My Story

[willy]

Parish, I understand brother, believe me.
20 years ago while pulling a fireman up the stairs after an explosion at a commercial fire another fireman came down the stairs and tripped and fell on me, crunched my neck, been down hill since then. Eventually surgery fusion c6-c7.
Multiple pursuits car crashes fights wrestling suspects and assorted other adventures I had a fall a year ago running down some concrete stairs went head first into concrete block wall, saw the big light and was out for a few seconds. When I awoke I rolled over and stood up with help from my Sgt. and one of my Officers, my neck stiffened almost immediatly. Spent the next three months at work but doing physical therapy. Finally the daily pain got real bad, arms started going numb just standing there, had huge egg size knots in my arm muscles and headaches and facial twitching. Pain in the chest area like a heart attack.
Surgery June 1st this year fusion grafting titanium plate for c5-6 and c4-5 . Back at work now but this is going to cost me the rest of my life. Will be another five or six months before it starts getting really solid I believe. Then the arthritis will really start kicking in. I'll be 52 in March.
So I put in my retirement papers, leaving after 28 years. Highest ranking Officer in PD, not worth staying any longer and too much risk.
It will get better now Parish, but as hard as it is and boring take it easy. Takes adults six to eight months before the fusion really becomes solid at least and if you do something traumatic to it before that you stand a chance of never fully recovering. The symptoms will eventually start going away but nerves only regenerate to a certain degree and very slowly at that. A lot depends on how much pressure was on them and for how long.
Take it easy my friend let it heal and don't worry any more about it, it's done now.