Today I saw my ortho surgeon for my first post-op visit. Tomorrow it will be 10 weeks since surgery. He took x-rays and said it looks great and to return in 3 months. He told me not to turn my head to far and to make sure and use my shoulders when I do. He asked how I was doing and I told him that I was no better than before the surgery and that actually I was worse because of the new pain in the base of my neck. He asked me who my NS was and told me I need to let him know. I told him I saw my NS last week and he just said that it would take time for the nerves to heal. He proceeded to tell me that his only part in the surgery was to place the plate and screws in. I asked him if it looked like it had fused and he said sometimes it takes a year for it to fully fuse. He said at this point things look great. That's good news, now if I could just get rid of the pain, tingling and numbness!!

By the way, he did not mention my smoking and neither did I! Unfortunatly, I still haven't given them up, but I sure didn't want to tell him that.
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AKA: Julie

4/23/03 - Anterior Cervical Discectomy w/Fusion C5/6 - donor bone with titanium plate, 4 screws, no collar post-op

[This message has been edited by lifeonhold2003 (edited 07-02-2003).]