OT - Getting Nervous (Long)

Less than 2 days now until my surgery and I'm getting a bit nervous!

What I'm having done is an "anterior cervical discectomy with fusion at C6
and C7". What this involves is: cutting a two inch incision in the front
of my neck, and a little to the left so as to miss the laryngeal nerve
(which, if nicked, could cause me to permanently lose my voice). Then they
push aside the soft tissue (esophagus, trachea, carotid artery, jugular
vein, and muscle - trying not to nick any of those either) to expose the
front of the spine. Then they use a vertebrae "spreader" to separate the
two vertebrae and expose the ruptured disc. They then cut through the outer
wall of the disc and remove the disc. Then they use a bone drill to remove
any stenosis (bone spurs) at the point where the nerves branch off from the
spinal cord to the right and left. [At this point they are millimeters away
from the spinal cord and any mistake could cause permanent pain, paralysis
or even death.] Then they insert a piece of bone between the two vertebrae
(from a bone bank - they won't be using mine from my hip, thank goodness -
they say the pain from taking that graft is worse than the neck incision).
[The bone is used as a wedge to keep the two vertebrae from pinching down on
the nerves again.] Then they screw on a titanium plate to the two vertebrae
to keep them closed tightly over the bone implant until it all fuses into
one bone. Then they close and suture each layer, stick a bandaid over the
whole mess and I'm done!

If you're interested in the medical stuff, this explains it best:
http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-ACDF.htm and this has good illustrations:
http://www.sofamordanek.com/spineline/ACDF.pdf.

Now, aside from finding some helpful information that explains this
surgery - as in the two links above - the biggest mistake I've made so far
is to go on the internet and look up this procedure. I've seen hundreds of
posts from people who have had it done and had disastrous results - horror
stories of all kinds of mistakes made, agonies suffered, etc., etc.

I know it's human nature to focus on the negative, so I'm trying to ignore
these. I also know, from the things I've seen written, that these people
must have had total incompetents for surgeons (one suggested a patient take
Advil at every meal after surgery despite the fact that anti-inflammatory
drugs are known to inhibit bone healing). But it's also human nature to be
scared out of one's skull when facing having someone laying open one's neck
and spine!!

The surgery is scheduled for this Friday, 9/5/2008, at around 10:30AM
(central time here in Houston). It's going to be done at Methodist
Hospital, and I'll be there just one night, hopefully. I'll ask Ben to post
something here after he gets home from the hospital that day, but if you
don't hear it's probably just because he'll forget. I should be able to get
on my computer a few days after surgery and let you know how it all went
(and whether I would recommend the surgery to others with this problem).

Yeah, Victor, I know I'm a drama queen... but in this instance I think I'm
allowed a bit of nerves shown and purrs asked of friends!

Hugs,

CatNipped

CatNipped wrote:
Less than 2 days now until my surgery and I'm getting a bit nervous!
snip

I'm sure you'll be fine. Lots of purrs for a successful surgery and a quick
recovery.
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy, Bagheera & Shadow)
Cats leave pawprints on your heart
http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk

Purrs that all will go well.
Drink some soothing chammomille tea to calm your nerves.
Hug
Kyla

"CatNipped"
Less than 2 days now until my surgery and I'm getting a bit nervous!

What I'm having done is an "anterior cervical discectomy with fusion at C6
and C7". What this involves is: cutting a two inch incision in the front
of my neck, and a little to the left so as to miss the laryngeal nerve
(which, if nicked, could cause me to permanently lose my voice). Then
they push aside the soft tissue (esophagus, trachea, carotid artery,
jugular vein, and muscle - trying not to nick any of those either) to
expose the front of the spine. Then they use a vertebrae "spreader" to
separate the two vertebrae and expose the ruptured disc. They then cut
through the outer wall of the disc and remove the disc. Then they use a
bone drill to remove any stenosis (bone spurs) at the point where the
nerves branch off from the spinal cord to the right and left. [At this
point they are millimeters away from the spinal cord and any mistake could
cause permanent pain, paralysis or even death.] Then they insert a piece
of bone between the two vertebrae (from a bone bank - they won't be using
mine from my hip, thank goodness - they say the pain from taking that
graft is worse than the neck incision). [The bone is used as a wedge to
keep the two vertebrae from pinching down on the nerves again.] Then they
screw on a titanium plate to the two vertebrae to keep them closed tightly
over the bone implant until it all fuses into one bone. Then they close
and suture each layer, stick a bandaid over the whole mess and I'm done!

