I was riding "shotgun" in a car on my 21st birthday. That car was going too fast, failed to negotiate an "S" curve and went off the road at approximately 60 mph and rolled three or four times ending up on the roof. When I realized that the car was going to crash, I put my head on my lap and covered the back of my head with my hands. In 1963 we probably didn't wear seat belts. I can't remember. Anyway, that was the start of my serious neck problems and my neck bothered me for almost 40 years. In college I was capt of the ski team, the field hockey team, played intermural basketball, softball and golfed during the summer. My job during summers was swimming instructor and lifeguard. In 1997 we were rearended at a stopsign and the neck problems jumped to a whole new level, resulting in a four level fusion. One year later, the screws had penetrated to the next level, the original hardware was removed and one level added at each end of the original fusion to make six levels. That is not the end of the story. The second surgery caused vocal cord paralysis that still is not totally resolved five years later. One of these days I'll get up the cojones to see another doc about what is going on just south of my six level. Someone has left their knitting needle in there. As for the lumbar, Dr. Bertagnoli wants to do a two level fusion at L4/5,5/S1 and ADR at L3/4 and possibly L2/3. I waited 36 years in neck pain before I had surgery. If I wait that much to have back surgery I'll be in my 90's. But that would mean 70 years of pain......
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