Hi all, thanks for all your kind thoughts & prayers, I've had my op & I'm now home :D

I had multilevel ACDF C4/5 & C6/7

The surgeon said the op was "well worth doing" as there was a lot of stenosis in there.

Apart from a very sore throat & painful swallowing, I'm doing quite well. I was given a collar to come home in the car.

Having a touch of urinary retention so have an opd appointment in 2 weeks to check that out.

I'm a bit fragile & VERY tired, exceedingly glad to be home :yahoo:

love,
Tender xx

Hi tender
 

Glad you are in home and relaxing now. Remember to be very good to yourself, tender if you will... sleep alot. Thank you so much for posting and letting us know you are OK. I hope you have a speedy recovery. ginnie:hug:

Hey Tenderfoot---I was thinking of you!! Super news!!! Im so happy your home and you will notice you will be exhaused for weeks but let you family pamper you !! If you have a soft collar use it for awhile it will help. Did you get the bone growth stimulator?? If not inquire it helps aid in the fusion ---u dont feel anything with it --looks like a horse collar u where for 4 hrs a day. See worst part is over ---now boredom will set in --dont do much if anything for several weeks. So gald you posted today :hug:

Congrats on the successful surgery! I am 8 months post ACDF 5-6 REDO and 6-7 and I am starting to notice a change for the good.... your body will take time to heal and you should listen to it and let it do it's thing!

Morning all & thankyou very much for your return welcome, it's very kind of you & much appreciated :D.

I went to bed at 10.30pm without taking painkillers as I felt ok, up at 2am for the loo then awake again at 4.30am c/o my ongoing cough & my throat feeling like a roaring inferno. I was taking codeine phosphate with paracetamol in hospital alongside my MST but at home we have a supply of cocodamol 30/500 so I just take an extra paracetamol with it.

My cough still niggles so I've come downstairs to allow my DH to sleep as he has to go to work later. I'll cat-nap as the day goes by :).

Mg neck problem: I don't have a soft collar, just the one I came home in, an Aspen, as the physio advised against it & has prescribed me gentle neck exercises to perform 10x daily.
I don't know about a bone growth stimulator but I do have metal cages used as an aid to stabilise my vertebrae. They're small 4mm (diameter I presume), permanent implants that are where the discs used to be. They've also used demineralised bone matrix (DBM) which has been shown to provide a scafolding for my own bone to build on.

I have a wound check on Monday & dissolvable sutures in situ.

Just enjoying a coffee & going to do myself a bowl of shreddies for breakfast, with all the opiates I need 'em! :D
Tender xx

Hi tender foot
 

Glad you are doing OK. Take it easy on PT. I know all docs. do this different. I needed a good four weeks before I received PT. Then I was ready for it. Hope your recovery continues to go OK. ginnie

Thanks Ginnie I am doing. Painkillers make me drowsy so in between making myself a cuppa I'm getting plenty of rest too :winky:
Tender x

Just an update; my throat feels floppy inside, (if that's possible) i know the sensation will be due to them moving my gullet & windpipe out of the way to access my spine. It actually feels like it's almost flopping shut when i lie on my back so I lie half on my right side instead.

It was actually hurting slightly less this morning than it was having taken painkillers at 11.15pm last night, went to the loo at 4am then an hour later my throat felt raw when I swallowed so I took 2 paracetamol, but it wasn't enough & took a codeine phosphate (of which we have just a few left at home). Throat starting to feel slightly raw again now so I'm going to have a coffee.

I also feel like I've been kicked between my shoulder blades so the painkillers have a dual purpose & are effective enough.

Sorry if I sound all over the place & distorted, but if I'm honest, I feel a bit like that this morning so I'm going to be kinder again to myself today,
Tender x.

Hi Tenderfoot
 

Yes just take it easy and be good to yourself. I do remember recovery very well. Not all of it is easy. Hope you have been able to shower and feel better. I took a bath while still really in pain, and I remember that being heavenly. ginnie

Not yet Ginnie, I've a wound check tomorrow so I should be able to shower & wash my hair after that.

