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Jenniferhunter- thx for your insight and perseverance in going through 5 Drs before committing to surgery. It’s scary. I’ve had 4 surgeries, and in hindsight, I wish I had done more research on my condition and look up the medical terms they were using regarding my surgery. I knew in general what they were going to do, but I had no idea of how high the percentage is in failed back surgeries. I count myself as one of those statistics. Too late so I go to this forum for information and emotional support, and understand that I’m not alone, and that there are people in worse shape than I am in. So I am thankful for that. I thank you for your support, encouragement, experience and your story, and an example of a coping mechanism in drawing when you are having a rough time. Very smart. I’d have to resort to color by numbers with my skill level- or lack there of !!
So keep posting and helping us stay positive. Mitch
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@mlross4508 Thanks, Mitch! I had a choice to make and the stakes were very high. I have worked so hard to develop my artistic skills which takes many years. Because of my spine problem, I was already loosing the ability to hold my arms up and control my movement, and everything else like driving or pushing a shopping cart was painful and exhausting. I was on my way to loosing what I cherished most if I was to permanently loose my ability to paint, and I was lucky that I had a choice and a chance to change my future, and found a gifted surgeon who wanted to help me. I guess I'm also lucky that none of the others would help me because I might have ended up with hardware that I didn't want. I was able to have a single level fusion with only a bone graft, and I stayed in a neck brace until it fused. Most doctors probably wouldn't agree to that, but my surgeon trusted me, and I don't have to worry about complications. In my hindsight, I would have come to Mayo first, and I probably would not have lost so much muscle mass to atrophy.
Color by numbers or anything else that gets you engaged in creating helps, so go for it! We have an Art for Healing discussion and we talk about that, and you're welcome. See the link below. (There are posts about my surgeon and his portrait on the first page.) Photography can also work like that and it's something I do to inspire future paintings. Art has always helped with healing and comfort, and Mayo has a lot of art in the patient areas. I was in a unique position of being able to direct my own therapy and healing with my artwork. 4 back surgeries is a lot. You might be interested in looking at the discussion on Myofascial Release which can help break up surgical scar tissue. I've done this for several years and also in recovery from my spine surgery. My incision area gets tight, and I stretch it out again. I think MFR contributed to the success of my spine surgery because it kept the muscles supple and easier to retract during surgery. Maybe it can help you.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/art-for-healing/