June 23rd: One Year Anniversary of my Surgery

Two days after surgery

Two weeks after surgery

Nine months after surgery

Iron Man: Actually its a titanium alloy but Iron Man has a better sound to it.

Neck Xray

Everything is healing okay.  Today's ex-ray shows the plate and the three screws holding my vertebrae together(bright white pieces, like the letter m on its side) and if you look close, between the screws, you can see the the small cages with bone that has been added as a spacer for the vertebrae to keep the nerve clear.

Self-Portrait

I am sick of this stupid neck brace and it has only been one week.

Old Man Comes Home from Hospital

http://daisyhomeschoolblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/what-difference-day-or-two-can-make.html

Anterior Cervical Discectomy?

Surgery:

                                
No pain:

Vertebrae Fusion will commence Wednesday morning sometime.  I have been prepping  myself  by watching the following video.

"Cervical surgery can be intimidating. This video animation explains how an Anterior Cervical Discectomy is performed and how the spine will heal from surgery."

I Would appreciate prayer for My Pain in the Neck

This is what my spine should look like.  

The MRI shows a bulging disk and a squished nerve.

The end result is that here I am at 39 

and I am feeling like Statler & Waldorf.

It could always be worse. 

I could always look like them.

Afflictions are Preparations?

The winter prepares the earth for the spring, so do afflictions sanctified prepare the soul for glory.    —Richard Sibbes
 

In mid February I awoke with back and arm pain.  

After five days of useless pill popping
my wife suggested that I call the doctor.  

Why?  I love pain!  I eat pain for breakfast!  

The doctor said, "The ex-rays show that something is wrong
and you  need to go see a different doctor
who knows about bones and disks and things like that.
Take these horse pills for the pain"
So after six weeks of waiting
I was able to see the Specialist and get an MRI scheduled.
Of course he told me to stop taking the pain meds
and gave me some anti-inflammation meds.
So now I am whining about the pain again.