Just had Spinal Surgery on Tuesday.

[bruce drake]

Guess I get to move over this Earth a few more days at least and have a few more trips to the range in my future.
I'm now 5 days post-surgery and I currently am talking a little above a whisper as the surgeons came in from the front and moved my windpipe and arteries out of the way when they went in and did the work. I think the Anesthesiologist scratched my throat when he tubed me as I've been coughing up clear phlegm since the surgery and its been quite painful to swallow or cough.
With that being said...I am 200% better now than I was before the surgery but it will still be a longtime be...fore I'm up to running at 100%.
I escaped the planned cervical fusion of the C5 and C6 but they did take the Bursa sac/disk out between my C5 and C6 and replaced it with a silicone, plastic and titanium insert. They also dremeled out several (9) bone spurs along my Ulnar Nerve channels at the C4, C5 and C6 vertebrae. I now have a 3 inch scar running along the right side of my neck from the surgery but it should not be highly visible as its on a "Wrinkle line."
My neck no longer sounds when I turn my head, like one of those "Indian Rain Sticks" that you see being sold at most children museums. I have not had a single nerve spasm since the surgery as well. No more surprise hookups to 110volts causing my head and arms to jerk around...no more numb hands causing me to drop things...
Now the downside:
I've got a 10lb weight restriction till the end of the year which means no lifting of pretty much anything...
My deer hunting with Recurve Bows is forever kaput. Doctor told me that I can't put that much tension on my spine anymore. I used to shoot a 60# Bear recurve. Thankfully my oldest boy DJ likes the bow so it is his now. I plan to ask the doctor about using a Compound with a 80% let-off but I might be forced to purchase a crossbow for next year's hunting season.
I'm currently on two sets of pills to help with the post-operative pain. I have to take them about every 8 hours. The darn things make me pretty fuzzy and I usually take a nap about an hour after I take them whether I planned for the nap or not. I've got another week of those pills before I can switch over to Tylenols.
Would I tell someone else to have the surgery if they were having the same level of problems with neuropathy and pain that I had. Yes. But I would lay it down straight with them that they'll pretty much will be on a liquid diet of soft foods for awhile afterwards and they'll effectively be forced to not do any lifting at any time...

Bruce

[RugerFan]

Wow quite an ordeal! I've never had any surgery of that kind, so I have no idea what you're going through, but it sure doesn't sound like any fun. Glad you neck will be better for it. Heal up quickly and go get those deer.

[gandydancer]

I had it done twice I was unable to walk or feed my self the 1st time it only lasted for a year and a half. then boom back in a power chair.2nd time is over a year now. Balance is shot to Hell. I can walk but not very well or far.if I fall I can't get back up with out help.the back of my neck feels like I have a large weight lodged in there. lots of pain.. Tylenol helps some. an I complaining? Heck NO. at least I can move around and drive. Good luck with your recovery. Tom GD

[jmort]

Will be praying for a miraculous recovery.

[smokeywolf]

Guess I get to move over this Earth a few more days at least and have a few more trips to the range in my future.
I'm now 5 days post-surgery and I currently am talking a little above a whisper as the surgeons came in from the front and moved my windpipe and arteries out of the way when they went in and did the work. I think the Anesthesiologist scratched my throat when he tubed me as I've been coughing up clear phlegm since the surgery and its been quite painful to swallow or cough.
With that being said...I am 200% better now than I was before the surgery but it will still be a longtime be...fore I'm up to running at 100%.
I escaped the planned cervical fusion of the C5 and C6 but they did take the Bursa sac/disk out between my C5 and C6 and replaced it with a silicone, plastic and titanium insert. They also dremeled out several (9) bone spurs along my Ulnar Nerve channels at the C4, C5 and C6 vertebrae. I now have a 3 inch scar running along the right side of my neck from the surgery but it should not be highly visible as its on a "Wrinkle line."
My neck no longer sounds when I turn my head, like one of those "Indian Rain Sticks" that you see being sold at most children museums. I have not had a single nerve spasm since the surgery as well. No more surprise hookups to 110volts causing my head and arms to jerk around...no more numb hands causing me to drop things...
Now the downside:
I've got a 10lb weight restriction till the end of the year which means no lifting of pretty much anything...
My deer hunting with Recurve Bows is forever kaput. Doctor told me that I can't put that much tension on my spine anymore. I used to shoot a 60# Bear recurve. Thankfully my oldest boy DJ likes the bow so it is his now. I plan to ask the doctor about using a Compound with a 80% let-off but I might be forced to purchase a crossbow for next year's hunting season.
I'm currently on two sets of pills to help with the post-operative pain. I have to take them about every 8 hours. The darn things make me pretty fuzzy and I usually take a nap about an hour after I take them whether I planned for the nap or not. I've got another week of those pills before I can switch over to Tylenols.
Would I tell someone else to have the surgery if they were having the same level of problems with neuropathy and pain that I had. Yes. But I would lay it down straight with them that they'll pretty much will be on a liquid diet of soft foods for awhile afterwards and they'll effectively be forced to not do any lifting at any time...

