Upcoming 4 level ACDF. Questions to ask?

Hi Randi/Darla I really do empathize with you on your swallowing difficulties, hopefully this will pass very quickly! This type of surgery has advanced so much since I had my first ACDF back in 1985. Back then I was still in the military but had the surgery done by a civilian neurosurgeon at a civilian hospital in Anchorage Alaska. I had a single level ACDF at C6/7 and I was in the hospital a full 8 days! LOL Completely lost my voice for over 3 months after the surgery and had swallowing difficulties for allot longer than that! Fast forward 25 years to 2009 and had my second single level ACDF at C5/6 was in the hospital 2 nights (supposed to be only one night but the Jvac drain was draining so much the doc wanted to leave it in an extra night so had to stay an extra day) but had no difficulties with that surgery at all.

Anyway it just amazes me how short your hospital stay was considering everything you had done! So many people especially it seems family and friends ( unless they've experienced this first hand) just don't understand how difficult and painful this type of surgery and recovery can be! But the people here on this forum do! And that's what makes this forum and it's people on it so special! So please (Above all be gentle and patient with yourself ) and with following your Doctors instructions to the Tee, you will hopefully do fine and have a complete and successful recovery!

And of course we're all here for you!

Wishing you all the best and a speedy recovery ......White Beard

Hi Karen! As usual you hit a nerve. A raw nerve as I have too many of! I don't get better and that is why my friends and family have a problem with me. Luckily I have not burned my husband out yet, and I do much of the easy lifting jobs in the house, along with work, so I do not feel like a total burden but a chronic pain person can be a drag to many I guess and that is what I get from others. I had not put my finger on it but the problem is that I do not get better. I will heal from this surgery and I am sure do well, but it won't be overnight and I will likely have other surgeries. I average 1 or 2 a year. People send a message saying how are you and I should be fine in a day or two. Mind you I do not complain endlessly unless they catch me at a bad moment but it just seems to build resentment as though I am choosing to not find a solution and they tire of it. I don't even mind that except I question myself! And then blame myself. No more. I am Teflon now! A student of mine called it 'gray rocking' which I had never heard of but same concept...she had an autoimmune disease as well. Thanks, Karen. I want to be like you!

White Beard, I can't even imagine being in Alaska in the Winter, let alone actually having to work as hard as the military people do! We took a cruise in the summer and had great weather and were freezing most of the time! Thank you for your service.

Hi Karen! First, I am so sorry your friend has to deal with the additional stress in addition to such a tough medical situation. She is fortunate, though, to have you as a friend and I am sure that helps her a lot.

The stories of length of stay in the hospital brought back memories. I have been going through hospitalizations since I think 1978. As a freshman in College I tripped on the stairs and tore a cartilage in my knee. The repair of that required (?) a week inpatient. Back then you were admitted the day before a surgery, given lots of sleeping pills and other anxiety meds that pretty much sedated you the night before! The surgery involved cutting my leg from the bottom of my thigh to my calf. A big ugly slice. Recovery was in a long leg cast! Crutches and no weight bearing. After the cast finally came off I had extensive therapy to try and bend the leg again, as you can imagine. I had patellas that were off center and from hopping on the other leg for so long that one needed repair, too, and seems I never stopped being repaired. Every school break I was in the hospital for a long time. The rooms were usually 6 beds. The pain meds were too strong...shots of demerol and morphine frequently...And most of us smoked in the beds! Even though we were all immobile we were given strong meds and allowed to smoke in the room. What a potential disaster!

Thanks for sharing your information. You have had a different perspective on the changes...they are really amazing and much of it quite good! I appreciate your swallowing advice and think of it every time I have difficulty...Which is still frequently but improving. Have a good day, Karen and everybody!

What I remember is wondering why my dr or someone didn't tell me this is a LONG recovery-I was not on this site yet, my loss. I had been through other surgeries and did seem to get a little better each day. Not this one! I could not see or feel daily improvement. It was more like monthly at first, then weekly. It may have been easier to just tell people it takes a year to recover from this and I'm on my way or something like that.

You will get there but it's still very soon since that truck hit you! We are glad to listen, so keep on coming here, asking anything, and let us know how you are doing. Whatever is said here will certainly help someone else down the road.

Darla:
Remember, too, that you are aging and older than you were with other surgeries. Aging does make the recovery process more irregular and protracted.

