doc visit for post surgery update

[Keye]

Went to see the neurosurgeon for a follow up on my C5/C6 surgery. Of course the doc is done with me so I saw the PA. Did not mind though as she looks a lot better than he does.

The report was good and I seem to be on the road to recovery, so far. I still have numbness all the time in my hands and sometimes in my legs. The PA said it may take 6 months to a year for the numbness to go away, if it does. She said the doc was a little concerned there might be permanent nerve damage.

Anyone have any experience with this numbness thing taking so long to go away.

IF you have a disk problem and experience numbness go to the doc right away. I waited several months and this was a mistake.

I remember them telling me after the surgery that they had found a real mess. Really wanted to know what this meant. The PA told me they found a bucket full of stuff to take out.

After having the doc tell me a good hard slap on the back could cripple me from the neck down, before surgery, I still feel very lucky.

It will be at least 6 more weeks before I am allowed back into the shop. This amounts to a total of 12 weeks of total boredom. Compared to where others find themselves and where I could have ended up I realize I have no right to complain. I would still like a little cheese with my whine.

[TracyP]

Originally Posted by Keye

Went to see the neurosurgeon for a follow up on my C5/C6 surgery. Of course the doc is done with me so I saw the PA. Did not mind though as she looks a lot better than he does.

The report was good and I seem to be on the road to recovery, so far. I still have numbness all the time in my hands and sometimes in my legs. The PA said it may take 6 months to a year for the numbness to go away, if it does. She said the doc was a little concerned there might be permanent nerve damage.

Anyone have any experience with this numbness thing taking so long to go away.

IF you have a disk problem and experience numbness go to the doc right away. I waited several months and this was a mistake.

I remember them telling me after the surgery that they had found a real mess. Really wanted to know what this meant. The PA told me they found a bucket full of stuff to take out.

After having the doc tell me a good hard slap on the back could cripple me from the neck down, before surgery, I still feel very lucky.

It will be at least 6 more weeks before I am allowed back into the shop. This amounts to a total of 12 weeks of total boredom. Compared to where others find themselves and where I could have ended up I realize I have no right to complain. I would still like a little cheese with my whine.

I think you are not whining and therefore no cheese is needed. You are evidently a lucky man!!

[ScottM]

12 weeks of boredom beats a life time in a wheel chair or worse. I am glad you are making progress and I pray you will continue to do so.

[McRabbet]

Keye,

Hopefully the numbness will subside in time, but an important aspect is to follow your Doc's guidance on physical rehabilitation. My wife had C5/C6 surgery (a laminectomy) in 1965. Back then, surgery was more invasive and her recovery was nearly 3 months and fully six months before her left arm nerves came back to full sensation with no pain. Be patient. To quote another: "Time heals almost everything. Give time some time."

To add to that, she had C3/C4 surgery this past April and came home from the hospital less than 48 hours after surgery. She was up and around the house within a week. She had a good physical therapist for about 5 weeks and was in great form thereafter. Eight weeks after that surgery, she had her right knee totally rebuilt (it had been replaced in 1988 and rebuilt in 1997, but it had to be refitted with new contact parts this time). She was walking the day after that surgery and got full flexibility back in less than a week because she stuck to her rehab program. Not bad for a lady born in the 30's!

[Tar Heel]

Glad things are going well for you and that you had this surgery done before it was too late. No surgery is fun but the alternatives are usually much worse.

[JimmyC]

Originally Posted by Keye

I would still like a little cheese with my whine.

Keye,
I'm glad to hear that everything is going well. As far as cheese goes, think of all the time you get to read up on woodworking, watch woodworking shows, drool over tools you can't afford in catalogs, re-organize your shop on paper, play on North Carolina Woodworker......and then tomorrow you get to do it all over again, and then the next day........and the next day........

Eventually it will be over

Godspeed my friend.

[dave "dhi"]

keye, good luck. now mr. payne, id hate to see your medical bills! yikes, with or with out health insurance!

[RandyJ]

Glad to hear things are progressing well, Keye. Follow the Docs orders and you'll be makin' sawdust before you know it.

[McRabbet]

Originally Posted by dave "dhi"

keye, good luck. now mr. payne, id hate to see your medical bills! yikes, with or with out health insurance!

Both my wife and I are over 65 so we are eligible for Medicare coverage. In addition, I carry Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance ($335/mo) which covers what Medicare doesn't cover. We are fortunate because with her two surgeries and my rotator cuff surgery in February, our cost has been $0.00! We have copays on drugs and minimums on doctor visits, but our major medical coverage is superb.

[dave "dhi"]

I only cringe when i think of families with no coverage! glad to hear that $0.00 cost! my wife is a nurse and ive heard stories. We have same coverage. which is nice since im self employed. well good luck u and keye!
dave