Bruce

Might want to ask your doctor if Ibuprofen might be a better choice. It is a better anti inflammatory than acetaminophen and although ibuprofen is broken down in the kidneys rather than the liver like Tylenol, I think is easier on the kidneys than the acetaminophen is on the liver.

Glad your surgery is on track to improve your life.

smokeywolf

[Bzcraig]

Will be praying for a miraculous recovery.

That's two of us!

[fastfire]

That's a more complex surgery than I've had.
Where was the neuropathy pain?
I have neuropathy in my feet(eventually it'll be like walking on stubs), numbness in the feet.
I have lessened the progress of the neuropathy by taking Benfotiamine but it never stops getting worse.

Get well soon!

[MaryB]

Prayers for a speedy recovery and I know the feeling of hand numbness, dropping things, electric shocks... find out the 8th if they can fix mine or if I live with it

[BrassMagnet]

Here's to a miraculous recovery.

Many decades ago while I was a teenager, I worked with a former paraplegic. He wrecked a gokart in a race by hitting a 12"x12" post at 160mph. All components bolted to the frame popped the bolts and went flying. Every weld held, but all of the blue paint went flying as a cloud of blue. He went flying, too, breaking his back in several places and severing his spine.
It was Labor Day or Memorial day and he was winning the race so his wreck was the big news of the day with video. In later years, he would see a race on TV and realize it was him just before the crash. It sure didn't help his PTSD. I'm not sure how many years he watched the replay, but one day his toe twitched. Soon after that he could feel his toes and he was walking again when I worked with him. He went back to gokart racing, too. Bob had a stiff back from the fused vertebrae, but otherwise had a full recovery.
Miracles do happen.

[Garyshome]

Recover Soon!

[theperfessor]

It's hard being patient while recovering from surgery, and adjusting to restrictions and forced changes in your life isn't all that easy to cope with either, but hang in there. The human body can be remarkably resilient. Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers, hope you have a full recovery.

[richhodg66]

Wow, Bruce! Didn't know you had been in bad enough shape to need all that. I sure hope you heal up fully as quick as possible.

[Ed Barrett]

Check with your doctor. After my back surgery 11 years ago, the doctor gave me a document for the DNR allowing me to use a crossbow during regular bow season and to shoot from a stopped motor vehicle during gun season. This is only for Missouri but maybe your state has something similar.

[shooter93]

I got the works including a cervical fusion 6 years ago. Mine went well....they went through the front of my neck....and I didn't have near the problems you seem to be having Bruce so I hope you heal fast and as good as new. The time frame before they would let me work my construction business was the worst for me. 10 months ago I got my second surgery a complete lumbar fusion and an articulating device put in so I could work and to protect the next 4 vertebrae up from the fusion. That could be surgery 3....lol.

[slim1836]

Here's to a speedy recovery, listen to the doc's and follow instructions closely, helps in the long run.

Years ago my doc told me to ride a bike so I hopped on the Harley and hit the local watering hole.

Kind of slowed down some in my later years.

Slim

[bruce drake]

Rich,

You know me, Rich, I was just trying to adapt and moving forward while the Army doctors tried to figure out what was the problem...
It all started the year prior to my coming to Kansas out in Afghanistan and it just got worse every day. The Army wanted me to have the surgery done there at Leavenworth but I knew I'd recover better if I wasn't running around the country every 2 weeks with the Mission Command Training Program Teams that you and I were assigned to.

Besides, the VA Hospital here is linked into the Indiana University School of Medicine. I got one of the best surgeons in the country for this operation as he used me as the lab rat to teach other neurosurgeons.

The pain and numbness would start in my hands (usually pinky first) and then progress to the entire hand and then up the arms until the whole arm would lay their paralyzed and tingling.

I'm meeting with the VA folks on Wednesday to submit my paperwork to increase my disability to 100% while I'm recovering and also to complete my enrollment in the Vocational Rehabilitation Training program which since I can no longer be the heavy physical labor type of guy due to my injury, they will pay my training fees to become a certified school teacher.

I fully intend to try to shoot a deer with a crossbow next year. It is legal to hunt with a crossbow during archery season in Indiana even if you aren't disabled. My legs still work so I don't think I could get away with "heater hunting" as my Dad used to call it.

I'm just hoping that I'm not limited to small-caliber rifles from now on. I just got my new 7mm Garand ready to take to a rifle match right before the surgery. I'd hate to give that to the boy as well before I shot its first match. Although, I guess I could get it rebarrelled for 243 or 22-250...

Bruce

[bruce drake]

shooter9,
you are correct, the doctors said that once I started these surgeries, I should expect another fusion every 5-10 years as the spine continues to stiffen with arthritis and the bone spurs continue to regrow in between the dremeling.

I originally went into the surgery with the plan to fuse the C5 and C6 vertebrae together. The replacement disk was a decision that the surgeon made while I was on the table. It now is replacing the flattened bursa disk that was causing so much pain when the C5 and C6 would rub together. Its like I had the "air" pumped back into that bladder between the bones. Funny thing is that it has titanium hooks to anchor it to the two vertebra bones and then its a plastic core and a silicone shell for. I'm sure that they are made in mass quantities somewhere and the surgeon called out for a "C-5-W30D2" and the surgical tech pulled one off a shelf for it to be installed like a tire at a tireshop...
So basically, I got a fresh tire put on for the next 40 annual laps around the sun...

