Thanks for the responses.

Lisa, my first surgery that I had, they took out C6 and put in a metal plate and screws fusing C5 and C7. they went through the front of my neck and I gotta say it wasn't bad at all. I did wear a collar for several weeks and then a bone stimulator 4 hrs a day. I then went through physical therapy. I think the problem with such a slow recovery was my incision. My body rejects the disolving sutures and this last surgery they used staples and my body didn't like them either. So I developed an infection and my incision opened up a little..so it took time to clear that all up. But I was released to return to work about 4 or 5 months after that first surgery and I did feel wonderful. Well until the car accident..

I believe this newest problem is also related to the car accident but that is something my doctor will have to prove because the car insurance has to have proof before they will pay for anything. In the meantime my husband's blue cross will pay and if it ends up being car related then my car insurance will have to pay blue cross back..this has happened on a few things now.

The seat belt injury caused 3 very large masses to appear on my chest. When I first found the masses it scared me because they are right by my left breast. But after biopsies they turned out to be fat modules caused by the seat belt injuries...Blue cross paid for this and I tried to fight it with the car insurance but I didn't win on that one... it drives me crazy that you pay out very high dollars for car insurance and then they don't want to pay anything out when you get injured. Everything is a fight with the car insurance companies. They now have told me I had to apply for social security disability, I did apply a few weeks ago but this was before seeing this latest doctor. I guess if it turns out that I have TOS I will let Social Security know about it. It takes a long time for Social Security to make a decision.

I will try to post somewhere a picture of myself that shows the way my chest goes in and my collar bone is very big on the right side and swelling. I have a picture that was taken recently by my husband..I hate getting my picture taken, but I have an Eclectus Parrot and I was holding him and my husband took a picture. It was late at night and I was getting ready to go get ready for bed..so it's a really bad picture... I'm new at this posting but I think I saw a photo album I can upload to.

I have to be the strong one through all of this my husband panics about everything..some days it's really hard because I feel so horrible but I try and always have a smile on my face so he doesn't worry about me. He has enough going on..his company is closing and he will be getting laid off permanently within the next few weeks. He will be 55 and he is scared no one will want to hire him.

I don't know if I mentioned this but in 2000 I was diagnosed with a bone tumor in my right humerous they kept telling me it was bone cancer for a year I went through all kinds of tests and was told we can not do a biopsy because it is in a sac. Finally in Dec of 2000 the doc said it has grown so much we need to get it out right away and the pain was really bad. I told him it will have to wait until after the holidays..I had been through enough that year at least give me the holiday with my family. I went in on Jan 28, 2001 and the tumor was alot larger than they thought. Turned out it was an Enchondroma..thank you jesus....that was the most painful recovery that I have ever been through. So I also wonder if there is something like scar tissue issues from that surgery. My incision is right where my chest and my right arm join...same side that I am having trouble with now. They had to cut through everything to open me up and make a cut into my bone to get the tumor out. I guess I will find out soon....