Really appreciate your concerns expressed here and over at the Prayer Posse. Saw my neurosurgeon yesterday and was advised that I have "Cervical Myelopathy". Bottom line is that my spinal cord is being compressed, causing pain and weakness in my right arm/hand, as well as adversely affecting my gait (before williamlayton asks, I'll let you know right now it is my front gait). Although five vertebrae and four discs are involved and could be repaired during one surgical procedure, Doc seems to think I've got too many hard miles on me, and advises we take care of the two worst discs first (8 or 9 May), and see how things go. Procedure (Cervical Discectomy and Fusion) will require incisions in both the front and back of my neck, removal of the affected discs, removal of a couple of small pieces of bone from my hip and placement of same in the newly vacated disc space where they will fuze with the vertebrae above and below. He'll probably add some metal strips attached with screws to further stabilize the fuzed vertebrae. He says I should pretty much be good to go by the end of the summer, and assured me I'd be able to handle high power rifle and 12 ga shotgun recoil again without any problem, but that I'd probably lose considerable neck mobility. Was really looking forward to an active summer of CAS, but guess I'll just have to satisfy myself with looking forward to getting back into CAS in the fall.
Thanks again for your concern and encouraging words.
Hamp