Its not a complete fusion but it has stiffened my neck up and I've lost some mobility in my vertical range of motion. I'm hoping when the swelling goes down that the stiffness will work its way out and I'll regain the mobility I once had.

And in 5-10 years, I'll probably be back in for another fusion or whatever the newest surgical procedure is recommended for old men in the 2025 timeframe.

[historicfirearms]

I had my C4,5,6 fused about four years ago. They harvested bone from my hip to put between the vertebrae, then screwed everything together with a titanium plate.

Post surgery, I too had a pretty hard time swallowing anything for a couple weeks, but it passed pretty quick. The neck healed up pretty quick too, within a couple months I guess. Believe it or not, my hip was the worst part of the surgery. Took probably 18 months or so to feel good.

Would I go through it again? Absolutely! The difference it made was night and day in the way my arm felt. After feeling pain and numbness in your arm for years, a guy will do anything to make it stop hurting. All in all, the surgery was no big deal. Hang in there and listen to what your doctors tell you. Life will get better soon.

[nagantguy]

Prayers for you speedy recovery, my anunt had a very similar surgery a few years ago, no more pain no more pills!! Two winters ago I helped her track and drag a nice fat doe she shot with a .54 cal sharps!! Something she thought was over for ever. It was great! If you need any help.spiritual or otherwise don't hesitate to ask, the thing I love about this place is we take care of our own, infighting now and again but we look after one another pretty well. Love your posts and wish you and your the best. God bless!

[tygar]

Yep, hang in there. Had mine 3,4,5,6 - or 4,5,6,7, cant remember exactly. Had mine in 95, 2 different ops. Feb & July. My hip didn't bother me from the bone extraction, but my neck felt like it was spaghetti & would fall off. Was in the Miami J till June. The foraniotomies (sp) & fusion worked fine & all the pain, numbness, tingling etc went away, but my scar was like 5" long & for a good 10yrs was very tingly & itchy.

They never suggested I would need more ops for those levels unless more bone spurs developed.

There is a noticeable reduction in flexibility which has improved with time.

This op should of been done yrs earlier & I would have missed a lot of pain. Best decision ever.

You will be really glad you did it. Have speedy recovery.

Oh, they said don't lift more than 10# for a while but I was back training dogs throwing around 80# Shepherds inside a yr & the only thing stopping me lifting whatever I want is the bad back, shoulders, elbows, etc. So, unless there is something different your neck should not stop you from doing stuff.

I don't shoot a lot of my big .45 cals any more but shoot 450 Marlin, 458 Win (w/400s) & full pop .375s with no problems most of the time.

I would be more optimistic about your future abilities.

Good luck.

[JeffinNZ]

Sheryl went through something similar Bruce (as she has no doubt told you) and is a different person now. Time is what it takes. I want you in 10km running condition when you come to visit!!!

[waksupi]

Sorry to hear you're going through this, Bruce. Listen to the docs!

[snowwolfe]

I had my C4,5,6 fused about four years ago. They harvested bone from my hip to put between the vertebrae, then screwed everything together with a titanium plate.

Post surgery, I too had a pretty hard time swallowing anything for a couple weeks, but it passed pretty quick. The neck healed up pretty quick too, within a couple months I guess. Believe it or not, my hip was the worst part of the surgery. Took probably 18 months or so to feel good.

Would I go through it again? Absolutely! The difference it made was night and day in the way my arm felt. After feeling pain and numbness in your arm for years, a guy will do anything to make it stop hurting. All in all, the surgery was no big deal. Hang in there and listen to what your doctors tell you. Life will get better soon.

Had the same surgery this Jan except choose to have cadaver bone placed between the three vertebra. Throat stayed sore for about 2 weeks but other than that felt better than I had in 6 months after waking up. Prior to the surgery was taking 3-4 pain pills a day and after never needed any! Within a month was back to walking 5 miles a day. Was limited to light weights the first 6 weeks but was given a clean bill of health to do anything I wanted 10 weeks post op. The most difficult part of recovery has been trying to build up the muscles in my left arm and shoulder as they were so weak I couldn't even pick up a cup of coffee. As a lefty my handgun shooting is still pretty bad but it gives me a good reason to hit the range often.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
It will take a long time to regain lost strength. I hit the gym hard for the last 4 months and my left arm is still noticeably weaker than the right. Replacing muscle takes an extreme amount of dedication so please make sure you do your part.

[MtGun44]

Bruce,

Sorry to hear of you tribulations, but happy that they have a treatment that works. Ten, twenty
or thirty years ago you would have been in bad shape without treatment, so it is fantastic that
you have this reprieve.

Take care, be a good patient and you will maximize your "bounce back". I have had a number of fairly
serious things done over the years and am amazed that pretty much everything still works OK.
Well, one knee isn't all that whippy, but I can still put on a 40-50 lb pack and hike all day if
I get a few good rest periods - altho not as fast as I once was, at 63 years old.

