One week later...

Well, here I am still alive and kicking, and working my way through the recovery process. It has been a lot different then I had expected. On the day of my surgery I expected to have to stay the night in the hospital for observation, but they decided that the operation went better then they had expected and I could go ahead and go home just a few hours after the surgery. I was very happy to hear that and I felt pretty good so, home we went. The doctor recommended that I try to do some walking as exercise so I took the dogs for a short walk in the neighborhood. I could tell afterwards that I had overdone it but it was too late to worry about that now. I had a very hard time getting comfortable in bed with the collar on so I did not get much sleep that night. The next day I was really feeling the pain for the first time, I guess I was still feeling the effects of the medicine the day before which was why I wasn't hurting too much. Oh well, lesson learned. I have been much more careful since then to pace myself and pay attention to my body. I am one week into my recovery now with five weeks to go in the cervical collar. I can't wait to see how things work out. I am really looking forward to a life without the constant nagging pain and without the daily need to take medication. I will however be very diligent in trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle all around. Suzy and I have agreed to stick to a better diet, and to getting more exercise. We hope that it will make our lives more enjoyable in the long run. We have also talked more about starting a family soon so we have that to help us towards our goals. I have been blessed with a wonderful wife and family who have really helped a lot in keeping a positive attitude and providing support for us in this rough time. Thank you all for everything you have done for us, from the kind thoughts and prayers to the nice visits and helping out financially. We are very grateful. Below is a link to my PhotoBucket album with pictures from the hospital and afterwards at home, feel free to check them out at your leisure or if you prefer just go to this page http://s195.photobucket.com/albums/z86/C_Santoro/Neck%20Surgery%20Pix/

-peace