OT: Bout me...

[kathywithbirds]

ooooooooo no self medicating. That sucks. Know any good acupuncturists?

[Craig Manoukian]

Hang in there Al!

[Octoman]

Yikes Al! I'll be sending pain-killing vibes your way for the next few days...

[BigAl07]

Thanks everyone.

I have to admit that today my pain level without meds isn't nearly as bad as it was without meds 2 weeks ago. That's GOT to be a good sign Of course I've been a couch potato for 2 weeks now. Wife won't even let me lift a finger which DEEP down inside I DO appreciate.... but out of all this the reduced pain has to be a good sign Right?

Again thanks to all of you. Your kind words, warm thoughts, prayers and well wishes/vibes are MUCH appreciated!!

[nikkipigtails]

Good luck Al. I know it will get better for you.

[tippMANn98]

You know...my mom goes through spells just like you allen. It will be for 3-4 weeks at a time, coming to a peak, and then receding to almost nothing. All she can do is lay down with a heating pad on it. Have you tried that?

[AQTCJAK]

Originally Posted by BigAl07

Well as some of you may have noticed I've been more "away" than here lately... well I've been REALLY busy and life's been crazy lately... well there's been a little more to it than just that.... about 10 years ago I have my first back surgery (was a GREAT success). Then almost 8years later to the day I had #2 in almost same area (even GREATER success). Well a few months back I started having some sporadic pain in my lower back and down into my left leg. As with much of my previous pains given some rest and meds I assumed it was no "big deal". So I started "Self Diagnosing" and of course "Self Medicating" but it just wasn't getting better... (fast forward to about a month ago)... the pain became unbearable especially sitting down so most of my computer use (except at work) has been cut out due to pain. At work I only sit for a few minutes at a time then I have to get up and walk around to be able to tolerate the pain. So any time I have been sitting has been "Work Intensive" to say the least.

Well it finally got the best of me and I went and met with my surgeon today. They have full Spinal Scans in the works (x-rays and MRI) at the earliest appointment. I'm literally "On-Call" right now for an opening. In addition to this I'm scheduled for a "Spinal Nerve Block" ASAP. Also on call could happen as early as this evening.

The GOOD news is that given the current symptoms (or lack there of certain ones like loss/reduced reflexes) they feel we are treating this "issue" early enough to use non-invasive measures (meds and some other non-scalpel things like the nerve block). It's the L-5 area which leads down the lower back, through the "Buttocks" and on the outer portion of the leg into the calf and foot. He said that with early treatment and careful actions on my part (Golf is out for a while) this particular situation has an 80% success rate without surgery. That was some GREAT news.

So I'll be off and on for a while but I'm not "out of the Reef " by any means. It's just tough to sit and read/type with the pain racking your brain and sweating like crazy over the sensations. I'm around just not easy to get to the keyboard as often as I would like.

Thanks for reading and keep Julie (she's an AMAZING woman) and I in your thoughts and prayers. It's gonna get better.....

Al brother I dont know how I missed this thread. Get better so when I get there we can golf or hack or something as long as there is a place with a brass pole there is entertainment

[BigAl07]

Yeah bro done that. I've been doing that for a couple of months now. Then started cycling hot & cold on and on. Then started sleeping with the heating pad on low and that really helped me to sleep slightly deeper but I did burn up at night

I am lucky in that I inherited "De-generative Disk Disease" from my parents (both of them). After my last spinal surgery (that was #2 ) I asked the specialist I was working with," So Doc... what can I do to help prevent this from happening in the future?" He looked me square in the eyes... all serious like and said," Pick your parents better next time!" Then he smirked and said, " Honestly other than good over all health, clean living and excercise there's really not much you can do to prevent it! It's just in your genetics... all we can do is help you to minimize the effects and monitor you to try and do things early on to ease the pain. It is what it is..."

So there ya go To be such a big guy it's almost funny how a lil back pain literally stops me in my tracks and immobilizes me!!

But I think it's gonna be a LOT better soon

Thanks for asking

[BigAl07]

Originally Posted by AQTCJAK

Al brother I dont know how I missed this thread. Get better so when I get there we can golf or hack or something as long as there is a place with a brass pole there is entertainment

That's my goal. Actually I am HOPING to get some type of relief by the end of June because I'm going down to "Ashe-Country" in Florida for a week of golf and who knows what else. I'm hoping to meet Ash & Ben while there.

I have GOALS!!

Thanks jack!! Hey have you and Vickie decided for sure you ARE coming to Atlanta for MACNA?

[Craig Manoukian]

Let me know if I can be of any help Al, you've got my number.

[vdituri]

Hope it gets better for you soon Al.
Back injury is probably my biggest concern.
I move alot of boxes for work.

Although I do have a buddy who is a chiropracter. That helps.

[lcstorc]

Glad to hear you are being spoiled while you are down.
Hopefully they will be able to have you up and without pain soon.
I know the feeling on the genetics. I was born with and extra vertebra. Nothing they can do for me at all. Fortunately as long as I don't walk too much it is bearable.
See you at MACNA all healed up and ready for trouble.

[Stacef]

Wow, how did I miss this. Sorry to hear of all of the pain you are going through. Today is the day for your first appt, hopefully it goes well! Let us know how it turns out.

[BigAl07]

Thanks Stace. Yeah I go this afternoon for SOME form of Nerve Block. Not sure about the details ( I Tend to not ask enough questions) but I've been Pain Med FREE for 5 days (Allen is NOT a happy camper right now). So hopefully by this evening I'll feel better and maybe not as grouchy!!

Thanks for the kind words

[Gina]

Hope the block does it's job for you!
Let us know later we'll be thinking of you!