In any case, be thankful for our wonderful medical care - and pray that Obamacare doesn't
completely crash the system and stop forward progress.

Best wishes!

Bill

[richhodg66]

Rich,

You know me, Rich, I was just trying to adapt and moving forward while the Army doctors tried to figure out what was the problem...
It all started the year prior to my coming to Kansas out in Afghanistan and it just got worse every day. The Army wanted me to have the surgery done there at Leavenworth but I knew I'd recover better if I wasn't running around the country every 2 weeks with the Mission Command Training Program Teams that you and I were assigned to.

Besides, the VA Hospital here is linked into the Indiana University School of Medicine. I got one of the best surgeons in the country for this operation as he used me as the lab rat to teach other neurosurgeons.

The pain and numbness would start in my hands (usually pinky first) and then progress to the entire hand and then up the arms until the whole arm would lay their paralyzed and tingling.

I'm meeting with the VA folks on Wednesday to submit my paperwork to increase my disability to 100% while I'm recovering and also to complete my enrollment in the Vocational Rehabilitation Training program which since I can no longer be the heavy physical labor type of guy due to my injury, they will pay my training fees to become a certified school teacher.

I fully intend to try to shoot a deer with a crossbow next year. It is legal to hunt with a crossbow during archery season in Indiana even if you aren't disabled. My legs still work so I don't think I could get away with "heater hunting" as my Dad used to call it.

I'm just hoping that I'm not limited to small-caliber rifles from now on. I just got my new 7mm Garand ready to take to a rifle match right before the surgery. I'd hate to give that to the boy as well before I shot its first match. Although, I guess I could get it rebarrelled for 243 or 22-250...

Bruce

As much as MCTP is considered a relax assignment, I found after I left that it had been wearing on me much worse than I realized at the time. Part of that was it being a geographical bachelor situation for me which was my choice, but the fact is that it was a different kind of stress than most assignments. I really have come to detest travel since then, I was already on my way there, but I will refuse to fly anywhere if I can possibly avoid it now. You made the right call to wait on that surgery.

The deer hunting and such will always be there. You'll recover enough to do all the things you want to do eventually, the trick is gonna be to be patient, relax and heal before you try. For a guy like you, that'll be a challenge, but you gotta do it.

[bruce drake]

Jeff,

I do hope that I'll be back running again soon. And today was better than yesterday so its a good progress.

Bruce

[MaryB]

When I had the lower back surgery it was one day at a time. Started being barely able to move even getting out of bed was a struggle, by week 6 I was walking 1/2 mile a day

[Lloyd Smale]

im one of the naysayers. My first back surgery did nothing. Pain level was about the same but felt differnt. They found out that i blew the disc about the one they fixed during recovery. I sure didnt do anything to cause it. After the second surgery i actually got worse and the doctors couldnt figure out what i just wasnt healing and the pain was constant and where before i had some tingling in my left leg now it is about completely numb. Found out about a year later that my ciatic (spelling) nerve was damaged. Nobody admitted anything but im sure what happened was a slip of the scalple during surgery. They told me that nerve would probably never heal and recomended a spinal stimulator to block the nerve pain. They put me again in surgery (two surgerys in two days) to install that and it seemed to heip some but sure wasnt a cure. After about 6 months i couldnt use it as it actually caused pain. Went back to the doctor and they took some more xrays and mris and found that the leads to my spine had come loose. So back to surgery again. I think the main probablem with all of this is that every time they do surgery theres scare tissue created and its just a recipe for more problems down the line. I lived on narcotics for about 2 years until i just said screw it and threw them away. The spinal stimulator helps a bit when its real bad but theres nothing they can do about my numb left leg. Bottom line is if i could go back in time i wouldnt have had the first surgery. I had alot of discomfort but it wasnt something i couldnt live with and all this mess did was make me worse. Right now Id have to be crawling on my hands and knees in pain to let them cut me again.

[bruce drake]

Lloyd,

I sympathize with you and your pain. I lived with my daily neck pain and numbness for nearly 3 years before this surgery occurred. I will tell you that I delayed the surgery for almost 2 years because I didn't trust the Army doctors to try to repair me while I was on active duty as I felt their focus was to slap a "bandaid" on the issue and not actually work to heal my problem.

When I retired and moved home to Indiana, I had done my homework and knew that all neurosurgery at the VA Center was actually done with the Indiana University Medical School so I knew I would have the best care available in the state.

I do hope you try to receive some more care on your sciatic nerve. You definitely don't need to have to deal with the pain and numbness every day. I lost a former soldier of mine to suicide this year because the pain he was dealing with everyday seemed to be a catalyst for him to forsake his life as well as depriving his wife and 5 children of a father and caregiver. The blasé issuance of large packages of drugs instead of a complete medical care/surgery by the Army doctors is the primary cause of his suicide. He was faced with living with pills that closed him out from being an active member of his family and didn't do anything to fix his jacked up back. I wish he hadn't taken his life but he came to his decision without thinking of the damage to his family. But at the point in life he was in, that was the "Cure" he choose. I can only say that it was not the cure that anyone that knew "Goose" would ever advise.

