So for the past few weeks I have been trying to get back into some kind of schedule. Guess maybe I should put this on my schedule too. I have not only been dealing with the pain but there are also a lot of other issues that are unseen that come along with an injury of this magnitude. My sleep is getting a little better but seems to take three steps forward two back. Forward progress is good but the set backs are hard to deal with.
First and foremost my pain level has seemed to continue along everyday. Its very frustrating cause I have yet to find something to do to help alleviate this. Although I have been sitting in the hot tub and have Mindy massage my neck muscles. That helps a lot. I can thank her enough for being so supportive and an awesome wife and even better mother. She has helped me through the ups and downs I deal with every day. Seems to be more downs lately than ups.
Physical therapy seems to have come to a stand still right now. I go and don't feel it is very productive for me. SO I am on a mission to find a new one. My biggest problem is there are not very many PT's that have dealt with this type of injury. My doctor told me today that in the last 6 years Harbourview has only seen 60 patients that have had a c-1 fracture. Now I am not sure wht their outcome was but thats less than 10 a year. From what I have read there is only a very small percentage that actually have no neurological damage as I do. So now trying to find someone with knowledge of this is small. I will find the right one they are out there.
Not very many people like to talk about their personal issues in the open. I have found through this, that hiding my feelings that does not help me or those around me. I know I should feel happy that I can still walk and talk, but I have been really depressed for the last several weeks. It has got worse the last couple. I cry for no apparent reason. I feel lost on what I should be doing. I am at a stagnant point in progressing forward in getting more mobility. I don't know what to do about it. I cant seem to turn my head further left to right. So on we go with this puzzle we call my body.
Dealing with all the mental parts of recovery are never really talked about much. I think this is even harder to deal worth than the injury itself. It so hard to get in a good mental place to start recovery when you feel like you aren't getting anywhere. It's been 19 weeks since my injury. I am definately feeling better than weeks 1-3 and better than many others but still in pain. I wish I knew the magic number of weeks is until its to the point I feel that I am good to go back to the sports and activities I love and miss so much. My softball team this fall won the championship in our league. I was so excited for them but at the same time I was really depressed that I was not part of it all. Yeah I know you all way say look at how far you have come and I understand that concept. For me though, I am still not me.
I am seeing a therapist and I am working through the mental game this has become. This is one game I will not lose.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Just what is a Jefferson burst fracture?
First, I thought I'd explain just what a Jefferson Fracture is.
It is a 3 or 4 place fracture of the C1 vertebra. Simple as that!
Research I have done on this injury reveals that it is most usually suffered by males (of which I am not); it is usually a sports-related injury, occuring most often from diving and equestrian accidents.
You can easily visualize what happens, if you wish.
The C1 is different than all other vertebrae in that it is comprised of one solid ring of bone. The C1 acts as a washer of sorts between the skull and the C2 and rest of the spine. It is called the Atlas bone, for like the mythical figure of old, this Atlas holds the weight of the world (aka skull) upon its shoulders.
To say it is a pretty important part of the spine, I guess, would be an understatement. Its proximity to the skull base and cranial nerves means that movement of only millimeters can have a profound effect.
When a person lands with great velocity onto the very top of their head (as in diving into shallow water), the skull is pushed with great force unto the C1 ring. Something's gotta give! A Jefferson Fracture occurs when that C1 breaks in 3 or 4 places.
Our anatomy in this area is all held in place by ligaments, including the ever-important "Transverse Ligament." In a STABLE Jefferson Fracture, the burst fracture of the C1 springs apart, and the ligaments pull things right back into shape. This is still a serious situation, but the ligaments still being functional means that the fracture is stable and more conservative measures can be taken for treatment.
However, if the burst fractures go wide enough, this is indicative that the ligaments were all ruptured, broken ("ripped and torn" my neurosurgeon told me), stretched beyond compare and unable to pull the C1 back into position. In fact, radiologists are taught to recognize that a Jefferson fracture is unstable and the tranverse ligament is compromised by how far gapped the fractured sites are.
When this happens, an UNSTABLE Jefferson Fracture has occurred and the treatment for this is much more aggressive. Websites and doctors seem to vary a little bit about the course of treatment, but the "minimal standard of care" seems to be traction in the hospital for a week or so, then a halo being installed for the patient to wear for 3 months or longer. The point of all of this is obviously: stability while things are healing. This stability is of utmost importance.
The C2 is also in the picture, as the odontoid (or dens, a part of the C2) sticks up into the off-center of the C1. The odontoid is something of a bony finger or tooth and makes the C2 a unique vertebra, as well. The transverse ligament travels between the C1 and C2.
It is a 3 or 4 place fracture of the C1 vertebra. Simple as that!
Research I have done on this injury reveals that it is most usually suffered by males (of which I am not); it is usually a sports-related injury, occuring most often from diving and equestrian accidents.
You can easily visualize what happens, if you wish.
The C1 is different than all other vertebrae in that it is comprised of one solid ring of bone. The C1 acts as a washer of sorts between the skull and the C2 and rest of the spine. It is called the Atlas bone, for like the mythical figure of old, this Atlas holds the weight of the world (aka skull) upon its shoulders.
To say it is a pretty important part of the spine, I guess, would be an understatement. Its proximity to the skull base and cranial nerves means that movement of only millimeters can have a profound effect.
When a person lands with great velocity onto the very top of their head (as in diving into shallow water), the skull is pushed with great force unto the C1 ring. Something's gotta give! A Jefferson Fracture occurs when that C1 breaks in 3 or 4 places.
Our anatomy in this area is all held in place by ligaments, including the ever-important "Transverse Ligament." In a STABLE Jefferson Fracture, the burst fracture of the C1 springs apart, and the ligaments pull things right back into shape. This is still a serious situation, but the ligaments still being functional means that the fracture is stable and more conservative measures can be taken for treatment.
However, if the burst fractures go wide enough, this is indicative that the ligaments were all ruptured, broken ("ripped and torn" my neurosurgeon told me), stretched beyond compare and unable to pull the C1 back into position. In fact, radiologists are taught to recognize that a Jefferson fracture is unstable and the tranverse ligament is compromised by how far gapped the fractured sites are.
When this happens, an UNSTABLE Jefferson Fracture has occurred and the treatment for this is much more aggressive. Websites and doctors seem to vary a little bit about the course of treatment, but the "minimal standard of care" seems to be traction in the hospital for a week or so, then a halo being installed for the patient to wear for 3 months or longer. The point of all of this is obviously: stability while things are healing. This stability is of utmost importance.
