Broken Rod

[Marianne]

Tamena, glad your surgery went well and hopefully the recovery also.
Listen to your doctor and take it slow and easy, which is not easy at all.
Your hospital experience sounds like a nightmare, glad your care at home is better.
I am still waiting for a date for my revision. I also did not fuse through my lumber area.
Wishing you all the best.
Marianne

[babyboomer16]

Hi tae_tap,
I just thought I would drop in and tell you I sympathize you about your stay at the Barns and Jewish Hospital. I was in that hospital in May when I had my neck surgery. I was there four days and it was a big disappointment to say the least. They did the same thing with me when it came to pain meds. And I had to keep asking even after they were an hour late. Then I ended up having a room mate in my room late one night and this nurse assistant had the nerve to ask me not to use my call button so much since the nurse had another patient to take care of. I want to tell you that I had a huge neck surgery and it felt like someone hit me in the back of the head with a baseball bat. The nerve of those people. I also had problems with the suppository and I was suppose to see occupational therapy and they never did show up. So I also was glad to go home!!! I am hoping all is going well for you young lady. You have been through a lot too. Keep us updated. I have another revision surgery after my body is ready and my neck is fused. I have broken rods again. You take very good care of yourself . Warmly, Linda

[titaniumed]

Linda

How is your neck? That was quite a operation you had....

Ed

[babyboomer16]

Linda

How is your neck? That was quite a operation you had....

Ed

Ed, I am six months out and I hope it gets lots better than it is. My muscles are so tight it is uncomfortable. Muscle spasms are painful and often. So I see Gupta this next Tues. and plan on asking for a physical therapy prescription. I will never be able to look side to side, which is tougher than I thought it would be. He went clear down to T1 from C2, and my left shoulder blade feels like it's underneath my muscle. I guess I have a long way to go. Just have to keep pushing forward. I feel fortunate to still be on my feet. (Smiles) Everyone on here has their struggles. Tamena is a good example of a strong lady!!!
Best wishes to you all!!!!

[Doreen1]

Linda, talk with Dr. Gupta about medical massage too for your shoulder. It may help. My massages have relieved a lot of tense muscles. We will talk again soon. ��

[titaniumed]

Linda

Muscle spasms are the worst. I hope the PT helps

Here is a site with neck devices. Perhaps some heat might help....

http://www.necksolutions.com/heat-fo...in-relief.html

http://www.necksolutions.com/neck-sh...ating-pad.html

Ed

[LindaRacine]

Linda

Muscle spasms are the worst. I hope the PT helps

Here is a site with neck devices. Perhaps some heat might help....

http://www.necksolutions.com/heat-fo...in-relief.html

http://www.necksolutions.com/neck-sh...ating-pad.html

Ed

Ed....

My closet of 10-20 years ago could have passed for a neck device store. I tried so many back and neck devices that I felt like somewhat of an expert.

I had neck problems before I started having back problems. For more than a year in the 90's, I walked around with my head tilted significantly to one side. I saw a chiropractor 2-3 times a week. On xray, my cervical spine has significant degeneration at almost every level. The two things that have helped me are 1) daily range of motion exercises (in the shower), and 2) a microwavable Auntie A's neck wrap. Most of the time, I keep my neck pain and spasms at bay. When it gets bad, I continue the exercises, even though I get almost no range of motion. Little by little, I get improvement, and usually within 3-4 weeks, it's almost back to normal. When not in the shower, the heated neck wrap really helps with the spasms. I have wraps at home and at work. I don't know if it would work for everyone, but it's really helped me.

--Linda

[Teacher Gal]

When not in the shower, the heated neck wrap really helps with the spasms. I have wraps at home and at work. I don't know if it would work for everyone, but it's really helped me.
--Linda[/QUOTE]
I have so been praying that I could find a surgeon that could help me as I have had two previous surgeries and just beg for the ability to walk again. But after reading forum enteries wonder if there is really a final answer for no more surgeries and a real success. Ed, bring on some more laughter and uplift our spirits.
Teacher Gal

[LindaRacine]

I have so been praying that I could find a surgeon that could help me as I have had two previous surgeries and just beg for the ability to walk again. But after reading forum enteries wonder if there is really a final answer for no more surgeries and a real success. Ed, bring on some more laughter and uplift our spirits.
Teacher Gal

No, there are no magic pills, and no guarantees. I think I already said this, but it bears repeating... you can choose the best surgeon in the world and have a bad outcome, and you can choose the worst surgeon in the world and have a good outcome. Find a surgeon with a good reputation and a lot of experience in treating patients with prior fusions, and then trust that they're going to do their best to give you the best chance at a good outcome. With that said, the percentage of adult patients that need revision surgery is very high. And, once someone has had multiple revisions, the chance of having a good outcome go down. Sometimes the best outcome is learning to living with some level of pain and/or disability. Whatever you do, do not expect perfect. Perfect outcomes are almost unheard of.

