Cutting Edge

One modern imaging test and a consult with the appropriate expert, and the verdict is in.  My September pain will be relieved by surgery to my neck sometime in the next couple of weeks.

The nerve root of T7, for those of you with a techno bent, is being pinched by a foramin stenosis at C6-7. In misery index terms, I have had unrelenting pain originating behind my left shoulder blade and pulsing down the outside of my left arm for almost three weeks now. First numbness in my ring and little finger, followed by worsening numbness in my other fingers. My best friend and worst enemy is Vicodin, 1/2 tab welcomed every 4 hours, begrudged more often. My MO is to reluctantly take Vicodin for a couple of days following some painful medical crisis, and then toss the prescription a couple of years later when I clean out the medicine cabinet. I don't do well on pain meds, so I take them sparingly and infrequently.

I am no stranger to this malady or its treatment. Ten years ago, I could trace the origin and insertion of the nerve that was being pinched at C5-6 from my right shoulder blade to my right hand. That surgical intervention followed weeks of "aggressive conservative" treatment of physical therapy and anti-inflammatory drugs. Surgery stopped the pain, but did not occur soon enough to prevent loss of function. I lose my grip without warning, especially when I'm tired. (Yes, I know, there's a pun hiding in there.) My dogs, who are constantly underfoot in the kitchen hoping for a dropped or proffered morsel, are conspicuously absent when I load the dishwasher at night. The doc makes no guarantees about relieving symptoms or improving hand function this time, only that the pain from the pinched nerve will stop.

The last time I had neck surgery, it was a "day surgery" but they didn't get me out the door until very late in the day because every time I put my legs over the side of the bed, my BP shot through the roof.  The next morning when I woke up, all I could think of was that some Indian had snuck up behind me and sunk a tomahawk in the back of my neck.(I know, so politically incorrect, but I am so NOT PC most of the time anyway.) 

This time, they will schedule me as an inpatient. The surgeon will need to go in thru the front, and because he will have to cut away bone to reach the back portion, he will put a bone shim in between the vertebrae and a titanium plate to fuse them afterwards.  I'm told it won't be as painful as when they cut from the back through all of that muscle tissue, but I won't be driving anywhere the first week because of pain meds.

The surgery will cause trauma to the nerve to my voice box, causing hoarseness at best or Julie Andrews syndrome at worst. I'm still mulling over the voice box issue.  He said they could go in from the left and avoid the nerve, but it would be harder to do than going in on the right side and having the angle to work with. My call in the end.

That's about all that I know at the moment. I'm not supposed to lift anything, so most of my busy projects are nixed for now. 

I'm thankful that we are supposed to have sunny days all week.