Vertigo

Guess who's rearing it's ugly head again. I am starting to think this is allergy related though not so much coming from my cervical injury. I am headed to the allergist today and hopefully make some sense of this nonsense! All I know is when I look to the right the room gets 'spinny'. I just want to do what I can to not let it get severe like last year. Complete and total double vision was horrible to live with. I couldn't even drive.

Wish me luck today.

Cookie Swap 2008 - sorority girls

Yesterday two years ago was the beginning of my left foot going numb, by new years day from the hips down I was numb and asleep totally. It was so bad I couldn't wear shoes and walking was very difficult. What a difference two years makes! Here is a photo from 2008 and below is from 2006. I am 20 lbs light in the 2006 one, about 30 lbs from competing

Side note, every single shirt I wear no matter the color you see my bra! WTF!?

One year Post Cervical Fusion

I can't believe how fast time went by, it's been a year since my fusion and 1.5 from my lumbar surgery. Here is what I am left with....

Left hand - fingertips still numb all the time
Still have problems with hands falling asleep when sleeping and they get very numb
Vertigo on and off
Bending my neck forward sometimes I feel odd sensations in my feet
Facial nuralgia - on and off

These are what I am left with in regards to my cervical surgery, I still have issues due to my lumbar surgery that are slightly different andmainly in the lower body of course.

To celebrate the year I went to the gym and did some heavier training. I was able to push and do 25 lbs db shoulder presses today which is a big deal for me, considering I never thought I would be able to do that again.

Smith Machine Chest Press and Heels...

It's shallow I know but since my surgeries I haven't felt like myself both in the gym and outside the gym. I  am use to wearing 4 inch heels on a daily basis. Wearing a 2 inch heel I find both unflattering and frankly embarrassing, I told you it was shallow....

Anyway, I bought a pair of heels this weekend, 2.5 inch to be exact and am wearing them now. Mentally I feel so much more like myself. It's amazing what a shoe can do for your self esteem. I am only wearing them around the office, I wouldn't walk up or down stairs in them or around the city but in the office,  I feel much more normal. If they fare well with my back and I have no new pain or any sort of numbness. I will be beyond thrilled. My surgeon said I could wear heels a few hours at a time so I finally have the nerve to give it a shot.

I also went for the Smith Machine chest press today. Of course no one ever re-racks their weights but this time it only had 45 lb plates on either side so I went ahead and re-racked and did a few sets. This is huge for me. I haven't used the smith for any exercise since December 2006. Although i wanted to add the correct weight for the bar on the smith, (everyone seems to have a different number for the real weight), I am estimating 20 lbs. So I was able to do 100 chest press on the machine. I felt like myself again! It was great!

Cervical Vertigo Part II

I was searching the Muscular Development forums and I found an interesting thread confirming my cervical vertigo and neck issues I still have. Luckily,I don't have a lot of numbness in my hands anymore but I get the neck pain and the vertigo I described a few months ago. Here is a part of the post from a chiropractor I felt made a lot of sense to me.

"The nerves that exit the upper cervical spine (base of skull) are responsible for a variety of things. Irritation here may cause: headaches, migraines, eye problems(such as twitching, burning, blurred vision), facial pain, sinus problems/pain, ear aches/infections, vertigo, etc. the list can go on and on. I have had many patients that complain of nausesness when they have severe neck pain and/or headaches. Vertigo (dizziness) is not uncommon either."

Body Building with Back Pain

I still do a lot of research on back pain/ surgery and bodybuilding. I've read a bit on Dave Draper but he has some excellent information on this topic. Have a look.

Dave Draper


He also is reading Starting Strength - Basic Barbell Training as am I. I am still working on the first chapter which discusses The Squat in great detail. Amazing really, I was doing quite a bit wrong. I use to use the Smith for Squats and a Freeform machine both are problematic with squatting and your risk of injury is much higher. If you are even considering bodybuilding competitively or as a hobby this is a must read.