Neck's a bit uncomfy tonight. I didn't need any painkillers earlier so skipped a dose. Probably wasn't the best idea I ever had :(. I'll have some before I go to bed & slowly reduce them as the week goes by,
Tender x

Hi Tenderfoot
 

I hope you can get in that shower soon. I just remember it being a slice of heaven. Hope the wound check is A OK. I had a waterproof bandage after that first check. Yeh, skipping that dose may not have been great. Best these early days to take it and relax and just heal. It does take awhile and you seem to be doing just fine. Be good to yourself. ginnie:hug:

Wound looks ok, steristrips & dissolvable sutures, all left intact and a new dressing in place. Recheck Thursday. Can't have a shower or wash my hair yet unless I can bend forward :eek:

Ah well, just have to be patient :(

Tender :wink: x

Hi Tenderfoot
 

Just ask your doc. about waterproof bandages. That is what I used. They covered the whole front of my neck, and kept the wound dry. I used them about a week after surgery, after that first visit to the doc. He is the one who told me about them. Take care of yourself. ginnie

Hi Tenderfoot.....the only this that alarms me a bit is therapy we have alot of fusions in my family and never once did they want to start therapy so soon ---in fact my DR wanted very little movement for the first 8weeks....same for my brother and cousin.
I know we may due things diffrent in the states --but I will be honst this conerns me a bit.
Not sure if this is truly best way to go for you! Maybe ? the DR say you been on a forum and read most ppl dont do therapy so soon anter acdf. Not trying to stir the pot with you DR just bit concerned.

I was given a booklet with speciic exercises following ACDF to be started from day 1 in hospital & to try to do 10 repetitions 1 to 2 times daily.
The exercises are done sitting or against the wall & consist of bending the head forward until you feel a stretch at the back of your neck holding for approx 10 secs.
Then bend backwards as far as is comfortable.
Then turn your head to one side until you feel a stretch, then the other.
Then chin pulls, shoulder rolls & finally raise both hands letting thumbs lead the way.

I've not yet accomplished all of the exercises, I only do a few at a time several times daily.

Today I've started feeling a tingling sensation under my chin & around my wound. The wound itself is occasionally stinging very slightly. I guess this is all part of the healing process? Or is it because I made a couple of simple meals & climbed the stairs a few times today?
Thanks.
Tender x

Hey Tenderfoot---the tingle is normal. From time to time I still have it near my scar 2 yrs later --just nerves are much more sensative after being cut. My incision is almost covers the whole left side of my neck ---only because once they went in ---one of the disc crumbled --they cut me wider to fish out the disc material from the back of the neck. You know what-- I understand its mild exercise but Im still not sure about it --at all. Next follow up at least mention in the states they seem to avoid any therapy for several weeks. I hope your throat is feeling better ---amazing how on fire it feels after this surgery. Try not to do to much on good days to soon--- or trust me you may get some nasty flares ups. Just glad this in all behind you now.:hug:

Thanks mg neck problem, I thought it was normal, just checking lol!

I have an early postop appointment to check my bladder as they discovered post op that it hasn't been emptying completely. My DH did notice something was amiss before my op, but I put it down to my imagination :o . Anyway, I'll mention your concerns re the physio when I go :) .

The more nattering I do, the better my voice gets. First thing in the morning it's all over the place lol!
I've cut my painkillers down to night time only now. When I feel stiff & achey I walk about the house a bit, it seems to help a little. If it gets too much, I will take a painkiller :).

Tender x

Dressing off & steri-strips left on for no other reason than I felt if they were left to dry out now they're open to the air, then they would just fall away naturally without being moistened & peeled off. I figured that as granulation occurs way beneath the skin surface then dead skin / scabs would also detach themselves naturally.

We have agreed that if i am in any way concerned regarding my wound, I'd go & have it checked.

So, we covered my wound temporarily & now I've enjoyed my 1st shower & hairwash ber-lisssss!! :D

Dressing off :)

Tender x

Hi Tenderfoot
 

Didn't that feel good? I hope you feel better today, and that the pain has deminished. ginnie:hug:

[Hi Tenderfoot,

LOL--I remember the first day I could shower was the highlight of my week. I remember right afterwards I was exhaused . When I had cancer I was laid up in a bed 3 months, no showers ,spounge bath which dont make u feel clean. I remember I went thru all the hot water in one shower ---its funny I said I will never take that simple thing for granted anymore. Actually off topic-- when I bought a brand new built house--since showers are so important to me--- I knocked out exsiting shower and built enormous shower with tiles and shower heads everywhere . LOL

It certainly did Ginnie! I'm tender now as I've once again, been a bit too busy with pans & meals & stuff. I had to stop doing things & sit down for a while, then cracked on again when my DH came home.

I've bought o.t.c. cocodamol tabs 8 mgs codeine phosphate with 500mgs paracetamol today as the others were too strong at 30mgs codeine as I only need deep ache relief not severe pain relief. I've just taken one as I had my MST 1/2 an hour ago & don't want to risk anymore yet. It'd probably be ok but I just want to be careful :)

People keep telling me I've been through the wars but mg neck problem, you knock spots off mine! And that shower of yours sounds heavenly! :smile:
Tender x

[Thanks Tender ---Im so glad your doing so much better !!

