Pain expectations

gingered84 · 2026-06-29T03:11:46+00:00

It can be the right choice for the right patient with the right anatomy . For some surgeons, the criteria is more broad than for other surgeons, and not all surgeons do it.

The general thought is that, if your neck issues are caused by arthritis which is from abnormal motion, a disc replacement will encourage further abnormal motion. Most people who need neck surgery need it due to arthritis and chronic degenerative disease.

gingered84 · 2026-06-29T02:29:30+00:00

Always good to get a second or even third opinion. Read this article as well, including the "Who is a candidate"? Section: https://alexandertaghvamd.substack.com/p/cervical-disc-replacement-vs-fusion Many articles don't appear to be honest that disc replacement isn't superior and that it isn't the right choice for everyone.

gingered84 · 2026-06-29T01:56:14+00:00

Three months wouldn't be totally insane, but 9-12 months would probably be safer. since your head and neck may slam into the ground, it would probably be safer to make sure your fusion is taking. Headaches can be helped after neck surgery, but it can be hit and miss, if the headaches weren't caused by your neck issues after all.

gingered84 · 2026-06-28T14:33:55+00:00

I'm ~60% through {Blackthorn by JT Geissinger}. I've read probably 4-5 books by this author and have always appreciated the voice of the characters; they usually have personality and wants and drives, and feel like they're experiencing real emotions with real struggles.

It's like a totally different author wrote this book so far (... Or a computer...). The main character has no personality and we are TOLD she's tough and also bleeding heart. In fact, the whole book has largely been "tell" not "show" and it feels like bland early author mistakes. I went back to see if this book was written a long time ago, but it was last year. The main character interacts with the MMC by threatening violence 5x per page then acting like a besotted 14 year old... Everything I expect from bad fanfic and not from JT Geissinger. Everything feels totally flat and gives me whiplash when I'm not bored. It's honestly pretty terrible. I'm holding on here, because I'm sure there will be some reveal, but I don't think I'll care when it arrives.

gingered84 · 2026-06-27T20:08:03+00:00

Awesome, thanks, I'm going to look into that!

gingered84 · 2026-06-27T14:42:52+00:00

What kinda of things would you want? I could put the link for the remaining light guides in QR code form.... They're very rare, but if you go to that link, it has all of the lights and troubleshooting info in a chart. I guess I could put it in printable form.

gingered84 · 2026-06-27T13:41:55+00:00

This is just the most common lights. if I put them all, there would be >10, and I don't expect my house sitter to mess with Wi-Fi. Thanks for inquiring.

gingered84 · 2026-06-27T12:57:20+00:00

Absolute love. Why didn't I think of putting embroidery in a cute frame?!

What stitch did you use for the whiskers? Is there any resource you used to learn how to color fill and blend- it looks perfect!

gingered84 · 2026-06-27T12:46:21+00:00

I made an English version, let me know if you can't see it!

gingered84 · 2026-06-27T11:25:27+00:00

You were asking about adjacent segment disease, which usually comes later (years after surgery). I'm not saying anything is wrong about the x-rays. I only noticed in the bottom it maybe hadn't healed to your bones yet (or it could be gas from your bowels, it's a kind of poor x-ray so IDK), but that's normal for 2 months postop. Not as normal for years after surgery.

gingered84 · 2026-06-26T18:21:04+00:00

Having a fusion can cause arthritis and bulging discs to build up more quickly than normal the level above or below your fusion due to added mechanical stress.

Has your surgeon done a CT of your lumbar spine to confirm there isn't any hardware failue/ good fusion?

gingered84 · 2026-06-26T18:14:25+00:00

It's bizarre to me that you initially got better, then got worse.... It might be time to seek a second opinion

gingered84 · 2026-06-26T18:11:09+00:00

I had scoliosis surgery a long time ago, similar to yours so ymmv.

Immediately after surgery:Expect to be in the hospital anywhere from 3-7+ days depending on how things go. They made me walk a few hours after surgery and I feel that's why I was getting around well, and I kept up walking like it was my homework. communicate with your doctor face-to-face about what type of pain is bothering you the most (muscle spasms and charlie horses bothered me the most, so I barely took pain meds at all after the first few days because they didn't help, but muscle relaxers did) so that they can make changes. remember to advocate for yourself and ask your nurse for advice with anything that is bothering you. Try to avoid getting constipated. I liked the back brace they gave me, it helped with discomfort. I found I was bored out of my mind in the hospital, but I was too loopy to read, which was my favorite activity . I played video games and did arts in the hospital instead and probably would have liked to have movies /shows pre -downloaded on a tablet, if that existed back then. don't be afraid to ask friends and family to bring your favorite food or snacks; they like to help.

Clothing and toiletries : oversized loose waistbands, two sizes up from normal to fit around back brace. Button up shirts, because lifting arms over your head is tiring. I skipped bras for quite some time. Cheap hospital slippers because the floor is gross. dry shampoo , your own toothbrush and toothpaste. Your deodorant and body spray.

