After going back and forth between the Chiropractor and the Physical Therapist and having to visit the ER due to severe pain and lack of being able to move, I decided it was time to begin the process of surgeries. By this time, the neck was far worse than everything else. The thought of neck surgery scared me and I had heard so many horror stories that it seemed to postpone my decision making.
I had just started a new diet program and knew that weight in surgery would play a factor so after losing a little weight, I went to a Dr. on my side of the river in the state I lived. He was recommended and seemed to be one of the more experienced in the area.
I was so nervous waiting for that Dr. to come in. When he did, he asked why I was there to see him and I told him my issues. He seemed so cold and rude to me and I got a bit uneasy with that attitude.
The next thing out of his mouth was, “Don’t you think you aught to lose some weight?” My heart dropped to the bottom floor of that building and probably cracked that basement floor! I started crying. I finally was losing weight and this man didn’t know me from the next but he was so blunt and rude.
Was I going to let this I’ll-mannered Dr. cut on my neck? I told him I wasn’t sure if I was ready for neck surgery but asked his opinion and advice. His reply, “There is nothing I can do for you.” He walked out and that was that. I stared at the shut door behind him and I was numb with anger and disappointment. “Really?,”I whispered.
I left so upset, angry, and emotional that I sat in my car crying some more! I told my sister about my experience and she said, “He is known for his horrible attitude and bed side manners but he really is a good Dr. for this side of the river. You need to go to the best though. Go see this Dr. ——— over on the other side.”
I was so skeptical but reluctantly searched his records and information online and made an appointment. I waited in that room for this Dr. to come in and as soon as he did, I knew I liked this guy! He was so bubbly and informative. He was not rude. He was one of the nicest Dr.’s I’d met. He was down-to-earth like myself and he understood me!
He was so thorough and said he could help me. I agreed to the surgery and it was a very successful surgery at that. He had to shave a few discs that were ruptured with the bottom one pushing upward and inward and pressuring the one above that was ruptured. The disc above those was also a mess.
He took shavings from those discs and added a synthetic material to rebuild the bottom disc and then plated the 3 together. I’m not going to lie, it hurt bad right after for a while, but I should not have waited the 10 years I did before I decided to have surgery.
I had to stay put a whole month and was not allowed in a vehicle until my month follow up so in a way, I now have no problem with being home from this COVID-19 virus. It took a long time to heal. I was blessed to have had an amazing Dr., the perfect nurse as my husband, my family, friends, and neighbors to help me when I needed it.
It took me a while to heal and that whole summer I did struggle with the changes of not being able to bend my neck, pick things up off the floors, turn my head, and several other issues because I felt like I was choking every time. I had to learn to adjust and come to grips with what I could and couldn’t do now. With healing and the other issues worsening, I was quite humbled.
I began to understand a new definition of being humble instead of the definition that means to back down from and argument and fess up to my wrongs. This was a prideful humbleness. I had to depend on others where I hadn’t before. But through all the pain and anguish, I knew my pain was nothing compared to our Lord’s and how He suffered for me.
