Back experts? What the hell does this mean?

[Said1]

These doctors are driving me nuts as the pain gets worse and worse. I'm ready to start gnawing on my arm in the hopes it'll just fall off.

I met today with the neurologist and the surgeon and all agreed surgery is the next step (which I thought we decided a few weeks ago). The left tricep and bicep are starting to get 'atrophy'. They said they would like to do it ASAP, as in next week, and sat me down with the woman who schedules everything, who told me they were booked until the 27th!

So now I get to sit here and suffer and wait till the 27th for some relief. The pain killers help some but not enough.

The doc said they go in with about a 2 inch incision on the side of the neck, remove the disk, put a piece of bone in it's place (they said they used to get it from the patients hip but now use bone from donors), and then connect the little spinal bones together with a hunk of metal. Luckily for me though he said it won't set off metal detectors at the airport. He did mention something to look forward to though, something about some morphine afterwards! He said no smoking for 4-6 weeks after surgery either as it makes the success chances lower by 20%. Jeez, they should just euthanize me!

Hmmm, kinda of makes you wonder, especially after not getting those jobs. Would you have gotten the time off needed for surgery?

 

[jimnyc]

Hmmm, kinda of makes you wonder, especially after not getting those jobs. Would you have gotten the time off needed for surgery?

Probably not, and certainly not paid.

They called me back this afternoon and moved the surgery up till next week on Thursday the 15th. Yikes!

 

[Said1]

Probably not, and certainly not paid.

They called me back this afternoon and moved the surgery up till next week on Thursday the 15th. Yikes!

Wow, that's next week!

I wish I had some recovery advise, but I don't (other than what the doctor says), sooooooooo, here's hoping for some decent looking nurses!


Good lluck, I'm sure all will go well.

 

[no1tovote4]

Physical therapy sucks, but you gotta do it or you'll have far more pain later...

good luck.