If you're interested in the medical stuff, this explains it best:
http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-ACDF.htm and this has good illustrations:
http://www.sofamordanek.com/spineline/ACDF.pdf.

Now, aside from finding some helpful information that explains this
surgery - as in the two links above - the biggest mistake I've made so far
is to go on the internet and look up this procedure. I've seen hundreds
of posts from people who have had it done and had disastrous results -
horror stories of all kinds of mistakes made, agonies suffered, etc., etc.

I know it's human nature to focus on the negative, so I'm trying to ignore
these. I also know, from the things I've seen written, that these people
must have had total incompetents for surgeons (one suggested a patient
take Advil at every meal after surgery despite the fact that
anti-inflammatory drugs are known to inhibit bone healing). But it's also
human nature to be scared out of one's skull when facing having someone
laying open one's neck and spine!!

The surgery is scheduled for this Friday, 9/5/2008, at around 10:30AM
(central time here in Houston). It's going to be done at Methodist
Hospital, and I'll be there just one night, hopefully. I'll ask Ben to
post something here after he gets home from the hospital that day, but if
you don't hear it's probably just because he'll forget. I should be able
to get on my computer a few days after surgery and let you know how it all
went (and whether I would recommend the surgery to others with this
problem).

Yeah, Victor, I know I'm a drama queen... but in this instance I think I'm
allowed a bit of nerves shown and purrs asked of friends!

Hugs,

CatNipped

Am 03.09.2008 schrieb CatNipped:

Less than 2 days now until my surgery and I'm getting a bit nervous!

Tons of comforting purrs are coming over to you. You will see,
everything will work out just fine and you will recover in no time:-)

Hugs and purrs from
Inge and the catgang
--
CatManiacs World: http://www.gwsystems.com/inge

"CatNipped" wrote in message
...
Less than 2 days now until my surgery and I'm getting a bit nervous!

What I'm having done is an "anterior cervical discectomy with fusion at C6
and C7". What this involves is: cutting a two inch incision in the front
of my neck, and a little to the left so as to miss the laryngeal nerve
(which, if nicked, could cause me to permanently lose my voice). Then
they push aside the soft tissue (esophagus, trachea, carotid artery,
jugular vein, and muscle - trying not to nick any of those either) to
expose the front of the spine. Then they use a vertebrae "spreader" to
separate the two vertebrae and expose the ruptured disc. They then cut
through the outer wall of the disc and remove the disc. Then they use a
bone drill to remove any stenosis (bone spurs) at the point where the
nerves branch off from the spinal cord to the right and left. [At this
point they are millimeters away from the spinal cord and any mistake could
cause permanent pain, paralysis or even death.] Then they insert a piece
of bone between the two vertebrae (from a bone bank - they won't be using
mine from my hip, thank goodness - they say the pain from taking that
graft is worse than the neck incision). [The bone is used as a wedge to
keep the two vertebrae from pinching down on the nerves again.] Then they
screw on a titanium plate to the two vertebrae to keep them closed tightly
over the bone implant until it all fuses into one bone. Then they close
and suture each layer, stick a bandaid over the whole mess and I'm done!

If you're interested in the medical stuff, this explains it best:
http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-ACDF.htm and this has good illustrations:
http://www.sofamordanek.com/spineline/ACDF.pdf.

Now, aside from finding some helpful information that explains this
surgery - as in the two links above - the biggest mistake I've made so far
is to go on the internet and look up this procedure. I've seen hundreds
of posts from people who have had it done and had disastrous results -
horror stories of all kinds of mistakes made, agonies suffered, etc., etc.

