So, what happens when a doc who knows better requires major surgery?

So, what happens when a doc who knows better requires major surgery? Been in hospital since Wednesday after requiring three major ops in the neck (cervical spine). Over the years in the Army in active conflict, a full life of Rugby, and an injury list far exceeding the warranty, the gods of common sense have taken over. Whereas in the past they have somehow watched over me like a mother hen, along with the spirits of unbelievable good luck, but time to pay is time to pay up.
This life, so much of which I blame on my old man, and my vastly understated and dangerous mum, has given me experiences and opportunities to give back, not just to our men and women, but with many people in so many places.

So here is the drill:
Anterior C6-7 Plate Removal, C7-T1 Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion with Instrumentation
Posterior C4-7 Hardware Removal, C4-T3 Instrumentation, C7-T3 Fusion – AIRO
Anterior subluxation cervical spine
So, what does a doc do in hospital with all this? Gawd, I am a freaking baby! In the field, I feel nothing and the discomfort means nothing. In hospital I find I am a 5 year old. Even worse, the last op was during the England-Bok match. My usual authority here is ignored! Trying to watch the match now between doses of pain meds. But that not’s working well, so I wanted to put some thoughts in writing. So, I am giving you a few of my thoughts. Most will just stay with me. It’s 0300 and I am more or less done typing for now.
More later. One query: Where has this effort from England been for four years?

Crikey Doc, that's some work. Hope it all goes well.

Doc, remember "This too shall pass". You'll be on your feet soon enough...and you'll feel a lot older and only slightly wiser.

here's your prescription, lose yourself in a few good books and take One whisky, One bourbon and one beer.

jimbopip wrote:Doc, remember "This too shall pass". You'll be on your feet soon enough...and you'll feel a lot older and only slightly wiser.

here's your prescription, lose yourself in a few good books and take One whisky, One bourbon and one beer.

Jimbo,
You have a keen medical mind in addition to being deeply philosophical.  

Really appreciated!

Netflix and pain meds makes hospital hours fly by. Pick a box set that doesn't require a lot of attention. You'll drift in and out and it won't matter.

I had an unplanned trip a couple of years back that coincided with what should have been a trip to Franklin's Gardens to see Tigers absolutely hammer Saints. My friends were kind enough to send pics of themselves with Nadolo to "cheer" me up whilst I was nil by mouth for most of the day waiting to be called for the op.

Hope you recover quick.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Netflix and pain meds makes hospital hours fly by. Pick a box set that doesn't require a lot of attention. You'll drift in and out and it won't matter.

I had an unplanned trip a couple of years back that coincided with what should have been a trip to Franklin's Gardens to see Tigers absolutely hammer Saints. My friends were kind enough to send pics of themselves with Nadolo to "cheer" me up whilst I was nil by mouth for most of the day waiting to be called for the op.

Hope you recover quick.

Once again, thanks for the thoughts! I'm not that much of a tv or a movie guy, but I did watch a number of replays of last season's Saints matches. And if I wasn't sick before watching that, I certainly are now!

The thought that hit me a few days ago is how much better the Premiership is when Tigers and Saints are on their games and knocking themselves silly. Not as interesting if all the DMZ does is separate Trinidad from Tobago.....

Good luck Doc,

It is never easy being on the other side of the fence as a Health care professional and I also know that they and more often their families can be some of the more challenging patients to look after, as it is not easy for them to cross the Rubicon and suddenly have the control taken away from them.

I had back surgery a few years back, though nothing like as severe as yours, just an L4/L5 prolapse but it was massively impacting my life and surgery seemed to be the only cure having tried all the non invasive options.

I was fairly relaxed right up until the point when I had to sign the consent form and the doc was reeling off all the possible complications, Double incontinence, Paralysis, impotence etc etc.

I was of course aware of these but had quite sensibly chosen to bury them somewhere and then had to face up to these possibilities with a serious gulp, it was even worse for my wife who was sitting next to me at the time, who was seriously questioning whether I should sign!