You're welcome mg neck problem. Post-op pain wise yes. The rest, I'm just pushing myself. My DH works long hours so I can't expect him to come home & start again.

I'm just making a few simple meals which DH helps me with, doing some dishes, DH does the rest & laundry which he carries to an indoor airer puts on a chair & I hang the washing on the airer.

Anything heavier than that, forget it. I spend the rest of my time dozing or on the net. I tried to do a bit of shopping today but I couldn't do it. I tire out soooo easily but I'm told to expect that. Concentration is a bit lax yet too. All in good time I guess, just got to be patient, not my middle name lol.

Tender x

Just to clarify, I wanted to buy a few things but after having my wound checked I couldn't walk the distance to the shops so DH drove me to get the cocodamol, then took me home.
Tender x

I asked about this at my appt today & the nurse specialist understood exactly where you were coming from.

She explained, as has been a subject of debate on a different thread I started regarding collars, that:

1) it's often down to surgeon preference
2) If physio/ activity is started many weeks following surgery, neck stiffness / weakness often delays recovery
3) Insufficient evidence available to support the benefit in delaying physio & consistently wearing a collar.

I also asked about vacuuming, mopping etc & was told I CAN do those jobs AS LONG AS I DO IT IN SHORT BURSTS. She emphasised that I should be as active as I felt comfortable. The main issue I MUST be careful with is NO heavy lifting, raking or digging, YET.

I have carbon cages with a boney mixture (DBM) plus some of my non-diseased bone in the mix. Fusion of my 3 vertebrae should be more or less completed from 3-6 months! I saw the xray & the gaps where the discs have gone are very evident as were the cages, but you couldn't see what they looked like.

As a matter of interest, on the way home my DH informed me that the rear suspension springs on Fairway cabs are also made from carbon fibre!

Tender x

HI There Tender !!!! Thanks for looking into it --just take things slow --give yourself time to fuse a few months . I walked alot around the blocks with my dog. Just to keep body moving. How are you feeling this week??

Hi mg neck problem, you're welcome :)

I'm ok, still some difficulty swallowing like I have to pour gravy over chips to eat them, chew well then swallow, that sort of thing.

Apart from my MST I take otc cocodamol only when I need it & haven't for 24 hrs now :). I'm still a little achey & tender but it's bearable. Still a bit restless overnight tho'.

Bladder behaved today (didn't retain) which was the reason for my appt today, doh! It's going to be reviewed at my follow-up with my neuro surgeon.

I'll try to take things a step at a time as I know it's in my best interest to do so.

Thanks,
Tender x

Just for safety's sake PLEASE don't vacuum! Like my neuro and 2 others told me, spinal patients should NOT vacuum -- EVER. It's the back & forth motion that does it -- and now ESPECIALLY since you're healing from a FUSION -- good grief, don't do it! :eek: Why risk it?

If you do wear a collar, use it off and on. Continuous wearing will make your neck muscles weak. So wear it for 2-3 hrs, and then take it off for 2-3. Then back on for the same, and then off. Etc. That way having it on gives you some relief, and off gives your muscles some relief. ;)

I'm a little concerned with your bladder misbehaving. :( I hope it straightens out soon! Keep me informed on that, will you? I really DO care about ya! Thanks alot Tenderfoot! And take care. ;) God bless. Hugs, Lee

Leesa I don't yet feel strong enough to vacuum, mop or anything similar so haven't tried & will head your warning :wink:

I only wear my collar when travelling & now I'm no longer grounded, subject to the snow :(, when I finally take a walk outdoors.

Until my GP gets the letter from the Spinal Nurse, I asked & been given ducosate sodium capsules to keep me "going" in case constipation from the mst is the culprit re my bladder issues, as it can cause problems in that dept. I will keep you informed Leesa & thanks again :wink:

Tender x

Hi Tenderfoot,

Its been a min or two just checking in to see how your doing?

Hi mg neck problem,

to be honest, I'm a bit browned off at the moment. The ice & snow have gone but we're getting battered with blustery winds and rain so getting out & about continues to be almost impossible. Barely been out of the house for 6 weeks now :mad:

I want to try & drive a bit too but was given conflicting advice regarding when I can do this.

