Anterior Cervical Diskectomy and Fusion

Quite amazing, really. He cut into my throat just above the clavical, snaked a microscope and assorted tools past the jugular, windpipe, etc., and set up shop in front of cervical vertebrae nos. 5 & 6. He took out the disk and replaced it with a newer model, shot it full of stem cells and then screwed a titanium plate to the two vertebrae, fusing them in place. I woke up 100% better.

The wound was closed with some super glue and scotch tape to keep the germs out.

One of my rules is, no driving without neck support. Very "Darth Vaderish" in appearance, though my voice is more "Daffy Duckish".

Storms

June through November is hurricane season. Before that (and during, not to mention after) is tornado season. Tornados come with little warning and make smaller but more intense messes. Hurricanes come with a lot more warning. In either case, afterward we head out to help clean up. Irene was a monster, though the experts say it could have been a lot worse.



Below are the "Mormon Helping Hands" guys in yellow, chain saws at the ready. Don't worry--I'm pretty sure that electrical line was not live. We had about 225 people in Kinston and another 120 on Harker's Island.

It is well known that trailer parks work as giant tornado magnets. Here we are a couple of weeks ago, replacing skirting on some trailer homes. In this case, it was the Mormons and the Episcopalians.