The C2 is also in the picture, as the odontoid (or dens, a part of the C2) sticks up into the off-center of the C1. The odontoid is something of a bony finger or tooth and makes the C2 a unique vertebra, as well. The transverse ligament travels between the C1 and C2.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Once again we spend time at the ER. LOVELY
So they appt has come and gone. My numbing in my fingers got worse leading up to my appt. Over the weekend my pain increased substantially. So monday morning we call the doctors office to see what they would like me to do. The answer we got from the nurse on call was go directly to the ER. That this was a serious symptom that needed ot be addressed immediately. Off we go to the ER on the orders of the nurse. When we arrive there we WAIT and wait and wait. Now remember that I already had an appt in the clinic at 2:30pm. It is getting close to 100pm and still not even checked in yet. I guess when they say its serious they fail to let the people checking patients in that this is serious. Or they just don't know yet cause I still haven't even been seen by the triage nurse.
As we get closer to 230pm my wife went upstairs to check in the clinic to see if we should just come up there instead. So after sitting in the ER for several hours they say just come to your appt instead. WOW what a waste of the day. I guess there idea of emergency isn't the same as others.
Next we wait in the waiting room. Boy do I love waiting. Why do they tell you to be there at 230pm when they actually don't call you back till 250pm. Then they don't come in to see you till 305pm. why dont thye just be here at 300pm and we will see you within 5min. or your visit is free. Yeah that would work. HA that will never happen.
We finally get to see the doctor but (what you thought it would get better HAHA) We don't actually see the doctor. We get to see the resident instead of the attending. You know the guy in charge. The guy we get to see we have seen before but the first time didn't go so well. I don't think he even read my chart before he came in. Well maybe this time would be better.
SO we explain the numbing sensations and that we were told to go to the ER and he immediately says "Well we told you surgery was the best option from the beginning." Really, Jack ass that was never said to me. Then he says, " well once the vertebrae are past 7mm we always do surgery and yours are at 12mm." Really how can you tell me that, that was never said to me. "Well if you want your pain to go away surgery is what you need." Now I may be wrong a little on how he said it and exactly what he said. You get the point though. He was not very supportive of my original plan we went over and implemented with the attending and what it clearly said in my chart. Surgery is only a last resort. We will not do that until everything else fails. I want it to heal naturally so I can have full mobility.
As we are wrapping up the appointment he says "So do you feel good about the appointment." NO It was a waste of time. You answered nothing and made me feel horrible. You didn't even offer a solution as to why my hands and fingers go numb. Well I thing you need surgery he says. That will fix it. How can you recommend that without looking into it more. You have even said x-rays are not as detailed as you would like. Why don't we do something else to look into it further and better. Then he finally says we can do a scan of your neck. WOW It takes me asking you the resident to get something done. Maybe you should go back to lecture to learn how to speak with patients.
So we schedule a CT scan fo the following Monday.
Meanwhile his solution was wait and see how the scan goes but just wear the hard collar to help. All day everyday to support your neck it may not be stable thats why you go numb. SO the whole week I am stressed out about the results and worrying to no end. I didn't sleep well at all. I keep thinking I am going to have to have surgery cause its not healing and i feel like I am going backwards. The week was horrible.
Monday the 28th EW have another appointment to see the doctor to go over the results
Monday could not come quick enough for me. I finally should get some more informed answers. The scan was super fast, I didn't even have to wait in the waiting room. They were definatley on time. Next was the doctor. WOW they were on time too. Maybe this is a sign. Well one can wish right?
So who will we see today. If that other guy comes in I am going ot tell him to leave. I am glad when the attending walks in. He is so much better with patients and explaining whats going on with my neck. I am still nervous and really tense and cant relax. I do not want to hear the bad news if there is some. Thankfully everything checked out on the scan. It showed that my vertebrae are only 8mm overhanging not 12mm. So what does that mean to me. It means that I will not need surgery unless the pain becomes to unbearable to deal with on a daily basis. I will get full mobility back in my neck. Relief finally. I can feel it move throughout my whole body.
So what do I do now? Well that would be PT twice a week for awhile. I no longer need to wear the neck brace. The numbness is from inflamation that is in my neck from not moving. Not neurilogical signs that my vertebrae is moving. Of the four breaks of my vertebrae there is noticeable healing of three of them. The fourth may not heal fully but there is enough fibrous tissue in the other three to be called stable.
So now the next chapter starts today. I had my first appointment today at the Physical Therapy office at Harbourview Medical Center. This is where i will begin my journey back to where I was on June 22nd 2010. I have a great therapist and I will be back stronger than before. I just need to teach my neck to turn with moving my shoulders. I guess that is what happens typically to those with this type of injury. Your brain forgets that it is safe to just turn your neck. You have to get the neurons to fire again and show it that it will not injure yourself. I also shrug my shoulders up a lot. This is a reaction to my body trying to protect itself. Its crazy to hear I have to learn to turn my head again.
I would have never thought that I would be able to move this soon considering what my injury was. Well not moving freely yet, but I will.
As we get closer to 230pm my wife went upstairs to check in the clinic to see if we should just come up there instead. So after sitting in the ER for several hours they say just come to your appt instead. WOW what a waste of the day. I guess there idea of emergency isn't the same as others.
Next we wait in the waiting room. Boy do I love waiting. Why do they tell you to be there at 230pm when they actually don't call you back till 250pm. Then they don't come in to see you till 305pm. why dont thye just be here at 300pm and we will see you within 5min. or your visit is free. Yeah that would work. HA that will never happen.
We finally get to see the doctor but (what you thought it would get better HAHA) We don't actually see the doctor. We get to see the resident instead of the attending. You know the guy in charge. The guy we get to see we have seen before but the first time didn't go so well. I don't think he even read my chart before he came in. Well maybe this time would be better.
SO we explain the numbing sensations and that we were told to go to the ER and he immediately says "Well we told you surgery was the best option from the beginning." Really, Jack ass that was never said to me. Then he says, " well once the vertebrae are past 7mm we always do surgery and yours are at 12mm." Really how can you tell me that, that was never said to me. "Well if you want your pain to go away surgery is what you need." Now I may be wrong a little on how he said it and exactly what he said. You get the point though. He was not very supportive of my original plan we went over and implemented with the attending and what it clearly said in my chart. Surgery is only a last resort. We will not do that until everything else fails. I want it to heal naturally so I can have full mobility.
As we are wrapping up the appointment he says "So do you feel good about the appointment." NO It was a waste of time. You answered nothing and made me feel horrible. You didn't even offer a solution as to why my hands and fingers go numb. Well I thing you need surgery he says. That will fix it. How can you recommend that without looking into it more. You have even said x-rays are not as detailed as you would like. Why don't we do something else to look into it further and better. Then he finally says we can do a scan of your neck. WOW It takes me asking you the resident to get something done. Maybe you should go back to lecture to learn how to speak with patients.