Bruce

[MaryB]

The narcotics get old, I have cut back on mine because they aren't really working and I refuse to go to morphine. Pain level is bad but you live with it and it becomes a nuisance most days with the occasional "okay I can barely move today so take it easy" day. Only reason I need my neck fixed is because it makes me feel like I can't breathe on the left side. Always feel like I need to yawn/short of breath but I am not. Lungs are in great shape for my age according to the tests they ran me through

[leadman]

Glad your surgery went well Bruce. Do follow your doctors advice for your recovery. I have had over 30 surgeries and when I was younger I would push the recovery and it did cause me a few problems. I actually caused some of my incisions to leave wide scars by lifting heavy weights too soon. I was working for Cummins diesel back then.

I had the last nerve ablations that the doc will do to my C spine this spring so now if the pain gets worse I face the same thing. The Phoenix VA sends this surgery to Barrows so I should be in good hands there. I am feeling ok for now and really want to reduce the amount of pain pills I take.
My sons girlfriend goes for surgery in a few weeks for the same thing but she is getting cadaver bone. She is around 35 years old and I hope she does not have to repeat the surgery.
Seems like this surgery is more common now than it was previously as I know quite a few people that have had it or are going to need it soon.

[Lloyd Smale]

I think about the same. Almost 10 years of it gets you used to it and you just take it in stride. For the most part i can still do what i want if im careful. I have a couple bad days a month that the chair is home but its nothing i cant deal with and in all reality taking narcotics doesnt make real pain go away it just kind of numbs your mind and lets you melt into the chair for the day. What ive found is when i take them and melt into that chair im actually worse the next day so i just buck up and work through the pain.
The narcotics get old, I have cut back on mine because they aren't really working and I refuse to go to morphine. Pain level is bad but you live with it and it becomes a nuisance most days with the occasional "okay I can barely move today so take it easy" day. Only reason I need my neck fixed is because it makes me feel like I can't breathe on the left side. Always feel like I need to yawn/short of breath but I am not. Lungs are in great shape for my age according to the tests they ran me through

[6bg6ga]

Glad to hear that your getting better. I had major surgery in 86 and have a 10" long scar on my lower back. Your in better hands now days with the progression of technology. Take car of yourself and you will be up and shooting in no time. Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.

[rexherring]

Glad to hear it worked for you. I have had a total of 4 spinal surgeries including two metal rods and ten vertebrae fused, 8 months in a body cast. I have also since had a procedure on my neck for pinched nerves that caused a loss of muscle mass in my arms and another procedure on my lower back for the same thing with my legs. So, I know of where you come. Hang in there sparky it gets better fairly quickly.

[Tazman1602]

Hey Bruce,

I've had three separate surgeries on my neck in 25 years, that last one almost killed me. The pain you're feeling in your throat is from being intubated for the surgery. Unfortunately when you are out, the anesthesiologist from my experience, appears to just shove that tube down your throat leaving it extremely sore but it beats your throat closing up during surgery and dying from it.

I have about 3-4" of titanium in my neck now and movement is very limited but I am grateful they were able to fix the disks (read = remove....) and get me back to a somewhat normal life. The pain prior to surgery was extreme, no painkiller in the world would tone it back but now I'm able to function pretty much normally.

The scars I have from the surgeries make it look like I've had my throat cut before, I'd like to be able to say something cool when someone asks about it like "Oh I got that in a knife fight at the Riverside (Bar in Alanson, MI.....) but it's simply due to degenerating discs.

The really good new for you and I is that if this had happened 75 years ago, we would pretty much be dead men.

Prayers for a speedy recovery man and the throat pain WILL go away..........eventually................<grin>

Art

[bruce drake]

Its Day 9 and yes, the pain and numbness has left the hands and arms so the surgery can be considered a success. My throat and back of my neck is the part of me that hurts the most now. A lot of my neck muscles were cut and pushed aside for the surgeons to place that artificial disk in place. And Art, you are right about the Gas doc just shoving the tube down the esophagus. I coughed up a scab out of my throat yesterday!

And yes, I think I will be shooting small-bore rifles and pistols for at least a year before I bring the big guns back out. Luckily 2 of my 3 sons like to go to the range with me and they can shoot them until I can recover them.

I got a Romanian TT-33 Tokarov to play with (new pistol and new caliber for me) during my recovery. So I'm be hopefully shooting this pistol by next week. I think I be shooting my 22LR pistol and this one for a while before I get back to my regular 45s.

Bruce

[smokeywolf]

Glad things are progressing well for you Bruce. I'm in the same boat as Lloyd.

Was under the care of an internist, neurosurgeon and pain management doc for many months. Was on the high octane pain killers for about 5-6 months and getting less and less relief. Took myself off the prescription pain meds, chose not to have the surgery, clenched my teeth and pushed through the pain. Found out early that massage/acupressure helped a great deal. Wife and daughter were massaging me 6+ times a day. Wife used a sharpie to mark pressure points.
Had much pain down the left leg. Peroneal nerve was and still is a source of pain. Left calf muscle is in a permanent clench/cramp.

