Taking the visual of the CT scan and the words spoken by EMG doc who let me know what has transpired, I searched online and found a discussion regarding a cervical fusion of multi-levels as to which a single level did not fuse. The situation is typically treated with care as a serious situation as there is no disc tissue and only the plate and screws holding the cervical spine solid. Torqueing or articulation can occur, the plate become weakened by the movement, the screws loosened and the plate ultimately break just like you notice if you bend a piece of thin metal back and forth back and forth over and over until it breaks.....it leaves a jagged edge. Huh.

The neurosurgeon interviewed on the case in point said in his patient's case a follow on surgery was indicated to solidify the spine at that failed fusion level.....perhaps by cleaning it up and inserting new bone growth medium into the mix. So, I probably will not do handstands, play soccer, or stuff like that and will await the surgical consult appointment to learn what is next.

Arm. Hurts pretty bad. This would likely be from the failed fusion.

Legs. Hurt. The SCS does its trick, but since the nerve is doing something weird, as you know, they JUMP involuntarily. Par for the course, I reckon.

Ta Da........

Thank you for the prayers and concerns.....

Dear friend
I wish they can get to the
bottom of things sooner then
later it seems to be never ending
Question are you thumbs affected
Yes sending healing power of prayer

Someone who care

Hi Eva-
No specific thumb issue. I can still hold a pen,,,,something I could not do before the fusion
Thanx

dear friend
how are the latter
three from thumb
any unusual happenings
real hard tingling up
pinky along outer perimeter
of palm up into wrists
anything you were used to
having but much more intense
my friend i am laying in bed today
i need my whole body scratched
ever so carefully to relieve the pain
under my skin weird isn't it
no i do not have dry skin
did get my flu shot the second
time in my life
first one last year
i am experiencing the
nerve side of me
and that is still
something my pain
specialist
is dealing with
i have had extreme
pain all connected
to my back neck
i am always in pain
and must watch myself
i hurt today
please if you can
describe your pain
of course different
as mine is all from
as big as the lump
was pushing outward
therefore the same
thing happening on
the inside directly
on the surgery sight
making mine different
also
looking at the outside
opposite side of palm
tip of all fingers are white
as if no blood in finger tips
so that is tip to second knuckle
and recently i would feel pain
throb in a specific area inside
my palm and i
verbalize what is happening
and say
it will be a black and blue
and within a few hours
there it be
freaky
must explain this to
my doctors

hope your situation
be other easy i mean
EASY reason
dear Father
it has been a while
i ask if in your business
you honor miracles for
those special people i
have come to know
dear Father hear our prayers
as i trust you in charge of all
let me be your servant
and spread the word
your being is real and all
have what you gifted us
i will be your servant
as thy will be done
give us this day our
daily bread
in Jesus name
"I Eva believe"
AMEN!!!!!!!

someone that cares

And.....I do not mean to diminish Pooh's Thread by a similar name.....

It is just that the pain so overwhelmed me today, the herky jerky nerve junk in my legs running about 50 to 60 times today, the arm beyond tolerance...I started into tears in my office. At least I made it through most of the day, negotiations, a class, meetings, doing the stuff of helping my clients.... then CRASH.....tears. So, a co-worker helped me to my car and I came home.

Took tramadol [prescribed] for the pain AND ran my stim up to maximum tolerable level. Have for a long time used it a low levels to maintain..... and thus avoid overstimulating the nerve; even so, I HAD to have something today....AND.....that blessed sleep which for me today was not overrated. I fell asleep for three hours or so. Pain escaped in dreamland medicated bliss as my stim recharged.

Glad for sleep.

Yup it was good to be "tuned out" for a while.