So we schedule a CT scan fo the following Monday.
Meanwhile his solution was wait and see how the scan goes but just wear the hard collar to help. All day everyday to support your neck it may not be stable thats why you go numb. SO the whole week I am stressed out about the results and worrying to no end. I didn't sleep well at all. I keep thinking I am going to have to have surgery cause its not healing and i feel like I am going backwards. The week was horrible.
Monday the 28th EW have another appointment to see the doctor to go over the results
Monday could not come quick enough for me. I finally should get some more informed answers. The scan was super fast, I didn't even have to wait in the waiting room. They were definatley on time. Next was the doctor. WOW they were on time too. Maybe this is a sign. Well one can wish right?
So who will we see today. If that other guy comes in I am going ot tell him to leave. I am glad when the attending walks in. He is so much better with patients and explaining whats going on with my neck. I am still nervous and really tense and cant relax. I do not want to hear the bad news if there is some. Thankfully everything checked out on the scan. It showed that my vertebrae are only 8mm overhanging not 12mm. So what does that mean to me. It means that I will not need surgery unless the pain becomes to unbearable to deal with on a daily basis. I will get full mobility back in my neck. Relief finally. I can feel it move throughout my whole body.
So what do I do now? Well that would be PT twice a week for awhile. I no longer need to wear the neck brace. The numbness is from inflamation that is in my neck from not moving. Not neurilogical signs that my vertebrae is moving. Of the four breaks of my vertebrae there is noticeable healing of three of them. The fourth may not heal fully but there is enough fibrous tissue in the other three to be called stable.
So now the next chapter starts today. I had my first appointment today at the Physical Therapy office at Harbourview Medical Center. This is where i will begin my journey back to where I was on June 22nd 2010. I have a great therapist and I will be back stronger than before. I just need to teach my neck to turn with moving my shoulders. I guess that is what happens typically to those with this type of injury. Your brain forgets that it is safe to just turn your neck. You have to get the neurons to fire again and show it that it will not injure yourself. I also shrug my shoulders up a lot. This is a reaction to my body trying to protect itself. Its crazy to hear I have to learn to turn my head again.
I would have never thought that I would be able to move this soon considering what my injury was. Well not moving freely yet, but I will.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
The roller coaster of recovery continues on.
So I haven't been very good about keeping up to date on my posts for you all to follow. After you read this I think you will see why I haven't wanted to .
The last three weeks have gone by really fast for me. I have had good highs and low lows. The first few days without my halo felt really weird. The hardest part was sleeping at night. I couldn't find a comfy spot at all with the pillows I had. The I had posted on FB to see if anyone had a tempurpedic pillow they don't use to see if it would help. By the grace of God I was blessed by my uncle with a new pillow.
Talk about heaven in bed. The first couple of nights I tried to sleep with my brace on as well and could not sleep very well. I kept waking up in pain and lots of discomfort. So I treid to take the brace off and sleep with out it. I was finally able to sleep. I slept thru the whole night and woke up pain free. I felt so great to feel good in the morning for once. As the days since the halo removal I have been able to slowly keep from wearing the brace during the day at all. Everything was going great in my recovery until the last few days.
About four days ago while I was in bed I woke up and stretched a little and felt my neck crack a little. It felt like when try to crack your neck. It wasn't painful at all. I didn't think anything of it at the time.
Then slowly I start to notice I am in more and more pain, day after day. I have lots of pain at night when I sleep and more during the day as well. I am not doing more activities but can't explain why I hurt more. I go back to that night when I felt and herd my neck crack.
As this continues to bother me and gets worse I start to feel worse everyday. I find my self sleeping more in the morning cause I don't get good sleep at night. I wake up every 2-3 hours at night to take a pain pill. I haven't had to do that for quite some time.
Dealing with the pain can be exhausting at times. The biggest issue I have though is that my fingers and arms fall asleep at night now. It is very worrying for me to have this happen. The doctor had said I may have electrical pulse go thru my arms and legs if the vertebrae isn't stabile. This is my fear. If that is the case then surgery it is.
Every time I turn my head side to side it feels as though my vertebrae has to move to the side for me turn further. To me it feels as though my vertebrae is moving back and forth. It feels really weird to have my vertebrae move side to side. Not a feeling you want ot have to experience.
So my request to all who reads this is that you pray for me. I have an appointment Monday at 2:30 pm to find pout what is happening with my vertebrae. Pray for me to be healthy, whether it means my neck is doing great and it is just me thinking it is moving. Or if it is the alternative and I need surgery. Then Pray for the surgeon to have the knowledge he needs to fix me. Just pray for me. Thank you.
The last three weeks have gone by really fast for me. I have had good highs and low lows. The first few days without my halo felt really weird. The hardest part was sleeping at night. I couldn't find a comfy spot at all with the pillows I had. The I had posted on FB to see if anyone had a tempurpedic pillow they don't use to see if it would help. By the grace of God I was blessed by my uncle with a new pillow.
Talk about heaven in bed. The first couple of nights I tried to sleep with my brace on as well and could not sleep very well. I kept waking up in pain and lots of discomfort. So I treid to take the brace off and sleep with out it. I was finally able to sleep. I slept thru the whole night and woke up pain free. I felt so great to feel good in the morning for once. As the days since the halo removal I have been able to slowly keep from wearing the brace during the day at all. Everything was going great in my recovery until the last few days.
About four days ago while I was in bed I woke up and stretched a little and felt my neck crack a little. It felt like when try to crack your neck. It wasn't painful at all. I didn't think anything of it at the time.
Then slowly I start to notice I am in more and more pain, day after day. I have lots of pain at night when I sleep and more during the day as well. I am not doing more activities but can't explain why I hurt more. I go back to that night when I felt and herd my neck crack.
As this continues to bother me and gets worse I start to feel worse everyday. I find my self sleeping more in the morning cause I don't get good sleep at night. I wake up every 2-3 hours at night to take a pain pill. I haven't had to do that for quite some time.
Dealing with the pain can be exhausting at times. The biggest issue I have though is that my fingers and arms fall asleep at night now. It is very worrying for me to have this happen. The doctor had said I may have electrical pulse go thru my arms and legs if the vertebrae isn't stabile. This is my fear. If that is the case then surgery it is.
Every time I turn my head side to side it feels as though my vertebrae has to move to the side for me turn further. To me it feels as though my vertebrae is moving back and forth. It feels really weird to have my vertebrae move side to side. Not a feeling you want ot have to experience.
