So, I'm Finally Getting Back Surgery
So most of you don't know this, but I've had awful back problems now for about 5 years. Nope, this is not Rush speaking nor are he and SDW the same person. 
I've tried almost everything: Chiropractic, steroidal injections, oral NSAIDS, oral steroidals, physical therapy, percutaneous disc decompression, you name it. It sometimes gets better, but then it goes back to Life in Hell?, taking 3000mg a day of Ibuprofren and 6 ultracet tabs a day. Fun times!
Anyway, my problem is spinal stenosis of the central canal and foramina at L3/L4. Mean anything to anyone? I'm having surgery October 18th...the first of my adult life. I'm excited to finally get something done (decompressing the whole area...details if you wish), but also a bit nervous. They say I should be back at work in a few weeks as I feel able, so I'm hoping that by the 29th I should be OK to go in. Not exactly easy for a teacher to take off during the year, but it needs to be done. The pain is ridiculous (only thing I can do is biking, walking and jogging are out of the question).
Bring on the knife. And the drugs. And laying around for a week yelling at you guys from a narcotics-induced stupor!
I've tried almost everything: Chiropractic, steroidal injections, oral NSAIDS, oral steroidals, physical therapy, percutaneous disc decompression, you name it. It sometimes gets better, but then it goes back to Life in Hell?, taking 3000mg a day of Ibuprofren and 6 ultracet tabs a day. Fun times!
Anyway, my problem is spinal stenosis of the central canal and foramina at L3/L4. Mean anything to anyone? I'm having surgery October 18th...the first of my adult life. I'm excited to finally get something done (decompressing the whole area...details if you wish), but also a bit nervous. They say I should be back at work in a few weeks as I feel able, so I'm hoping that by the 29th I should be OK to go in. Not exactly easy for a teacher to take off during the year, but it needs to be done. The pain is ridiculous (only thing I can do is biking, walking and jogging are out of the question).
Bring on the knife. And the drugs. And laying around for a week yelling at you guys from a narcotics-induced stupor!
Comments
Maybe all those narcotics will make you more liberal
I didn't remember anything after they gave me the 'happy juice' in pre-op, so the surgery itself was no big deal, took about 30 minutes. One night in hospital, then I had 30 days at home recuperating. Nothing but resting and gentle walking recommended during that time. Recovered fairly quickly.
HEY!
Ask the doctor if he can fix your brain, too.
HEY!
hey, did SDW do alot of swimming when he was a kid?
http://www.physorg.com/news110255496.html
Best of luck. If you can, record yourself after you come out of anesthesia. You'll say some pretty hilarious shit while the anesthesia is wearing off.
Nice. Oh, correction...I did go under in college to have my wisdom teeth out. I was told that I was sort of sleep walking for a day or two.
As for the procedure, I'm told that it's fairly routine...basically like having a discectomy. They're doing a laminectomy and foraminectomy to decompress the nerve roots. The guy I saw said at L3/L4 my spinal canal is more of a triangle (looking down from above) then a circle. That translates to Your Fucked™
Anyway....I'm hoping to be back at work quickly, but I may not be able to in only 11 days. We'll see.
hey, did SDW do alot of swimming when he was a kid?
http://www.physorg.com/news110255496.html
If you cannot die under the knife, I wish you a slow and painful recovery, with hopefully complete paralysis from the neck down - which would make a change from complete paralysis from the neck up.
Thanks guys. That felt good. May I have another?
I don't know about the specific procedure you're having, but back in February 2005 I had a discectomy/laminectomy on my L5-S1 disc. I had ruptured the disc and was suffering from bad sciatica on the left leg, and could barely walk for almost 6 months while the Navy tried everything from meds to physical therapy before opting for surgery. When they finally got around to giving me an MRI, the doc showed me that I had almost no disc left there, all the 'jelly' from inside the disc had squirted out into my spinal canal!!
I didn't remember anything after they gave me the 'happy juice' in pre-op, so the surgery itself was no big deal, took about 30 minutes. One night in hospital, then I had 30 days at home recuperating. Nothing but resting and gentle walking recommended during that time. Recovered fairly quickly.
Sounds like what I'm doing at another level, but no discectomy. A different spine center had been treating me for disc issues (dissectation, herniations) but the neurosurgeon I spoke with told me this was not the problem. He has an excellent reputation. He also confirmed what another surgeon told me a few years ago...the stenosis is the main problem.
Of course, it's not clear why I'm such a cantankerous sumbitch the rest of the time, but we'll leave that for now....
Good luck with the surgery, hope it cures what ails you. Is there a fairly high expectation that this procedure will fix it, or at least make it a good deal better? Does it end up limiting your mobility?
Well, hell, no wonder you're such a cantankerous sumbitch, if you got that kind of back pain. I've had bouts of just muscle strain type sciatica, and it makes me insane.
Of course, it's not clear why I'm such a cantankerous sumbitch the rest of the time, but we'll leave that for now....
Good luck with the surgery, hope it cures what ails you. Is there a fairly high expectation that this procedure will fix it, or at least make it a good deal better? Does it end up limiting your mobility?
Thanks, adda. To answer your questions, I'm told it is about a 75% "fix my shit" rate. Right now I have terrible pain, numbness when walking...and I walk bent over to the right. I'm also told that there won't be anything I can't do once I heal.
