One more really big surgery

[titaniumed]

Jackie, OMG, that x-ray is incredible.....you had your surgeons sighing on that one, no doubt.

Its amazing the distance variation of your chin from your chest in both x-rays. It looks like its at least 3 inches.

Did any of the surgeons comment on why your neck fell so far forward? It doesn't look like you have a huge kyphosis. It looks like the anterior body at T1 just collapsed.(right above your scoliosis fusion mass) Its hard to see.....

There are not too many of us fused from the tops of our fusion masses into the neck. (Bridging from T1 into the lower cervical)

I cant imagine the pain.

Ed

[jackieg412]

Ed if you look at the X-Ray dated 10- 2-18 it is the X-Ray taken a few days after the car accident surgery it looks good. But by pushing myself up in bed ,I pulled the rod out of the collection to the scoliosis rods. My head basically had no support. They read it as an unstable cervical fracture. If I didn't lay down or push my head back I was chocking. We can see why. And why I was admitted immediately back in the hospital and back into surgery within bours.
I really don't know why it is turning out mostly ok.
The second set of xrays shows the surgeon added an additional level of screws. Those are extremely bothersome just under the skin and sore. No wonder I don't want any neck rubs.
It was an absolute incredible experience. Still turning out mostly ok. Remember I had huge blood clots in the epidural layer of the spinal cord. I think the
surgeon had all he could handle. I thank him every day.
It was a horrific amount of pain. Especially down my arm. It still isn't totally healed. And remember on Tylenol!!

[titaniumed]

I forgot about the arm pain. Was it mainly in the upper arm shoulder humeral head area? Right or Left side? or both sides?

I had the "Mike Tyson" punch feeling on my upper left arm with my cervical herniation's years ago and numb left hand. Forearm was ok. It was devastating. The arm was useless. For those that don't know, nobody punches harder than Iron Mike...Imagine the hand damage he has....the arthritis must be incredible. You don't hear retired pro boxers complaining about their hands and wrists which is hard to believe.

For upper pain in the "high back" and neck, I think you are setting some pain records....I know others here that have chosen not to post that are struggling with serious neck related problems. Its debatable on which areas of the spine produce high or highest levels of pain, but I would consider the (cervical) neck area critical due to the spinal cord in the neck. (smug face) There are a multitude of reasons for headaches, but when you have serious neck problems, it makes it difficult to assume other reasons for having a headache. Do you always assume its the neck?

Cervical scoliosis is extremely rare......but spinal deformities that include thoracic and lumbar, scoliosis and kyphosis seem to have a "direct relation" to our necks. For spine, its a complete package, and every level counts.

You can also have minimal deformity or none, and have major pain. Soft tissues count highest for pain, deformity not so much.

I did a lot of massages years ago, probably spent over $100,000 on massages alone. After my surgeries, my masseuse was devastated since massage over rods and screws does not work. It was extremely uncomfortable when she entered the surgical area 4-6 inches wide down the whole spine.

I don't know if a "topical" analgesic would help you out since you have a lot going on. You would have to ask Dr Young. The topical's are some easy ways of getting some sort of relief with scoliosis, products like Blue Emu, Super Blue stuff, etc....These products permeate into the body, so its something to consider. They also have topical NSAID's this again would be something to ask your doctor about for your neck.

Do you take any prescription anti-inflammatory meds at all? NSAID's? Has this been brought up after your Arachnoditis discovery?

Ed

[jackieg412]

The pain in the arm was nerve pain. Unbearable nerve pain. If I got up from laying down the pain shot down my arm in to my 2 fingers. I was told that a piece of the broken cervical partially severed the nerve to my right arm. I know the neurosurgeon repaired it. I think the pain was from that. It has eased up since the second surgery but at times still grabs. The 2 fingers are either numb or painful.
It is still better than it was . It is my right arm and of course I'm right handed. It functions for the most part.
It is also the side with the scapula problem. So I don't know which one is the cause of the numb feelings.
I still think it could have been worse. The surgeon did an excellent job of helping me maintain a quality of life.
I know that punched in the arm feeling. Not fun

[babyboomer16]

The auto craft will be from my hip. A good thing is in all of the other surgeries I never had that done. I can't tell you how hard it is to be fixed though the back of the cervical. The anterior approach is easy. The screws up there are irritating. It is skin over screws. I have someone I work with that keeps wanting to run across them. I don't understand doing that and I have told her very firmly not to do that.