So my request to all who reads this is that you pray for me. I have an appointment Monday at 2:30 pm to find pout what is happening with my vertebrae. Pray for me to be healthy, whether it means my neck is doing great and it is just me thinking it is moving. Or if it is the alternative and I need surgery. Then Pray for the surgeon to have the knowledge he needs to fix me. Just pray for me. Thank you.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
I love my showers!!!
So life begins again without the Halo. It has been really refreshing so far. I still have some instances that are a little painful. The biggest and best thing is I get to shower now.
You have no idea how good it feels to have hot water run down your face. Letting the hot water stream down on to your neck and down your your back has never felt so good. It is amazing how we over look the simple things in life.
I have finally been able to leave the house and not have to have Mindy drive me. The freedom feels really great.
So daily stretching is in order for me. The more I can do this the better mobility I will get back. The doctor wants to not see me wearing the hard brace by the 20th at all. He only wants me in it at night when I sleep.
He also said I can start resuming normal activities as soon as I want to. So I may not lose all my winted as well. We will see what is next in my chapters of life.
I want to thank everyone again who has helped and prayed for me during all of this. THANKS.
You have no idea how good it feels to have hot water run down your face. Letting the hot water stream down on to your neck and down your your back has never felt so good. It is amazing how we over look the simple things in life.
I have finally been able to leave the house and not have to have Mindy drive me. The freedom feels really great.
So daily stretching is in order for me. The more I can do this the better mobility I will get back. The doctor wants to not see me wearing the hard brace by the 20th at all. He only wants me in it at night when I sleep.
He also said I can start resuming normal activities as soon as I want to. So I may not lose all my winted as well. We will see what is next in my chapters of life.
I want to thank everyone again who has helped and prayed for me during all of this. THANKS.
Monday, August 30, 2010
How to lose 10lbs quickly
So I had my doctors appointment today. We went expecting to just have xrays done and to check to make sure it is still in correct alignment. I was in for a big surprise for sure.
Once I was in the room to take x-rays the tech informed me that the orders were incorrect. She had said they wanted to forward and rear flexing films. Well you cant do that with the halo on. So she checked with the doctor and YES in fact I was getting the Halo off today. Wow, is all I could think.
After the films were taken I returned to the room to inform Mindy about what I was just told. You should have seen the look in her eyes. It was priceless. We were not ready for this today for sure.
We had been expecting my next appointment to be the one when I had the Halo removed. We were getting ourselves ready for that day.
I was shocked for sure to get it off today. All things going through my head.....I get to shower, I get to hug my wife and daughter without having to worry about hitting them in the face with my brace. I have to say though getting to have a shower for the first time since june 22 will be really awesome.
It is pretty funny story how the doctor said he would be taking the halo off. He said I will be right back I need to get my tool box. So he literally left the room and came back with a Craftsman tool box full of tools he needed to remove the halo. I thought he was joking. Nope he wasn't the tool box literally said Craftsman right on the top.
Once they started to remove the halo I felt my head wander a little bit. It started to feel really lite. They did it in stages. First they took off the vest portion. It was very dirty, it is amazing how much crap accumulates underneath it. They had to undo the screws that hold the upright braces in place. Next they removed the uprights from the halo piece around my head. As they do this I am starting to feel my head move more and more. It is beginning to be such a relief to have it off. The final piece to be removed is the ring around my head that the pins are attached to. As the pins are being removed it feels like they are being turned the wrong way. They start to hurt as they are being undone. Then as quickly as the pain from them came away it went. It was such a relief to have them out. No pain at all.
It was really funny as they were doing this Alex was not happy with them at all. She did not like them messing with her dad at all.
So now I am in a hard collar brace for the time being.
The craziest part of all of this is that the doctor said I can resume normal activities as soon as I want to. I can not believe that at all.
My next appointment is the 20th of September. By the time I go to this appointment my doctor wants to have me not wearing the brace at all during the day. CRAZY!!!!!
Now I have to work on stretching my muscles in my neck to gain back mobility.
Once I was in the room to take x-rays the tech informed me that the orders were incorrect. She had said they wanted to forward and rear flexing films. Well you cant do that with the halo on. So she checked with the doctor and YES in fact I was getting the Halo off today. Wow, is all I could think.
After the films were taken I returned to the room to inform Mindy about what I was just told. You should have seen the look in her eyes. It was priceless. We were not ready for this today for sure.
We had been expecting my next appointment to be the one when I had the Halo removed. We were getting ourselves ready for that day.
I was shocked for sure to get it off today. All things going through my head.....I get to shower, I get to hug my wife and daughter without having to worry about hitting them in the face with my brace. I have to say though getting to have a shower for the first time since june 22 will be really awesome.
It is pretty funny story how the doctor said he would be taking the halo off. He said I will be right back I need to get my tool box. So he literally left the room and came back with a Craftsman tool box full of tools he needed to remove the halo. I thought he was joking. Nope he wasn't the tool box literally said Craftsman right on the top.
Once they started to remove the halo I felt my head wander a little bit. It started to feel really lite. They did it in stages. First they took off the vest portion. It was very dirty, it is amazing how much crap accumulates underneath it. They had to undo the screws that hold the upright braces in place. Next they removed the uprights from the halo piece around my head. As they do this I am starting to feel my head move more and more. It is beginning to be such a relief to have it off. The final piece to be removed is the ring around my head that the pins are attached to. As the pins are being removed it feels like they are being turned the wrong way. They start to hurt as they are being undone. Then as quickly as the pain from them came away it went. It was such a relief to have them out. No pain at all.
It was really funny as they were doing this Alex was not happy with them at all. She did not like them messing with her dad at all.
So now I am in a hard collar brace for the time being.
The craziest part of all of this is that the doctor said I can resume normal activities as soon as I want to. I can not believe that at all.
My next appointment is the 20th of September. By the time I go to this appointment my doctor wants to have me not wearing the brace at all during the day. CRAZY!!!!!
Now I have to work on stretching my muscles in my neck to gain back mobility.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Slowly progressing
Another week has come and gone. The mornings are still tough for me. I still have the pain in my lower back. Now I also get stiff pains in my legs and the rest of my body as well. A hot rice bag in the morning usually will help get rid of it. All I really want to do is have a great big stretch when I wake up. I miss those.
The biggest struggle now is that I keep having pain at night while I sleep that wake me up. They feel like twitching in my body, so extreme that it makes pain flow through my body and wakes me out of a deep sleep. It has made me scream out in pain. The hardest part is knowing when I go back to sleep and wake in the morning I will be in pain. It only lasts for a little while in the morning but it is never fun to wake up feeling horrible.