What makes me feel good about it too is the surgeon. He was recommended by someone that is a nurse in the hospital I'm going know...and he knows the guy. He basically told me "you think you're a smart person until you talk to this guy." My ex-brother-in-law also works at this hospital as a cardiac group PA.
Anywho...meeting with him was like a breath of fresh air. At UPENN (my "other" spine center), I got "well maybe this, maybe that, we'll see, we'll try, run this test, etc. It's like they were just guessing, and I never spoke to the actual doctor (only one of his lackey fellows). This guy looked at my MRIs, read my history that I prepared, had be describe my symptoms in detail, did a quick strength exam/reflex test, and said "given all this and your history, you need this and here is why. He was confident but not arrogant and pompous. It was exactly what I needed...clear terms of chances of success, the procedure, recovery, long term prospects, etc.
Thanks, adda. To answer your questions, I'm told it is about a 75% "fix my shit" rate. Right now I have terrible pain, numbness when walking...and I walk bent over to the right. I'm also told that there won't be anything I can't do once I heal.
What makes me feel good about it too is the surgeon. He was recommended by someone that is a nurse in the hospital I'm going know...and he knows the guy. He basically told me "you think you're a smart person until you talk to this guy." My ex-brother-in-law also works at this hospital as a cardiac group PA.
Anywho...meeting with him was like a breath of fresh air. At UPENN (my "other" spine center), I got "well maybe this, maybe that, we'll see, we'll try, run this test, etc. It's like they were just guessing, and I never spoke to the actual doctor (only one of his lackey fellows). This guy looked at my MRIs, read my history that I prepared, had be describe my symptoms in detail, did a quick strength exam/reflex test, and said "given all this and your history, you need this and here is why. He was confident but not arrogant and pompous. It was exactly what I needed...clear terms of chances of success, the procedure, recovery, long term prospects, etc.
Good for you, I'm glad you got such a positive guy in your court. I think I've read studies that suggest that clarity, support and optimism actually have a strong effect on the outcome of illness and medical procedures.
Chronic pain is such a joy killer, I really hope this works out great for you.
If you cannot die under the knife, I wish you a slow and painful recovery, with hopefully complete paralysis from the neck down - which would make a change from complete paralysis from the neck up.
"Those who fight monsters should take care that they never become one. For when you stand and look long into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you." ~ Frederich Nietsche
If you cannot die under the knife, I wish you a slow and painful recovery, with hopefully complete paralysis from the neck down - which would make a change from complete paralysis from the neck up.
MarkUK:
That was a disgusting and contemptible post.
SDW:
Good luck and a speedy recovery. PM to follow.
V/R,
Aries 1B
I hope you make a full recovery and a speedy one at that! I am pulling for you!
If I may ask how old are you again? I thought you were too young to be having all this old folk kind of fun business..
I have done a few things over the months and years to my back like picking up a cast iron sink the wrong way once and then that time I got the large bag of lawn fertilizer and poured it into the spreader the wrong way...
Man in each case I was in pain for about a week and a half. I would hate to have that kind of pain all the time...
Best wishes,
Fellows
Good for you, I'm glad you got such a positive guy in your court. I think I've read studies that suggest that clarity, support and optimism actually have a strong effect on the outcome of illness and medical procedures.
Chronic pain is such a joy killer, I really hope this works out great for you.
I've heard that too. The guy was not a cheerleader either..he was must matter of fact and positive.
Best of luck to you SDW. I have once woken up with a torn back muscle that was actually damaged before going to bed but I didn't notice it likely due to adrenalin. All I had to do was to get out of bed, put on a piece of clothing or two, call a cab, sit down in the back of the cab as it comes, get out at the hospital, and sit a while on a reception bench. Thing is, I had major trouble handling every one of those steps and only after strong meds did any of it become easier. Now I can't know how terrible it is to live with a constantly bad back, but I can guess.
All those things have cause ridiculous pain depending on when I do them. It goes in periods of months. The last year has been pretty bad, though with drugs and getting in shape I can at least do daily tasks. There have been times where putting on shoes made me sweat from exertion, holding my abdominal muscles tightly to compensate for the back pain. Not fun.
SDW, all the Best to you. I hope you recover quickly. My mother had a similar surgery, so I know what you're going thru.
How did it go...what exactly was done?
SDW2001,
I hope you make a full recovery and a speedy one at that! I am pulling for you!
Thanks fellows!
If I may ask how old are you again? I thought you were too young to be having all this old folk kind of fun business..
Yeah, that's the thing. I'm 31....going to be 32 on the Oct. 22nd. My spinal stenosis is very advanced for my age. I'm told it's more like that of a 60 year old. My Dad has it, but his got better....and he's 59.
I also have disc issues, but I'm told those are secondary.
I have done a few things over the months and years to my back like picking up a cast iron sink the wrong way once and then that time I got the large bag of lawn fertilizer and poured it into the spreader the wrong way...
Man in each case I was in pain for about a week and a half. I would hate to have that kind of pain all the time...
Best wishes,
Fellows
Yeah, well I have had pain for months at a clip...you basically get used to it. It sucks because I still have issues despite losing 50lbs in the last 7 months, biking 10-15 miles a day, working out, etc. I'm supposed to be living The Single Life at last, and I'm a gimp instead! Damn! Let's hope this fixes it.
If you cannot die under the knife, I wish you a slow and painful recovery, with hopefully complete paralysis from the neck down - which would make a change from complete paralysis from the neck up.
Holy ****, man. That's cold.