The surgery went well, the repairs are done, and the chronic severe pain seems gone. She has a neck brace on all the time for the next 3 months, and has to be quite careful in using her upper back, but things should gradually improve with the full recovery taking about a year.
She had a weakened right hand and arm after surgery, but that is improving and should get back to normal too. Now she is practicing the functions of daily life in rehab and coming along gradually.
The surgery was very extensive with a lot of hardware and bone grafts. The surgeon was quite pleased with the result and after a few days of grogginess and difficulties, Margo is back to feeling pretty good and looking forward to coming back to the farm in about another week She will continue outpatient therapy locally for some time after that.
She had planned to do her rehab at Mayo Barron, WI, but the complications with the arm kept her at Mayo for an additional week.
Maple sap season seems to be over, so probably will pull the taps this weekend. Been a somewhat busy season between spending time at Rochester and back here at the farm. The season will end up being about an average one with close to 1 quart of syrup per tap. Not a great season, and not a poor one, just average.
It will be nice to finish the season and get Margo back home painfree! She has had almost a year of pain, the last six months quite severe, and two surgeries -- lower back in December and not the upper/neck in March. Hopefully the back is done. Her recent cancer check says no signs of that returning either!
As of April 1, I have been in remission for 2 full years from myasthenia gravis (medication free). So that is great too, Maybe by later this summer we will both be fully functional!
The frogs have been croaking this week. The wild crocuses are blooming on the sand barrens. Fifty or more trumpeter swans are hanging out on Bass Lake just north of Cushing, raiding the fields during the daytime and resting on the lake at night. Quite a spectacle!
