After dealing with dozens of doctors over the years who like writing drug prescriptions and rarely ever seem to find anything wrong, this was a real breath of fresh air. I assume partial responsibility for my failures with the medical community, because I just don’t know how to deal with them or trust anybody.
Jeff, the guy from the article, has the exact same cervical spine injury I do. He literally exactly describes the symptoms I was suffering 7 years ago before getting my shoulder repaired. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your perspective, the C6-7 injury was only a contributing factor in the shoulder job, and continued worsening with Degenerative Disc Disease ever since. Spinal decompression currently maintains it at a lessening tolerable level, but the writing is on the wall: A spinal fusion surgery for that could eventually be a possibility.
Fast forward to January 8th 2019, where a VA-contracted surgeon skillfully tore open an annular tear at L4-5 during a left hip replacement. That one’s fused now, but the end result is nerve root damage afflicting me at both ends of my spine. Looks like we are in the wait-and-see stage with Dr. Donner.