Don't know which is worse, lumbar or cervical problems. Massage although providing a shorter period of relief than pills, has worked extremely well for me. Not sure that's a viable option for cervical problems.

Been about 6 years now. Like Lloyd, I have a couple of days each month when even after taking a big (800mg) ibuprofen, leaving the house is not an option. The pain, although sometimes beyond an annoyance, you learn to live with.

Funny thing, about once or twice a month, I'll lay down on the bed and hit just the right position that nearly all the pain disappears and the sensation of being without that pain that I live with day in and day out sends me into fits of laughter.

smokeywolf

[historicfirearms]

Bruce, I took a week and a half off work after my surgery. After that I was back in the front-end-loader pushing snow. I took it easy for a month or so with my neck. The weirdest part for me way laying down in bed at night. I just couldn't find a position that felt like it wasn't putting a lot of strain on the neck. Everything healed up quicker than I thought it would.
I still have a little trouble swallowing food sometimes, especially dry stuff like pretzels and popcorn. Whatever they jam down your throat seems like it needs a redesign!

[bruce drake]

Before the surgery, I was laughing at 800mg of Ibuprofens. We called them "Grunt Candy" when I was in the service. The neck pain would radiate all the way down to my elbows before the numbness in the hands would progress up to block out the pain. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks since surgery and the difference is amazing. I still have pain but the scale has dropped down from 8s to low 2s and I'm hoping that it will continue to move along doing better each day. I made it 18hours today before I started feeling neck pain and had to take one of my prescription Hydrocodones. Yesterday I was able to handle the pain from the surgery with 2 Naproxen 500mgs so I know I am doing better than before when I was taken about 2000mg of Ibuprofens at a time to handle the issues. I considered the damage I was doing to my liver was being offset by all those "Ibos" killing the pain in my neck until I could get the surgery down and determined the pain management was worth it.
I still eat everything in small bites. I think when they went in from the front, it basically re-ordered everything in there and its going to take time for the new normal to be something I'm used too.
I get to see the doctor in 2 weeks for my first follow-up and I'm so far pretty darn happy with the result. Only 2 episodes of mild numbness in my right hand in 2 weeks is a positive as I expected that this would be the first of a couple surgeries to fix this after I was told they only replaced a disk with the last surgery. I've marked the dates and times and length of numbness and what I was doing prior to the events to give that data back to my doctor. But having momentary or short duration tingling is a lot better than 3-4 hours of tingling and numbness every day prior to this last surgery.

[smokeywolf]

As we get older we typically heal noticably more slowly. Been less than two weeks, seems like you're healing like a younger man. Good on ya.

smokeywolf

[Lloyd Smale]

got to the point with me that i was calling oxycodone M&Ms didnt do much more for me and the candy at least tastes good when your hurting so bad that you chew your pain pills to maybe get them to work a little faster!
Before the surgery, I was laughing at 800mg of Ibuprofens. We called them "Grunt Candy" when I was in the service. The neck pain would radiate all the way down to my elbows before the numbness in the hands would progress up to block out the pain. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks since surgery and the difference is amazing. I still have pain but the scale has dropped down from 8s to low 2s and I'm hoping that it will continue to move along doing better each day. I made it 18hours today before I started feeling neck pain and had to take one of my prescription Hydrocodones. Yesterday I was able to handle the pain from the surgery with 2 Naproxen 500mgs so I know I am doing better than before when I was taken about 2000mg of Ibuprofens at a time to handle the issues. I considered the damage I was doing to my liver was being offset by all those "Ibos" killing the pain in my neck until I could get the surgery down and determined the pain management was worth it.
I still eat everything in small bites. I think when they went in from the front, it basically re-ordered everything in there and its going to take time for the new normal to be something I'm used too.
I get to see the doctor in 2 weeks for my first follow-up and I'm so far pretty darn happy with the result. Only 2 episodes of mild numbness in my right hand in 2 weeks is a positive as I expected that this would be the first of a couple surgeries to fix this after I was told they only replaced a disk with the last surgery. I've marked the dates and times and length of numbness and what I was doing prior to the events to give that data back to my doctor. But having momentary or short duration tingling is a lot better than 3-4 hours of tingling and numbness every day prior to this last surgery.

[rexherring]

Just remember the time when we could get up without sound effects, darn good times huh.:)

[robg]

my 30year old daughter had a disc replaced in her neck replaced in the same op last year shes fine now ,im sure youll be ok.most risky bits the op itself

[nekshot]

Greetings on your new vacation!!!! I have had the same basic type of surgery twice and its looking like a third whenever I agree to do it. If you feel like me when you get home and you think something has gone really wrong when you swallow, relax you will get used to it. The juice they give in the or is awesome and you will feel like you can do anything but deny yourself those feelings and don't lift more than the prescribed amount. Don't shoot a heavy kicking magnum as I did, it felt like I tore my neck apart. In time you will get used to the new changes! God bless your recovery.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i through out my back on Saturday dragging my sons Deer out of the woods L4 L5 disk just like to move on me
after reading your post i dont hurt as bad is i did best of luck to you and they are sent

[MtGun44]

A high school friend was recently reporting on her spinal reconstruction surgery, and it was
both daunting (had to stop after 8 hrs and let her rest for a week before finishing) and very
wonderful. She had her spine fractured in the 70s in a car accident and several crushed
vertebrae fused and joined with bone "beams". This was finally collapsing and they
redid everything with titanium rods to put it all back right. She is several years downstream
from the surgery and generally is doing extremely well. Far better than she ever dreamed.