Year follow up to Laminectomy

It's been a year since the surgery on my lower back and 6 mths since the cervical fusion. Today I am heading into the surgeon to do a follow up. There are things I can not do  like walk up a ton of cement steps... that I know for sure. I went numb for almost 9 weeks with that mistake. I am unclear of heels at this point, not that I need to wear them for anything for competition but still I want to know. My hands are ok, left hand has numbness most of the time including palm and when I lay down is always asleep. Feet are 95% better today as well as legs and staying positive they will stay that way.

Gym has been really good, I did DB workout yesterday for pretty much the first time in a long time. Low weights but still I did it. 

Shoulders - 4 sets x alternating 6 reps heavy, 20 reps light to failure 5 lb/10 lb db. Mind you I was using 25's UGH

Tricep -  same as above

Back  - row machine 30 lbs light/40 heavy

Chest - fly - 15/30 lbs

Biceps - 20/30 - using cybex machine and this was HARD, I couldn't make all my reps

Richard bought me a workout journal and I am going to start to log my numbers again so that I can see as I progress. Something important for me at this point. I may just be doing 25 lbs again some day. No rush though.

Now after 101 times I've floundered back and forth this year I am not going to hit the stage this year. Next year will make more sense. I am healing and I need to just get my mind right. 

3 week post op

Look closely the internal suture is hanging out at the end... it looks like fishing line, all I need is bait, a lure and I can catch myself a flounder.

Just got back from my 3 week post op. My hands are still numb, but there are times where I notice a nice difference. The problem is I am afraid of the unknown. If I was told this is it how you feel today will be it forever I can deal with that. I fear the changes that are for the worst... But worrying and fear is a waste of time and I need to remember that.

So on to the good news. I am allowed to drive a mile to the gym and do super light weights and as much cardio as I like. This means I can now go to the grocery store with Richard and get what I want... This is great news.

While keeping a symptom journal was helpful the first 3 weeks. I think at this point it will just keep me focusing on what isn't 100%. So instead of worrying and thinking about my hands all day I am going to ignore them. Like most people, you don't think about your hands all day... so why should I. If I have a little pain I will take some advil. It's time to focus on my future and not my past.

Cervical Fusion images while healing

11 days post... neck is totally irratated and peeling. how effing gross!!!

Interactive video of my fusion

FUSION

Going nuts

Only 3 days post surgery and I am going out of my freaking mind. I can't do anything and of course my hands are still numb on and off. Still I notice a difference for the better depending on the position I am in, which is good. Sleeping in this collar is a nightmare. ARGH!

cervical stenosis/cervical herniation

Cervical spinal stenosis may cause similar symptoms in the shoulders, arms, and legs; hand clumsiness and gait and balance disturbances can also occur. In some patients the pain starts in the legs and moves upward to the buttocks; in other patients the pain begins higher in the body and moves downward. This is referred to as a “sensory march”. The pain may radiate like sciatica or may be a cramping pain. In severe cases, the pain can be constant. Severe cases of stenosis can also cause bladder and bowel problems, but this rarely occurs.

Herniated discs in the neck (cervical spine) can cause pain, numbness, or weakness in the neck, shoulders, chest, arms, and hands. In some cases a very large herniated disc in the neck may cause weakness or unusual tingling affecting other parts of the body, including the legs.

I'm a zebra!

My surgeon used an analogy, that I am sure to get wrong since it's 5:44 am, but I'll give it a shot...

"If you are in the woods, and hear footsteps that resemble a horse, don't assume it's a horse...it could be a zebra."

I, my friends am the zebra. After many, many, many, appointments and possible diagnosis. My surgeon now believes my issues are indeed coming from my neck. It's not 100% for sure but I know for a fact he wouldn't operate unless he felt it would improve my situation. He is very conservative and doesn't even give out pain pills. Not that I've ever asked for them. So I am headed in for ... drum roll please...

cervical fusion!



















This will be no cake walk, and I certainly hope most of my symptoms go away. My recovery will suck, but you won't here me complaining one minute... I never expect to be 100% free of nerve issues and numbness. But that's ok... No worries here.