Hi Lisa,
A while ago I told you if you had any questions about my neck surgery to just ask and I'd try to answer you. Well you did and I never answered you! I'm so sorry! I don't have any good excuses except that my life got busy. I saw your name in the posts tonight and figured I've been rude and made you wait too long for the answer so here goes!
I think you asked me if I would have the surgery done again knowing what I know now? The answer is Yes, I would! Even though I'm still in a lot of pain now I would do it over again because I'm not sure that the surgery was a failure! I did have pain and numbness in my left shoulder, chest, arm and hand that I don't have now. The pain that I have now runs from my neck down my spine which I didn't have prior to the surgery. So was this pain caused by by my surgery? I don't know! Heaven knows I'm not the sharpest pencil in the box infact sometimes I'm downright stupid! After my surgery, friends here on the forum told me to take it easy daily but I didn't listen to them. I even told them about the dumb things I did and they would console me while I was complaining about the new pains I had caused myself to have. Then I'd appologize to them for not listening and go right out and do something stupid again! I returned to work after only 3 weeks but the truth is, I was working from home all along! I think I even got some calls and questions while I was still in the hospital! Everyone told me that it was way too soon to go back but I did anyway and injured myself the second day back. I took off another week and went right back to work, pushing myself way beyond what I should have. After 2 weeks I had a horrable fall into a hole about 2' deep and jared my neck so bad the pain made me sick to my stomac! I know I messed myself up badly but my knowitall surgeon didn't agree and wrote a note saying I could go back to work after only a week! I will not go into it any more as I know I'm boring the good folks who were there for me all through my little stroll down stupid lane! So I guess thats my answer to you. I'm still hurting every minute of the day and most of the night but I have no real proof if it was from my surgery or my self abuse! I'm sorry this took so long and I hope you'll forgive me for not getting back to you till now. I hope you are feeling better and have gone over all the pro's & con's of having surgery> It's a very personal descision that no one can make for you!
Good Luck and Big Hugs comin from the Big Dumby!!
Your Friend,
Pete
56 years old, Surgury, Radical Prostatectomy 8/20/03, PSA 6.6, Gleason 3 + 3 = 6, Adenocarcinoma extent (moderate) Stage & Margin:T2NOMX, No Metastases, Organ Confined, bone scan: Neg. 3 1/2 years of depression after surgery prior to Hypogonadizm DX, Testosterone Theropy> new 2/6/09> 400mg injections once a month. 56 and so glad to still be here to see my two sons grow up to be fine young men. They are both serving in the US Navy, Joseph is on the aircraft carrier USS John Stennis back in Bremerton, Wa. after 8 mo. deployment! and Pete Jr. is on The Asault Ship USS Bataan "The Jaws of the Fleet" somewhere in the Persian Gulf w/ 2,000 Marines aboard. I am one very proud (what they call me)> Big Pops!