I had surgery on my right side on Oct 23/06 and my left on Oct 25/06. I got immediate relief from the numbness and tingling in my hands.
I still have some pain, mostly muscle pain from the surgery. I know I am only four weeks out, but I have a very positive attitude. I am following my Dr.'s orders to the letter. I never lift anything that weighs more than five pounds. I only spend 15 minutes at a time on the computer. I try to walk a little every day, even if it is just around the house. I have not driven since the surgery, and probably won't until Christmas.
While I am having a few problems re-training myself to sleep on my back instead of my side, I am finally feeling more rested than I have in a long, ong time.
My Dr. is very optomistic. He has a lot of successes. He actually will give you the names and numbers of people that he has operated on for TOS, so you can talk to them about their outcomes. He gives you the numbers of both positive and negative outcomes!
Before my surgery I talked to a lady whose surgery made her worse. We talked for a long time, and she cacme to the concusion that if she had done as her Dr. requested she would ave been a little better, but certainly not as bad as she is today.
I talked to a fellow that works as an aircraft mechanic with my husband. Two years ago he couldn't hold a wrench, after the surgery he is back to work full time. While he has had to learn his limits, and not over work himself, he is able to work as an aircraft mechanic again after not being able to provide for his family for years.
I expect, and my Dr. expects that I will be able to return to dirt biking in the summer, and I should have at least a 90% recovery. Of course, I need to do exactly as requested of me in order to get there.
I know that this can be the most frustruating and painful injury. A lot of us have other health problems on top of the TOS. After speaking to a pain management Dr., he suggested I go through a workbook called The Artist's Way. He, and the book, stress a positve attitude is essential to having any kind of quality of life, and deal with this injury.
Deppression takes us over so quickly, and we become paralyzed with grief, unable to hep ourselves. We need to grab hold of the reins, and take control of our own health. Too often we leave the decsions to the Dr.'s, they know more after all. We need to live positivley, let this syndrome know it can't have us. We may have it, but it doesn't have us!
I am grateful to Dr. Nelems for giving me feeling, and functionality. He helped me mechanically, I and my family will continue to help me in every other posible way, so I can realize the best quality of life possible out of this horrible, horrible injury.
Thanks for listening to me rant. I just wanted to give a positive reason to keep on going. Better health can be yours, as it is mine!
Tracy
PS gentle hugs to all () I pray for you all daily