Quote Originally Posted by birdgirl73
Hey, PharmaCan. Thanks for the info.

Well, you know, I may not be having the same type of surgery you had because both neurosurgeons gave me the exact same approximate length of surgery: 3 hours. And I had them both explain the procedure in detail and no one went through the the anchoring/suturing of the esophagus. They said they simply intubated, opened, and retracted, emphasizing vertical instead of horizontal retraction to spare the key structures on each side. Perhaps you had a bigger, wider section of your spine worked on. It could also be my anatomy. My surgeon told me I have a long, thin neck, which is true. I also haven't had that myelogram or nerve response test you were talking about. No one's done that to me, but perhaps that's because it's earlier in the deterioration process for me or because this mostly is affecting my spinal cord rather than the emanating spinal nerves. They certainly didn't present that to me as a part of the surgery. I'll ask more questions just in case, but from everything I've read about the procedures they've said I need, 3 hours is about right. Oh! and I'm not having both an orthopedic surgeon and a neurosurgeon. Just a neurosurgeon and assistant neurosurgeon. That's how I prefer it, actually. They're perfectly qualified to do the vertebral bone work and know far more about the delicacy of the nerves and spinal cord. I'm keeping track of all the questions this discussion has raised and will be sure to ask them.

It's interesting that another difference in our experiences is that I've had just the opposite response in relation to being encouraged to have the surgery. The surgeons, two top doctors at different medical centers, have both been very keen on saying it needs to happen and needs to happen soon to spare me permanent spinal damage or paralyzing damage as a result of a fall or car accident. Unfortunately it can't happen quite as soon as we'd like because I'm having heart rhythm trouble and have to have an electrocardioversion to convert me back into normal rhythm before I can undergo the neurosurgery. And before they can cardiovert me, I have to stay on anticoagulants for three solid weeks. So the surgery's at least a month out, probably more like five weeks, which includes time to get off the anticoagulant after the cardioversion. Certainly no one has even remotely attempted to talk me out of it. Except myself, of course.

The cervical collar sounds ghastly, but I suspect I'll feel safer with it on, and I'm told people adjust to it fairly quickly. I don't have much pain now and am not on any pain meds at the moment (nor do I want to be), and I have a pretty high tolerance to post-op pain. I just hope they'll order me NSAIDs instead of opiate analgesics like the push-button MS because I simply don't have efficient opiate receptors and those meds just don't work on me. A pharmacology professor told me this year that I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum from those people who have a particular sensitivity and can easily become addicted. In my case, it's almost like resistance. Anyway, I'll take Advil or IV toradol any day! I'm glad to hear the post-op pain wasn't bad. I dread it if I end up having more trouble swallowing because I'm already having some of that. Feels more like uncoordinated swallowing, really, which I guess is what it is.

Dave'll like the end of your post. I'll be sure and tell him he has something to look forward to after I get the collar off! My dad was with me at the most recent appointment, and so I didn't get to delve into any details about restrictions on my sex life, but I know there are going to be some.

OK, I've had about enough of thinking about this for now. Need to think about something else for a while. Thanks again for all the info!
BG - It would not surpise me at all if, in the last ten years, the techniques have been refined to the extent that they have the surgery down to three hours.

They may have retracted my esophagus up instead of lateraly - I just assumed it was to the side because of the orientation of the x-ray when I saw it.

Since you have 5-6 weeks 'til your surgery... there's a Doc, I think he's in Arkansas, who claims to be doing these proceedures with scopes and lasers. I can find his website and give it to you if you are interested.

As far as sex, or any other activity goes, you just need to remember that you want to move your neck as little as possible. Probably the safest position for you would be on top, where you have complete control of your body movement.