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

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

love,
Tender xx

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

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

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 .

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!
Tender xx

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
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.

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