Quote:
Originally Posted by frenchfri1003
Glad to hear that you are able to get out and go to dinner. Very funny that your NS wanted to look at your incision. I am very pleased with the way mine looks. I still rub vitamin e on it 1 to 2 times a day. Now I am adding sunscreen. How long was your surgery and if I am correct you had 2 levels fused. Glad my OSS didn't have the same view. Soft collar for a few weeks, and I insisted on a hard collar and only wore it for a few days and when I showered in the beginning. Sorry you have to wear it for so long.
Definitely insist on physio, I think it's important and it has helped quite a bit. Especially since he had you rather has you in a hard collar for so long. You will need strengthening and ROM exercises. My ROM has gotten better, but my strength on the left side is still much weaker than the right.
The field trip went better than expected. I wore the soft collar for the 45 minute bus ride each way and the walk up to th top of the lighthouse. Also took extra strength Tylenol as a precautionary measure. I definitely did better than I expected. Tired on the way up, no problem on the way down.
Have a great weekend and a happy holiday season. 
************************************************** **
12/9/2010 ACDF C5-6 C6-7 with plate, screws,
BMP & bone fragment filled cages
2/14/2011 trying to go back to work as a teacher
2/17/2011 starting PT
wearing bone stimulator 4 hours a day
DDD, arthritis, herniated disks, pinched nerves
3 months saw a little bit of bone growth (YEAH)
4/15/2011 Home Tens Unit |
That's awesome you did so well with you field trip. That's a big adventure at this point, you remind me of myself, just always pushing a little bit to see how far we can get back to normal.... Missing my active life, can't wait for summer hikes and camping ( maybe ..lol.. Hubby says too soon, but I'd like to give it a try around august.) I have a soft collar that a friend gave to me, I will take your example and wear that a bit once I'm allowed out of the hard one. When I saw the neuro last weekend he said he had to do a lot of cleaning up with bone spurs and just wants it on for as long as possible, I'm praying he'll let me take it off when I see him next Tuesday at my followup. Even just a few hours a day would be so wonderful! My xrays were taken on Wednesday and there is no bone growth at all yet, boo.
I want physio, I'll push for it, we have a pretty friendly relationship, so I'm sure I can talk him into it.
Have a Happy Easter (assuming you are Christian, if not then happy long weekend!) I love long weekends, get my family home all together!
Cathie
Ps... I had the same levels fused as you, C5, C6,C7, but I didn't have a cage, only titanium plate, six screws and cadaver bone. Maybe the cage allowed youbto be out of the collar sooner?