Any Word from TheBrick after surgery?

Pekkerwood · Apr 1, 2011

Anyone heard from TheBrick on how surgery went?

thebrick · Apr 1, 2011

thanks

Hey! PW.
I am back up on my feet (mostly)

. Everything went fine and I am back home. I have to admit it… was not that bad of a procedure. C4-C6 all bolted together and waiting for the fusion to complete. That should take some months I am told. All the tingling in my shoulder and arm is gone. I have a nice slice on the front and back of my neck. Should add to my image lol. Still have a stiff neck and I sound a little bit like Kermit the Frog. Surgeon said we did the right thing because when he got in there he could see a lot of pressure being put on the nerve roots. He says my outlook looks very good for a complete recovery and it was good I did not wait many months or even up to a year to act on this. After that point, the recovery is not so positive. I am just glad its over and that day comes in 3 weeks when I can come out of this hard collar…and drive… and then back in the gym in a few months with my new training methods

Thanks for checking!

triathloncoach · Apr 1, 2011

Best wishes and I hope it's just a one and done. Speedy recovery!

Tom · Apr 1, 2011

sounds like great news to me. don't rush things and you should be good as new in a few months. you may have to adjust your workouts but the good news is you will be back in the gym.

Bio · Apr 1, 2011

Good to hear you're on the mend! Take it slow!! I know it will be hard to keep your sanity while not training!!! Keep us posted on your progress.

STEVO 47 · Apr 2, 2011

I hope everything turns out well for ya Mick

thebrick · Apr 2, 2011

Thanks for the well wishes guys. I truly appreciate it.

Something kind of interesting that I think applies to most here… my surgery took about 4 – 4 1/2 hours vs. the normal 3 1/2. The reason? My surgeon told me that there are 2 vertical columns of muscle that run immediately in front of the cervical vertebrae. In most people there is a gap between these two muscles with the vertebrae exposed. He said with lifters, football players, wrestlers, etc. those 2 muscles are much thicker and meet in the middle, hiding those vertebrae. So it takes more time to move this muscle out of the way to get to what needs to be done.

Trying to sleep in this hard plastic collar is the worst part right now. 2 1/2 weeks and counting on this stage of the process.

myosin · Apr 2, 2011

Good to hear...

Thanks for checking to update us brick... I know this is easy for me to say this on my end, but this is just a "bump in the road"... you will adapt and keep being one bad mutha

Pekkerwood · Apr 4, 2011

Brick:

Great news! The not driving thing was a little tough. Luckily it was my left hip instead of right because I was wearing out the passenger side brake when riding with my gf. LOL

geohall45 · Apr 4, 2011

Good deal man good luck

thebrick · Apr 4, 2011

Pekkerwood said:
Brick:

Great news! The not driving thing was a little tough. Luckily it was my left hip instead of right because I was wearing out the passenger side brake when riding with my gf. LOL

LOL! That's pretty funny you say that PW. My wife was driving me to PT Friday and I was about to go crazy as the passenger. I am saying "dang woman, cool it a little! We are not in Mexico City anymore!"

I just closed my eyes and took deep breaths. I am not a good passenger!

maldorf · Apr 5, 2011

Sounds like you have 3 vertebrae fused, how is this going to affect your ability to rotate or turn your head left to right? Seems there will be some limiting of motion? Do you have to make sure not to try and turn your head until it heals up? Curious as to how this all works.
Glad to see youre in good spirits, and the pain must not be too bad. Sounds like a tough surgery to me.

QuietStorm · Apr 5, 2011

Brick, you don know me, but brother i wish you all the best. I hope the outcome is worth it for you. speedy recovery man.

LEX · Apr 5, 2011

glad you got it done, as suspected you woke up with less pain, that a good sign! told ya no big deal...you will be back to normal soon man!

thebrick · Apr 5, 2011

Maldorf,
With a 2-level fusion (3 vertebrae), they removed the degenerated discs and bone spurs between C4/C5 and C5/C6 (in my case). A bone allograft was inserted in these spaces with the goal of this all fusing together into one "bone" over the next months. The surgeon told me that I would notice a slight decrease in neck flex, but not much. He did say with a 3-level fusion, the difference is much more noticeable, with the patient having to literally turn their body when turning their head. I have been told most of the neck flexibility occurs at the C3/C4 level and no fusion was done there in my case. The surgeon did make an incision on the back of my neck and remove bone spurs at C3/C4. This was done to give the nerves more space. For the first 3 weeks of recovery, I have to wear a hard plastic collar to limit my head motion, turning, etc.. This is to allow everything to stay in place while the fusion begins. After 3 weeks I am switched to a soft collar. I wear that for another 3 weeks. I am to limit all lifting to no more than 10 pounds for now. I can do all the walking and stationary biking I want, but there will be no lifting in the gym for 3 months (ugh). During this time I will be x-rayed and monitored to make sure the fusion is progressing as it should.

Another kinda cool note about the surgery. I was told it was done via a microscope fed to a large monitor. Also, electrodes were put in my skull and on my legs and while the surgeon worked, another doctor monitored all brain and spinal cord activity to make sure all was going well.

Quietstorm,
Thanks you for your well wishes. Means a lot.

Lex,
You were right. The procedure, in reality, was not as bad as I had envisioned on the front side. The long recovery process is the hardest part for me right now. I am not the most patient guy with myself sometimes.

SIR-LOIN · Apr 5, 2011

Hey Mick,
I've been away awhile, and saw this just now, and hate to hear it. I'm sure your recovery will go well ... you have a little experience in that area. I appreciate the advice you gave me during my down time last year ... wish you the best.

Mike

thebrick · Apr 5, 2011

SIR-LOIN said:
Hey Mick,
I've been away awhile, and saw this just now, and hate to hear it. I'm sure your recovery will go well ... you have a little experience in that area. I appreciate the advice you gave me during my down time last year ... wish you the best.

Mike

Hey Mike!
thank you! Good to hear from you. Its all good. If you have a chance, shoot me a PM and let me know how your knee recovery went and how your leg training is progressing these days.
Mickey