Thanks you all for your great responses and information, i will be obtaining postoperative MRI Images and CT scans on disk as well as x_Rays etc... i do remember the surgeon saying he used extra padding. still makes no sense to me, we did rule out TOS as it is most common only on one side. Had an interesting doctors visit today at her primary, it turns out that some of the fusion surgery was done at the cervical C-7 level down to the Thoracic T-6 The Doctor read it right off of his computer to us, It read something like partial C-7 to partial t-6 laminectomy with hardware. I was not aware that the Cervical spine was involved in this surgery in anyway. So her primary called the surgeon, because he didn't know what the hell to do for her, and basically was told to just treat the symptoms, that the images were okay and no nerve damage or anything a foul if you will, and that it will just take time and OT along with PT. anyway needless to say i'm ****** I think this is all Bull *****, someone somewhere is not being honest about something, Primary doc did prescribe some anti inflammatory meds, so I am hoping still that i an get the swelling down in her hands, we did find a good remedy for nerve pain it is a product called NEURAGEN if you have any type of tingling or burning pain especially, it works pretty good, ahhh Finally some relief for her. I hate the fact that she still has to take percocet and muscle relaxers, Volume, to sleep, this crap is addictive and dangerous and it should have been over with by now with absolutely no surgical pain any longer present and has not now for several days, Yet she still has to take this crap. we are ramping up on the neurontin/Gabapentin we are up to 600MG a day on our way to 900, added a new one starting tomorrow night called nortriptyline, the two together are for treating the symptoms of nerve pain. NOT THE CAUSE!!! man I'm ******. I am thinking about seeing an independent neurologist and taking all these images with me, I think someone here above recommended this as well. this would be a huge expense? I am not sure what it would cost out of pocket, but i'm sure its not cheap. just to refresh, we are now 5 weeks post op with all symptoms that we went in for gone, they were all lower body symptoms, we are now trying to figure out why the hell she has no use of her arm and hands when they were fine before this damn surgery. BTW yes husband is obviously posting. thank you all for taking your valuable time to help us with this by way of your suggestions and comments, they are all warmly welcomed and very much appreciated. Thank you