3 Days Post Op from ACDF
 

Hi all,

I had my anterior cervical discectomy with fusion (levels C5 C6, C7) on March 2nd, and after 3 days I'm doing okay. I was discharged out of the hospital WAY too soon (not my choice, we have a shortage of beds here in Windsor, Ontario and I was able to walk to the washroom with the aid of a nurse, so I was discharged after only 1 night).

But, All in all, I'm doing ok. The pain is tolerable, still on a lot of narcs, but Im managing, the sleeping thing is horrible, I've yet to find a comfortable spot. I have tried them all. I can swallow with some difficulty, but I'm managing soft foods and light meals with the aid of ice chips and popcicles.

The pain and numbness in my hand and arm is almost completely gone (yay) and I'm feeling relief from the pain in my traps as well. I do have concern over loss of fine motor skills, but I'm hoping that is short term.

I'm very tired, which is expected, and frustrated with the collar, but I can say I'm glad I had the surgery and am on the road to recovery!

Thanks everyone for all the great advice and good wishes. I will write more when I am a bit stronger.

Cathie

Cathie,
So glad that you are doing as well as can be expected. Sorry that you were discharged earlier than you would have liked. I guess in the US we don't have as much of a shortage if beds.

Stay on top of the meds. Take them ALL on a regular basis. Do NOT let the pain get ahead of you. I made that mistake early on.

Sleeping is difficult. Do you have a recliner? I slept in one for at least 6 weeks.

Eating is difficult in the beginning due to the swelling. Keep up with the liquids. They are the most important. If you are still on the narcotics and with anesthesia, you need to make sure you take a stool softener. Your system has had some major changes. You don't want any additional issues. Don't worry about the soft foods too much.

Just try to relax and take your time healing. Do you have any meds to help you sleep if needed? Ambien? Are you wearing a soft or hard collar? The soft collar is much more manageable and only took a little while for me to get use to.

Take care and feel better. Do not push yourself too much. Take is slow. IF friends and relatives want to drop off food or help out in any other way, take advantage of their generosity.
Feel better.
Gail
ACDF C5-6 C6-7 12/3/2010

Keep us posted on your road to recovery. My Surgeon also indicated that my hospital stay would likely be 1 - 2 days. 3 month post op recovery period. He also indicated that I would be wearing a soft collar during this period. My surgery is scheduled in 9 days and I'm VERY nervous. I wish I had found this very informative sites months ago! This has been a 2 year journey

Hello Cathie, Glad to hear that your surgery went well, and you have gotten relief from the pain! Dang hospital for releasing you early that's crap, must be normal procedure, oh you can manage the bathroom, now go home ugh! I hope you feel better everyday. I was really elevated in my bed Cathie, I took a large thick chaise lounge pad covered it with a sheet and put that up against my headboard and piled a lot of pillows behind and around me. The swallowing issue will get better everyday, oh yes ice chips and popsicles were great, get lots of rest it takes awhile to get the anesthesia(?)out of your system hence the tired feeling. Do you have the hard miami j collar(you will adjust after a week or so wearing it) on and did you get the extra set of pads, did your neuro say how long you have to wear it, usually at least 6-8 weeks. Did you use the donor bone Cathie? Sry too many ?'S I am happy that everything is going well for you. Take care and will talk soon, Bunz

Nervous is normal
 

Hi there, it was a one year journey for me, so understand. Everything your surgeon said is true, I wear my collar all the time, I take it off for a few minutes in the shower when my husband rinses my hair for me, I still need help showering. One week later I am just starting to get a bit of strength, very little. It felt like I gothitby a truck the first few days. Get everything you need ready ahead of time, put in a little basket by your bed, lots of ice chips, lozenges, Popsicles, jello, soft foods. Keep up with your pain meds, don't wait until you hurt, take them on schedule or earlier.

I had great nurses, and loved my neurosurgeon, so that made me feel comfortable, and they gave me a sedative as soon as I got to the hospital and that also helped.

If you have any questions, just ask, I have to stop typing for a bit now, I get sore quickly.

