horseshadowrider
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Registered: 03-2008
Location: Washington state
Posts: 1961
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What's up with Virginia?
I never posted my medical profile, so I guess I'll do it here so it's "on the record."
I was a very healthy and strong cowboy-girl all of my life, worked training horses and doing whatever with horses that paid. We were working on/managing a ranch in CA when on April 09, 2004, a horse I was training for jumping stopped in front of a jump and I went over his head.
I came to (I was all alone) and felt the electricity pulsing through my arms and legs and prayed, "Please Lord, please don't let me be paralyzed!" I got to my knees, trying to assess what was wrong, what might be broken, what happened, what to do next. And I realised I couldn't lift up my head at all.
I finally stood up and, bent over at the waist so that the weight of my head hung down, I walked over and caught the horse grazing nearby, and led him back to our house where I called for my husband to help me.
Ambulance rides to two different hospitals followed and it ended up that I had broken my C1 into four pieces. I was told that I would have a tough time for awhile but that I'd be okay. No surgery was done, no traction or halo. I was given a semi-flexible collar (not a rigid one) and after four days in the hospital, I was sent home. No at home nursing care, no calls to check up on me, etc.
I did go thru a rough time, especially with the head injury, but after 7 months off of work, I was allowed to go back to work riding horses. I was so happy. It had always been my plan to get right back on the horse and back to my mode of working very physically hard. Which I did, but I just got worse and worse, rather quickly. After a couple of months of getting much worse, I had to go back to part time work and hire someone to train the horses for me.
Someone told me that they thought my symptoms sounded like MS, so I started looking into that online, and while on an MS message board, someone mentioned CM. I looked into that and thought that perhaps that was what I had. There were not any peers or websites for people who survived a jefferson fracture (the 4 plc frx of the C1) because not too many survive. Through the CM message board, I learned about TCI. And I also learned about a CM expert in LA at UCLA. I begged my doctor to send me there and he did...but that expert was very rude to me and said I was lucky to be alive and get off the internet and get on with my life.
I still got worse and worse and started writing to Dr. B at TCI. He had me do some at home traction and said I probably have craniocervical instability.
Here's the good part. I asked my work comp doc and case mgr if I could go to TCI in NY. I was told that CA work comp "never sends anyone out of state for evaluation or treatment." I thought of the power of God, and said, "That's okay, I don't mind being the first one."
I went to TCI on Medicare, and Dr. B easily found that my C1, 3yrs post injury, is still greatly broken. It never fused itself. There is a big, 1" gap between the ends of the bones where it should have been closed and fused. He said I was going around with a broken neck, and that I should never ride a horse again. He said that would be "suicidal."
When I got back home with what Dr. B found, it was great because work comp decided that Dr. B would be my doctor! Praise God! Dr. B said I had tethered cord and that I should have that released first, then have the fusion.
I had the TC surgery in Nov. 2007. It was a rugged one, lasting 7.5 hours. Dr. B said it was a very rough surgery because I had such a mass of arachnoid adhesions. He was "right on the money" about me having TC! It was because of the trauma to my spinal cord.
Because I have osteoporosis, I need to have about a year's worth of special IV treatment (pamidronate) in order to build up my bones to be the best they can be before I have the CCFusion.
Oh, right before the TC surgery, they did the "invasive cervical traction" under CT scan and Dr. Milhorat found that when I broke the C1, my skull also dislocated from my spine (atlanto occipital dislocation, or "internal decapitation"). it fused itself back together, though crooked or lop sided.
Dr. M also told me that my brainstem was elongated and that I "have a chiari, but not Chiari." Meaning my cerebellar tonsils were elongated and descended, but not due to anything congenital (CM1)
When I saw Dr. B for my follow up in May 2008, he told me that my situation is "off the charts unusual" and very special. I know that I am special because God preserved my life. Any study I find on AOD or Jefferson Frx says that they usually are fatal.
I also have a precancerous condition called monoclonal gammopathy, a pre condition to multiple myeloma. this is something we are just monitoring with once a year testing. I'm not expecting it to evolve into MM. It's just not in my plans!
Last edited by horseshadowrider, 7/2/2008, 9:54 pm
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Virginia
4 plc fracture of the C1, Tethered Cord, (acquired chiari and elongated brainstem resolved by Tethered Cord surgery); atlanto occipital dislocation and cranial settling all due to equestrian accident,
2004. CC Fusion upcoming.
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7/2/2008, 9:50 pm
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GaleB
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Registered: 03-2008
Location: South Carolina
Posts: 1568
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Re: What's up with Virginia?
I tell you what Virginia. I am always just dumb founded when I see your story. It is unbelievable that you lived, let alone survive the maltreatment you had initially.
God was absolutely carrying you. My Gosh.
a living , walking, talking, working for Him still, miracle.
What a privilege to know you Virginia. I mean that from the bottom of my heart.
So grateful God has left you with us, to fellowship here in this place and share testimonies such as this.
Gosh Gosh Gosh.
((((((((((((Virginia)))))))))))))))
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7/2/2008, 10:04 pm
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kittbruce
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Registered: 05-2008
Posts: 123
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Re: What's up with Virginia?
Thanks for sharing.
Kitt
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7/2/2008, 10:42 pm
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Joleen711
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Registered: 05-2008
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Re: What's up with Virginia?
Incredible...I cant find any other words to describe you. I know you are very special. God truly kept you alive and has mighty plans for you sweetie. My goodness. Whay an amazing testimony you have to share with others. Your a miracle Virginia, truly a miracle.
I know you have been through so much. I also know that whn you have this life that you have also always enjoyed and it has been a part of you for many years to be changed for a new life is incredibly hard and heart breaking. But just the thought that God did not take you home that day shows that there is much that He wants you to do. This "new life" will be a challange ans sometimes very painful espcially when memories of taking long rides come to mind. But just know that you are very special to many of us and through you many will find hope and healing and faith to keep persevering.
Thank you for sharing sweetie. We love you!!
(((((((((Virginia)))))))))) Love, Jo
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7/3/2008, 12:13 am
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ket85rn
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Registered: 04-2008
Posts: 757
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Re: What's up with Virginia?
Truly, God was with you that day. To have gotten yourself up and back home and still be breathing is nothing short of miraculous. As the others have said, it is apparent that God has big plans for you and we are so blessed by your presence here.
I just love your attitude: "I don't mind being the first one"!  You go girl!! 
(((hugs)))
karen
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7/3/2008, 10:22 am
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