I Feel Bad About My Neck

As most of you know this is a fabulous book by Norah Ephron who recently passed away a few weeks ago.  It's about women getting older and all the tribulations that come along with aging - as women.  It's quite funny (so I'm told) and it makes me think about about my actual neck. 

I'm sure you've noticed (all the 5 people that read this that aren't family - ha!) that we've been missing from the blog scene for a few months.  There is a good reason - I literally "feel bad about my neck" - ha!  My neck has aged much more quickly than I have - it's about 70 years old and I'm 33 years young.  I'll make this a short story, but as with anything that has to do with your body, aging and life not going the way you "planned" it - it's actually a really long one, but I'll spare you.

Bottom line, six weeks ago I thought I had a crick in my neck - I reached down to pick up Sweet C and the rest is history.  I worked on it for about two weeks before giving in and seeing my chiropractor.  After three days he referred me to an orthopedic surgeon and I finally had an MRI.  I knew by then that something was up and it certainly wasn't a crick anymore.  My right arm was in excruciating pain and that usually happens when a disc in the neck herniates.  And surely enough my C6-7 is herniated, causing the pain in my neck and arm and causing my neck to become bent forward about 15 degrees too much.  I look weird.  I feel weird. 

It's now been six weeks of excruciating, chronic pain and two opinions later - the ortho and a neurosurgeon. Surgery was/is inevitable - one surgeon just wanted to wait it out longer than the other - do a cervical block.  I had that - 10 days ago.  It takes 10-14 days to set in - it might be starting to, but I'm still in pain.  So, we've decided to go the surgery route and I'm slated to have my surgery Wednesday, August 1.  It's been a hard decision and a scary one.  I've never had major surgery.  I've birthed two children, had a spinal tap and my gallbladder removed - but nothing "major" surgery wise.  I've been lucky.

So, that's why we've been absent.  I do my best to make it through the days - I do the bare minimum and then I'm done.  The ice pack, couch and me are one and the same these days.  My 70 year old neck has to rest a lot more than my 33 year old body wants to, but the pain stops me in my tracks and I listen.

All this to say - please pray for my neck.  Please pray that Dr. Swaid and his team can fix my neck - that surgery will go smoothly and that I will be much more pain free (80-90% more) and can begin living my wonderful life again after recovery. 

A HUGE shout out to D - he has been super daddy - not that he isn't normally - but he's really stepped up to the plate BIG TIME and made sure this household and all of us make it through each day - alive.  I don't know what I'd do without him.  He loves me in spite of my flaws - which as we all know, are many - but now he has to deal with this flawed neck too.  He's been a great sport.  Pray for him too.  Pray for the girls.  Pray for Meme - she's going to move in for a few weeks - recovery at minimum is 4 weeks (no work, no lifting over 5 lbs and no driving for 2 weeks).  She's gold.  We couldn't have gotten this far without her. 

Thank you for being a part of my village - many of you know and have showered me and my family with cards, emails, phone calls, dinner and prayers!  I can not thank you enough.  Keep the prayers coming - God is good.  All the time.  Thanks be to God!