That you have an underlying auto-immune disorder is also likely at play with your slower than wanted recovery trajectory.

I have fragile health. I have made it clear to my medical providers that I will not agree to any further surgergical procedures. None. Zero. Nada. Especially any life-threatening situation that may suggest a surgical intervention is a “no go.”

I do not want to be in any worse condition than I already am. Quality of life matters.

Every surgery takes a toll on the body. There is a cumulative effect.

The human body really is a marvel in its creation. Every surgery, even a surgery with intended benefits, disrupts the body’s natural order of being.

Rest. Gentle movement. Nutrition. Listen to your body. It will tell you what it needs.

Best wishes moving forward,
Karen

Darla, you are two weeks post op & still in what we call the fresh stages of recovery from surgery. Can you tell if the swallowing is starting to get any better? I have had quite a few surgeries over the years & often felt like someone had punched me several times afterwards. When I would mention it to the dr, the standard answer was it was probably from being positioned. I knew at that point it would be useless to ask any further, lol.

We finally got a break yesterday from the heat. A front blew in & brought a few sprinkles. Certainly not enough to do any good. Our local lake is down 81/2 feet to give you an idea how bad of a drought we are in. The reprieve from the triple digits will last a couple of more days. I am enjoying my coffee on the patio this morning for a change. I had forgotten how nice it can be out here early in the morning. I get up very early, somewhere between 4 to 5 am. Sleeping in for me is 6:00am, lol. The dogs are appreciating the weather as much as I am. They love being out here with me in the morning.

I am off to water my plants. Take care.

Hello Susie and Karen! Thanks for thinking of me!

Susie...I force myself not to leave my bedroom before 4am. I don't even feel bad about waking up so early. Sorry about your heat. It can get so unbearable. I did not realize you had a drought as well. At least I have not heard of any hurricanes in a while, knock on wood!

Karen and Susie, I had my three week post-op today. I have been home most of the time so even the outing in the car and sitting in the Dr's office without resting my head was rough but I am doing really well I think. I do have trouble swallowing and he said that is to be expected as the esophagus does not like to be moved. He said it 'should' get better. But it has gotten better already so I do expect more improvement. He is a wonderful practitioner...Sat back discussing things instead of the usual rush you out-people are waiting. I did not realize how much was done! Involved hammers, screws, plates, wow. Really amazing I feel as well as I do! No brace, no special precautions. Wow. Susie, I do feel slammed, lol.

I wanted to ask a question...I have lost my senses of smell and taste. I think it happened in early June, prior to this surgery. I returned from a trip and we all got bad sinus infections...My husband who was with me as well as my son who was not. I juggled between taking the auto-immune meds (methotrexate mostly was the issue) and taking an antibiotic for the sinus infection. Tough choice. Perhaps I did not allow enough time between the two types of meds, maybe not, but after the sinus infection was resolved I still did not get my senses of smell and taste back. I thought it was the congestion but I can breathe fine. I am having a tough time eating because not only is the swallowing still uncomfortable but everything tastes like carpet to me. I can taste sweet or salty...that is it.

I brought this issue up to the NS today and he brainstormed with me but had no idea, really. I was distracted with the surgery but as I heal and still no smell/taste I am getting frustrated.

Ladies? Have you heard of this from a medication, condition, etc?

Thanks and THANKS for thinking of me!!

Thanks, Karen. I have had so many surgeries but never the loss of taste/smell. If anything, my senses were too sharp thanks to my overactive brain! This was a different surgery, though, so I am going to just wait since I can't think of anything else besides asking everyone. Good point about the anesthesia.

I have not gotten out too much, but I move A LOT. If anything I don't have enough rest. I think you are right about the change of scenery though.

Karen, I had AVN of the hip (not sure why one hip but glad it was not both) and my husband had it in both. We had them replaced. I know you said NO more surgeries but knowing what trying to move was like I wonder if you would ever consider it? My husband waited until he was crawling! I know your diseases complicate the issue but just thought I would ask.

Thanks for taking the time to write!

Karen...You were diagnosed with Addison's Disease and MCTD 25 years ago and have been on high dose cortisone for treatment of both for that time period, correct? Did you run the course with methotrexate as well and things along those lines or just the steroids? It sounds like being in good shape definitely has helped!