For me it is about getting going in the morning. I have started to try and work more and more a little bit everyday. Which has really helped a lot to get back into a routine of sorts. It has really helped to get out of my hole I fell into for awhile. Being depressed was something that i have struggled with since this happened. It can be tough to try and do the simple things I did before and struggle to do them. Just try and put your socks and shoes on but you can't bend very well. Its really tough.
My next appt is on Monday. I don't anticipate anything to come out of that one. Just checking x-rays to make sure everything is still stable and in place.
Until next week, have a great week. Thanks for reading.
The biggest struggle now is that I keep having pain at night while I sleep that wake me up. They feel like twitching in my body, so extreme that it makes pain flow through my body and wakes me out of a deep sleep. It has made me scream out in pain. The hardest part is knowing when I go back to sleep and wake in the morning I will be in pain. It only lasts for a little while in the morning but it is never fun to wake up feeling horrible.
For me it is about getting going in the morning. I have started to try and work more and more a little bit everyday. Which has really helped a lot to get back into a routine of sorts. It has really helped to get out of my hole I fell into for awhile. Being depressed was something that i have struggled with since this happened. It can be tough to try and do the simple things I did before and struggle to do them. Just try and put your socks and shoes on but you can't bend very well. Its really tough.
My next appt is on Monday. I don't anticipate anything to come out of that one. Just checking x-rays to make sure everything is still stable and in place.
Until next week, have a great week. Thanks for reading.
Monday, August 16, 2010
After the weekend update. August 16th
So the past week has come and gone. The temperature rose to crazy levels and is slowly going back down. I am glad it is falling again. Not really fun wearing a lambswool sweater when its 90+. Had a pretty full week and weekend. SO lets get to it.
So the week went pretty well. I had some pain this week in the mornings and very little as the day progressed. I have come to the realization that I may just need to deal with the morning pain for now cause it usually goes away eventually throughout the morning to afternoon. The one thing that is most annoying is the left side of neck just below my head has an area about 2 inches long that seems to always hurt. If I move wrong that is wear I feel it. If that is the only thing I have as a result of this, I think I can deal with that for the most part.
No appointments this week at all. Still waiting for another 2 weeks to pass. Still praying for healing.
This past Friday was my birthday and we went to the Redhook Brewery for dinner and drinks. Thanks to you all who made it out and to those who didn't that's alright I am sure I will be back there again soon and will let you know so you can join me then.
Saturday I went with my cousin to the Seahawks pre season opener. Had a great time. Not to much afterwards. I thought I would be really sore cause we sit int he Hawks nest where there is no backs to the seats but it worked out alright.
Sunday morning was the first day I woke up in a long time feeling really good. No back pain at all. I was so grateful for that. Mindy, Alex and I went to church in the morning and then to the beach for a little sand and sun. Over all a great day.
The tread kept going this morning. Although little sore still way more tolerable than before.
Have a great week all!!!!
So the week went pretty well. I had some pain this week in the mornings and very little as the day progressed. I have come to the realization that I may just need to deal with the morning pain for now cause it usually goes away eventually throughout the morning to afternoon. The one thing that is most annoying is the left side of neck just below my head has an area about 2 inches long that seems to always hurt. If I move wrong that is wear I feel it. If that is the only thing I have as a result of this, I think I can deal with that for the most part.
No appointments this week at all. Still waiting for another 2 weeks to pass. Still praying for healing.
This past Friday was my birthday and we went to the Redhook Brewery for dinner and drinks. Thanks to you all who made it out and to those who didn't that's alright I am sure I will be back there again soon and will let you know so you can join me then.
Saturday I went with my cousin to the Seahawks pre season opener. Had a great time. Not to much afterwards. I thought I would be really sore cause we sit int he Hawks nest where there is no backs to the seats but it worked out alright.
Sunday morning was the first day I woke up in a long time feeling really good. No back pain at all. I was so grateful for that. Mindy, Alex and I went to church in the morning and then to the beach for a little sand and sun. Over all a great day.
The tread kept going this morning. Although little sore still way more tolerable than before.
Have a great week all!!!!
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Monday doctors appointment update.
SO for the last few weeks I have been waiting for this appointment to come. It has been stressful waiting to see what will be the outcome. On my last appointment the doctor had said we would know at my next one if the neck had stabilized and if there was going to be a need to have surgery. So we waited and worried and thought about all of the options we would have. We contemplated the worst case scenario and the best. As we got closer the more worry came to be. I was ready to find out what my outcome would be.
After waiting this is what we heard "We will not know if the neck will stay in place until you remove the halo." REALLY I waited for that. Now guess what, I get to wait AGAIN. We took X-rays and they could not tell from them if the neck had started to heal or not. I asked if there was fibrous tissue that had started to develop. They said they couldn't tell. Really all this technology and you can't read the xray.
So after all this time we get to wait again. The next one is in three weeks. SO we just wait and see. The next one will just be to look at the alignment. We just need to make sure it has not moved.
Finally we have a date though as to when i get to have the Halo removed. YEAH. My count down is on till I get to have a SHOWER. The first thing I am going to do is hug my wife and little girl. I miss those. Until then.....talk to you soon.
After waiting this is what we heard "We will not know if the neck will stay in place until you remove the halo." REALLY I waited for that. Now guess what, I get to wait AGAIN. We took X-rays and they could not tell from them if the neck had started to heal or not. I asked if there was fibrous tissue that had started to develop. They said they couldn't tell. Really all this technology and you can't read the xray.
So after all this time we get to wait again. The next one is in three weeks. SO we just wait and see. The next one will just be to look at the alignment. We just need to make sure it has not moved.
Finally we have a date though as to when i get to have the Halo removed. YEAH. My count down is on till I get to have a SHOWER. The first thing I am going to do is hug my wife and little girl. I miss those. Until then.....talk to you soon.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
August 7th 2010
So its been awhile since the last update. A lot of different things to try and cover in this post. It will be quite long so hang in there. I will try to get updates more often so they don't pile up to long.
Lately I have been feeling better as far as my pain goes. My biggest struggle lately is muscle pain in the morning when I wake up. It gets so bad that I can barely move. It is mainly in my lower back area. I am not sure how I can get this to dissipate or at least get to a more tolerable level. I have tried elevating my legs with pillows. I have tried stretching, which is a completely different struggle I am having as well. More on that later. The only thing that seems to help so far is just getting up with the pain and using a rice bag warmed in the micro. It still doesn't stop the pain in the morning but helps make it go away after I get up.
My pain like I said is getting better. I have mostly good days lately. I still have the occasional pain occurrence when I move the wrong way during the day. It still is difficult to find a comfortable place to lay in bed. It takes several minutes to find it. Laying flat on your back when your used to being able to move around in your sleep is very uncomfortable. This is also when my muscles want to be stretched to most as well. it is very hard to be able to try and stretch my arms and not cause pain in my neck. It is a very fine line between relief in my muscles and pain in my neck.