--Linda (that's Linda, not Lindas.... there's only one of me)

[titaniumed]

Linda, well wouldn’t you know, Auntie A’s is located here in Reno. Thanks for the neck advice. Its always appreciated. I do my rotational neck stretches and do get some very loud pops, especially when I look up.
http://www.auntiea.com/company.html

I have always used heat for pain.....it does work well. The hot soaks at 106 degrees F were quite effective for the extreme bone and nerve pain after my surgeries. (And before)

I have stopped using Chiropractic....It served its purpose through the years, but feel that its not as effective as I age.....for herniated discs, it doesn’t work at all.

Poor Tamena is in the thick of it all right now (survival mode) after her surgery......

Healing thoughts Tam, hang in there.....

There are no magic pills....that’s for sure. We can only hope that our modalities carry us through when we are in pain.

Ed

[LindaRacine]

Many years ago, I had neck spasms so bad that I couldn't comfortably do anything. I would stay under a hot shower until the hot water ran out, and then wait for the hot water heater to heat it up again. After 3 days of that, I was supposed to go to Big Sur for a weekend in a rented house on the side of the mountain, overlooking the Pacific. Since I was in so much pain regardless of what I did, I decided it was worth a shot... especially since they had a hot tub. When I got there, I stripped off my clothes as I walked through the house and sunk immediately into the hot tub. Within a few minutes, the muscle spasm was gone. That was back in the days, by the way, that my chiropractor had convinced me that I should never take medication for pain. I had totally bought in. While I don't think medications are great as a long-term strategy, I think they can definitely be helpful in the short term. (I see a chiropractor about once every 2-3 years now.)

[titaniumed]

The area from Big Sur down to the Hearst Castle is a special place.....You had me thinking of Esalen....The best time to go is from Thanksgiving to the week before Christmas, otherwise the California coast is booked way in advance.

Linda, you were the one who convinced me to continue the Diclofenac during my neck herniation flair up a few years back. And very glad I listened. I still have no idea if it was the Diclofenac or the Medrol pack, or the combination of the two that worked so well.....In that scenario, without meds would have been a disaster because nothing else was working. I also tried traction which didn’t work, which was perplexing, and depressing.....

For those that have not been along this area of the California coast, this attached link has some photos of the area....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_...rns_State_Park

Ed

[tae_tap]

Hello all! Just thought I'd put an update on this sleepless night. Recovery is going okay. I have my good days and my bad days. The bad days seem to be weather related or from over walking a tad. ED'S smoothies have kept me going and my dads cooking. He came up from Florida to help since this is a busy time for the kids and my husband. I am going to fly back with him to Florida on the 14th and spend three weeks there recovering in a warmer environment. Keep Doreen in your prayers for she is in quite a bit of pain from her rods breaking and still has no set surgery date.

Write again soon,
Tamena

[Teacher Gal]

[QUOTE=tae_tap;167693]Hello all! Just thought I'd put an update on this sleepless night. Recovery is going okay. I have my good days and my bad days. The bad days seem to be weather related or from over walking a tad. ED'S smoothies have kept me going
What is the recipe for Ed's Smoothies?

[titaniumed]

After my surgeries, being in survival mode for 6 weeks of “Pain and Percoset”, (BTW, sounds like a great title for a country song) I lost 40# in 40 days. I then quit meds mainly due to constipation, and replaced with nutrients. I felt so much better....We get depleted of nutrients in surgery, this can only help.

In a blender.....
1/2 cup whey protein powder
1 Yogurt
1 Banana
10 Strawberries
10 Raspberries
25 Blueberries
15 Almonds

Blend and serve.
Buy frozen berries, they last longer
Store blender in fridge, re-blend when needed.

Upon recovering from the election, I actually had to take a Diclofenac due to a pulled tooth and resulting minor infection and swelling of my lower jaw. My neck having a history a 2 herniation’s with all its popping has suddenly stopped popping and is running smooth now. Amazing stuff!

Tam, hope things are well in Florida...

Ed