[marzie]

Hi

I suffered a spinal cord injury 3 yrs ago and now have Brown Sequard Syndorme. I was 47 at the time and had enjoyed strength and good health up until the day 3 discs ruptured in my neck. Never knew I had bulging discs, went to my dr for neck pain and the next morning the rupture occured. My life was changed forever with the simple turning of my head!
It's been a long 3 yrs and I am acclimating as best I can and try to keep a good positive mindset, but there are so many days when the frustrations and sadness are overwhelming. There are so many challenges to overcome in the course of a day!
It's great to have sites like this one where we can listen, talk to and vent with people who get it!

marzie

[Joed]

Hi Marzie and Welcome!

This is a great place to connect with others going through the same thing. On another forum where I used to post, we had a saying, 'only spineys can really know what another spiney goes through'. Friends and family are great support, but it cannot compare to sharing with other SCI people. So I'm glad to see that you're seeking out that special support...I hope you like it here.

[keps]

Hi Marzie, and welcome from me, too!

This is a great place, I'm sure you'll like it here.

[marzie]

Thanks, guys!

Again, it is SO great to be able to share with others who totally understand.
You are right, family and friends are wonderful, would be lost without them, but they are still doing all the same things they've always been able to do.

I was always a "doer" and it's awfully hard to sit on the sidelines. I'm trying to adjust, but I know it takes time. One of the t hings I miss the most is dancing. Love music, always have and used to blast it through the house and dance around while I cleaned! Was a great source of excersise.

Oh, it's all the little things, isn't it?!
Marzie

[Joed]

Quote

One of the t hings I miss the most is dancing. Love music, always have and used to blast it through the house and dance around while I cleaned! Was a great source of excersise.

Me too, Marzie. Crank up the stereo and burn 'em up!

I still danced before '03, even with my cane...but when my strength began failing, I became fairly adept at chair dancing.

Modify, modify, modify.

[jane]

JOED said I' still danced before '03, even with my cane...but when my strength began failing, I became fairly adept at chair dancing'

I manage to cling on to hubby and slow dance - perfected it over Christmas period. We heard same band 3 weeks in a row - Got them to play extra slow dance for me on last week

on a speperate note, the neurologist said i had browns sequard syndrome too. Feels odd and when you try to explain it to people they look at me as if i have gone mad

Jane

[marzie]

I know exactly what you mean. I just tell people to look it up on the web because trying to explain is just futile.

Did anyone else have cervical fusion surgery, with bone harvesting from the hip area? I'm going on almost 3 yrs. and find I have as much if not more discomfort some days from that surgery site then other issues. I think I have nerve damage there from the all the cord compression, but doctors all say that the area healed perfectly and scans don't find anything wrong.

Thanks for your input.
Marzie

[knovack]

Marzie,

My husband says the exact same thing! He too had a fusion from the hip!
Tomorrow 2/8/06 will be his 3 year anniversary.

Does your hip area hurt? He just found out that he has arthritis now.
The past year the pain was getting worse he was convinced that it was the rods causing the pain. In Octiber they removed the rods (which were not loose) and did a culture. Come to find out he had an infection. He is just now starting to feel better!

[Joed]

I've had numerous spinal fusions, but none cervical. Bone was harvested from the hip with two of them...the last fusion, they used something called 'bone cement' instead. Apparently it sets harder than human bone, but there can be problems with reactions from certain people. Luckily, I had none of those problems with mine.

But I've talked with others who continue to have pain at the harvest site years later too. It's aggravating when the doctors tell you that everything looks 'perfect', when you know the pain you're in.

Quote

In Octiber they removed the rods (which were not loose) and did a culture. Come to find out he had an infection. He is just now starting to feel better!

A friend of mine's hardware became infected after her fusion...she ended up becoming septic (sp?) and it nearly killed her. I had no idea that hardware could become infected. Makes one wonder how common that is, and how many sanitary steps are being skipped in the OR.? BTW...they told her everything looked 'perfect' too.

[marzie]

Hi knovack,

Thanks for responding to my question. I'm sorry for your husband, I can totally relate.
What kind of pain is he having from the graft? I have discomfort the whole length of that muscle. Sometimes it cramps up and sometimes I get sharp stabbing pain that radiates all over the place. Will literally stop me in my tracks! I have seen all the drs, had c scans and mri's and now the drs look at me like I'm insane. Really p---ses me off! They did the graft on the same side where I have weakness and atropy, so I've concluded on my own it has something to do with that.
What rods are you referring to? In his neck? They put a metal plate with screws in my neck. I have alot of fun at airports!!

Marzie

[knovack]

Marzie,

Don has/had 2 rods (hardware) and 8 screws holding his reconstructed vertibrae together. Who knows where the infection came from...Airborne while in surgery, something not steril. The could be a half dozen reasons. He at times would almost
have panic attacks if he couldn't lay down. Does this ever happen to you?

[Lucky]

Hi Marzie, we have talked (so to speak) on another site. This ones a cracker.
All the best, Lucky

[marzie]

So, you're following me around, are you??!!!