So - best wishes, and be aware that they are doing some near miracles nowdays with
spinal reconstruction. I have the impression that your work will be less invasive, so
it would seem even more likely to be successful.

Best of luck,

Bill

[JeffinNZ]

Great to hear you being so positive about the results.

[bruce drake]

Patience will be the key to it all I am thinking. Made it to around 4 today without medication but I had to take some when the pain started coming back. The longer I can go without the big pills the better I think the recovery will be.

Bruce

[nekshot]

I am not gonna play doctor with you but I was stringing out my pills and the doc said I should stay on the schedule lest the pain start to get away from me (I think you know what I mean by that).

[TXGunNut]

Glad to hear about your dramatic recovery, hope things continue to progress. I'm with you on minimizing the heavy-duty pain meds, sooner you get off them the better.

[MaryB]

Naproxyn has been removed from the market here, huge risk of heart issues. Looking forward to getting spine fixed again, neck and low back. drove 90 miles today, got home and made all the connections in the new battery box so I can get these 8 bats charged before I move the other 8 into it. I am now in a world of hurt from stooping over. get the last 8 bats in and connected and build the sealed lids to keep the acid fumes venting outside. I tend to push through the pain then I pay for it badly the next day. Glad all I have to do tomorrow is make up an adapter cord for the 20 amp cord end on the backup battery charger.

[smokeywolf]

Recovery from painful maladies, surgeries or treatments cannot successfully be accomplished without addressing both physical and mental condition. When you're subjected to tremendous pain day in and day out, it can really take the wind out of your sails. I.e., unless moderated, severe and continuous pain can cause sadness and/or depression. Pain mediation must be measured to allow for a positive mental attitude, relief of immediate and intolerable pain, while causing the least amount of long term damage to the liver, kidneys or other components of the body. It's a matter of balance and can't be standardized across the population.

[theperfessor]

A person's response to pain and pain meds is unique. I have always operated on the principle that taking the least amount necessary is probably the best, but if you can't sleep or rest comfortably you can't heal. I've been lucky after three major surgeries in the last 14 months that once out of the hospital I haven't needed classic pain meds, but muscle relaxers have been useful several times to allow me to relax enough physically to sleep or at least rest. Had a lot of constant low level pain for a while, not bad enough for pain meds but bad enough to be grinding and depressing mentally. After my amputation the pain relief was quite uplifting psychologically.

Smokeywolf is right on in his post, the physical affects the mental and psychological and vice versa. A good attitude helps the healing process, and noticeable steps in healing help elevate the spirit. And having friends helps a lot!

[dmdracer]

Hello Bruce

We are sorta neighbors, I'm 15 miles west of you and I am going for my 3rd lower back surgery next Wed.

My first was at 19...remove bulged disk, helped but always had issues, 2nd was in 2008...steel rods, etc.

Helped great but nothing is 100 % but I'm grateful for the relief.... also had neck surgery prior to the rods... 2 plates and screws in the neck, again not 100% but much better than before.

Wed they are going to "roto rooter" where my spinal cord goes through the spine, said to think of it as a pipe that has a kink in it !

I'm 63 and know we don't heal as quick as a younger person but you seem to be doing well.

I understand where your at, I'd advise to take it easy for around 6 weeks and time will be your friend.

Wish you all the best, maybe when we both heal up we can go shoot somewhere and swap some stories :)

I'm a member at the Cville. club.

All the best to you

Dave

[bruce drake]

I shoot at the Linden Conservation Club a little further west of you Dave. I didn't know C-ville had a club. I might have to drive out see what they offer. I try to stay positive as the incident that flattened my disk out and started the bone spurs growing could have easily left me paralyzed so its always a God's Gift every day we wake up and can see what the rest of the day is like.

This was the biggest surgery my body has faced and I am glad I took care of it long enough for it to be healthy enough to heal once it got a little push in the right direction. My first followup is on the 27th and we'll see how I'm doing.

Bruce

[MaryB]

My first back injury was in 1978, I had come in from an outdoor classroom and was going to a basement classroom when someone at the top of the steps slipped on ice. I was at the bottom of a pile of 20 bodies. From there my back has steadily degraded to where I am now. Car accident was the final straw and brought on massive neck irritation and pain, bulged 4 discs into the spinal cord, and made the bone spurs and narrow spots tighter from swelling. Ice pack to go to bed many nights because the pain meds don't cut it and I refuse to take enough to make me stoned.

[bruce drake]

First month follow-up was yesterday. My weight restriction was raised to 20lbs and I can jog again but I'm still restricted from shooting rifles.

