So I broke my neck the other day...

pittdan77

Fell on the ice. Everything is good. Hairline fracture in the C6 vertebrae. Also suffered a bad Grade 3 concussion. Could have been a lot worse but I'm stuck in a collar for the next 6-12 weeks. I've been logging like crazy (the nurses were having a good time watching me log my meals in my hospital bed). Just worried because I don't want to undo all of the great progress I've made. I'm in great spirits but am not allowed to do anything right now. Not even work. My church and neighbors have been brining food to the house and my wonderful wife has been awesome through all of this (although I did give her quite a scare).

Any words of advice or even a little encouragement? This too will pass and I can't wait to celebrate reaching my goal.

nutmegoreo

Pretty scary how quick life can change. Glad you escaped relatively unscathed. I don't doubt that the nurses are amused. I wouldn't worry about gaining weight on hospital food. If it is anything like what we have, it is bland and unappetizing anyway. I recommend telling your wife to eat all the goodies being brought so you don't have to worry about it when you get home :laugh:

Take each day as it comes, and count your blessings. :flowerforyou:

Tom_TWS

WOW that is scary, I hope you heal quickly, my wife would freak out if that were to happen. Stay strong, I imagine it can get discouraging especially after breaking your neck etc. Stay strong!

MrGonzo05

Only you can undo your progress. Do what you can when you can. Even if you slip up, you realistically will not do much damage in a few weeks. Your main concern should be to avoid regressing to the unhealthy lifestyle that made you obese.

Codilee87

I would only seek advice from medical professionals on this one. Congrats on, you know, surviving :drinker:

AlwaysInMotion

Yikes! I'm genuinely glad your injury wasn't worse!

I broke my leg last year right at the start of bike racing season. (I did it being cocky on my mountain bike). I won't lie, it ate me alive to be sidelined. The hardest period was the first 3 weeks (I didn't fully "enjoy" my surgery - or the massive plate and one-short-of-a-dozen screws put in my leg.)… But then it got MUCH easier as I started to heal and slowly got more mobility back (FWIW, I suck on crutches. Damn death sticks!) On my 2-month anniversary of my fracture, I was in an orthopedic boot and snuck onto a stationary bike for the first time (we're talking no resistance at first, just regaining range of motion). I was also doing PT x3 week and faithfully doing my "homework". That helped immensely.

I'd like to encourage you the best I can. Even though I was basically immobile and completely dependent on my "junk food addict" significant other for every meal, I didn't backslide that much in weight gain (actually, I don't think I gained more than 2 lbs). I ate less naturally because I wasn't as hungry - likely because I wasn't expending as much energy. I did lose muscle definition, but got a significant degree of it back within a few months with exercise - mild at first, and then increasing in duration & intensity (under watchful eye of my PT). 100% full recovery back to my racing fitness level probably took 6 months.

Words of advice... Do your best to be an engaged and informed patient with your doctors/surgeons. Research your physical therapist so you one that understands & supports your goals. Be patient and kind with yourself and allow yourself time to heal. And don't get discouraged - I know that's so much harder than it sounds coming from strangers who aren't dealing with your exact situation. Always remember - THIS TOO SHALL PASS!

Good luck and good health to you!

pittdan77

Thanks folks. I appreciate the kind words.