Mark is going in for emergency surgery
 

I can not believe this is happening to Mark!! :(

He sent me an alarming text earlier today. It is very sketchy since he is unable to type very well.

He has emergency surgery at 6:30 am (MST) Friday morning, which is in about 8 hrs from now. C-7 disc is blown, he has lost all feeling except for the pain in right arm. Lost feeling in left arm, tongue, and roof of mouth numb.
This will be 1 of 3 surgeries to try to regain control over situation.
He asks for prayer and says that he is praying for everyone.

This is all I know. I hope to get more details soon.
I can't imagine what he and his family must be going through right now. :(
I dont' know 'what' has caused this to spiral out of control like this.

Thank you for your prayers
Rae
:grouphug:

Oh Mark .. You ate such a support to us all on here. I am sending healing vibes to you and wishing you well. All my love Karen x x

Poor Mark
 

Dear Mark I hope your surgery is a success and that you will be back to your old self again.

How awful and frightening this is for you

I will be thinking and praying for you today.

Jackie :)

Sending positive thoughts and healing vibes for you Mark. ;)

dear rrae

thanks for the info

God be with you my friend
i am so sorry this has happened
may your love of GOD wash all
over you and your family

rrae

hope all is well with you

Mark
Praying for full recovery. Hoping you have immediate relief from this cervical situation.
May Our Lord surround you, your family and all the medical staff who will care for you with his healing comfort, love, peace and strength.

Sandy Kay

Rae - thanks for the info on Mark! Please keep us posted.

Mark - sending prayers your way and hoping for a full, speedy recovery.

Nanc
:grouphug:

So sorry to hear this - thanks for the update Rrae. Mark - please know you are in my thoughts and prayers. Hang in there...

We're praying for you Mark! You have a lot of people who care about you and are wishing you the best in your surgeries and recovery :grouphug:

Praying for you, our brother!
 

Rrae, thanks so much for letting us know what's happening with poor Mark! Mark, you are in our prayers and thoughts....praying that the Lord will give you comfort even in the midst of this latest trial and that He will guide the hands and minds of the drs. and other medical staff as they take care of you. God bless you and keep you safe in His mighty arms.
Hugs,
Jan :hug:

This is so wrong! Mark has been through so much!

Sending you good thoughts, Mark.:hug:

Sending you strength
And the will to remain strong
In the coming months.

A helper to us all
Let god hear our words and thoughts,

Take it easy Mark. X

Any news about Mark's condition?
 

Just wondering if anyone's heard from Mark or his family? I hope and pray that the docs are helping him at the hospital and that the emergency surgery was successful. We're praying for you, Mark! Sending hugs, prayers, healing thoughts, and love....
Jan :hug:

Be safe! Mark
 

Im hoping no news is good news......Please God the surgery was a success and that the following two will be also.....What a frightening thing to happen. But Mark is a very strong man, Im sure he will come through this. He has great faith too and Im sure God will look after him....

Praying for you Mark and family

Jackie:hug:

Mark God watch over you
 

I am thinking and praying for you right now. I can't believe this has happened to you after everything else. I pray God grants mercy, that this can be corrected and give you blessed relief. Your card to me is right in front of me. Your courage, compassion for others has been one of the greatest gifts you offer to all of us. Come home soon. We are all with you in spirit. Angels keep you safe. sister ginnie

Praying good news regarding Mark's condition will soon be forthcoming.


Gerry

Very Limited Here
 

For all your prayers especially grateful. Some benefit realized on right side, none left, headache significant. waiting.
Must go,
Love n prayers,
Mark56

Prayers for you!
 

We will just keep praying for ya, Mark! May God comfort, heal, and bless you. :hug:

Better days ahead
 

So many prayers going up for you and your family. I have been off line for a few weeks due to lower GI problems and just became aware of your surgery. Rest, friend.

Pain

Mark....
 

A bit more info I rec'd via pm regarding his recent post..

He's hardly able to type, nor will his overseers allow him to.

Again, very sketchy...
He has partial restoration right hand. Step 1 has been successful (I assume this means his 1st surgery out of the 3 that are planned has gone according to plan).
Incredible headache
Left side totally closed off, pinched left arm numb complete...
He mentioned that this came on very suddenly

Lastly, he said that God is fully in control.

:( as we can see from his attempts at typing, this man is going through something incredibly awful. I am beside myself not knowing any more than this, but I dare not call and bother his family at a time like this.
I was on my knees in church praying this morning. That's all we've got right now - prayer, faith, and wait.

Thank everybody here for all your prayers and wellwishes. I know he is able to log on and see this and I'm sure it brings him strength and encouragement. He is so faithful to God and this is what helps 'me' to stay strong. He also is faithful to all of us, knowing how much he means to us. It's very touching that he made a point to get on here and make that post.

God will see him through this, but it tears my heart knowing that this is happening to him.....

Rae :smileypray:

Thank you Mark for posting when it's so difficult. We all really appreciate that in this time of crisis, you made what must have been a monumental effort to update us.

We love you, buddy.:circlelove:

Oops, almost forgt!
 

Thank you Rrae also for giving us that update. You are the sweetheart of NeuroTalk, IMO.:hug:

prayers Mark
 

I am sorry for all your suffering Mark. I just hope you can get the relief you need. There are no words to express how much I care about you. I so much hope that you get out of this mess, and that pain can be diminished. I sent my angel to you. He gets time off for good behavior and left at the time of your surgery. I figure you need more help than I do at this time in your life. God bless and keep you safe. sister ginnie:hug::grouphug::(

Thank you Mark and Rae for updates.
Prayers are surrounding you. Rest and heal so you can be ready for part 2.
I am so sorry to hear about all you are dealing with.