I had my first real breakdown the other day. I just cried for about an hour. I didn't really know why or what i was upset about. Other than just what was going on. There wasn't anything one thing that set it off. I think it was the first time since my accident that I really let my self grieve for me. It sounds weird to say that but I feel it really helped. My wife says I don't cry in my sleep anymore since then. I sleep through the night a lot better now. I know this may sound weird to many of you but truly believe this was all part of Gods plan. As I thought back to my accident and when I broke down just for fun I counted the days. I don't what significance it has but it was 40 days. 40days I suffered with not sleeping well, crying in my sleep, pain in my neck and then I finally grieved. Only then did most of this stop and I am able to feel a little better. Take out of this what you want but I really believe it is all in His plan.
My other big struggle I have is just coming to the realization that there are just some selfish people in this world. It has become very disappointing. Not only do I have to deal with the feelings of being injured and the pain as a result of it. I also have to deal with the pain of disappointment. It is really sad that I even am writing about this but it is a reality and it is part of life. The people you expect to be here for you and help you through the most difficult times in your life are just not the same people you expected them to be. You find out who really cares about you and for you. You also find out that there are those who care about you a lot that you never really expected them to be one of the few that do. I have some amazing people in my life and I am grateful for that. Thank you
During the past few weeks I am also becoming more nervous as we get closer to my appointment Monday the 9th. I do not know what to expect. I am praying that it is healing properly and no surgery will be needed. I also have to also prepare myself that it may not be healing as well. Mentally I am exhausted at having to do this. I know I am supposed to hope that it will be healing and pray that I Will heal but I also have come to the realization that it may not be the case. I am not saying I wont be better but I am just not sure in what capacity it will be in. This is a question I do not have an answer for as of yet. My life will continue to go on and I will get past this day. I have also decided that I will not be held back from this. I am going to continue living my life the same as I did before. I will be a husband to my wife and father to my wonderful daughter. As for how I do the things in my life that require activity it still remains up in the air just how I will do them. But do them I will. Until Monday, keep praying it is healing.
Lately I have been feeling better as far as my pain goes. My biggest struggle lately is muscle pain in the morning when I wake up. It gets so bad that I can barely move. It is mainly in my lower back area. I am not sure how I can get this to dissipate or at least get to a more tolerable level. I have tried elevating my legs with pillows. I have tried stretching, which is a completely different struggle I am having as well. More on that later. The only thing that seems to help so far is just getting up with the pain and using a rice bag warmed in the micro. It still doesn't stop the pain in the morning but helps make it go away after I get up.
My pain like I said is getting better. I have mostly good days lately. I still have the occasional pain occurrence when I move the wrong way during the day. It still is difficult to find a comfortable place to lay in bed. It takes several minutes to find it. Laying flat on your back when your used to being able to move around in your sleep is very uncomfortable. This is also when my muscles want to be stretched to most as well. it is very hard to be able to try and stretch my arms and not cause pain in my neck. It is a very fine line between relief in my muscles and pain in my neck.
I had my first real breakdown the other day. I just cried for about an hour. I didn't really know why or what i was upset about. Other than just what was going on. There wasn't anything one thing that set it off. I think it was the first time since my accident that I really let my self grieve for me. It sounds weird to say that but I feel it really helped. My wife says I don't cry in my sleep anymore since then. I sleep through the night a lot better now. I know this may sound weird to many of you but truly believe this was all part of Gods plan. As I thought back to my accident and when I broke down just for fun I counted the days. I don't what significance it has but it was 40 days. 40days I suffered with not sleeping well, crying in my sleep, pain in my neck and then I finally grieved. Only then did most of this stop and I am able to feel a little better. Take out of this what you want but I really believe it is all in His plan.
My other big struggle I have is just coming to the realization that there are just some selfish people in this world. It has become very disappointing. Not only do I have to deal with the feelings of being injured and the pain as a result of it. I also have to deal with the pain of disappointment. It is really sad that I even am writing about this but it is a reality and it is part of life. The people you expect to be here for you and help you through the most difficult times in your life are just not the same people you expected them to be. You find out who really cares about you and for you. You also find out that there are those who care about you a lot that you never really expected them to be one of the few that do. I have some amazing people in my life and I am grateful for that. Thank you
During the past few weeks I am also becoming more nervous as we get closer to my appointment Monday the 9th. I do not know what to expect. I am praying that it is healing properly and no surgery will be needed. I also have to also prepare myself that it may not be healing as well. Mentally I am exhausted at having to do this. I know I am supposed to hope that it will be healing and pray that I Will heal but I also have come to the realization that it may not be the case. I am not saying I wont be better but I am just not sure in what capacity it will be in. This is a question I do not have an answer for as of yet. My life will continue to go on and I will get past this day. I have also decided that I will not be held back from this. I am going to continue living my life the same as I did before. I will be a husband to my wife and father to my wonderful daughter. As for how I do the things in my life that require activity it still remains up in the air just how I will do them. But do them I will. Until Monday, keep praying it is healing.
Monday, July 26, 2010
July 14-16th
So these past three days God has put some incredible people in my path.
Thursday the 14th we went to Costco to do our shopping and I ran into a gentleman who came up to me and introduced himself and took off his hat and proceeded to say: " i too had to wear a Halo and all I can say is hang in there it does get better."
We proceeded to speak for about 30 minutes or so. Most of the questions I asked were about how he functions now and what restrictions he has. As these are the two biggest concerns I have for myself. He did have the surgery and has his c-1 to c-6 fused. His mobility is far better than I expected. He is a lieutenant colonel in the Army and still on active duty and he has to be in his 40's I would say. He had the surgery in his 20's. It was great to see someone who is still active and living life the same after surgery as before.
Friday was our 5 year anniversary. We went to Dukes Chowder House on Green Lake for dinner. When we got there we had asked to sit at the far table outside and the Manager seating us had said: "I don't have a waiter for that table yet do you mind waiting a bit fro them to get here" We were not in a hurry so we had said that would not be a problem at all. we were seated and then after a bit our waiter came to our table to take our order. The first thing he had said to me was " I had to wear a Halo as well and since have made a full recovery" He had no after effects of his accident as well. Again just what I needed to hear that day!!!
Saturday we went to Home Depot to return some tile and get a new bath mirror. The lady at the returns counter also told us that her Aunt had to wear a Halo as well and her neck is doing a lot better. She was older and had a lot more injuries but her neck healed well.
