Well Gang I thought that our words could help one of our own so I will drop this little note in for him and help cheer him up a bit....

Proram(Scott) has to now have surgery on his neck/spine to repair a completely destroyed disc in between C6-C7.He injured it while at work the other week and now it requires repair.The disc damage is has caused a problem with the C8 nerve and distorted his spinal cord.

The surgery is done by going through the front of his neck and remove the bad disc and its fragments.They will use a "donor" bone to then help strengthen the area along with a piece of titanium plate across the back to aid in strengthening.The doctor has told him he should only loose about a inch or two of range of motion.His surgery is scheduled for this Thursday at 2:30 and after that he has a long road to recovery which also means NO DRIVING(his P/U included) for at least 2-4 weeks and the first 2 he has to remain out of moving vehicle's.

He is down in spirits a bit, but is glad it will be over soon.Keep him in your thoughts and I'll post a update sometime Friday for all.I have told him anything I can do to help I will............Andy

P.S.-I also told him the Mason-Dixon TDR Members would take good care of his truck for him since he couldn't drive it for a month and that passing thru a airport metal detector would now pose him a problem for him....LOL... .

"GET WELL SOON SCOTT"

 

Best Wishes on a speedy recovery Scott.

 

Get Well Soon...............hang in there...........

 

Hey Scott
I just got back to work about three weeks ago for basically the same thing. It is called "Radiculopothy". The first week or so is the worst, but it ain't too bad. After that you will kinda start getting "antsy". Personaly, I went with bone from the bone bank, it is cadaver bone that has been iradiated and is just as good as your own. That way you don't have any hip pain. I was told by the neurosurgeon that the pain from your hip is a lot worse than the neck. Good luck and enjoy your three months of R&R. Just remember----- 5 pound weight restriction at first.
Tom

 

Mnt Tom, a Radiculopathy would be a symptom or condition describing a nerve pain, "The pain affecting your neck,Arms and shoulder"(Cervical, C-spine). That can be there before or after the surgery. Scott has what sounds to be a ruptured disk in his cervical spine. The surgery to correct or reduce the pain he is anticipating is called a Anterior Cervical Discectomy with Fusion and plating. They will go through the front of the neck about an inch up from the collar bone and about 30-35 degrees to the right side. They move the voice box, larynx,esophagus, etc to the side and remove the affected disk, then drill a hole between the two cervical disk and insert a piece of bone (donor in this case) with the hope that the bone grows the two disk together(=fusion). The plate is normally reserved for guys that might put alot of strain on the joint through heavy physical use. I believe they use 4-titanium screws to secure the plate. The operation is fairly common and takes about 2 hours. The obvious dangers are the close quarters with the spinal canal, and the sensitivity of working close to the jugular and carotid artery. Usually the patient is held for one night then released.
Scott, I wish you all the best. I had this same procedure on 10-15-02, and like you I was injured in in the work place. I don't know what happened to you, but it seems like many suffer this type of injury as a result of a fall, or trauma to the head. If you have any questions or just fell like talking, I am always on here. Feel free to ask me anything, I know I had alot of unanswered questions, but no one to talk too. Good luck, and God bless.

 

Hey Scott,

I'll add you to my prayer list. Especially Thursday at 2:30.

DeWain

 

OUCH. Just reading all that made me hurt. Anytime they start cutting me up I don't like it.

Thursday - - 2:30 Eastern time - - down in my reminder to say a prayer for him. God bless and support him.

Bob

 

y-not, what you described is exactly what I just went through. The only differance is that my piece of titanium spans three vertibrae(sp) and has six screws in it. I was in surgery about 2 1/2 hours and was in the hospital only 29 hours. Now all I need to get done is repair a torn rotator cuff. But that is going to have to wait for a little while. Believe me Scott, IT AIN'T BAD. It helped me quite a bit.
Tom

 

All the best to you Scott!

 

My mother just went through the same surgery as outlined here. She spent 1 day in the hospital and is recouping well shes in her mid 70's (sorry Mom) and the surgery seems to be helping her. Best of luck and recover soon.

 

My little brother went through that 3 years ago and still is going through it.
Our prayers are with him and his family..

 

Good luck Scott! your friends here at DTR will be praying for your speedy recovery

 

After having two discs removed out of my lumbar region and a third that ain't in real great shape,,,,,,,,, I know from experience that any time something goes haywire that is connected to the spine,,,,,, it makes life miserable. Get back on your feet as soon as possible,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, them Mason Dixon guys are gonna be tromping at the bit to exercise your truck for ya!

 

First off goodluck and get well soon Scott(Proram) Prayers are coming your way. I know about broken vertabra stuff Broke my back in Dec.23,1982 been in a wheelchair ever since. Don't get to down and depress Doctors can fix things alot better than they could when I was injured. The only thing that I could drive for a year was this wheelchair . Tell him to take it easy and don't do nothing crazy.

Get well soon,
Sittenbull

 

I talked with Scott's wife at length last nite and he has come thru the surgery just fine.If all looks well to the doctor today,he will be released to home after lunchtime sometime.He has at least 30 days of a neck support collar and no rides in automobiles for at least the first two weeks pending on how he heals.He told his wife the pain is relieved and the feeling was coming back to his left side.He also wanted FOOD for which the nurses told him,maybe,if his stomach could handle it(Now I know he's feeling well,LOL).I'll be going over tommorrow morning sometime early and will give you one last update.I'll not drive his truck yet as I am not sure he could handle the stress yet....LOL.........Andy