I know it's human nature to focus on the negative, so I'm trying to ignore
these. I also know, from the things I've seen written, that these people
must have had total incompetents for surgeons (one suggested a patient
take Advil at every meal after surgery despite the fact that
anti-inflammatory drugs are known to inhibit bone healing). But it's also
human nature to be scared out of one's skull when facing having someone
laying open one's neck and spine!!

The surgery is scheduled for this Friday, 9/5/2008, at around 10:30AM
(central time here in Houston). It's going to be done at Methodist
Hospital, and I'll be there just one night, hopefully. I'll ask Ben to
post something here after he gets home from the hospital that day, but if
you don't hear it's probably just because he'll forget. I should be able
to get on my computer a few days after surgery and let you know how it all
went (and whether I would recommend the surgery to others with this
problem).

Yeah, Victor, I know I'm a drama queen... but in this instance I think I'm
allowed a bit of nerves shown and purrs asked of friends!

Hugs,

CatNipped


I could have told you not to look on the internet! Your procedure is pretty
complicated-- a lot of moving parts=a lot to worry about. I wonder if
people ever can find a kind of balance between what they really need to know
to be prepared-- emotionally and legally-- and scaring themselves silly. We
are sending you plenty of soothing purrs, and waiting for your report.

--
Theresa, Stinky and Dante
drtmuirATearthlink.net

Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh

"CatNipped" wrote

| What I'm having done is an "anterior cervical discectomy with fusion at C6
| and C7".

This is to treat carpal tunnel syndrome???

"CatNipped" wrote in
:

Less than 2 days now until my surgery and I'm getting a bit nervous!

What I'm having done is an "anterior cervical discectomy with fusion
at C6 and C7". What this involves is: cutting a two inch incision in
the front of my neck, and a little to the left so as to miss the
laryngeal nerve (which, if nicked, could cause me to permanently lose
my voice). Then they push aside the soft tissue (esophagus, trachea,
carotid artery, jugular vein, and muscle - trying not to nick any of
those either) to expose the front of the spine. Then they use a
vertebrae "spreader" to separate the two vertebrae and expose the
ruptured disc. They then cut through the outer wall of the disc and
remove the disc. Then they use a bone drill to remove any stenosis
(bone spurs) at the point where the nerves branch off from the spinal
cord to the right and left. [At this point they are millimeters away
from the spinal cord and any mistake could cause permanent pain,
paralysis or even death.] Then they insert a piece of bone between
the two vertebrae (from a bone bank - they won't be using mine from my
hip, thank goodness - they say the pain from taking that graft is
worse than the neck incision). [The bone is used as a wedge to keep
the two vertebrae from pinching down on the nerves again.] Then they
screw on a titanium plate to the two vertebrae to keep them closed
tightly over the bone implant until it all fuses into one bone. Then
they close and suture each layer, stick a bandaid over the whole mess
and I'm done!

If you're interested in the medical stuff, this explains it best:
http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-ACDF.htm and this has good
illustrations: http://www.sofamordanek.com/spineline/ACDF.pdf.

Now, aside from finding some helpful information that explains this
surgery - as in the two links above - the biggest mistake I've made so
far is to go on the internet and look up this procedure. I've seen
hundreds of posts from people who have had it done and had disastrous
results - horror stories of all kinds of mistakes made, agonies
suffered, etc., etc.

I know it's human nature to focus on the negative, so I'm trying to
ignore these. I also know, from the things I've seen written, that
these people must have had total incompetents for surgeons (one
suggested a patient take Advil at every meal after surgery despite the
fact that anti-inflammatory drugs are known to inhibit bone healing).
But it's also human nature to be scared out of one's skull when facing
having someone laying open one's neck and spine!!

The surgery is scheduled for this Friday, 9/5/2008, at around 10:30AM
(central time here in Houston). It's going to be done at Methodist
Hospital, and I'll be there just one night, hopefully. I'll ask Ben
to post something here after he gets home from the hospital that day,
but if you don't hear it's probably just because he'll forget. I
should be able to get on my computer a few days after surgery and let
you know how it all went (and whether I would recommend the surgery to
others with this problem).

