LindaSeattle

I've never been in a car accident, but when I was a little girl, I was the biggest tom-boy in 3 states. I would ride my bike really hard, before dirt bikes were fashionable, and I can remember several bad tumbles, but never any broken bones. The doctor told me that usually they find degenerative disc disease like mine 20 years later on kids that do skateboarding, and have skiing accidents. Over the years I would have bad neck pain, but I never paid it any attention because I just thought I slept on my pillow awkward or something. Then about 3 years ago it started getting worse and more frequent, and I saw someone at work with health and safety (MD with workman's comp) . She told me I needed to lose weight and exercise and gave me some ergonomic exercises to do. Well, that lasted for about 2 months, and one day my neck hurt so bad until when I went home that evening I could hardly drive, I was scared I would be in a car accident because I could not turn my neck for anything.
The next day, my husband took me to emergency, and they referred me to physical medicine. The same day the doctor knew right away, that's when I learned I had C4-C8 problems, with the most pressing C4-C6. After MRI I was told I was a hair from my spinal cord being completely pinched and result was be permanent paralysis. Had surgery 2 months from then, and now, 15 months out since surgery, but symptoms seem to be spreading.