A rib for a neck

If I ever thought there would be a time that I could swing from a chandelier, ride with only my birthday suit during a full moon night howling at the darkness, rough playing my kids, or simply running the canals with my music and my dogs, those days are pretty much on hold…hopefully, only on hold and not completely in the past. Without any real indication, other than constant pain in my neck (which I thought was due to day to day stress and being just me, type A) and lack of sensation in my hand, I have found that I am in dire need of having my C1, C2, C3 all worked on. My C2 is completely gone and C1, C3 are in the process of taking leave. This is taking place June 2nd.  I guess some of those days of feeling invinsable, wild and crazy and full of youth have come to haunt me. A harvested rib from my person will serve as a new neck, along with a bracket and several screws. A halo brace may be needed, if so, the kids and  I will completely bling and sticker it out  making it look like a disco ballroom. Bionic woman, your role has been replaced. A rib for a neck, not a bad exchange. Hoping the surgeon will take a rib from the other side so I do not look lop sided, that is a joke. They will be going through post side of my neck, not through the throat, so hopefully with a big toothy smile I can talk my surgeon into pulling an extra amount of skin on the backside...a consulation prize of a neck lift via Neurosurgery,  this is yet another joke.

 I am having this done by the best Neuro institute in the county. I have full trust and belief that this institute (that begins with a B) will give me another opportunity to be active in my children’s lives, pull shenanigans at my office and will NOT render me to become completely useless and relying on technology and others to keep me with humor and breathing. Who would have known?! I am lucky,  I have insurance via my position in the educational field, however as we all know this is not a field that offers any form of monetary security. Hence, the go Fund Me page. It is embarrassing, for I have never been on the receiving end of donations (although, I have a friend who had reached out when times were extremely sketchy, you beautiful flaxen haired super woman, thank you), and have always donated when I could.  Recovery is going to be a very, very long process, I have a hard time sitting still for more than 15 minutes and I am looking at 6 to 8 weeks of doing nothing… I am active, this is going to be torture. Pure torture especially for my younger children who will be TRYING to keep me from moving. Thank gosh for technology and those that give their time, energy and brain power to medicine, for this is a life saver, literally. Thank you my brother, my father  and Dr. P. at  B's Institute and all those practicing in the field, for without your knowledge, care and dedication...so many would not be able to go forward. 
I certainly would be more than happy to have some prayers sent my way. 

Thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. I will be posting updates...wild I tell you, just wild.

Thank you from myself, my children, my animals and my dormant running shoes. Kristen