The trip to Merry Land was a pretty quick one. We got up there, I had my CT scan and made a new friend in the waiting room, and then saw my Neurosurgeon.
In the examining room he looked at my neck/head, shoulder, and lower spine incisions. He thought the shoulder and lower spine looked very good but didn’t like the neck/head. He said it wasn’t infected which was wonderful news. However, it’s just very inflamed and hard as a rock underneath. He mentioned perhaps I was allergic to the vicryl sutures underneath but was then able to touch and manipulate the incision site with out too much discomfort to me. We discussed my cervical glands and the fact that after the antibiotic they are still a little swollen and it seems that many EDS patients have this.
We moved into his office. It’s pretty cool that I saw him an hour after my CT scan and he already had the images on his computer. Apparently the images were unremarkable. For the incision site I’m instructed to put Vitamin A& D and Cortisone on it and wash it with saline water. Also, I explained that I’m very fatigued in the middle of the day and he said it would probably take a year for me to get my energy back. We discussed that my neck is/was very stiff and I had little range of motion. I’m scheduled for physical therapy the next day - Tuesday.
My physical therapy was wild. I saw Dr. Yon (that’s not his real name but that’s what I call him.) He examined my neck incision site and felt all around my neck, shoulders, and upper back. Dr. Yon determined that the reason my incision was rock hard was because I had a muscle that had knotted up in there. I think it’s my right sternocleidomastoid muscle and clavicular muscles that are really in knots along with my traps.
Dr. Yon manipulated the muscles with his hands and then pulled out the needles. Yes, needles. I had Dry Needling preformed on me. The needle is inserted directly into the muscle’s trigger point and it makes the muscle release immediately. It was not the most comfortable thing to have needles tapped way down into your neck but it worked. I know you are thinking that sounds like acupuncture but it’s not. Dry needling is quite invasive where acupuncture is more topical and based on meridians, chackras, and such. (At least that is how I understand it.)
After the first needle the headache that I had became much more painful. Dr. Yon explained this to be referred pain. As he released the muscles more and more then headache grew worse and worse. My muscles were putty by the time he was through with the needling and he had deeply manipulated these muscles by hand. I had much more range of motion after the therapy and a huge headache.
Then in his thick accent told me to quit wearing the collar except for when I’m in the car. That made me very happy. He referred me to a physical therapist here in Greensboro.
While I was having my PT, David took Grace to the Natural History Museum and The Mall. We met back up and hit the road. A quick and action packed trip.
Overall, I’d have to say it was a great trip with great news. I’m looking forward to more physical therapy to keep my muscles happy.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. I appreciate every one of them.
Blessings to all,
LA
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