I have had 4 of them now. I just had a disc fusion 2 days ago . Surgeon said it was totally not a typical vertebrae injury..... Cervical C3 C4 fusion. he also said it was the largest herniation peice he has ever pulled out of anyone in 26 years. The PA came in awhile later and verified this without solicitation by producing an Iphone pic of it and said it became the topic of the day in the operating room. lol
I spent two agonizing nights with constant pain (stubborn as hell) and finally went to the OR at 4 in the morning when it felt like my arm was gonna fall off and spent all night and the next day there. My neck, shoulder and pectorial felt like a lion taking a chunck out of all of them and finally went numb that night. The painkillers nor the numbness totally made the pain go away. It truly was a moment of clarity where I asked myself "wtf am I doing to myself?"
With this being my second major surgery inside a month related to wakeboarding It will probably be the end of progression for me. Of course I am saying this as Iie hurting in bed with no prospect of water fun for about a year.