Yeah, Victor, I know I'm a drama queen... but in this instance I think
I'm allowed a bit of nerves shown and purrs asked of friends!

Hugs,

CatNipped

It's normal to worry, but since you're already in horrible constant
pain, try to embrace your surgery as a chance to get rid of your pain.
Look forward to it instead of worrying about it, because all the worry
in the world won't change a thing. I'll be sending lots of purrs on
Friday at 11:30 my time.

Bobble

"Pat" wrote in message
et...

"CatNipped" wrote

| What I'm having done is an "anterior cervical discectomy with fusion at
C6
| and C7".

This is to treat carpal tunnel syndrome???



No, the carpal tunnel syndrome type "symptoms" were caused by a pinched
nerve in my neck. When I broke my wrist two years ago, they didn't do a
thorough exam at the ER, so I didn't realize that I had also ruptured a disc
in my neck and cracked the two vertebrae above and below it which caused the
bone to "over-grow" and also pinch down on the nerve along with the ruptured
disc. The occasional tingling and numbness in my right ring finger had
progressed to constant pain from my neck down to my fingertips and numbness
in my entire hand and also my right foot. I am actually at the point where
I'm losing the coordination of my right hand (I keep dropping things for no
apparent reason). So I'm having the surgery and hoping that the nerve
didn't get permanently damaged.

Tail Twitches,

CatNipped

"hopitus" wrote in message
...
On Sep 3, 1:13 pm, "CatNipped" wrote:
Less than 2 days now until my surgery and I'm getting a bit nervous!

What I'm having done is an "anterior cervical discectomy with fusion at
C6
and C7". What this involves is: cutting a two inch incision in the
front
of my neck, and a little to the left so as to miss the laryngeal nerve
(which, if nicked, could cause me to permanently lose my voice). Then
they
push aside the soft tissue (esophagus, trachea, carotid artery, jugular
vein, and muscle - trying not to nick any of those either) to expose the
front of the spine. Then they use a vertebrae "spreader" to separate the
two vertebrae and expose the ruptured disc. They then cut through the
outer
wall of the disc and remove the disc. Then they use a bone drill to
remove
any stenosis (bone spurs) at the point where the nerves branch off from
the
spinal cord to the right and left. [At this point they are millimeters
away
from the spinal cord and any mistake could cause permanent pain,
paralysis
or even death.] Then they insert a piece of bone between the two
vertebrae
(from a bone bank - they won't be using mine from my hip, thank
goodness -
they say the pain from taking that graft is worse than the neck
incision).
[The bone is used as a wedge to keep the two vertebrae from pinching down
on
the nerves again.] Then they screw on a titanium plate to the two
vertebrae
to keep them closed tightly over the bone implant until it all fuses into
one bone. Then they close and suture each layer, stick a bandaid over
the
whole mess and I'm done!

If you're interested in the medical stuff, this explains it
best:http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-ACDF.htmand this has good
illustrations:http://www.sofamordanek.com/spineline/ACDF.pdf.

Now, aside from finding some helpful information that explains this
surgery - as in the two links above - the biggest mistake I've made so
far
is to go on the internet and look up this procedure. I've seen hundreds
of
posts from people who have had it done and had disastrous results -
horror
stories of all kinds of mistakes made, agonies suffered, etc., etc.

I know it's human nature to focus on the negative, so I'm trying to
ignore
these. I also know, from the things I've seen written, that these people
must have had total incompetents for surgeons (one suggested a patient
take
Advil at every meal after surgery despite the fact that anti-inflammatory
drugs are known to inhibit bone healing). But it's also human nature to
be
scared out of one's skull when facing having someone laying open one's
neck
and spine!!

The surgery is scheduled for this Friday, 9/5/2008, at around 10:30AM
(central time here in Houston). It's going to be done at Methodist
Hospital, and I'll be there just one night, hopefully. I'll ask Ben to
post
something here after he gets home from the hospital that day, but if you
don't hear it's probably just because he'll forget. I should be able to
get
on my computer a few days after surgery and let you know how it all went
(and whether I would recommend the surgery to others with this problem).