Got my follow-up on 20th March but that's way off. Sorry for the grumble, I suppose that's to be expected too :(

Tender x

Hi Tenderfoot
 

Wish I could bring you here for some sunshine. I did move to florida, because of that same reason. I was sick of the snow, wind, rain and ice. We do get cold, but nothing I can complain of except hurricanes. Guess there is a price for this move. Hope you keep getting better. Being house bound isn't fun. ginnie

Hey ---I dont blame you remember I told u boredom will become a big issue!!.
It drove me nuts!! If im not working-- im working on projects around the house --just the past 2 weekends I hung molding in kitchen and family room --well then after I did that--- i was like I want to paint the room a brighter color ---then-- why Im at store buying the paint (smile) I see a new product of molding --that comes in as one sheet (cool looking)-- that goes half way up the wall-- so I buy that ---for the half bathroom its looks so good--- I decided to change that bathroom ---then a new vanity then a new light fixture ----then im like i need to paint celings again to make the moding pop (lol)-I have a bit ocd --its hard for me to sit still. (LOL) I didint drive for almost 3 months. I have a long drive to work and to be honest when I first drove --I almost hit someone at grocery store backing up ---even though i used mirrors and turn my whole body --I end up buying a new vechile with a back up camerea. It very important for at least 2 months aside from walking not to do to much ,no bending lifting esp.

Pain wise you feeling better?

Hi mg neck
 

I did back up and hit someone.... I didn't turn all the way around out of a parking space. Yep the neck was still healing, and PT was not over. Even now, I have to turn all the way around to back up. I am glad you like to do stuff in your house. I do too. Today I painted a bookshelf that I have had since I was born. Have a good day to all. ginnie:hug:

You did --that had to scare the poop out of ya.See I did almost actually-- it was a lady and a kid in one of those kids carts that look like a toy car--she pounded on my trunk and cursed me out-- and I thought I was being so careful --I said I was so sorry-- but it didint matter I understood almost hit her kid --that was it for me!! Plus i need suv anyways because I have 1 hr drive to work in ohio with snow --really need suv. I do love to work on my house and always onto next project. Now i wont lie--- the celings was not a good idea-- as it caused another flare up but I was trying to be frugal ---sometimes I need to remember Im not the same person physcially but im a bit bullheaded. (lol)

I've plenty to do in the house, some I can't do, other stuff I just want a change from doing and basically, go out!

Pain wise, still swallowing issues & the lump in my throat feeling. I know when my mst is due as my shoulders & between my blades ache, as does my lumbar region too actualy.

The odd neck twinge, crick, sort of slight crunch / crack/ grate, I can't put my finger on the word I'm looking for tbh. The odd zapping, stabbing sensation, especially around my wound - nerves repairing I suppose.

Tingling, numbness in my fingers has changed sensation to being a cold tingling, numb sensation. Where my scar is felt cold & wet this pm, but it wasn't tho' :confused:

Tender x

love bullheaded people!!!
 

I like bullheaded people. Seems to me we get just stubborn enough to get the stuff done. No don't do ceilings. I am trying hard to prepare my house for sale. Have lots to do, but I am careful of the neck just like you are. I was dragging today however, sometimes I do overdo it a bit. Pay a price the next day. Maybe we can't be like we were before all the neck problems, but we can try!!!! It's when folks give up, before they really know their limitations, that I feel bad about. I thought I would be stuck indoors and not doing anything for a long time. Keep going... and I will too. ginnie:hug:

I did still have shoulder issues ---noises in neck is normal cracking & crunching freaked me out at first--but is normal still get them but not as often. The zapping --I called them zingers asked dr he said he heard ppl say the same-- its the nerves--nerves do strange things---i still have numbness in fingers and my right hand is always much colder then left. 2 1/2 yrs out i get twinges in my scar as well and sometimes it itches my scar is longer then most ppl because my disc actually crumbled during surgery and dr had to fish out the material from the back of my neck. You will always get flare up when you over do it ---the main thing as much as you hate it --because your in the most important phase of healing-- is making sure you acheive a solid fusion. Even if you dont want too--- you have to very carefull and take it easy --and I mean not do too much. I walked everyday even if it was just around the block or house ---just to try to get energy back. I read alot of books. Sometimes I miss my recovery period it was one of the few times in 30yrs of working I ever spend so much time relaxing.

In between light housework I'm spending a lot of time doing various forms of needlework. Even then I'm told to be careful regarding positional strain on my neck!

It's a beautiful clear sky here this morning but blowing a gale & rather chilly, if that wind would drop I could take a walk....

Tender x

Very good glad to hear your doing well --keep us updated . Im glad the worst in behind you now.