Through all of this I have come to realize that the only reason I am here still is there is a plan for me. I just do not know yet what it is. It is very obvious though it was not my time. God has put people in my life to help me deal with my feelings and get me through the tough times as well.
Thursday the 14th we went to Costco to do our shopping and I ran into a gentleman who came up to me and introduced himself and took off his hat and proceeded to say: " i too had to wear a Halo and all I can say is hang in there it does get better."
We proceeded to speak for about 30 minutes or so. Most of the questions I asked were about how he functions now and what restrictions he has. As these are the two biggest concerns I have for myself. He did have the surgery and has his c-1 to c-6 fused. His mobility is far better than I expected. He is a lieutenant colonel in the Army and still on active duty and he has to be in his 40's I would say. He had the surgery in his 20's. It was great to see someone who is still active and living life the same after surgery as before.
Friday was our 5 year anniversary. We went to Dukes Chowder House on Green Lake for dinner. When we got there we had asked to sit at the far table outside and the Manager seating us had said: "I don't have a waiter for that table yet do you mind waiting a bit fro them to get here" We were not in a hurry so we had said that would not be a problem at all. we were seated and then after a bit our waiter came to our table to take our order. The first thing he had said to me was " I had to wear a Halo as well and since have made a full recovery" He had no after effects of his accident as well. Again just what I needed to hear that day!!!
Saturday we went to Home Depot to return some tile and get a new bath mirror. The lady at the returns counter also told us that her Aunt had to wear a Halo as well and her neck is doing a lot better. She was older and had a lot more injuries but her neck healed well.
Through all of this I have come to realize that the only reason I am here still is there is a plan for me. I just do not know yet what it is. It is very obvious though it was not my time. God has put people in my life to help me deal with my feelings and get me through the tough times as well.
July 12th 2010
Today we had a doctor appointment with the attending doctor for the first time. we actually got some real answers for once. They were not the answers we wanted but still there is hope for me to make a full recovery.
So the vertebrae has still not stabilized fully to allow the fibrous tissue to develop and heal yet. Think of the c-1 as a donut that has broken into 4 pieces. There are 4 spots where there is breaks in the bone that need to heal. The weight of my skull is also preventing this as well cause it is also pushing down on the c-1 causing it to spread out more as well. If it does not stabilize I will need to have surgery to correct this. The other thing is if it spreads to far out the bone can not fuse naturally either. If the bone does heal on its own the only thing that will hinder me over time will be the onset of arthritis. We will not know when it will set in and how severe it will be until it happens.
So right now we are playing the waiting game as to how it is going to act over the next few weeks. Pray for healing and the pain to subside some so I am able to enjoy some the days this summer.
So the vertebrae has still not stabilized fully to allow the fibrous tissue to develop and heal yet. Think of the c-1 as a donut that has broken into 4 pieces. There are 4 spots where there is breaks in the bone that need to heal. The weight of my skull is also preventing this as well cause it is also pushing down on the c-1 causing it to spread out more as well. If it does not stabilize I will need to have surgery to correct this. The other thing is if it spreads to far out the bone can not fuse naturally either. If the bone does heal on its own the only thing that will hinder me over time will be the onset of arthritis. We will not know when it will set in and how severe it will be until it happens.
So right now we are playing the waiting game as to how it is going to act over the next few weeks. Pray for healing and the pain to subside some so I am able to enjoy some the days this summer.
July 8th 2010
This morning I woke up to Mindy thinking that my pins had moved again during the night. throughout the day it looked liked it was getting worse. So we had to go back to the ER. I am getting tired of that place. This time we called the clinic and they suggested we go to the ER because the clinic hours were now closed. This was a very bad day to go to the ER at Harborview. This was one of the hottest days we have had so far this summer. We got there around 430pm and checked in to be seen. The waiting room was packed. There were people there who had been waiting since 1130am and still had not been seen yet. We waited till 715pm and finally were seen. Again we had to wait till the spine specialist was able to come and see us. Long story short everything was still in alignment and the pins were still in the correct place. We finally got out of there at 1030pm. The people who were waiting since 1130am were still waiting. Very long day for them.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
July 7th 2010
This morning I awoke to the most excruciating pain since the accident. I screamed out to mindy thinking that my pins had to much pressure and cracked my skull. "My pins just cracked my skull. Call 911 now!!". Meanwhile Mindy was in tue bathroom throwing up. She had become sick overnight and spent most of the morning in the bathroom. She came running in to the bedroom to me crying out in pain and our daughter Alex screaming from me waking her by yelling. In a panicked voice she asked what happend. I yelled out again that my skull just cracked.
Woodinville firefighters arrived in 3 minutes. It felt very reassuring knowing they got here so fast. They then had to wait till AMR came to transport me to harbourview. The long ride went by quickly but very painfull. Every bump n the road resonates through my head. Being strapped down to the wood back board is not very comfortable.
Still not knowing if my skull has cracked or not we were seen by the ER docs. Given the delicate matter involved we had to wait till the spine specialist was available. We got xrays done and finally find out what was going on. The very loud cracking sound I heard and felt in my head was not my skull cracking. What it was was the back two pins had slipped and moved. All of the pins are supposed to be torqued down to 8lbs per inch. They were all at 3-4 lbs. They did not have an explanation for me as to why they loosened so much. We had just had appt. on friday and they checked them all. As a result of this occurring it made the pins scrape my skull as they moved up my head. This pain was so intense that nothing they gave me in the ER could take it away. After knowing that my neck was not in jeopardy of getting more injured and was stable they sent me home.
So now not only do I have to deal with the pain of my broken neck but add to that the injury sites of the pins scrapping my skull as well. It feels as though I have to start all over again. I was doing so well everyday before this. My pain level was manageable daily with less pain meds. Now I am going to have to take even more pills again.
Woodinville firefighters arrived in 3 minutes. It felt very reassuring knowing they got here so fast. They then had to wait till AMR came to transport me to harbourview. The long ride went by quickly but very painfull. Every bump n the road resonates through my head. Being strapped down to the wood back board is not very comfortable.
Still not knowing if my skull has cracked or not we were seen by the ER docs. Given the delicate matter involved we had to wait till the spine specialist was available. We got xrays done and finally find out what was going on. The very loud cracking sound I heard and felt in my head was not my skull cracking. What it was was the back two pins had slipped and moved. All of the pins are supposed to be torqued down to 8lbs per inch. They were all at 3-4 lbs. They did not have an explanation for me as to why they loosened so much. We had just had appt. on friday and they checked them all. As a result of this occurring it made the pins scrape my skull as they moved up my head. This pain was so intense that nothing they gave me in the ER could take it away. After knowing that my neck was not in jeopardy of getting more injured and was stable they sent me home.
