Cruising the Canadian forest again two months post neck surgery…just don’t tell my surgeon that quite yet…
It’s been a very transformative year for me both mentally and physically. I’m currently recovering from major surgery, which I’m thankful for receiving from the #1 Neurosurgeon in my Canadian country! I’m grateful for getting this discectomy done and over with, especially considering there’s a backlog of surgeries due to COVID in our country. Most people here are currently waiting months even years to get into their respective surgeries.
Due to multiple right sided neck trauma injuries throughout my life, I unfortunately had multiple levels of herniated discs around my spine and lost feeling and control of my right arm, hand, shoulder, neck…my dominant right sided everything since the end of September 2021. You wouldn’t have known because I’m not one to complain, I didn’t tell anybody, and I carried on living a normal life with a positive attitude as best I could. Created my business, carried on being supermom to my two little boys, all without my dominant right sided hand for eight long months. If anybody has experienced constant nerve pain, or is dealing with chronic pain in any capacity, my heart truly goes out to you.
Below is a description of my surgery I received from my neurosurgeon to better describe what I had operated on. Oh, and these cool pictures are ME, my spine and the new plates that are now inside me… wow!
What is an anterior cervical discectomy & fusion?
Discectomy literally means “cutting out the disc.” A discectomy can be performed anywhere along the spine from the neck (cervical) to the low back (lumbar). The surgeon reaches the damaged disc from the front (anterior) of the spine through the throat area. By moving aside the neck muscles, trachea, and esophagus, the disc and bony vertebrae are exposed. Surgery from the front of the neck is more accessible than from the back (posterior) because the disc can be reached without disturbing the spinal cord, spinal nerves, and the strong neck muscles. Depending on your particular symptoms, one disc (single-level) or more (multi-level) may be removed.
After the disc is removed, the space between the bony vertebrae is empty. To prevent the vertebrae from collapsing and rubbing together, a spacer bone graft is inserted to fill the open disc space. The graft serves as a bridge between the two vertebrae to create a spinal fusion. The bone graft and vertebrae are fixed in place with metal plates and screws. Following surgery the body begins its natural healing process and new bone cells grow around the graft. After 3 to 6 months, the bone graft should join the two vertebrae and form one solid piece of bone. The instrumentation and fusion work together, similar to reinforced concrete.
What a fucking year this week has been
Mallory
- Top of the List Christmas Books
- My Book Signing Event
- I’m Next to Best-Selling Authors – A Total Dream Come True!
- Must Read Right Now Summer Book Series
- Mallory’s Hot Summer Four 2024 Recommendations