from the screws at L2 as i woke up with this pain after my September surgery on T2-L2.
Oh well who thought middle age would be so challenging, not me that's for sure
Judy

[Maria]

I've had 2 right knee surgeries and honestly the pain wasn't as bad as with the toe surgeries. My 2nd knee surgery recovery was quite prolonged however and required use of crutches while I was supposed to have a long leg cast on for 8 weeks but my low back couldn't tolerate sitting with leg extended straight out so ended up having cast off after 2 weeks resulting in noodle leg and had to use a brace for almost 3 months and a cane for several months.

Still the toe surgeries were brutal pain wise "for me." The recovery was worse involving the big toe than the other toes. It hurt more and recovery was longer in terms of weight bearing and use.

Still what has to be done has to be done! Now my right foot is having probs with one of my toes doing what one did on the left foot which is it is turning inwards towards the toe next to it and practically crossing it. It's a hammertoe defect but also involves a weird tendon prob.

When it starts to hurt and give me pain walking is unbearable. This and the tendonitis in both feet (posterior tibial) is quickly making my feet far more problematic than my spine.

Like Dale mentioned about one pain overriding another ... well that'd be good tho I don't really have that much back pain to deal with so I'd be pretty happy without any of this stuff going on. Oh well, what's an aging baby boomer to do.. just go with the flow and take care of it when I have to!

Good luck with upcoming surgery Judy~ I've just about talked myself out of the right foot bunionectomy and hammertoe surgeries! wishing you as little pain as possible!