Stlhead,

Thanks; I'll check it out.

Sol,

Middle age degenerative condition is the medical reason; maybe stress, but that's not a medical diagnosis. I wasn't playing rugby or anything when it happened.

Aunty,

The neurosurgeon I consulted with would remove the disc and fuse the C5/C6 vertebrae. The herniated disc is pinching the nerve that goes under my left shoulder blade and through the tricep, ending at the elbow. The ruptured disc is inflamed and pinches the nerve where it comes out of my spinal cord and passes between the vertebrae. Removing the ruptured disc and fusing the vertebrae is supposed to alleviate the pinch condition. Side effects are that I'll permanently lose a few degrees of forward/backward neck flexibility, and have a sore esophagaus and hoarse vocal cords for a couple days or so.

I thought I was improving. I can sorta' bend over and pick stuff up off the floor now. But the last few days I've been getting the tingling in my arm that wasn't previously present. And the dull ache in the morning has me doing nothing other than getting ready for work and driving in until about 10 AM, even tho I pop the pills by 6:30 or 7. I see my regular doc tomorrow afternoon, but I'm not expecting much other than adjusting pill combos at the most.

Thanks folks. I'll keep ya' posted. I'm still planning to fish BC and Alaska come hell or high water; just might have to fish short days is all.

Sincerely,

Salmo g.