Anyway, I put my trust in the hands of the surgeon and the results were everything I had hoped for, in essence I got my life back and started doing all the things that I liked doing again. 9 months after the op, having not been on my bike for over a year, I cycled from Lands End to John o groats, my rehab goal!

You have just got to left yourself run with it and appreciate the results. Surgeons as you well know are a skillful bunch and I am sure you will be in very good hands.

Give yourself a goal that you want to achieve post op and you will feel the sense of achievement when you get there.

Doc, the Sainted Gee Of The Bedpan talks his usual sense...but then again...

see this as an opportunity to lie abed, read a shed load of books and eat lots of cake. Discover your inner Hobbit, he'll be your friend for life.

If you need any book suggestions feel free to DM me.

jimbopip wrote:Doc, the Sainted Gee Of The Bedpan talks his usual sense...but then again...

see this as an opportunity to lie abed, read a shed load of books and eat lots of cake. Discover your inner Hobbit, he'll be your friend for life.

If you need any book suggestions feel free to DM me.

The Sainted Gee of the Bedpan. Do you think I may call hij Mr. Bedpan for short???? I am not supposed to laugh - which is why watching England is good for my recovery. Nothing to enjoy there.....

Thanks for the discussion about books.  You have added to my already over-long list of books to add to the queue.  I shared your recommended reading list with some folks and my sister thinks I am uncultured boob for not having read Wolf Hall and its sequels.  My old man (who was just sent back to Ukraine - you know that won't end well for some people) is a big Antony Beevor fan. Most of the rest simply think I am an uncultured boob for general principles.  Can't thank you enough...

So here we are two months post-surgical on Monday 18th.  Clearly the moratorium on stupidity has ended and I agreed to come to London for a few days for a conference on Displaced Persons (DP) medical care.  With the world turning to merde, medical resources amongst those who give a rats a*** are stretched paper thin.  

Since my spine surgeon wouldn't let me travel unescorted, I dragged his mangy a*** along with me to see how the other half lives.  Going back to America tomorrow morn.  Almost exactly as he said, this trip is about 4 weeks too soon, but there was good actionable value in the discussions and he got to continually tighten my cervical collar, usually when I wanted to say something.  For some reason he seemed to enjoy that more than I did.....  

Ah Doc, if you were in that London you could have dropped in on MrsPip and myself. Essex is gloriously grey at this time of year. Or you would have given herself an excuse to get up to Borough market, you never can pay too much for falafels you know.

jimbopip wrote:Ah Doc, if you were in that London you could have dropped in on MrsPip and myself. Essex is gloriously grey at this time of year. Or you would have given herself an excuse to get up to Borough market, you never can pay too much for falafels you know.

Borough market. I don't miss much from my London days but that place is one that I do,

jimbopip wrote:Ah Doc, if you were in that London you could have dropped in on MrsPip and myself. Essex is gloriously grey at this time of year. Or you would have given herself an excuse to get up to Borough market, you never can pay too much for falafels you know.

I'm really sorry, mate. Didn't know you were local. That would have been great fun. Seriously.

Grey

doctor_grey wrote:So here we are two months post-surgical on Monday 18th.  Clearly the moratorium on stupidity has ended and I agreed to come to London for a few days for a conference on Displaced Persons (DP) medical care.  With the world turning to merde, medical resources amongst those who give a rats a*** are stretched paper thin.  

Since my spine surgeon wouldn't let me travel unescorted, I dragged his mangy a*** along with me to see how the other half lives.  Going back to America tomorrow morn.  Almost exactly as he said, this trip is about 4 weeks too soon, but there was good actionable value in the discussions and he got to continually tighten my cervical collar, usually when I wanted to say something.  For some reason he seemed to enjoy that more than I did.....  

OKay dokay Doc, that was a week ago so you must be ready for another book list. Saint Gee of The Bedpan agrees with me that you can have the second reading list AFTER you have posted reviews of ALL the titles we suggested.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve.