Still waiting for the NS to call back from Hopkins. He will probably call when I am consulting the NS at UPMC again. Thia time I will forward the phone to my cell and I already left specific instructions with office that they can speak to my wife. So here's to hoping that it will come and soon.
Overall though on Tuesday, I meet with the first NS (Bejjanii or however it is spelled). We are going to discuss the CSF flow MRI and talk surgery about fusion of the vertebrae at c5-c6 and c6-c7. At least that is what I think it is called.
IT is the procedure where the remove the discs and replace with bone.
Both Hopkins and UPMC NS's said I needed it done first.
Anyhow, anyone had it done? What do I expect in recovery? Could it relieve some CM symptoms? What should I ask the doc about it on Tuesday? Any change in range of motion in the neck? Any tips or advice
That is exactly what I had done!!! 1st my NS wanted to do the neck fusion ..wait 6 mths to see if my symptoms improved then re-evaluate...His thought was...let's fix what we know needs fixing.
For me anyway...I felt and still feel as though that was the proper way to go...was in the hospital less than 24 hrs!! recovery was not bad at all!!! Don't get me wrong...there was pain..but I knew it was surgical pain and it was very tolerable. It did help with some of the neck issues...I would ask about PT after the fusion....I went to PT , I think about 3 weeks post op...but b4 I went I gently turned my head side to side as per the doctors instruction....this really helped...my neck never got locked up...I asked the NS.."Will I goof anything up by doing this??" His response was funny..."No, I screwed you in really good"....and he did...after 6 weeks they do an x-ray to make sure the fusion is healing, haardware where it should be...
Oh yeah.....I used a lot of ice for the 1st week or so...helped a lot.