It's off to the surgeon

[fixerupper]

I've had to sit and think this over a bit before making this post cause I don't want to sound like a whiner.

I'm going to have surgery on my neck on early Tuesday morning in Minneapolis, which is only five hours away, but the weather forecast sounds kind of yucky for between now and then so we're leaving today instead of tomorrow.

The MRI shows severe Stenosis in C3&C4. The Doc wants to get this remedied now without delay because it's pretty well advanced and the spinal cord is being squeezed kinda tight. Now I know where the headaches have been coming from.

Sounds like the surgery will be pretty simple, as neck surgeries go and everything will be done through the back of the neck so I'll be a little stiff and sore for awhile but nothing real bad.

What overshadows all this is vivid memories of what happened 5 1/2 years ago when our daughter passed away because of a doctor mistake during a routine surgery. The memories of those horrible moments in that hospital are still vivid and probably always will be. Three little girls lost their mother and a husband had to fight with his grief while he was burdened with the load of raising these girls.

I'm so afraid of my family going through this again. The doc said the chances of a problem are 5 percent so I have a 95 percent chance of coming home and telling you guys I came out OK, and I am looking forward to doing exactly that on Thursday.

Well, I guess that's enough whining. Thanks for listening. I'll see you Thursday. Jim

 

[Anonymous-0]

Good luck, we'll be praying for you. Have the wife update us if she has access to a computer. Dave.

 

[Paul from MI]

Hopefully everything will go according to plan and we'll be hearing from you soon. Prayers are with you.
Paul

 

[Rickey H]

I feel for you and wish you the best in recovery. I"m hurting so bad right now I could cry if it would help.....Rickey

 

[bradley martin]

Good luck and God bless.

 

[JDemaris]

That "simpler" approach works for some people, not for others. If you think about it from a mechanical perspective - you started out with a large piece of disc as the cushion keeping pressure off the spinal-root. Then it ruptured. They probably want to remove some, and cut some bone, to give clearnace for the spinal-cord-root. So, when done, you've got less cushion then you started with. Physics seem to dictate that if the original parts didn't hold up, why will the trimmed parts? Answer is - I guess - depends how you got that way. If from an unusual accident that's may not happen again - they maybe it will work fine. If you got that way from stuff you do everyday - well - then it seems you'll have to change your lifestyle if that's all they are going to do.
That's the way I saw it when I was crippled from it. I told that to the doctor and surgeon and asked for the full-job the first time. They refused and had to do the least intrusive surgery first.
I had my C3 and C4 done twice. First time they took what they said was the simplest approach - from the back of the neck. They went in and removed enough material to take pressure off the spinal root. It didn't last three months - but I do a lot of heavy-duty type work. Maybe if I was a desk-sitter, things would of gone better.
2nd time in, they went through my throat and fused C3 and C4 with a piece of my own hip bone. Took me two years to fully recover from that job - but it worked. Did it in 1991 and I'm still out working every day.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I know someone who has something similar caused by a compression type impact, the wind blew a Bilco cellar door off it's brace, and it hit her directly on the head, even had some kind of brain damage, (though you would never know it) compressed the spine in that area and the associated myriad of other related problems she's had to endure. That is really hard on a person, I think the last surgery she had was through the front, she is also an RN and a very sharp individual, motivated and probabaly the best mom in the world that a daughter could have. What you describe sounds familiar, she used to get the headaches and deal with medications that had their own problems, somehow she never let it get her down, and still works full time and has made a good recovery and great accomplishents living with an injury like this. She could not work in the hospital anymore, but used the prior experience to excel in a closely related field.

I think you'll be fine, and it will go well, just tell em, what your handle is here and make sure they do the right fixin up on ya !!!

 

[Anonymous-0]

Good luck from Dubuque, Iowa. Will say a prayer for you.

 

[Larry in GA.]

Jim we will keep you and your family in our prayers have a safe trip. Look forward to hearing from you soon.
Larry

 

[2t2@IA]

Jim: Best wishes on the surgery. I'm sure everything will go all right. After the surgery, my usual "advice" is do what the Dr. tells you to do, and don't do what the Dr. tells you not to do! You are wise to go today, I think. Russell

 

[Gun guru]

I dont like suing hospitals (never have) but did the son in law sue the hospital (or doctor) because of your daughters death?

 

[Bill in Colo]

Had simuliar surgery done two years ago could, barely walk into hospital, eat alot of vicodine to keep going,walked out two days later with only what felt like a scrath. As for my back I'm pain free.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Best wishes, and what I remember from driving in MN is you are more at danger driving with those folks. Sure seems they have to have either one or the other foot pedals clear to the floor at all times. Therefore you are probably more at risk going and returning on the Hwys.

I'ts wonderful what they can do nowdays, and I certianly hope you can add to the glory stories.

 

[Steve in MN]

Good luck and God bless. I'm glad your going down a little early, sounds like the weather's going to be a little worse than expected. Hope to hear from you soon.

 

[Larry59]

You know sometimes you just got to talk to someone else! Those around you at times do not understand what is inside another person. Even if those around are family for years.
Kind of like getting it off your chest and telling it to others who will not put you down. But listen and make a kind reply.
I wish you the very best! But another thing you might do is what I have been known to do...Just go outside.. tell family no matter what you hear are might see. Just leave me alone!
Then go kick something over.. step on it. Yell out words you might not normally speak even. ..Then stand there and start laughing about what you have done and said.
Go back in house and if someone says. What was that all about.. ha ha Just a little steam I am letting lose about life.

 

[kyplowboy]

Good luck, will say a good word for you and your family. Be safe on the road. Hope the best for you.

Dave

 

[John M]

My granny had some sort of neck surgery to fix the pain in her upper back and shoulders. We were told up front it was VERY risky, but she wanted it and she got it. Shes not 100%,and in a nursing home, but she is pretty much pain free now and can lift her arms again and hold her coffee again in the morning. On a side note, she loves the nursing home, she has friends there now, and the staff treat her like a queen, and she loves it. Sorry to hear about your daughter.

 

[ny bill]

good luck and God's guidance to the surgeons.

 

[Big Mike]

Sorry to hear what happened! Good Luck tomorrow. I'm sure everything will be alright!

 

[Anonymous-0]

I had surgery done on my neck years and years ago when I was just 25 years old -- and I'm here to tell you --- it's going to be one Very Stiff Neck for a week...
God Bless

 

[chvet73]

Good lock with your surgery. I have a 5 level fusion in my lower back. Although not a complete cure, it is a big improvement over what I had before surgery. I'm confident any back surgery is better than the pain if you don't have it.

 

[big jt]

Jim

Here's wishing you well. I EXPECT to visit with you the end of the week

Have a good trip and don't worry about staying a extra day if you need to. Do what 2t2@ia said & tell the doctors what is going on so they KNOW how you are felling.

jt

 

[dave guest]

Jim, praying for God to watch over your surgery.