Jassy is back.....

[quote:329060c900=\"Flutterbye\"][color=indigo:329060c900][b:329060c900]Hello lovely people.... :fairy:

Yes i know...I went AWOL for a while..... :roll:

I have just been trying to cope and recover from my surgery and just life in general!!! (I don't think i will ever get a handle on life, but thats another story... :wink: )

Well...Its been just over 6 months since my surgery on my C4/5 & 5/6.

My last Xray showed that my neck is \"fusing beautifully\" (quoting my Neurosurgeon) ...that was back in December. I am going to have another Xray and possibly an MRI next month when i see my Neuro again.

I am still having pain on a daily basis, but no where near as bad as before the Op...My arm pain went away very quickly after the Op, which was great!!! :D The headaches still give me grief...more often than i would like, but i guess i am still in the healing process... :roll: I have a lot of muscle aches and tightness which is due the instability and weakness of my neck they tell me....I see my Physio at least once a week to massage out all the knots.

I am still weaning off all the meds i was on before and after the sugery....The side effects of that can drive anyone crazy..... :weird: At the moment, all of it is getting me a bit down and depressed, but im working on that too...Phew...No wonder im so exhausted!!!!! :wah: :zzz: :huh:

Anyway....Hope to catch up with a few of the oldies Hehe...) in here and happy to chat to newbies too..... :hug:

Take gentle care...Love Jassy..xx.. :fairy:[/b:329060c900][/color:329060c900][/quote:329060c900]

Hiya Jassy, :D

Good to see you up and around, it does take it out of you doesn't it? Go with the flow gal and don't rush into life just yet.

It sounds like you get good after care there in oz, I saw the neuro 3 months after the op, he said I was doing \"average\" bye-bye. That's it, nothing else no more follow up nothing.

I had no physio, no one cared, I asked numerous docs at the pain clinic when would I start to feel better, they couldn't answer me, \"It all tttyakes time\" was the bog standard reply. Now I know why, it does take time and everyone is different, and each op can differ. It is an awful operation and only me brother had it done, I knew what to expect otherwise I would have been horrified.

So don't rush Jassy, take things easy,but do try to keep active-ish and rest when you need to.

Keep well and hopefully you'll men pretty soon,

You take care of you

Emxx

[quote:341cede79a]t sounds like you get good after care there in oz, I saw the neuro 3 months after the op, he said I was doing \"average\" bye-bye. That's it, nothing else no more follow up nothing.

I had no physio, no one cared, I asked numerous docs at the pain clinic when would I start to feel better, they couldn't answer me, \"It all tttyakes time\" was the bog standard reply. Now I know why, it does take time and everyone is different, and each op can differ. It is an awful operation and only me brother had it done, I knew what to expect otherwise I would have been horrified. [/quote:341cede79a]

Thats terrible, Em.... I would have felt sooooo alone and abandoned if i didn't have my Doc, Physio and Neuro to turn too.... :cry:

I KNOW what the pain is like post op and at times i have wondered if the surgery even worked at all!!!! I get the most reassurance from my Physio...she is wonderful and has been a Godsend for the muscle pain i have had. I have unforunate problem of carrying my stresses (and there are many in my life) in my neck muscles and in turn that causes headaches....So as soon as something stressful happens, my neck turns into rocks and aches!!! I TRY to keep the stress to a minimum, but thats not easy living with a hubby with mental illness, a daughter who was bullied at her workplace recently and had to go thru a terrible fight to get compensated and a 15 yr old son who is gorgeous and compassionate, but a very sensitive soul who carrys the world on his shoulders!!! :roll: :wink:

Anyway....I try to live by the motto... \"Tomorrow is a NEW day\" :D

LOve Jassy..xx.. :fairy:

Hiya Everyone... :fairy:

Just a little update on me.... My pain seems to have increased again...both neck pain and constant headaches.... :shock: :x I really don't know if this is part of the 'normal' healing process of this surgery, or if there is something not right in this bloody neck of mine..... :twisted: My Physio says its coming from my C3/4, so im not sure whats going on.... :cry:

I had an Xray today and am seeing my Neuro surgeon next thursday...so i guess i will have to wait and see...

Any thoughts on this, Aunty Em......?????????

Hiya Jassy,

Found this, not that it will help any with the pain, but I think it's interesting in as much as it gives the discs which affect what part of the body.Spinal Anatomy ›

Cervical Spine Anatomy (Neck)

+A The cervical spine begins at the base of the skull. Seven vertebrae make up the cervical spine with eight pairs of cervical nerves. The individual cervical vertebrae are abbreviated C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6 and C7. The cervical nerves are also abbreviated; C1 through C8.

Cervical Vertebrae and Supporting Structures

The cervical bones - the vertebrae - are smaller in size when compared to other spinal vertebrae. The purpose of the cervical spine is to contain and protect the spinal cord, support the skull, and enable diverse head movement (e.g., rotate side to side, bend forward and backward).

