Carleen,

Welcome. Tigerbear has been posting her progress right along; you need to keep reading the thread beyond 1/11/12 (the pushed-back date of her surgery) on page 5.

Doc

Welcome to Neuro Talk. You will find alot of information and a lot of compassion. I too have had cervical fusion. My first was at C6-7. I recovered, but other issues were not addressed and I didn't know about them. six years later, 2010 I was in again to re-do 6-7 and address those issues that were not resolved before with a differernt surgeon. My results are good. I had C3-7 done. the re-coup for the first was easy without alot of pain. The second took a long long time, almost a year before I felt really good again. I still am under the care of my doctors. I do wish you all the best if you go into surgery. We are all different in our presentations, be we all want the same thing, a good outcome. Lets us know how you do. ginnie

My biggest issue right now is trying to get comfortable at bedtime...I tried last night to sleep in my bed. Even with lot's of pillows and my wedge, it was too painfull. My back and shoulders are in PAIN !!! I guess it's back to the recliner for me. Don't get me wrong...I am VERY comfortable in the recliner. I just want to get back to "normal"...whatever that is !!!

I really do know what you are going through with not being comfortable. I hope you heal quickly, so you can get back into your own bed and be in no pain again. Sending you prayers and healing vibes your way. ginnie

Just to add a thought:

I raised the head of my bed by adding a 4"x4" cedar post along the top under the matteress on top of the box springs and then a piece of plywood on top of that to ramp the head of the bed down.

At first I tried 6" bricks but that seemed to high for me.

Basically I made my own fancy adjustable bed (like the ones tempurpedic sells for $4000) for less than $20.. LOL..

Hope your feeling better soon.

J.

Glad to hear that all is going as well as can be after your surgery. I had a 2 level 12/2010. I slept in the recliner for almost 6 weeks before I was able to sleep in the bed with a bunch of pillow propping me up. Give yourself time and try and be patient. I know that it is very difficult to be patient and take it slow. Glad to hear that the that your extreme pain is gone. The back and shoulders may take a long time to decrease. They will increase when you do too much. Your body will let you know when you have done to much. Take is slow and let your body heal as best as you can. Walk as much as you can and enjoy the time in the recliner. when you are healthy and back to your "regular" schedule there will be no rest. Enjoy the weekend and feel well.

Rather than getting back to, it may now be a matter of discovering what the new normal is/will be. Health issues aside, I'm finding as I age that "normal" changes along with everything else. Up until about ten years ago, I was a stomach/side sleeper with one arm up under my head (under the pillow), I didn't snore (unless I tried to sleep on my back, which I didn't like anyway) and a flat mattress was fine - even the floor, which I enjoyed napping on with ol' furry butt (the four-legged one).

Nowadays, "normal" is strictly on my back, top half elevated on a foam wedge, with a cpap, in pretty much the same position all night. I've adapted because I've HAD to. No more snuggling/spooning (cpap & wedge), and no more naps on the floor. I miss those naps. I tried it on the recliner with ol' furry butt on my lap, but w/o the cpap, I keep snoring/gasping/choking (apnea) and startling him (and he jumps off, invariably using my groin for a push-off ), and the machine freaks him out. He's a little big for a lapdog anyway....

Doc