Sandy

Thank you Mark and Rae for updates.
Prayers are surrounding you. Rest and heal so you can be ready for part 2.
I am so sorry to hear about all you are dealing with.

Sandy

Mark ... We're all sending positive thoughts ... And loads of love. Xx

Hoping today is a better day. Hugz and Prayerz.

Spine

Mark,

So sorry for the delay. Lots of personal stuff so I haven't been checking in. God bless and I will pray for you and for a speedy recovery so you are home and in better shape then ever. Thanks for being such a great support.
Anita

Prayer Chain....
 

Dearest Mark :hug:

We remain steadfast united in prayer. Our faith is strong, as it has been YOU who has inspired us with your close walk with God and continuously praying for our needs, never taking your eyes off of He who heals and brings us peace.
We know you are unable to type because it will exacerbate your troubles. Please do whatever you must to get the rest you need.

I especially pray that these terrible headaches you are suffering will lift SOON, and that the numbness in your arms will dissipate.

Always Caring & Praying
Rae
:grouphug:

Mark .. can you see my big grin ... ??? That's for you, that is !!!!

You are on the prayer list at the mega church where my SIL pastors so you have a host of little old ladies and the vacation bible school kids praying for you too. Quite frankly, when I am in real trouble, I want little old ladies who know how to storm the heavens and little kids who haven't lived long enough to doubt, praying for me. Hugz and prayerz for you and the family. :grouphug:

Spine

Rae,
 

Just wondering if Mark is getting steroids? They can really be a problem with headaches. I get the worst migraine head aches especially when given steroid injections.

Thank you for all you are doing to relay any news about Mark.

We are all praying for him. We are "blessed" .

Gerry

Must Type Gratitude
 

Typing is PAIN right now. Yes, first two steps involve steroids, and I was flooded with them on Friday... a critical attempt to shrink inflamed nerve roots and disc which are literally choking off my arms. Headaches have been awful... am taking care not to worsen problems by dictating at work [I went today and had a decent day, but pain resumed its hold].

Left arm still numb. Nerve to left is totally crushed. Doc could not even get "in" to the nerve space on the left side. I felt like Frankenstein monster with bolts removed, the pain in both sides of neck was so bad. Right side did let Doc flood area with steroids, thus the headaches, and an awful rash like acne on my face, neck, and abdomen. Right hand has feeling now/numbness gone for a while, but the pain in forearm quite pronounced when I type like this. Gotta get a dictation system for home.

We are leading up to fusion in C6/C7 most likely, a five to six week recovery and all that goes with it. Been there, hated the back stuff, but then you know it. Even so, there was gain with all of that lumbar pain.

Thank you all SO MUCH for prayers received in abundance and smiles so bright from across the pond it is as though the dawning...
Gotta sign off,
I sure Love/Agape all of you who walk with me talking to God about what is next,
I am blessed,
Mark56:grouphug:

Good to hear from you.
 

For what it is worth, I have my best luck with the cervical repairs. I am fused on three levels. It's been so long, I can't remember which are involved now........lower ones for sure. The last surgery was in 95 and once I got through the recovery period, all was well. I have had some predictable arthritic changes but it is nothing that moist heat and Thera Gesic rub won't cure. I am blessed. Hugz and Prayerz.

Great hearing from you, Mark!
 

We've all been praying for you, Mark, and so glad to hear that things are at least looking up a bit! Sorry that you're still having so much pain, though. Maybe those steroids will kick in and reduce some of the inflammation. I've only had lumbar fusion surgery, so I don't know anything about the recovery from one at the cervical levels. If the fusion reduces your pain and gives you better use of your arms and hands, that's gotta be a GOOD thing, though! You can count on many prayers and positive thoughts from my little neck of the woods.

Gentle hugs,
Jan
:hug:

Hi Mark
I had C4/5 fused after arm pain in 2001. Thank God the fusion relieved the pain. Recovery was slow with limited neck movement allowed. I am praying that the steroids and fusion will relieve the pain and give you the movement you need to continue the work you love. Take it easy, don't push and try to do move than you can handle.

Love and prayers to you and the family.

Sandy Kay:hug:

Tomorrow at 1 Mountain
 

It is humbling to have prayer poured over one's spirit as is so evident in this precious place. We see Doc tomorrow for next thoughts... hurting to the extreme and holding tightly as well to those young "grey haired" ladies and the children. Makes me want to sing for the lot of you. My heart bursts!
Mark56:grouphug:

So sorry to learn you are having this agony!

That rash...it might be shingles! If it is...you need antivirals ASAP to suppress it. If you or your doctor don't act fast, you may be left with lifelong pain. A blood test will show elevated Zoster titres, as a guide. But I'd investigate this NOW, because of the time element.

Huge doses of steroids can bring out shingles in some people.

Thank You Mrs D
 

I received an innoculation against shingles about 18 months ago. Would shingles still be a present risk? I will mention the question nevertheless today at the appt with Doc. Also, I have a PCP appt tomorrow just to "check up" and can bring that up as well. The eruptions are subsiding and no effect was noticed as to any single eruption of the rash itself.... it just looked as though I had retregraded into adolescence..... all over my upper body.

Thank you for watching over me Mrs D.
Grateful,
Mark56:hug: