well i finally went to wikipedia last night in my insomniac state and looked up the word "occlusions" so i could get a clue what you might be talking about. it's not just a term in linguistics, folks!

turns out i suspect that i may have that going on, too; the normal vessels being so blocked on the right sight has caused my external jugular vein to become enlarged. it was explained to me only in very basic terms (pedantic talking to child, picture it), as the blood being impeded (pun intended, sorry bidpede) in its normal route and having to find another course to take. hey, it seems you can't discuss this topic w/o making bad puns! should be listed as a sx...

gee, the constant h/a and neck pain i've had for 30 years makes sense now. thanks, doc. i think it also illustrates why so many of the top TOS docs are vascular surgeons. impeding bloodflow must be like trying to stop mother nature...she doesn't like it and you get a very angry and unhappy result. TOS that in yer pipe and smoke it!

i sent you a PM a couple of weeks ago, bigpede. now that i know you're in pittsburgh (fine city! sienna miller knows not what she speaks!), there's another doc i've come across in my recent travels over the internet in the wee small hours whom i'd like to give you just in case you're interested: Dawn A. Marcus, M.D., Assistant Professor in Departments of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, and Neurology @ University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. her address is: Pain Evaluation and Treatment Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 4601 Baun Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15213-1217.

perhaps you're already familiar with the facility, bigpede, but in my experience it is invaluable to go there armed with a good referral. something about the way this lady writes makes me know she is not only brilliant but compassionate. i don't know your personal situation, of course, in terms of whether you already have a PM doc in place. it's just with this major blip on the radar for you with the phrenic nerve damage - and the underlying TOS still in the throes - well i wanted you to have more than one option. more than two, even. OK, three! PA is a great state for TOS'ers, isn't it!

i'm so jealous.

hope you are breathing better day by day, little by little. when you are feeling up to it. please let us know how your follow-up visit with the surgeon went.

cheers.

alison