Oh Mark,
I have been at such a loss for words since your reinjures over the summer. In so many ways you are a beam of light for so many of us here…consistent and dependable…it was with a punch in my guts that I read of your new pain.
Dear friend….I ache with you. Thank God for the relief of pain and sleep from medications. My experience is that while I can sleep thru pain or watch TV or Sit still so I can skip a med….my body is still fighting the pain and it takes its toll anyway. The pain changes my mind…I make wrong decisions….I cry and isolate.
I bless my Loritab…I honor its effects and respect its potency….I am grateful.
Mark…when our lives changed in the MVA…it was not our day to die….please give yourself relief….allow comfort…let go…let others…sit in nature….just for a bit till you get a grip again….give yourself the gifts you so easily give to all of us…
Surrounding you in the prayers and thoughts of all of us as you travel this new challenge.
Johanna

dear Hanna and our inspiring friend Mark

your post Hanna captures me in such a way i wish
neither the pain both of you incurred is horrific in its
self to be in a car wreck is something i do not want to
entertained
my dear friend who blesses us each day
the pain you describe is my suffering two posts
ago you talk about screws loosening as i told
doc i feel a screw coming undone
after second surgery he adds what is called a cage
now i never completed fusion 1st time around
hence second surgery i believe he took care of that screw
i complained about i felt the head protrude
both my arms are useless when it counts the most
what you may think
i worked many jobs to keep my family from feeling poor
one of them was a the only cashier who worked overnight
for three years as Corissa my youngest child was ill at 3 1/2 months old she spiked a fever that went off the hospital chart
turned out my baby had a defected voiding urine and kept on antibiotics till she reached a year old to prepare for kidney surgery right one half taken along with repairs she is fifteen now and a hand full
well back to the point l-5 is just out of control won't let anyone cut me even after mu hiccup in the road with removing both my breasts to cancer
Mark i understand you reluctancey to meds ans am supportive of whatever you decide to do
i am so angry to be on the array of medicines i am on just fr the mechanical part of my issues i have problems with finding the right meds to take care of the other side to my ailments RSD peripheral neuropathy fibromyalgia something i have reactions to the meds given already i even had a difficult time getting on the meds i take now for my mechanical pain
i have developed spurs at the endplate THIS BE THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH MY CHIEF COMPLAINT EMANATES WHERE I WAS DRAINED THE MORNING AFTER AS THE DRAIN WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AS THE GADGET DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DRAIN IT WAS DEVELOPING INTO A HEMATOMA
THAT CONTINUED WHEN I WAS DISCHARGED THAT MORNING
HE PUT THE NEEDLE IN MY HEMATOMA 3 OR 4 TIMES FEELING RELIEF EVERY TIME HE PUT THAT NEEDLE IN MY BACK/NECK
THEN SENT ME ON MY MERRY WAY
only to return back because it grew
my arms my hands my feet my legs
good for not much
let alone the thought of a pardon my openness about myself
but it is something that has been taken and that is an orgasam it is to pinful i cannot be held without pain
today i stay in bed and recoup after just doing regular chores in the apartment

it used to be last three fingers
now the whole hand
along with neck problems

im rambling

my whole point if i had gone thru the withdrawal and understand it as Hanna says respect what it does
and the pain of coming off them i can't imagine
i have missed with accidents in the hospital not
fun

to you who care

someone who cares

Hi Mark56,
Hopefully sleep will not elude you to often in this time of need my friend.
Hopefully you can take the time for yourself and try to get that green eyed monster under control a little better to a point you are able to be some what comfortable.
It is only fair seeing how much of yourself you always put out for everyone else.
Please slow down my friend and take care of your self.
Prayers heading your way today and everyday.
Thank you for all you do here for everyone we all understand that sometimes you need time for your self so please be mindful of that.

Take care my friend

Being down in hospital a couple of days with an esophageal impacted blockage will kinda kick the stuffin out of ya. I made it today. 10 hours in office. Did some good things. Gonna sign off for now,

Be well,
take small bites,
chew thoroughly,
HUGZ

Mark,

My heart and prayers go out for you.

Will send PM....


Gerry