Jackie, I’m not on here often, but just happened to see your post about your bad luck. I feel so bad you have to do another major surgery. I’v been through many surgeries. I’m like you, as I had cervical surgery too. (front and back) The one from the back is like yours, skin over the screws and you can see them and feel them!!! Darn! I hate it. I hope all turns out alright for you. I wish you much luck as you go forward with this surgery. God Bless you, Linda

[titaniumed]

Hi Linda,

After your "multi level" neck surgeries a few years ago, I will never forget when you stated that if felt like someone hit you in the neck with a baseball bat. This had a profound effect when it came to my surgical decision making on my neck. Of course Linda Racine knew and warned me, my surgeon also, these stacked neck surgeries can be especially difficult to deal with especially after doing full fusion surgery.

I myself have had a "taste" of this neuropathic neck pain with my cervical herniation's, and I consider myself lucky since I avoided fusion in my neck.....I think that the small amount of scoliosis and kyphosis patients with "severe" neck disorders have paid a very high pain price....you guys have done your rounds.

Neuropathic pain is your worst nightmare. When its in the neck, it can be devastating when the cervicogenic headaches kick in.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3201065/

Kudos to those doctors that are looking in new directions when it comes to pain control....

I hope you are hanging in there. Sometimes that's all we can do.

Thanks for posting.

Ed

[jackieg412]

Thanks Linda. It has been rough. As you know this posterior cervical fusion is one of the rough ones. I am sure it wouldn't have been except for the car accident.
And Ed there is another video with Dr Young presenting a talk on genetics and it's role in chronic pain. If I can find the link, I will post it.

[titaniumed]

Oh very nice....I am very interested.

This thread sort of morphed from scapula into a neck discussion. Serious neck discussion. Thoracic, Cervical fusions.

Who is left? Melissa Susan Chet. I don't know if I have missed anyone else....Jaymoe.

If they post, we will have the worst neck patients in the world on this thread.

Enough pain to lock up the NSF server. I don't think the server can handle that much pain.(smiley face)

Let us know what happens tomorrow.

Ed

[jackieg412]

https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DiCiV0qvr788
here isDr. Adam Young taught us about the role of genetic in chronic pain

[jackieg412]

[Well I found out the surgery date. It will be Oct 22 at Rush hospital. There is a lot to do before then.

[titaniumed]

How long did they say you will be in the hospital?

Ed

[jackieg412]

The orthopaedic reserved 3 days. We all know the insurance companies limit them. But, there is a real big chance of needing a chest tube. If that happens it will change things. They have to safely be able to remove it.
Also, multiple doctors have told me this is more painful then any of my spinal surgeries. Also more painful then the broken neck. I can't even imagine that. So by some magic a plan will have to be in place for pain. That is being worked out.
Just one more really big recovery!

[titaniumed]

3 days sounds ridiculous. They wont release you unless you are hunky dory. The insurance companies, they are a funny bunch, I guess conjoined twins get 4 days now....I wouldn't worry about it.

I hated my drains and tubes....I felt trapped and would always wake up laying on a drain which felt like laying on a small pot. I had the day shift nurse call my surgeon after around a week to start pulling some of them which took a few days at a couple per day. They come out easy..... I have read that drains are up to the surgeons, some use a lot of them, and others do not, which is probably due to infection.....

I would imagine that this one is going to hurt. They should come up with something for pain.

Ed

[jackieg412]

I know they are going to use ketamine during the hospital stay. Pain management suggested it as I know the surgeon approved it. I guess it is a more expensive drug. But it is IV and only in a hospital setting. It would have been great during the broken neck.
I am doing a methadone trial before. Most medication causes severe vomiting that is uncontrollable. They don't want that in addition to the surgery and immobility.
The surgery is on my back. Not the typical shoulder surgery.
Now I am working on the clothing choice as the right arm can't be moved at all for 3 months.
It will be difficult as anyone can imagine.

[titaniumed]

Jackie, You could ask about an NG tube.... They drain your stomach's contents through suction. I did not vomit in the hospital. I had one for my scoliosis surgeries and was NPO due to an Ileus.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasogastric_intubation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_by_mouth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ileus

The benefit on this setup is that you don't have to eat or go to the bathroom. The drawback is your Adams Apple can get really sore.

At home, I would imagine a blanket wrapped around you will be indispensable especially in the recliner chair. You might get a heated blanket setup by your recliner and bed before you go in....winter is coming, we get cold.

There are shoulder surgery shirts available....Amazon also sells these items.
https://www.shouldershirts.com/Blue_...ara-p-1003.htm

Ed