Yesterday I had my pre-op appointment with my surgeon. After weeks of anxiety, getting some answers and finally being close to my surgery date helped me chill out a little bit. A LITTLE BIT. It’s still a big deal but since I have a better handle on the details, here’s a few of them for you…
My neck had a reverse curve and for whatever reason, it deteriorated from there. Degenerative disc disease, arthritis, bone spurs, and bones literally sitting on each other all cattywompus are the source of much (if not all) of my headaches and neuralgia pain. In 2015, I had two levels fused with the understanding that there were more trouble spots, but of course, keeping my mobility was the goal. Well, those trouble spots got more troublesome and none of the dozens of treatments we tried worked. So here we are…
On July 2, just before lunchtime, I’ll be going under the knife to get fused from C2-C6. It could take up to four hours and I’ll be spending two nights in the hospital. Serious recovery will be about 4-6 weeks, but it could be months before I’m “normal,” whatever that means…
I’m not really fearful about surgery, but am anxious about the extended recovery time. The idea of being even more restricted than I’ve already been is unsettling. I’m going to need help with kids, meals, and keeping my sanity- updates on that soon.
I’ve been showing my x-ray to pretty much everyone and the most common response has been “HOLY CRAP!”
I can’t express how oddly comforting it is to see the reason for what I’ve been going through; it’s not my imagination, I’m not exaggerating, and I’m not a wimp. There’s a legit reason for the excruciating pain I’ve lived with constantly since June 2011. I firmly believe that fixing the structure of my neck is the key to getting my life back. Reducing my pain will allow me to focus on other issues (Fibromyalgia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, PTSD, etc) and limit the effect they have on me. Maybe I’ll be able to work again. Or travel. Or leave the house two days in a row without needing a week to recover. Wouldn’t that be cool? Yes, yes it would…
I’m frustrated with my writing limitations, but feel the need to document this part of the journey and the months ahead. I’ll be adding more as often as possible and welcome your comments. I’ll ask for advice and stories and help as I need it. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without the encouragement, support, and PURE LOVE that’s been showered upon me over the past seven years. Some of you have never known “Healthy Jen” and I’m hopeful you’ll get more frequent glimpses of her soon. She’s pretty rad.