Hahahahaha, I hear you! My wife and I have been together since we were 16. For 13 years we’re best friends and this isn’t going to be what destroys us.
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last night I didn’t sleep well butt I did something I wasn’t able too before surgery. Sleep comfortably on my right side (the side I was operated on). Usually I would not only have neck pain but a few weird symptoms like: profuse sweating and over heating, and a weird “flutter” feeling in my chest, and my stomach would feel weird as well. I’m excited for the future for the first time in a long time
That’s great, very soon to be able to do that! 
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Hey Shanef89 -
THAT’S TOTALLY AWESOME (that you could sleep on the side on which you just had surgery)! As Jules said, that’s really soon after surgery to be able to do that. It took me quite awhile to sleep well during the night post op. Part of your struggle is probably your remaining calcified ligament. It will be history soon enough then you can start catching up on all the sleep you’ve missed. 
It’s also great to know you & your wife have been best friends since high school. My in-laws were high school sweethearts, too. They were married for 65 years before Alzheimer’s took my father-in-law from us a couple of years ago. Keep that friendship connection, & never take yourselves too seriously, & your marriage should be able to weather any storm. 
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I’m sorry to hear about your father in law, my grand father was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It’s sad seeing those close to you slip away.
On a happy note I feel like I am healing fast! It might be because of my youth, but I also have to think that I primed my body well before the surgery, so Incase if anyone is getting ready for surgery I recommend taking the following vitamins and minerals leading up to (at least 2 weeks before) and during recovery.
Vitamin A &D: 1-2 capsules/day helps make the absorbability of all the vitamins taken
Vitamin B complex: 1-2 capsules/day great for skin health and many other things
Vitamin C: ■■■■ mg/day great for muscle and skin healing(essential for collagen[steel like cables in skin and muscles] formation)
Zinc(I’m using chelated): 1-2 tablets/day great for skin health
Omega 3s (650+ mg EPA/ 180+ DHA): 1-2 a day natural anti inflammatory and great for all muscle nerves and skin health
Krill oil (1000mg): 1 a day great for nerve health after surgery
Bromelain: 1-2 capsules a day it’s a natural anti inflammatory enzyme as well as a clean up enzyme for useless dead tissues in the body.
My puff patch is going down relatively quick I think it’ll be gone in 1-2 weeks, everyday I notice feeling returning to my numb spot. And I want everyone to also have that kind of recovery. I love all your support. Last night was the best sleep I’ve had in years! And my cut is healing amazingly, I’ve been keeping that covered with antibiotic ointment all day to maintain a moist environment for skin healing to avoid scabbing.
All good then, really pleased for you!
Just a word of caution to other members reading this before their surgery- best to check with your doctor or a pharmacist that supplements are okay to take with any medication you’re on.
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That’s a good point Jules. all of those that I mentioned are completely safe and natural. The one that I would be careful with the most is bromelain, it comes naturally in pineapple and some people can be allergic. Of course though consult your doctor. This is just what I did based on my knowledge in the health sciences. It is not meant as a one size fits all. You’ve all helped me so much I want to share the love
Sorry, didn’t want to come across as a preachy moderator! I’m sure most supplements are safe- I took a B12 supplement to help nerve repair- just don’t want our tips & info to be seen as medical advice. Thanks for sharing your story, it’s a great help for members thinking about surgery!
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This is GREAT news, Shanef89! Youth has it’s advantages! So glad your supplement protocol was helpful for you. FYI - if you type info like an email address or anything that looks like it could be a phone number in a post, the site will block it (see your mg of Vit C). You can get around this by putting extra spaces between your numbers or sections of an email address (though we don’t recommend emails or phone numbers be posted on the forum at large).
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I guess it did look like a phone number🤪
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Looks like I spoke too soon, I’m a bit frustrated to say the least. The middle portion of my cut, reopened about 5 days ago when I was sleeping. I used liquid bandages “new skin” to keep it closed. Don’t know if that’ll actually work. My doc knows. If your doc says Take out the stitches 1 week after surgery, don’t. Give it a couple extra days. It’s not fun still barely able to turn my head too much because I keep feeling a pull at my wound.
Hi Shanef89,
In my opinion, your doctor did remove the stitches a bit early. My experience dictates, they usually stay in 10-14 days, but perhaps that depends on where the stitches are. Try a butterfly bandage or two. As you apply it/them (or have your wife apply) pull the two halves of the incision as close together as possible (but don’t overlap them) to keep scarring at a minimum. Butterfly bandages are awesome for holding incisions together. Steristrips are another option. Having something more substantial than Liquid Bandage on the incision may give you more freedom of head movement as you will be less fearful of the incision re-opening.
I have the butterfly bandages the problem is the location. Since it’s the bent crease and of my neck it often ends up pushing into the wound which hurts more and impossible to sleep with. I couldn’t find steristrips at my local store. I’m just gonna make due with what I got.
I missed this entire thread the few weeks I have been signed up. Thanks to everyone you made me so hopeful. I am the person who had ES diagnosis withdrawn and got frustrated and had to regroup. So wonderful to hear Shanef89 recovery story because I’m still trying! Went to dentist and asked for panoramic radiograph and he did it right away. Said he would have his office in for a teaching moment and will write a report for the VA so I may be able to get a diagnosis one step at a time. Also, I have listened your comments Isaiah_40_31 and will gather and organize records for faxing to specialist for review. Hoping it won’t take another 10 years for a diagnosis. Praying for speed healing for all who had recent surgeries! And praying those who had surgery remain symptom free. You’re inspiring!
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I’m sorry to hear your having trouble with the VA as well. The main thing for me was consistent and persistence, also not taking no for an answer. A lot of doctors don’t really know what it is. Insist to your primary that you get a neck CT and have you styloid process measured. At least then they will be looking in the right place. My wife told me this and it’s the reason I’m finally where I’m at today. “If you don’t treat it as a priority, then why should your doctors?” So make it your number 1 priority. I wish you the best of luck, your gonna need it 
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Good work, DeeG! Keep pressing on! HOORAY for your dentist & his enthusiasm toward helping you & informing others. That is so AWESOME! Sounds like you’re on your way to a diagnosis soon. No more 10 year sleuthing!!
Please stay in touch & let us know how things progress for you. I’ll keep praying for you!
Shanef89 - I’m sure what you’re doing will help you heal just fine. Being that your incision is in a neck crease, even if it doesn’t heal perfectly, it will still look like part of your neck crease so will be pretty invisible.
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Shane- hope that this setback is shortlived & that the pain soon goes & your neck heals properly…
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DeeG, good luck on your quest & don’t give up, really glad that there’s inspiring stories on here to give you hope!
Today I decided to go train for the first time since my surgery. The difference is extraordinary! While I wasn’t in my usual cardio level since I had to refrain before my surgery. I was no longer forgetting things midway through patterns, which I did often before surgery. I felt mentally present throughout my whole session! And this is only one side! That was my biggest personal complaint that I knew my doctors wouldn’t recognize as a symptom. But I’m so glad I can notice a difference this early! Feeling blessed!
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