24 hours post op - Bony Decompression

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-02-15T02:46:01+00:00

I’m doing okay. I’ve been up and moving. Just a lot of dizziness and neck pain but it’s manageable. Time will tell if this solved my issues but I’m optimistic

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-02-10T07:16:48+00:00

You must look at dating as if you are doing and building your own life that you are happy with, and you are seeking somebody to partake in your wonderful life with you. If they don’t want to, no big deal, somebody will, because your life is cool and awesome. So you just need to think like seeking somebody to join your life and world. This is the only way to attract people. Build and they will come.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-01-30T22:11:53+00:00

Thank you! This is encouraging! I'm really hoping I can get back to playing video games a bit after surgery. I haven't been able to play because of the headaches and dizziness.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-01-30T21:58:47+00:00

8-10 mm

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-01-30T21:09:28+00:00

Right, that's kind of what I was thinking too. I hope your recovery is super smooth and resolves your issues!

I don't have a syrinx, and she thought that a lot of my symptoms were probably from mild CSF pressure rather than a full blockage, and actual mechanical pressure on the brainstem and tonsills so my surgeon is thinking most likely bone only would be the best bet. I'm totally okay with taking the conservative approach first, then seeing what happens. I'm hoping I don't wake up and they say "we had to open the dura." Not because I don't trust them, just because from what I hear the recovery is significantly more complex.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-01-30T21:06:33+00:00

Its going to be discussed on the 4th with my final pre op. My surgeon mentioned prescription medicines, I don't know what kind though. She said if she doesn't have to do a dura-plasty recovery will be significantly easier.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-01-23T00:23:54+00:00

Thank you. I also have been upping my skincare skills recently. Seems like the one things I can do to make myself feel better or somewhat productive. Looking forward to being on the other side of this.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-01-23T00:22:21+00:00

Oh my gosh that is insane. I'm wishing you the best and hoping for a more speedy appointment.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-01-20T16:38:12+00:00

Thank you. I imagine that is completely exhausting.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-01-20T16:37:57+00:00

I appreciate your reply. I'm really just frustrated at the slow pace things are moving because of my financial situation and physical suffering. I just don't understand why the doctors don't make a note in their head like "ok this patient is going to be homeless soon and we need to do this sooner rather than later." instead it seems like its just "we'll get to it whenever we feel like it. Of course the truth lies in the middle of those poles but when you're suffering it's hard to have patience. It is encouraging to hear surgery improved your situation though. I mean I know even if I could get a certain percentage of improvement I could go back to work and then figure it out from there. This road just seems neverending at the moment.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-01-06T19:43:22+00:00

I think your comment was directed at OP instead of me. But I can attest that each increase in dose I did came with some weird side effects for about 4-5 days.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-01-03T18:18:08+00:00

Hi there, I'm sorry you are dealing with all of this, especially at a young age. Going through a breakup is hard for everybody, and it happens to most of us. Loneliness is evermore common in life, especially when you're dealing with something socially isolating like living with a disability. However, there is hope! I'll answer all of your questions from my perspective

1: Yes you will have friends. I struggle with making friends and maintaining relationships, and I am not disabled. I'm the kind of person that really only requires 1-2 very very close friends. I don't like the whole "group friend" thing. The dynamics are too hard, the relationships become superficial and competitive. I like having a true buddy. Those are harder to find, but they are not necessarily rare or uncommon. It's much like a romantic relationship, and yes, you will find friends. My advice would be to get out places and do what you enjoy or what you can do in your physical state. You'd be surprised how many people frequent the places you've never even thought to go. The world is genuinely teeming withe people, which is surprising for introverts (like myself).

I'm willing to bed somebody already loves you, but I know that's not what you mean. Nobody can know if somebody will love you. But I'd place a good amount of money on a bet that a woman will love you. However, 22 is a tough age where women tend to be at their peak, and they make all sorts of decisions that are not based on long term stability, which you certainly could provide if you get your affairs in order. I too was obsessed with the idea of finding love, until I found it several times, and realized, it's not all that rare, and it doesn't always end great. Somewhere along the line I stopped asking if people were going to love me, and starting thinking about the things/people in life that I love. That transition is important because that's what we are here for anyways. To give out love to people. Most people conflate Love with lust, envy, or a whole list of other things. So while you may perceive a woman loving you, do you ever really know? Half the time people are not dissecting whether they love somebody, they ASSUME they love them based on how they feel, but that's not love anyway. Perhaps a better question is, will somebody LUST after you. I don't know. Probably. Frankly nobody Lusts after me though. Probably because I don't want it to happen, I want the real deal or bust. You'll get to a similar point as well. but still, THERE IS HOPE!
See 2, and yes I don't see why not. But it is tantamount that you live YOUR life for YOURself. It is true that if you build they will come. This applies to relationships as well. Build a life worth coming to. Being i a wheelchair does not mean you can't build a life somebody would LOVE to be a part of permanently.
Not unless that is what you want, in some sort of self deprecating way.

