Update On My ACDF

Although it will only be a week tomorrow, I'm already so glad I had the procedure. I'm still in the difficult period of recovery of course and have a long way to go but having it done and over with, as well as already seeing some small areas of improvement feels like a *huge* weight lifted. The PT at the hospital that taught me the basics of things actually set me up with a once weekly home health nurse visit and some in home OT to help me better navigate some basics since I'd declined so much. It was completely unexpected but so appreciated, especially since my insurance actually covers it. (Just some basic things like how to and not to move, properly stand up, use my walker, ideas on making the house more recovery friendly, etc) The OT was impressed with how well prepared we already were and I got SO many tips from here, so know you guys are giving sage advice. ;)

I'm pretty shocked at the degree of the restrictions and having a heck of a time not accidentally moving in a way I shouldn't but I'm getting there. Valium wasn't doing much for my spasms unless it was IV at the hospital and of course not for long periods but we found that Tizanidine works fantastically for me. I'm also still on the Zofran as the Oxy just makes me so nauseous. So yeah... Still a long way to go but definitely not asking myself what the crap have I done like I was for the first 24 hours.

Also, in case you need a laugh, while eating I dropped a bowl on my face. Yes. On my face. Contributing factors being a recliner, hard collar and myelopathy.

Sounds like your doing good! Glad you got some at home visits they are priceless. I can see dropping a bowl in that situation given I know what it's like in a collar and doing everything from a recliner. Hopefully it wasn't glass and full!

I'm glad you have a home health care nurse checking on you CreatureLove. sounds like your doing okay. As you know you have a long road ahead, but just take it easy, range of motion in your neck is definitely one thing that your going to miss! But it is just part and parcel of having this procedure done. I like star gazing, and that is definitely difficult. So I lay down in my zero gravity lawn chair on my deck to look up at the stars! I also got one of those, small stick on convex mirrors to put on my side mirror on my car, since I have a hard time twisting my neck around enough to see the traffic coming on the left behind me. Those mirrors work great for that! So that might be something you might have to look at further down the road of your recovery.

Anyway just be gentle with yourself and just concentrate on healing!!!

Wishing you all the best!

White Beard

Vic, thank you. Although this collar definitely helps me hold my head up and not move improperly it's driving me crazy! I'm ready to fling it across the room! ;) I'm nevous whenever I take it off to shower though and would be scared to death to sleep without it. How long ago was yours?

WhiteBeard, for the most part I am, although there are definitely rough patches. My pain levels and muscle issues are really grinding my patience and resolve down the last few days and affecting my sleep. I contacted my surgeons office about it yesterday finally and got the whole "it's a normal part of the process" response. He refilled another week of Oxy for me...but wants to start spacing it out every 6 hours instead of every 4. It's a bit maddening as I know this is going to be painful... But there's no reason I should have to hover most commonly around a 7-8. My greatest relief has gotten me about a 6 and that's when I'm fully medicated, still and reclined in my pillow nest. Even my home health nurse (and blood pressure) agrees my pain needs to be better managed and has communicated that to my surgeon. We even spoke about my tolerance to pain meds as I've been in PM for so long. Blah blah blah tight fisted surgeons re: pain meds are maddening. I'm ultimately still so glad I did it though as there are improvements. I actually spend a lot of time with the night skies as well, I've had a long time love affair with the moon. :)

Susie, thank you for that. I will definitely keep that in mind so I'm not caught off guard. It's bizarre how now that the surgery is over, my patience isn't what is was before. I think it's perhaps that now the fear of the impending procedure is gone, the focus has shifted to the frustrations of the healing process.

Vickie, they really have been priceless! It was sadly a glass bowl full of ice cream. Heh! At least I can laugh at myself.

Rocckyd, that was definitely a fear I had, for sure. Thank you for the well wishes, they're appreciated.

White Beard, I know! I was hopeful my surgeon would be more understanding since he has a good relationship with my PM Dr, knows I have a high tolerance, have worked hard to stay on the lowest dosages possible over the last 5 years AND he's had a lumbar fusion. It was however when he was younger, which makes a huge difference in recovery.

Hello fellow sufferers. It really is comforting to know that others are finding and sharing unique
ways to press forward when health problems/pain/emotions throw up so many obstacles. I am
4th day post-op ACDF C3-C6. I was so excited to be able to write legibly and pick up small items
again and best of all, almost zero numbness/tingling in right arm and legs. But, of course, changes
didn't end there. While I was in recovery (7 hours until a bed became available), I desperately felt
the need to get out of the bed and ambulate. The nurses fussed and threatened, but I almost got
out of the bed. I kept asking for muscle relaxers as the pain on the left bicep, shoulder blade and
side of neck was nearly unbearable. One nurse was certain it was nicotine withdrawal because I
was quite vitriolic. They kept giving me 1/4 of the doses prescribed by my surgeon so I wouldn't
run out. Ridiculous. I didn't need more narcotics, I needed Tizanidine or Robaxin for Pete's sake. Before I was sent to my room, I apologized for my behavior and assured them I didn't behave this way
usually. In the hospital room, I hung my catheter on my IV pole and strolled around and tried
to stretch out the muscles that were in spasm. Sure enough, i got caught and mildly rebuked,
however, my Dr.'s PA was pleased I was up and around, and again, I begged for muscle relaxers.
Woke up from surgery at 10am and finally received MR's at 11:30pm. The gentleman who was
cleaning up around the recovery area came down to my room with a Biohazard bag of something
lumpy and brown that he said the nurses wanted me to have. They were homemade chocolate
oatmeal cookies!! I laughed at the dig and shared the cookies with my nurses.

Still having the spasms and cannot find a way to ease them. Does anyone have any suggesstions?
I cannot sleep for more than 2 hours at a time and am quite the zombie. Can anyone share how long
the spasms lasted for them. I am bipolar and the pain is beginning to affect my mental state as
well as emotional one.

Also, has anyone had any serious repercussions from vomiting? It sure did hurt.

My pain management doctor and my neurosurgeon are very conservative in prescribing habits. They
both tend to let the DEA manage my chronic pain. But what can I do about it? I just keep telling
myself this will get better. At least I took Percocet home from the hospital (was on a 4 Tylenol #4's, 3 Gabapentins and 3 Tizanidines per day, oxycodone in lieu of the T-4's). But only 4 Percocets daily and
2 Lyricas. I will see the surgeon in 9 days, can't wait to hear about how I behaved during surgery.

Thanks for reading my vent.

Kelrebec

Chronic Pain, Spinal/Cervical Stenosis, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Hypothyroidism, Hep C, Bipolar and Divorced. Lumbar and Cervical Fusions, Failed Lumbar but hope to pass Cervical.