Yesterday I had 2 discs replaced in my neck. I have waited 3 years for FDA approval of a two level cervical disc replacement. My neck issues began 17 years ago following a bad accident. Over the past 3 years the symptoms have been much worse. I have lost use of my arms and legs on 5 different occasions. The spinal cord in the cervical section should be 13mm wide. Mine was compressed to 4-5mm in two areas, between C5-C6 and C6-C7. My Neurosurgeons begged me to go with a spinal fusion and would not clear me to even play tennis. I refused to go with the fusion. Fusion destroys the other vertebrae. It actually results in 2% per year degeneration of the other vertebrae. Fusion also greatly reduces mobility. I had lost feeling in both of my arms and had only 50% strength in one arm. Just 24 hours after the procedure, feeling has returned to my arms and I feel strong! With the disc replacement there is also no rehab. I will be back coaching by Monday and I’ll be back on the mats demonstrating technique in about 10 days. Within 30 days I will be rolling hard in preparation for my next tournament. There is no decrease in mobility. My neck is actually more flexible now! Jiu-Jitsu shows us that there is always a way. Despite these issues, I never missed a day of training or teaching and I also competed at a high level in the cage and on the mats. This is the same disc replacement Braulio Estima had in 2010 and we all know the continued success he has had since then. Without question, I have not yet reached my full potential. For the first time ever, I will be firing on all cylinders and I cannot wait to find out what I am capable of!
Posted on: Fri, 25 Jul 2014 15:10:59 +0000
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