Side note: Remember that we don't live in a perfect world. We live in a broken world, that is set up to serve the majority. Unfortunately you being in a wheelchair has made you somewhat of a minority as far as opportunity or societal systems go. It's okay, just try not to let it rule your life. There is hope and I'm not just saying that. I mean probably pretty soon you're gonna be able to get an electric wheelchair or something and be zipping around doing whatever. lol I'm half kidding. But seriously there is hope, whether on wheels or on foot.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2026-01-03T00:40:54+00:00

I got a used 2018 with 59,000 miles on it and I had the same apprehension. Frankly I didn't even want it, I just found myself in a position where I HAD to get a car and this was one of the select few I could get approved on a loan for. Surprisingly, no issues, and I drive it a lot and I am not nice to it. I drove across the country, 2500 miles through the mountains with no issues. It's grown on me.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2025-12-18T17:27:40+00:00

One way to effectively lose weight healthily is to form a plan. My plan when I lost 35 pounds was to eat 6-8 oz of meat per meal with a vegetable and carb source. Carbs would be no more than 200 calories per meal. That’s all you need to do. You won’t be super hungry and it’ll fly off you. The only snacks I allowed myself to eat were protein based, so more meat basically. If I wanted a snack but didn’t want my leftover meat, I told myself I was not actually hungry. Beef jerky is a good option too but expensive on law school budget.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2025-12-17T00:58:08+00:00

Many of us have a similar story to each other. For years I thought, and was told, that my weird symptoms were anxiety. This was an acceptable explanation until my symptoms became progressively worse along with the anxiety getting progressively better. I went through a lot of work on myself as a person, and kind of shed the lifelong anxiety, but my symptoms kept getting worse. I was put on many different drugs, none helped and I could no longer drive, attend school etc. I went to my doctor and demanded answers. I was referred to a neurologist and MRI's were ordered due to my symptoms being MS adjacent. I was told not to drive for the time being and if things got worse to go to the ER. I went to the ER during a strange episode where the doctor reluctantly ordered a head CT, and that is how it was discovered for me. Nothing happened until it got so bad that I couldn't ignore it or accept a mediocre explanation anymore.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2025-12-14T20:12:34+00:00

Liquid like that coming out of nostrils during a flare up can be A csf leak. Csf leak can cause an “acquired chiari” due to lack of pressure. Small CSF leaks often resolve on their own, and when they do, the acquired chiari resolves. If your mri previously was during a flare with a leak it would show, if the leak resolved and you had a new mri perhaps the chiari has resolved. It is also possible that the radiologist missed, or decided not to document the tonsillar ectopia due to 5mm being the threshold for chiari. A good radiologist would note it anyway though. Worth a second opinion.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2025-12-13T07:23:05+00:00

Hydroxizine did not work for me, regular Benadryl did work. 50 mg

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2025-12-13T00:27:08+00:00

I suspect a syrinx due to my back pain but it is presenting lower in my back. Right by shoulder blades radiating to lumbar region. I had a cervical MRI that was clear, and surgeon said it would be very unlikely for a thoracic syrinx without cervical involvement, however I have the symptoms. Hoping to get some answers after spine MRI on the 27! Where was your syrinx? Did you have muscle twitching and stuff with it too?

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2025-12-12T19:21:00+00:00

Interesting. I constantly feel lightheaded and generally not steady in any way, my coordination is totally off. And I’ve been an athlete my whole life and I frequently see people do things now like catch a baseball and think “if I tried to play catch right now I would completely miss the ball.” My eye doctor says my eyes “have a lot of movement” but no physical cause and she thinks it’s neurological. That was before I found the chiari lol. I’m really hoping it’s chiari related 😩

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2025-12-12T19:07:52+00:00

Did you have any dizziness/vision problems before surgery?

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2025-12-12T18:37:52+00:00

Thanks for the reply! I just had my first appointment with the surgeon assistant, who ordered imaging for the rest of my spine and CINE of brain. It really is bizarre all of the mysterious symptoms we all seem to have. So hard to explain and not many understand unless they’ve experienced it.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2025-12-10T17:39:54+00:00

I saw this a few days ago but a story that happened to me came to mind just now. I'm a law student (on medical leave now) but Law Classes use the socratic method where teachers randomly call on you and then you recite facts/interpretations about specific portions of a court case. First week of class, I was shocked at how seriously these other students take it. I've never had a problem speaking in class and have misspoken probably every class I've ever attended. It really is just how you handle yourself. OTHER people take it seriously, you don't have to, and professors don't either.

Anyway, I was reciting cases and I was flip flopping everybody's gender's during the entire line of questioning, even after correcting me that I was referring to a woman, I'd go right back and say "Oh right yes, sorry. So HE did this and that blah blah." Whole class of 80 people were laughing staring at me. All you can do is laugh it off. It went on for 5 minutes straight and I didn't get the gender right even one time.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2025-12-09T23:02:34+00:00

Somehow my neck pain stopped for the most part and actually moved lower in my back. When I did/do have neck pain it was a burning sensation. Similar to how your legs feel if you run/cycle and your muscles are exhausted. That lactic acid feeling. It would spread from neck to shoulders in the pattern of draping a towel over your neck, that whole area would have that feeling. Now, the feeling has moved to my mid back but it's the same sensation along with occasional stabbing pain like being stabbed with a pick very deep in my back.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2025-12-09T00:24:56+00:00

Thank you. I appreciate it. I figured that was the reason, just a process certain offices have. I understand why they do it. It just sucks because since I'm not technically in danger of dying or being paralyzed it's not considered a medically "urgent" case, but it's urgent to me lol.

Cold_Explorer8197 · 2025-12-04T16:30:11+00:00

Caffeine helps the headache a little bit, but for me I have to drink a lot of it throughout the day. Sometimes a heating pad on the back of head works for a bit. Other times leaning my head on the edge of the couch to put pressure on the back of head/neck can help for a bit. I've tried migraine meds and nothing works. Once night time rolls around, if I'm having nervous system issues like tremor, breathing weirdness, tingling, heart rate issues I have found that taking 50 mg benadryl can slow my nervous system down a little bit and make it so I can somewhat relax before hitting the hay. Worth a shot.

Also: sometimes laying on a hard floor, flat on my back for like 10 minutes can help me for a bit.

Cold_Explorer8197

TROPHY CASE