And today, I received notice that my application for a Vocational Rehabilitation through the VA has been approved so I will be able to continue my process of gaining a teaching certificate while I am recovering.

So for this week, things have been going very good.

Bruce

[MtGun44]

Good to hear that you are doing well.

Carry on!

Bill

[smokeywolf]

Glad to hear all is on course and on target. Thanks for the update. Good news is always welcome.

smokeywolf

[MrWolf]

Great news. Hope everything continues to keep working out for you.

[bruce drake]

Following up on this thread.

I'm now cleared to lift up to 40lbs and I know when I exceed that by a sharp stab in the middle of my back like an ice pick into the spinal column. Its enough of a red flag that I don't do that very often! So no gang molds or large ingot casting for me in the future.

I'm back to working full-time but in a place where my lifting limitations aren't exceeded (I'm a paperwork guy now)
and I have been cleared to shoot firearms by my doctor so the sport is available to me again.

[Hickok]

Bruce prayers for you recuperation and easing of any pain. Thank the Good Lord for a successful operation!

[jmort]

Thank you for the follow-up report. Thank God for the progress and recovery. This has been a long road for you.

[Blackwater]

Good to hear of your results, Bruce. I had the same kind of surgery on the same vertebrae back in 2000, and my results could not have possibly been better! They've still given me zero problems since. I know about that throat thing - the discomfort. It seems to just go with the territory. I was awfully glad to get past it, though! Have had 2 more surgeries since, and I suspect will need a couple more before I can get back to some of my less than smart ways again, but I'm just glad to still BE here to moan and groan about it. Sure changes a fella's outlook, doesn't it?

[MaryB]

After my ow back surgery it took a full year before I was back to normal-ish. I never did get back to lifting as much as I could before. Now 40 pounds is the limit.

[jcwit]

Good to hear!

[richhodg66]

Glad to hear you're back in the game!

[Wayne Smith]

Good to hear that Bruce, especially being able to continue your work on your teaching certificate. I trust you have adequate one and two cavity molds??

[bruce drake]

Well, the certificate is done and completed but I took a job with The American Legion's National Headquarters as a program director. I build grants for injured veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Its a good job. Sad part is I go on the road about 2 weeks out of the month. Makes for a hard cramp on my shooting and reloading but its a good trade off knowing I'm helping vets worse off than me.

Here is my program: www.legion.org/ocw Operation Comfort Warriors
And my other program: www.legion.org/fsn Family Support Network

Oh and the gang molds are sold off. the one and two cavity molds are better any way...

[Artful]

Congratulations on finding a worthwhile job that will leave others feeling very good about you and you will feel good about yourself.

[Preacher Jim]

Bruce the vets need a helper and you know the problems of a long recovery, you are in a position to make a difference in many lives. Thank God for your recovery and may he use you to help many of our wounded warriors. May the Lord use you to help many people who need help.

[OS OK]

Boy…You are tuggin at a heart string on this one. I had L4 through L6 fused 'unsuccessfully'…of all the scrapes and aftermath I've had to deal with in life…this one gets the candle!

Just do what they tell ya…you have 'one shot' at healing from this…don't miss. Sometimes years after the outside scars have healed the inside hasn't…or you have to live with new 'limitations' imposed on you and enforced by yourself…no easy thing you have survived!

charlie

[WFO2]

C5 ,6, 7 here in 2014 and I still aint right .Now there telling me I have a broken screw in the bracket and they might have to go back in because of a partial fusion . Don't know if I can take three more months of a neck brace and sleeping sitting up . You got my prayers i know how it is .

[historicfirearms]

Im going back to see the neuro surgeon in a few days. Years back I had a cervical fusion and all was fine up until a few months ago. I'm having bad neck pain again and tingly fingertips too. Something's not right. Doc said that once they fuse vertebrae, the ones above and below the fusion take all the wear and tear. I'm suspecting my C8 disc is now worn out.

[bruce drake]

Im going back to see the neuro surgeon in a few days. Years back I had a cervical fusion and all was fine up until a few months ago. I'm having bad neck pain again and tingly fingertips too. Something's not right. Doc said that once they fuse vertebrae, the ones above and below the fusion take all the wear and tear. I'm suspecting my C8 disc is now worn out.

I was given a prognosis that within 5 years, I'd be seeing them again for further work. The fusions take more out of the other vertebra to try to account for the lessened mobility.

You must mean T1. Thoracic Vertebra start at the 8th vertebra. Cervicals stop at 7. Its been a while since your surgery so you may not have the data current in your mind. The T1 should be faster healing than the cervical fusion as the lumbars don't have to move as much.

Bruce

[Boaz]

I hope you benefit from the surgery long term . Take care of yourself .

[bruce drake]

C5 ,6, 7 here in 2014 and I still aint right .Now there telling me I have a broken screw in the bracket and they might have to go back in because of a partial fusion . Don't know if I can take three more months of a neck brace and sleeping sitting up . You got my prayers i know how it is .

Stop turning your head so sharp! ;)

I hope everything works out for you on the second run in. I've got a checkup scheduled for next month so I hope everything is still good because I still get bad days when the weather changes.