So now not only do I have to deal with the pain of my broken neck but add to that the injury sites of the pins scrapping my skull as well. It feels as though I have to start all over again. I was doing so well everyday before this. My pain level was manageable daily with less pain meds. Now I am going to have to take even more pills again.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
July 4th 2010
Today we tried to have as normal a day as possible. My wife and I went to church for the first time in quite awhile. Through all of this I truly believe God was watching over me and made sure I made it through the way I did. That is the only explanation I have for why I did not end up the way many of the hospital staff had said was typical for c-1 fracture patients. Many times I was told I was lucky to be alive. It was nice to give my thanks to the lord for everything he has done for me and the support he has shown us in the greatest time of need for us.
Later that afternoon we made our way to the lake. This place holds a special place in my heart. This is where my wife and I were married. Every year Mindy's aunt & uncle have a big BBQ. The people who live on the lake all pitch in to pay for a big fireworks display. I spent most of the day sitting in a deck chair watching them all play volleyball and bocce ball. it was our typical fourth of july, rainy and windy. It didn't stop them from playing in the rain though. We had the full spread of food and desserts to make may day go by. Finally the show started around 10:15 and as always was very entertaining and beautiful. It is amazing what they can do with powder and explosives. We finally got home around 11:30pm, What a long day.
Later that afternoon we made our way to the lake. This place holds a special place in my heart. This is where my wife and I were married. Every year Mindy's aunt & uncle have a big BBQ. The people who live on the lake all pitch in to pay for a big fireworks display. I spent most of the day sitting in a deck chair watching them all play volleyball and bocce ball. it was our typical fourth of july, rainy and windy. It didn't stop them from playing in the rain though. We had the full spread of food and desserts to make may day go by. Finally the show started around 10:15 and as always was very entertaining and beautiful. It is amazing what they can do with powder and explosives. We finally got home around 11:30pm, What a long day.
July 2nd 2010
I had my first doctor appt today to follow up and see how things look. During the appt they had mentioned again about surgery and if my neck doesn't heal properly I may need to do this soon than later. They checked the halo and made sure it is still in the correct position as well as testing the pins to make aure they are tight. We took some more xrays just to verify position and see if anything has moved. Appt went well. We now follow up again on the 19th of July.
June 27 2010
First full day at home went well. I am really tired and sore. Most of my pain is in the neck muscles. I have very little pain right at the break. It's more of a dull ache that gets stronger as the Pain pills wear off. The hardest part is trying to lay down and sit up in bed. This puts the most stress onh neck and really hurts a lot. It takes a while to calm down after doing these. The other thing I never thought would be difficult is going to the bathroom. Try going but never looking down at all.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
June 22 2010 after 911 call
After calling 911 it seemed like the longest wait of my life. Time really went by at a snails pace. When the paramedics arrived they like me figured I just had strained my neck. This was before thier assessment of my spine. Once they did this it seemed like they had a switch go off in them. No more joking or casual talk. The level of intensity on thier face was immediate. They strapped me to they back board and placed a c collar on me. My pain level was so intense I started to make me shiver. They put me in the back of the ambulance and started out to harbourview. They gave me morphine to help with the pain but it only took a small edge off. But it was just enough to make it bearable. The drive was so horrible, we really need to pave our roads better.
Once we arrived in the ER I was seen very quickly. The initial trauma X-rays were very blurry from the swelling and they could not tell what had happend. I needed to wait till they could do an MRI and more X-rays. Finally they were able to get better films and pictures which showed I had broken my c-1 vertebrae in 4 different spots. Two on each side. They were not sure if surgery was an option or not considering where and what I had broken. It was a 50/50 decision as to what to do. The first step was to imobilize my neck and place me in a halo. This is a vest that goes around your chest with metal bars extending up to a ring around your head that is secured to your skull by 4 titanium pins. The pins are screwed into the ring and push on the skull and held by tension. I will need to wear this for at least 3 months. After spending 4 days in the hospital I was released and able to go home. I was able to walk to the car and out of the hospital. For that I am very blessed.
Once we arrived in the ER I was seen very quickly. The initial trauma X-rays were very blurry from the swelling and they could not tell what had happend. I needed to wait till they could do an MRI and more X-rays. Finally they were able to get better films and pictures which showed I had broken my c-1 vertebrae in 4 different spots. Two on each side. They were not sure if surgery was an option or not considering where and what I had broken. It was a 50/50 decision as to what to do. The first step was to imobilize my neck and place me in a halo. This is a vest that goes around your chest with metal bars extending up to a ring around your head that is secured to your skull by 4 titanium pins. The pins are screwed into the ring and push on the skull and held by tension. I will need to wear this for at least 3 months. After spending 4 days in the hospital I was released and able to go home. I was able to walk to the car and out of the hospital. For that I am very blessed.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
June 22 2010
This was the day of my accident. My brother inlaw and I went to a local bike park to ride. The trail we were going down looked like it was a technical section but seemed doable. I was the first to go down. It was a short little downhill section with a left hand turn at the bottom. As I started down the hill I was in control till I got towards the bottom. I was carrying more speed than I wanted. I was not able to make the left. The left was built up by a retaining wall of about 3 feet. I went over the dirt berm and crashed over the handle bars. I fell the 3feet over my bike and landed on my head. As I was crashing I tried to tuck and roll out of it. I took most the impact on my head.
I layer on the dirt for awhile after to catch my breath and get my bearings. After about 10 minutes I tried to sit up and just didn't feel right. So I laid back down again. After another 10 I tried to sit again and no good. I kept feeling that my neck was really stiff and extremely sore. We called my wife to come get us and she met us there. I got up and walked to the car. Once there I told my wife we needed to go to the ER. As we drove down he road we took a left turn on to the main road, this is when I felt my neck move about an inch out of place. At that moment is when I felt the most intense aweful pain in my life. This when we called 911 and stopped the car right in the middle of the road.
I layer on the dirt for awhile after to catch my breath and get my bearings. After about 10 minutes I tried to sit up and just didn't feel right. So I laid back down again. After another 10 I tried to sit again and no good. I kept feeling that my neck was really stiff and extremely sore. We called my wife to come get us and she met us there. I got up and walked to the car. Once there I told my wife we needed to go to the ER. As we drove down he road we took a left turn on to the main road, this is when I felt my neck move about an inch out of place. At that moment is when I felt the most intense aweful pain in my life. This when we called 911 and stopped the car right in the middle of the road.
Why I am doing this.
Many days have past since my injury happend. My first few posts will take you back to the day of my accident to tell you how it happend and what transpired in the days following. My reactions to the process and how it made me feel with the news that was given to me. I want to take you on my journey through this. Thanks for following.
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