# Surgery completed, no more pain.



## ABHale (Jan 3, 2016)

WOW........ Had surgery April 6 to fuse C5 & C6 together due to a ruptured disk. Woke up in recovery pain free for the first time in years. Sevier pain started around the first of March by the 17 I was unable to work due to the increased pain and the hazardous nature of my job. 

So came out of surgery yesterday pain free. I just have soreness in the neck and am finding it hard to swallow, even water. But I have been up and walking around since I have been I my room. Should be released to day. 

On a other and better note. My wife and I have spent a lot of time with one another for the past three weeks. I have found my love for her again that has been missing for so long. I am happy with the marriage again, something I thought was lost, for the first time for about 10 years. We still talk about things that have gone on in the past, but it has changed for why did you do this to how do we fix it and move on. We actually have been taking time to snuggle and watch movies again. I thought I had lost this for ever. 

Now just need to get better and find a job again. My ex employer closed the location I worked at on March 24th. The new company coming in was ready to hire me and 24 of the 50 drivers from my ex employer. When I told them about the injury they declined to hire me and asked me to talk with them after I was released to work again with no restrictions. So we will see around 6 to 8 weeks when I am released. 

But all in all this has been well worth the pain for the joy that my wife and I have found in one another again.
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## 225985 (Dec 29, 2015)

Wow. This is all great news. I am happy for you.


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## ABHale (Jan 3, 2016)

blueinbr said:


> Wow. This is all great news. I a happy for you.


I know right, I can't get this cat that ate the mouse smile off my face.
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## arbitrator (Feb 13, 2012)

ABHale said:


> WOW........ Had surgery April 6 to fuse C5 & C6 together due to a ruptured disk. Woke up in recovery pain free for the first time in years. Sevier pain started around the first of March by the 17 I was unable to work due to the increased pain and the hazardous nature of my job.
> 
> So came out of surgery yesterday pain free. I just have soreness in the neck and am finding it hard to swallow, even water. But I have been up and walking around since I have been I my room. Should be released to day.
> 
> ...


*Prayers are truly answered!*
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## jld (Dec 1, 2013)

So happy for you. Hope everything continues to go well. 
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## ABHale (Jan 3, 2016)

Well post surgery is going good, just finding it very hard to just sit still. I want to be up and at it, so to say I am getting restless is a understatement. This is where my wife comes in by smuggling up to me and talking or watching a movie. not so restless then. On another note my wife and the nurses in pre-op got a good laugh on my account, I was told once they started putting me under I was signing or humming Fireball. I wish I had a video of that. :smile2:


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## jdawg2015 (Feb 12, 2015)

AB, my surgery two weeks ago was using a plate and screwed to fuse my L4-L5. I had ruptrured my L4-l5 few years ago and had it repaired and like you I went in with complete foot drop and walked out that night.

I recovered enough to complete another Ironman race. Then few weeks ago I crashed on my bike training and messed up my back.

I can totally related to the pain. Good to hear you've had good results.


You're location is different but I worked on putting more strength into my back, shoulders, and core after I had surgery and it was a big part of not having issues of reoccurrence. I recommend getting a very good PT program and sticking with it.

After surgery the bones are not as strong so you have to get strength around it.


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## ABHale (Jan 3, 2016)

This is what mine looked like before surgery.

Great news that your surgery went well. Will work with PT.

The problem I am having is where my neck muscles are large to begin with, the swelling from the surgery is making it hard to swallow. The Doctor talked to my wife after the procedure was completed and the nurses talked to me. It was hard to get water down at first. So it has been mostly a liquid diet.


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## jdawg2015 (Feb 12, 2015)

HAHA.
I don't have the MRI shot's readily available but that's what mine looked like. Not to hard to see where the nerve was getting pinched.

After I wiped out I immediately got pain down my leg. What was bas is the disk ruptured laterally and required hardware to fix.

I'm two weeks post op and going back to work Monday.

I don't have the experience of C level repairs but hopefully your swelling goes down soon.

I have two friends who've also ruptured discs and only after you've had the pain can someone related. Sucks big time. There "toughing it out" once the nerve gets squeezed.



ABHale said:


> This is what mine looked like before surgery.
> 
> Great news that your surgery went well. Will work with PT.
> 
> The problem I am having is where my neck muscles are large to begin with, the swelling from the surgery is making it hard to swallow. The Doctor talked to my wife after the procedure was completed and the nurses talked to me. It was hard to get water down at first. So it has been mostly a liquid diet.


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## ABHale (Jan 3, 2016)

Mine ruptured around the first of March. Was getting home after working 13 hrs in cold sweats and shacking at times from the pain. You are right about the pain, it radiated thru my rt shoulder and arm and my left hand was going num. Started dropping things as well. 

Have a friend from work, her husband is a mma fighter and injured his lower back a year or so ago. He is getting ready to get looked at now, he has been toughing it out when it flares up.


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## mravg2u (Apr 27, 2016)

I am facing this type of surgery in the next year or so. The epidermal injections have helped but I need the surgery. The doc I went to see about surgery said to wait as long as I can. But I am tired of the pain and health insurance will be changing by mid to end of next year. Glad to read it has worked for you.


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