A complex system of ligaments, tendons, and muscles help to support and stabilize the cervical spine. Ligaments work to prevent excessive movement that could result in serious injury. Muscles also help to provide spinal balance and stability, and enable movement. Muscles contract and relax in response to nerve impulses originating in the brain. Some muscles work in pairs or as antagonists. This means when a muscle contracts, the opposing muscle relaxes. There are different types of muscle: forward flexors, lateral flexors, rotators, and extensors.

Spinal Cord and Cervical Nerve Roots

Nerve impulses travel to and from the brain through the spinal cord to a specific location by way of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The PNS is the complex system of nerves that branch off from the spinal nerve roots. These nerves travel outside of the spinal canal or spinal cord into the organs, arms, legs, fingers - throughout the entire body.

Injury or mild trauma to the cervical spine can cause a serious or life-threatening medical emergency (e.g. spinal cord injury or SCI, fracture). Pain, numbness, weakness, and tingling are symptoms that may develop when one or more spinal nerves are injured, irritated, or stretched. The cervical nerves control many bodily functions and sensory activities.

C1: Head and neck

C2: Head and neck

C3: Diaphragm

C4: Upper body muscles (e.g. Deltoids, Biceps)

C5: Wrist extensors

C6: Wrist extensors

C7: Triceps

C8: Hands

So now we know what we are up against, it doesn't get any easier does it.

Wish I had an answer to your problems Jassy, thee amount of times during the past 2.5 years when I thought \" Having a brill day, to day and then bang, the next day I was rubbish.

I've just spent the last week and in particular the past 3 days in flammin agony ouch ouch ouch, boy did I get fed up.....................today I' feeling in control again. It's a poo desease this Cervical Osteoarthritis,yeah, I'm even feeling mean enough to give it a different and more understandable name.

If wearing a collar makes your fell better, wear it, I did, my rheumy doc said it was ok.

Everyting seems to be patience, patience and more patience with this flammin thing, sorry for ranting but I'm just soooooooooooooo fed up of it!!!! :roll:

Take Care

Emxx

Hello again everyone..... :fairy:

It's 2.45am here is Australia....I should be sleeping...I tired for 1 1/2 hrs of just laying there trying to get comfortable, but eventually i just gave up and got out of bed...Its freezing cold here....slap bang in the middle of winter....Brrrr..... :erm:

As i said in Gerrys rummie thread, I have been reluctant to post in here lately due to some of you considering having the Operation...I didn't want to influence or scare anyone off having the surgery....But I decided that everyone is different and you are all able to make your own informed decisions.... :D

To give you all a bit of an update.....Its been 10 months since my Op on my C4/5 & 5/6...Apparently my neck is still fusing beautifully....but for some reason I am STILL in lots of pain 24/7!!!!! My latest MRI in April showed no signs of anything going wrong with the fusion....My C3/4 looks fine...but I continue to have daily headaches, neck pain, pain in my shoulders and upper arms only...I also have pain on and off in my collar bone area..??? I have not had this before, so Lord knows whats going on there!!!! :huh:

I have been referred to a Pain management specialist who is apparently the Guru of Pain management, but I couldn't get an appointment for 3 months....So I see him at the end of September.

I was VERY depressed for a while, but I am working on that at the moment...I felt like everythin was SOOOOOO out of my control..... :cry: I am working on lots of things at the moment with the help of my wonderful Psychologist.... I am learning to try and keep the stress down in my life....I am not thinking about the future too much...I am just coping 1 day at a time....baby steps....I rest when i feel like my body needs it...I say No to ppl who expect too much from me.....I try to do relaxation when i can....Its not an easy thing to do, but its about all ive got at the moment and I am feeling better mentally for it!!!!!

Anyway...I best get back to bed....Its warmer there!!!!!

Take care everyone...Love Jassy..xx.. :fairy:

Hello Flutterrbye

I dont know if you've been reading my fight that I'm having with the DLA in England regarding cervical spondylosis suffers getting some benefit.

I would be really interested what the situation is in Australia with the benefit system regarding this complaint - Do you get any benefit for this?

Alan

Hiya from Australia!!!! :cheers:

I don't really know a lot about this, because my injury, surgery/doctors and wage etc is cover by Workcover as my CS is from a work injury 13 years ago...I re injured many times because i worked with intellectually and physically disabled people and ended up being put off work in Feb 2009....I am not allowed to return due to the fact that it causes my injury to worsen, so it looks like i will be on Workcover for a long time....I am able to seek compensation from my employer and am in the process of that with my Lawyers.

I do know that in Australia, if you have a debilitating illness, be that physical or mental, that in is not likely to change in 2 years, you are entitled to go on a disability benefit....Its a bit stricter with the guidelines in recent years, but im pretty sure the 2 yr thing is still the same!!!!

Im soooo sorry that you are having probs with all of this in the UK...

Sending you lots of *HUGS* :cuddle:

Jas..xx.. :fairy: