hospital By mcalli (Read 705 times)

[mcalli]

As some of you know, I got out of the hospital about a week ago, then my family came to visit this week and they just left.
I was in the hospital because I suddenly lost the ability to walk. Scans of my back showed that my osteoarthritis of the spine had worsened. I have it from the top of my cervical spine to the base of my lumbar spine. Spondelosis has lots of bony prominences pressing on my nerves. Well, a week of IV decadron (steroids), did away with all the swelling and I now can walk again. yea!!!! So what was the first thing I did, as soon as I was up to it? Why, I rode Fred, of course. Everything is not as bad as it sounds. I will just have to take steroids occassionally. My docs feel they can handle it medically now, but tell me, sometime in the not too far future, I will have to have back surgery. They will do the lumbar area first, then do the thorasic next, then later still the neck. So I am a very lucky lady. At least it is fixable. But, I am giving up my part time job and going on full retirement. So money is going to be tight. But that is the way it is with many seniors. By no means am I alone. And double deck pinocele (spelled wrong) and canasta with friends is free along with a number of other things like public parks and of course,, riding Fred. And of course family. So I intend to enjoy the "golden years" starting at the ripe young age of 62. My doctors also started me on a drug called Lyrica. It is actually an anti-seizure medication but it has been found to work beautifully on pain from pinched nerves in the back and on peripheral neuropathy. And it does. Any of you that have these conditions, ask your doc about it because Lyrica really does lessen the pain. (We have a lot of us "old foggies" here). and then WE RIDE!!!!!!!

[buford1488]

yep just got back from doctor today had the joy of getting a nother nerve block in back. i broke my back back in 1991 at work fell through a sky lite.was paralized for a year got 4 fused vertebra's pin's rod's and a grease fitting no just kidding on grease fitting.plus when i turned 41 got diagnose with m.s. but im 46 now and im still gett'en around so hold your head up high. don't let it get too ya. i do a lot of engine work keep's my mind busy....hang in there it can only get better....thanks...buford.

[richardthescooter3]

Had my back operated 2001, disc broke off when lifting milk case, I know how it feels, when this happened, could not walk because pain and burning, good now, just watch what I lift. Enjoyed your special praise music video (Praise the Lord) Praying for healing, you and buford.
Rich

[Luke]

it was 3 years ago when i experienced a quick stabbing pain in my lower back when i was sweeping the floor(yes i am a house-band, not a husband,lol). i had an MRI and the remark says i had a tear on one of the my disc, it reccur for several month and after sometime it disappeared,now the pain is totally gone and the tear was cleared.
during the time that it became so painful i did the decompression therapy my own way, basically,the principle of decompression is to ease the tension between the disc that pinches the nerve that causes the pain,what i did was to bar above the door and grab it with my hands while suspending my body , the gravity will pull my lower extremities downward causing the disc to loosen up and ease the tension.,of course i am a young buckle so i can do it, but you can do some similar principle to get rid of the pain.
get well !

[JR]

Guy I've been through the old back injury too, but I've been very lucky on that part, fell off of a pole from 20ft up over 30 years ago. Cracked the lower 1,2,3 lumbar, doctor said it I hadn't had such a big rump it would have broke me up real bad! LOL I don't have pain with that but I spent over a year in what they call a jewitt brace! Looked like frankenstein for awhile!

I also have the osteoarthritis like Mcalli which is not common for men along with two knee replacements due to the arthritis also. On the first knee replacement I thought I wouldn't make it without the pain medication but I found out that stuff makes me a very miserable person and I got off of it as quickly as possible and on the second replacement I refused to take it still have a full un-opened bottle.

If one can make do with over the counter medication when needed, a good but sensible exercise and a very healthy diet I've found you can get off of a lot of these things and be betteroff IMO. For me even as stiff as I get I've found just a nice slow walk and a good hot bath helps relieve a lot of stiffenss and pain. Pain is no fun but I do beleive the body also doesn't respond well sometimes for long periods are hard medications and that's just my opinion. I also stay as active as I can but know my limitations, not a spring chicken anymore.

Get well soon Mcalli!

JR

[ccprof]

Take care of yourself Mac. That golden age of 62? I'm working harder at 62 than I did when I was younger. We had a lot of flood issues after the storms and I ended up digging a 30 foot trench to drain the H2O away from the house. My boat got swamped when the feeder creek rose and that took a lot of bailing. OMG am I sore. I did get to ride to the store yesterday and I really feel it today.

[mcalli]

ccprof, all I can say is, I am impressed. If I went through flood issues like you, I would have just sat down and cried!
Jr, you are right. The hot bath is a remedy that works and I do take plenty of those. So besides getting some relief, I am sweaky clean! Too bad it only works for 20 minutes (the pain relief, not being clean).Fortunately, that lasts longer than the pain relief!!!!! Ha Ha

Wow, lots of people with back injuries ride bikes. I have a walker now that I use on really bad days, but I still ride. I just bungee my walker to the back of my bike and go. I used to get cat whistles from men when I went past. Now I get laughs. At least I know that I have made people smile for the day.