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

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

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...

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

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.

Hi Cathie,

I had the same done in January 2008. Outside of diminishing problems over time of swallowing in particualr, pills, all was pretty uneventfull. It took some time for my neck to feel more normal and while it is not like it was before my car accident, it is eons beyond what it was for the 9 months before the surgery. And the immediate reduction of arm pain, numbness and tingling was blessed!

This ACDF surgery was the best thing that could have happened for me. I cannot say the same for the right shoulder surgery 3 months later which ultimately permanently damaged my brachial plexus and left me with extensive pain, weakness, numbness, tingling and CRPS. I should have stopped with the neck...but who knew?

I am glad to hear you are doing well!