The Good, the Bad and The Ugly

It has been three weeks since the halo came off! I haven't posted because I have only just gotten out of the shower.

Life post-halo has been a rollercoaster. I've been busy with work (up to 4 days a week now), uni (week 3), and moving (finally living with Greg in an actual house, not car!). I had a couple of drafts queued up but haven't posted anything because they all got a bit navel-gazing.

Stargazing > Navelgazing

The Good:
I'm free! I'm light, and nimble, and no longer top-heavy! I've adjusted quickly. Last night I took my bra off like it was the most normal thing in the world. And I was like, "Wasn't I hanging out for this for three months? Shouldn't this be a big deal?" Then I got distracted by the sight of my shadow of a six-pack and thought no more of it.

I've lost weight around the trunk. I thought it was body dysmorphia, but Greg's mum commented on my skinny top half, so I think there's something in it. I wasn't even trying to lose weight, but you can only jam so much in there! My appetite is still less than what it was. So if you are considering losing weight, consider a restrictive halo brace. Actually, I don't recommend this method at all...

Showers. Are amazing. Never pass up the chance to have another. In fact, pause reading and go have one right now. That's fine, I'll wait.

Sleep is so easy. Though I'd forgotten how to use a pillow properly and kept sticking it under my shoulder. Took a while to remember that the pillow goes under the head. Wow!

I can probably return to work physically once I see the doctor, which will be nice because my coworkers at home are hella quiet.

Apart from Wilson, who can be quite chatty.

The Bad:
I don't get to use "but I've got a broken back" as an excuse to get out of things anymore.

My neck and shoulders hurt. They never hurt at all in the halo, and now the muscles are stiff all the time. I am wearing a neck brace "off and on" (doctor's orders) and a fair bit of mobility has gradually come back, but I've probably only got a quarter of the range that I used to. Since the fracture was T1 to T4, it's probably muscular, but I won't know until I see the doctor. Some physio will probably sort it out but I can tell already, it's going to hurt.

On the muscular note, I have lost a lot of strength in my upper body. My arms are limp little noodles and my neck muscles apparently don't like holding my head up all day, though that's getting better. I've got some dumbbells, so as soon as the doctor allows it, I'm gonna smashing those weights. Hah!

Still can't drive and have to rely on lifts and public transport. Happily the new house is close to a couple of bus lines, even one that takes me straight to uni, so that's actually not too bad.

My posture is a bit better but my back hurts at the end of the day sometimes, and I seem to have developed a little hump around the junction of my neck and back. Maybe the fracture? Not sure, because I haven't seen the doctor with regards to my x-ray. So I'm not sure if that's going to fade away, or if I've got future costume options as the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

There is also the question of arthritis or other related problems in the future, but that's Future Roshy's problem.

The Ugly:
The halo has taken a bit of a toll on my body physically. I have two wounds on my forehead which I have confirmed now aren't even symmetrical! Granted the doctor was probably more concerned with getting my back, not the scars, straight-- but it's an annoyance anyway. On the back of my head, I've got an actual dent where the infection was raging, and on the other side I've got either some proud flesh or an abscess. The topography of my head has certainly taken some knocks. Good thing phrenology is no longer a science because my head right now has some crazy things going on in the areas corresponding to Caution (ironic...).

My shoulder-blades were the only part of the halo I couldn't reach to clean. Subsequently they developed some gnarly backne. Fortunately that is starting to clear up now and I hope won't have a recurrence.

My jawline has also developed acne due to my greasy face, and that hasn't really cleared up yet. My skin used to be fairly good and I'm hoping it will become good again now that I'm back to my usual habits. If it doesn't, I will be so annoyed!


So that's about it in regards to life after the halo. I'm definitely happy to be out of it, but it's clear that unlike a cold or gastro, there might be some effects that linger long after the injury.

Obviously I was very lucky and have had an amazing outcome, and am living the best case scenario. I just find it funny how quickly I've gone back to taking almost-full mobility for granted, and how put-out I am by really quite minor issues. If I was a better person it would be the other way around. :)

Y Halo There

Well my victory post didn't make it up, thanks Blogger app on the iphone.

I'm happy to report that I'm free!

Can't wipe the smile off my dial.

It was a whirlwind day in the end. I rocked up for my last halo clinic early to get the x-ray done, and just as well because an hour later, the line for x-rays was out the door. I think it was Bone Clinic Day because there were just casts and braces everywherrrrrre.

My xray was sent to the doctor who must have seen them, because the word came down that I could have the halo off! Unfortunately I didn't get to see him so didn't get to ask fundamental questions like, "What do I do now?"

Fortunately the halo clinic staff had done this all before, and they whipped it off faster than I could say, "I need this on me another day like I need a hole in the head." It was super-easy. One of the ladies held my head while everyone else unscrewed me. I was expecting a magnitude of pain like I had on the application, but it wasn't even a twinge on the scale of having the screws tightened. It was great.

The only instruction I really received was, "Wear the soft collar on and off, and don't try to move your neck for a month". I'm not forcing things, but I'm pleased to say that I can now nod yes and shake my head no, and these are very exciting actions after three months of doing it all with my waist! The Aspen collar is not the most comfortable thing, but definitely better than the halo.

My neck is still extremely stiff and painful in the morning but limbers up during the day-- to a degree. The thing it probably feels the most like is DOMS-- fine until you try to move it. The bobble-head action never really came, about to everybody's disappointment. I still can't drive for another month which is a bit annoying, but again-- life is still better than with the halo!

In all honesty, the three months with the halo wasn't too bad and I can attribute that to a super support network. I'm not allowed to use the "but I have a broken back" excuse anymore but think I'll be able to get a bit of mileage with "my neck is really sore!". I had a lecture this afternoon that I was late to, and the lecturer, spying my neck brace, gave me a very sympathetic look instead of a dirty one. So I might keep this on for a while.

Needless to say, the first shower was THE BEST THING EVER. I will never pass up a chance to have a shower again. The holes in my head have sealed up and scabbed up already, and aren't too noticable on my forehead (I personally think so, anyway). The first lie-down was also amazing, but I have forgotten exactly where the pillow goes on the body, so it's fun re-educating myself about that. And it is also really nice to hug people without having to warn them to watch out.