Good luck, you will do fine, think POSITIVE it helps!!!
God bless
Cathie

I have an Aspen cervical collar, with an extra set of velcro pads to change after showering. I sleep the same way, my husband calls it a rocket ship, pillows lined up on an incline leaning against the headboard with more on either sides i don't fall over LOL... Then I sleep sitting up on an incline, just starting to get used to that. There are more pillows on our bed then there is bed. LOL. Looks ridiculous but it works, LOL

Yes, I used donor bone, and titanium cages with six screws. Have to wear the collar at least six weeks, but after xrays he will let me know if I need it to be longer, could be up to 3 months.

Swallowing is just starting to get better, lots of achiness in my shoulders still, but my hand, wrist and arm pain from the pinched nerves are GONE!!! No more hand pain! That in itself was worth it!

Write more later, getting tired again.
Take care!
Cathie

Good Morning Cathie, I am glad you have found a way to be comfy in bed that is very important as you need lots of sleep and rest! No more pain is definately a positive sign that your surgery was successful, it sounds to me you are on your way to a remarkable recovery! The achiness you feel is from the anesthesic and surgical procedure, in a couple of weeks you won't even feel that Yahoo! continue to take it easy and get lots of rest. Give your hubby an extra hug for being a good man, I loved my honey for washing/rinsing/brushing my hair LOL!
Take care, Bunz

Know the feeling....
 

I can feel the pain Cathi...I am now almost 1 week post op and I was discharged the day after my surgery. I thought it was too soon also. (and I live in the US). One of the nurses thought it might be too soon also because I was in more pain that some others due to my graft being taken from my neck, not my hip. So not only was the front of my neck hurting, the back was too. I had to hurry to wean off the Morphine in order to go home. They practically took me off it right away so I would go home. (not that I liked the Morphine anyway but it was the only thing to get rid of the post op pain).
So I am now dealing with the swallowing, which is getting a little better. I am eating only soft foods. The NS has me in a soft collar. I have Percocet for every 6 hours. I called the office yesterday to see if I can get the muscle relaxer that I was on in the hospital. I have yet to hear back from them. (their service is all automated...gesh!). The positive is that I don't notice any numbness/tingling like I did before the surgery. Sleeping is getting a little better. I just have to find that one comfortable position. Luckily I have been able to sleep in my bed. I use a wedge pillow. I have slowly been doing a little housework, no lifting....just to keep busy. I hate not doing anything. I am a nurse and used to being busy. I won't have a job to go back to when all is said and done because I hadn't been at my job for a year and couldn't get FMLA. Showering has been difficult. Washing my hair, the worst. But I have managed.
I feel for all of you who are dealing with this. Hopefully you have a speedy recovery...

Sorry :(
 

Hi, every time I hear of another person going through this I shudder. I feel bad for you, and understand what you are going through. I've been fighting this battle for 2 years now, and I don't have my job or career anymore either. It just sucks.

I hope you have a quick and speedy recovery without any complications. Don't do too much, you really need to rest to let your body heal. Find yourself some really great books and occupy your mind with that to let your body rest.

Take care....
Cathie

Please be patient..........
 

and give yourself time to heal. I KNOW you are tired of hearing that. Your body is wise so listen to it. When it says to rest and sleep, do so. Eventually you will find the perfect position for your situation and should use it until your body says "stop". I think you said you have a soft collar. Get a second or even third so you can wash them daily by hand and let them dry. It takes quite a while for them to dry. They get pretty funky smelling fast, particularly durring the hot months. I had a bi-level cervical disc/lam with donor bone in 1986. I had to have a revision, twice, in 1995 and have been stable ever since. Of course there have been a few arthritic changes over the years but nothing that some moist heat and a good muscle rub won't cure. I am thrilled with the results. Sorry you were sent home so soon. While I hate being in the hospital and being exposed to heaven knows what, I am not a big fan of "drive by surgery". The ins. people are as responsible for this as anyone. Once you are down to basic nuring care, you are out the door. Best wishes and be kind to that body. :hug: