update

Hey! Still here. Been too busy the last couple of weekends to continue what had been a pretty good streak of weekly dispatches. I’ll get back to it once we get through graduation season.

A quick update on the neck situation is in order. We are now at T+18 days since the procedure, and I’m feeling really good overall. I’d weaned myself off the Tylenol and Flexeril combo within a few days of the surgery, and I never needed or took the Oxy they prescribed. I was back at work as planned after taking a full week off.

I had my two-week visit with the surgeon on Friday last week, the purpose of that trip being primarily for them to check on the incision/wound and make sure it’s healing. He said it’s looking great. It is still pretty gross to look at, but the expectation is that it should revert to a thin horizontal scar that won’t be visible, at least not among the other deep crevasses already on my neck.

The important question: what about they neuro symptoms we were treating in the first place? I’d break it down this way (very subjective numbers here):

• Upper right arm: about 80% improved
• Right hand: about 50% improved
• Left hand: no detectable improvement

Obviously that left hand situation is a bit of a disappointment, but the surgeon told me it’s not uncommon for this particular injury to take 3-6 months to fully heal. I’m quite happy with the progress on the right side, of course. That bodes well for me getting back to normal (at least in non-musical endeavors) when I get out of the cone of shame (hopefully) in another four weeks.

I have started playing guitar a little, just to see where that left hand is. And, frankly, to start preparing for a possible worst-case outcome. If this is the new normal, I may as well get started on trying to accept it. I guess we’ll see.

Many thanks and much love to everyone who reached out. The support has been incredible and I’m deeply grateful for each and all y’all. <3