I've Gotta Pain In The ....

Well, all those years of gardening have finally caught up with me. As my stepmom would have said, "the wages of sin, my dear" and then laugh. She had such a sense of humor.


I met with the surgeon in Savannah today. Here’s the doctors report in a nutshell (with deepest apologizes to all my medical bloggy friends, consider me medically differently disabled) …


My C-3 is degenerated from age.
Between C-4 and C-5 there is a tear.
Between C-5 and C-6 there is a tear and a herniated disc. The nerve is bulging out and getting pinched. Thus, the pain.


Doc takes the disk from out between C 5 and C 6, cleans the area, removes a teeny tiny piece of bone, crumbles the bone, lay that aside, screws a small titanium plate to hold C 5 and C 6 in place and properly spaced, sprinkles the powdered bone on the area. The area quickly grows back like new.

He said I don’t have to wear a neck brace and I only have to spend one night in Hospital. I could go home the day of the surgery if we lived closer to said Doc but he will be 2 hours from our home. Since we live so far out in the country, Doc worries about my going home and having a problem and not being near medical care.

All I know is, I want ice cream afterwards! LOL

Boy, before you know it, medical care will be like on Star Trek after all. We’ll have medical personnel that can wave a wand over the affected area and you’re healed!

Dr. "Bones" McCoy
Cool deal.

But for now, we must rely on the “old” methods of anesthesia, a sharp knife and a skilled hand. Updates to follow. The Doc's office sent me home with some Celebrex is calling me Monday to let me know when to report to Hospital.

A Few Medical Links Concerning This Procedure:
http://www.eorthopod.com/public/patient_education/6452/neck_pain.html
http://www.doereport.com/generateexhibit.php?ID=808

** UPDATE 26 January 2009: Surgery is scheduled for February 4th (Wednesday). It will done as an out-patient procedure. God bless! ***

PS: Many of y’all have very kindly been asking about our 4 year old niece, Amberlee. Happily she is on the road to recovery. Poor little thing has pneumonia. The fever broke yesterday and the doctor has her on a nebulizer inhaler and multiple antibiotics. We’re praying for a rapid recovery. Thanks y’all for your prayers!

Amberlee


♥ ∞