Yeah, Victor, I know I'm a drama queen... but in this instance I think
I'm
allowed a bit of nerves shown and purrs asked of friends!

Hugs,

CatNipped

I know all about what you face. I'm all happy for you, to relieve your
arm/hand
problems and pain! Only negative thing form me is when you're
recovered you
will not be able to dance ballet...or engage in competition ice
skating. That's
the worst results I can think of.....good results far outweigh.
Unless you were planning to take up a new career....

ROTFLMAOWTIME! No, I wasn't thinking about competitive ice skating, but, my
gawd, the world will miss this 56-year-old ballerina!!!!

Love you, Hop!

Hugs,

CatNipped

"bobblespin" wrote in message
...
"CatNipped" wrote in
:

Less than 2 days now until my surgery and I'm getting a bit nervous!

What I'm having done is an "anterior cervical discectomy with fusion
at C6 and C7". What this involves is: cutting a two inch incision in
the front of my neck, and a little to the left so as to miss the
laryngeal nerve (which, if nicked, could cause me to permanently lose
my voice). Then they push aside the soft tissue (esophagus, trachea,
carotid artery, jugular vein, and muscle - trying not to nick any of
those either) to expose the front of the spine. Then they use a
vertebrae "spreader" to separate the two vertebrae and expose the
ruptured disc. They then cut through the outer wall of the disc and
remove the disc. Then they use a bone drill to remove any stenosis
(bone spurs) at the point where the nerves branch off from the spinal
cord to the right and left. [At this point they are millimeters away
from the spinal cord and any mistake could cause permanent pain,
paralysis or even death.] Then they insert a piece of bone between
the two vertebrae (from a bone bank - they won't be using mine from my
hip, thank goodness - they say the pain from taking that graft is
worse than the neck incision). [The bone is used as a wedge to keep
the two vertebrae from pinching down on the nerves again.] Then they
screw on a titanium plate to the two vertebrae to keep them closed
tightly over the bone implant until it all fuses into one bone. Then
they close and suture each layer, stick a bandaid over the whole mess
and I'm done!

If you're interested in the medical stuff, this explains it best:
http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-ACDF.htm and this has good
illustrations: http://www.sofamordanek.com/spineline/ACDF.pdf.

Now, aside from finding some helpful information that explains this
surgery - as in the two links above - the biggest mistake I've made so
far is to go on the internet and look up this procedure. I've seen
hundreds of posts from people who have had it done and had disastrous
results - horror stories of all kinds of mistakes made, agonies
suffered, etc., etc.

I know it's human nature to focus on the negative, so I'm trying to
ignore these. I also know, from the things I've seen written, that
these people must have had total incompetents for surgeons (one
suggested a patient take Advil at every meal after surgery despite the
fact that anti-inflammatory drugs are known to inhibit bone healing).
But it's also human nature to be scared out of one's skull when facing
having someone laying open one's neck and spine!!

The surgery is scheduled for this Friday, 9/5/2008, at around 10:30AM
(central time here in Houston). It's going to be done at Methodist
Hospital, and I'll be there just one night, hopefully. I'll ask Ben
to post something here after he gets home from the hospital that day,
but if you don't hear it's probably just because he'll forget. I
should be able to get on my computer a few days after surgery and let
you know how it all went (and whether I would recommend the surgery to
others with this problem).

Yeah, Victor, I know I'm a drama queen... but in this instance I think
I'm allowed a bit of nerves shown and purrs asked of friends!

Hugs,

CatNipped

It's normal to worry, but since you're already in horrible constant
pain, try to embrace your surgery as a chance to get rid of your pain.
Look forward to it instead of worrying about it, because all the worry
in the world won't change a thing. I'll be sending lots of purrs on
Friday at 11:30 my time.

Bobble


Too true - and the only reason I would consider this scary-@$$ surgery!
Well, that and I'm losing coordination of my hand which is not conducive to
continuing to earn a living! ;

Thanks Bobble!

Hugs,

CatNipped