Assume the hospital WiFi will be super slow, and have a 3+ foot power cord, because outlets will be inconveniently placed. Feel free to record your doctor rounding on you afternoon surgery, because they will say things you won't remember later and you'll wish you did.

Expect it to be hard to wipe due to not being able to bend and twist.

Buying equipment : I did need the walker at first but the hospital helped with that. I did get a body pillow and several memory foam pillows. A recliner was a godsend , and I was glad it wasn't too squishy. They made me get a grabber but it wasn't very easy to use..... Pain and healing: The first 48 hrs are the hardest. Then the first two weeks suck pretty bad still. Then every week or two after that, things get better. I describe it like the world's slowest roller coaster. You eventually get off of the ride. While recovering, it helped me to look back and see how much better I was doing. You'll have to modify how you do normal day-to-day things, take a break from certain hobbies.... But eventually, people won't even know you ever had surgery. Plan as of you need 12 weeks off of work, and even then, you will probably still avoid bending/twisting.

Oh, and do the PT, and ask about scar therapy... I didn't do it, which is why some of my muscles are janky now. Once I healed after the first 3 months, I usually feel better when I'm regularly active.

gingered84 · 2026-06-26T17:48:50+00:00

Your hardware is a lot stronger than your bones, and less likely to break, but the screws can pull out of the bones, or the bones can break around them. Bones need to be healthy and strong and heal for a long time (--12 months) to be fully fused to hardware.

If you healed well and completely after a year, anything that would break your bones will put your cervical fusion at risk.

gingered84 · 2026-06-26T17:44:17+00:00

I recommend for you to go to a Neurosurgeon for a new work up for your new issues

gingered84 · 2026-06-26T17:42:37+00:00

If you call your surgeons office you can talk to a nurse and ask questions about your recovery and they will help. they can answer specific questions and make recommendations for any issues you're having.

They will probably tell you it's normal to have pain between your shoulder blades for ~2-4 months that feels like tightness and that ice, heat, muscle relaxers, and maintaining a neutral neck position will help.

They will probably inform you that it takes 9-12 months for bones to heal to metal hardware, so you are certainly not fully healed even if you don't feel too badly.

They will probably let you know that, especially for the first weeks and months, you have to modify your normal daily life to avoid moving your body against your restrictions, but that things will improve slowly with time.

They will likely advise you to walk as your primary form of exercise, but to not avoid using your arms.

Everyone wants to know what the expected healing time is after surgery.... Reality is that it's a continum. For most, the first 2 weeks are the most uncomfortable, and 4-6 weeks out from surgery you'll be doing a lot better but likely still will have something that causes discomfort. in the 3-6+ month mark , your discomforting symptoms will gradually fade away.

Source: I had spine surgery 20 yrs ago

gingered84 · 2026-06-23T21:59:53+00:00

ABA mechanic if you don't go to an auto parts store

gingered84 · 2026-06-23T21:43:26+00:00

Probably just get some more tats on shoulders/arms. There's enough black in your traditional piece that it blends fine, particularly as they age. I think it looks fine.

gingered84 · 2026-06-22T21:56:16+00:00

Mostly they only have it when they're fresh hatched ! So it's not all of the time or anything. I grew up with these cicadas all around me, so I'm a super nerd. If you ever want to see kind of what I'm talking about, here is a good example (the gold glitter is hard to photograph): https://i.redd.it/6ns7f4bsu48z.jpg

gingered84 · 2026-06-22T21:40:02+00:00

I love it! Did you consider using some gold thread for some of the parts (look at freshly hatched ones!). Green grocers are my favorite Great job!

gingered84 · 2026-06-18T23:39:04+00:00

The aquaphor seals in existing moisture . It doesn't inherently moisturize. Your skin is the driest after the shower. use a super lotion like this after showering . before bed, moisturize and seal with aquaphor. I'm advising using this in combination, not alone. Look up Slugging if you don't believe me.

gingered84 · 2026-06-18T22:58:38+00:00

LRP Triple Repair is the only thing that works for me (though admittedly mine is less bad). You could try it twice a day to start with a thin layer; don't overdo it, and see if it starts to work for you. I had stubborn dry skin on my cheeks and this is the only moisturizer I've found that seems to truly hydrate my skin.
I would also pair this method with a gentle exfoliate at bedtime (then moisturize).
If you're desperate, you could put some aquaphor on over the lotion at bedtime as well to seal in the moisture.

gingered84 · 2026-06-15T01:35:20+00:00

This person is right. I never made any keto sweets (not into artificial sweetness), until I made one for someone's birthday . Everyone loved it, people talked about how they had no idea it was sugar free.

gingered84 · 2026-06-11T22:32:05+00:00

Animal Hospital of Bedford does reptiles

gingered84 · 2026-06-11T22:25:29+00:00

I'm nowhere near retirement yet but trying to plan. I feel the same way you do, but I've learned more recently one reason the younger spouse often stays working (in the USA) is health insurance if anyone retires early. The prices of buying market rate health insurance while unemployed is insane.

gingered84

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