stoczko

Hello Dr.Corenman:
Many thanks for your reply.I do have to make some revisions or updates to my last posting. You might be correct in that there is more to it than I understand.
When I left the rehab. hospital I was by then able to find a discharge paper with what had been sustained in the injury and the remedy for it. As mentioned, it said there was C! C2 dislocation fracture C3-C6 SP fracture and a C7 bilateral lamina fracture. It indicated the remedy was the C1 C2 fusion, the C3-C6 laminectomy and NOTHING about C7 in terms of how its bilateral fracture was remedied. I was basing what I told you on this.
Before the surgery I was shown a lateral neck image in which I could see the shattered pivot, or dense?, bone of the C1 and C2 and the spinous process all looked broken off. I was told I had some degenerative conditions of my neck and could see one of the discs, perhaps around C3, of much less height than the others, the others looking low in height as well compared to what I see in anatomy books etc. The cervical spine was bent forward much more than normal. I wasn’t in any condition then to pick and choose my treatment. Nobody came in my room after the surgery to tell me anything, except for one of the surgeons telling me immediately after the surgery that my spinal column was in beautiful condition and I would recover fully and not to turn my head side to side, all of two minutes. I’m wearing a collar.
Later at the non-surgical, rehab. hospital I had lateral and front X-Rays taken. Drs. there said all was fine. I eventually brought these X-Rays home on a disc.
Some time later, before going home I left the rehab. hospital to see the same surgeon for the first follow up visit. A front and lateral view x-ray taken and I’m told all was fine and that it takes a year, but most everyone is 90% of what they were at a year. I’m told to not wear my collar any longer and my primary care Dr. was sent a letter stating that there were NO neck motion restrictions and ANY physical therapy would be appropriate, and I’m to return six weeks later for another follow up visit.
I’m now home with no physical therapy assigned and I return for the next surgical follow up visit, now 3 1/2 months after the accident.
Contradicting the last visit, I’m told by the same surgeon that most people see just about all their improvement after three months and I wouldn’t fully improve; and I must not to turn my head side to side or the hardware might pull out; and I’m not told how long I must not turn my head, that was going to the too much time. I’m told not to come see them again unless I have a problems and the visit is over.
A good six months after the surgery I get a letter from the rehab. hospital to see a physiatrist, which I did. The Dr. tells me to turn my head up and down and side to side, pricks my hands and feet with a needle and asks me if I knew where I was. She assigns me outpatient physical therapy for nine 1/2hr. sessions over two months, which didn’t achieve anything, and I’m given home exercises to follow which I’ve done. One interesting comment made by the therapist was that the only laminectomy performed according to my records given her was the C7 that had the bilateral Lamina fracture.
I looked at the X-rays taken home on a disc from the rehab. hospital. On the lateral view I could see that all of the Spinous Processes were missing and the C1 and C2 hard-wared together. The facet joints were all there, but I couldn’t see if the Lamina at C3-C6 were removed or not as they might be obscured by the facet joint?
I am guessing they left the C3-C6 Lamina there; just having done the fusion of C1 and C2; and The C7 laminectomy, due to it being fractured and not save-able, essentially the accident having done the laminectomy. I suspect they removed the broken off C3-C6 Spinous Process and since they are part of the lamina they call it a “laminectomy” when it’s really a partial one.
My neck cervical spine has/had a reverse to the normal forward curvature, I forget the name of the normal curvature. I’m hoping it has reversed to the normal configuration.
One more thing, I wasn’t operated on within hours of the accident. Looking at bills and some “patient portal” notes, it was four days later. The accident on a Thursday, the surgery on Monday.
My symptoms don’t involve any pain or irritation at being touched.
What I have it a tightness of the neck and shoulders, rib cage and calves, that feel like I’m lifting weight when I’m not. My walking is fine but I have a spring in my step due to the tightness in my calves. I can walk fast for miles. It is the same exact group of muscles that would tighten whenever I would take an ice cold shower when my water heater was broken. The palms of my hands and finger tips feel like a mouth that is about 80% woken up after novocaine is given for dental work. I was given neurontin in the rehab hospital for pins and needles, which I never had anyway, and it had no effect on this.
I just wonder where I’ll be with this? I’m uncomfortable but not in any pain or state of irritation. The physiatrist told me that any tests such MRIs wouldn’t reveal anything as nerves can look fine one day. but not the next though still improving?
My plan is to sit tight for another six months or so and then see where I am. Does that sound OK? I’m not getting worse in any way. I’m quite perplexed and worried.
Best Regards, Steve T.