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And so my saga continues.....
It started in CHI town back in late Sept. I drove down for an Apple training seminar. By the time I got down there, my lower back was bothering me. Didn't think anything of it... just felt like I pulled a muscle. By Tuesday morning getting ready to take the Metro train into town for class, I was to the point I could only walk about 30 feet before doubling over in pain. Pain I can only compare to Kidney stones (which I've had 3, thank you). So I managed to get to town and get through class and back to the hotel.
By midnight Tuesday I could not sleep. So I drove myself to the nearest clinic. The "doctor" poked me in the back, asked me the pain. Told me it was my Sciatica acting up a sent me on my way with Vicodine. That didn't help much and I ran those out in 2 days, it was a 5 day supply. So I lived through the week long class in pain, passed my training and drove 5 hours home on Saturday with about 4 hours of sleep.
Got back to Detroit and went right to ER. They were nice enough to put me on an IV with good drugs within an hour and half. Got that every 4 hours... I was a happy camper with no pain. Got an MRI by 3am that night and then the visit from the doctors about 8am. Good news was I was being feed nice food and getting more drugs before I was being released, but also had a Herniated L4/L5 disc.
Great... I hit 30 years old and I start falling apart. Damn warranty company lied to me :-P
So.. with good drugs I got to go home. Still in pain, but oblivious to it with meds. I scheduled what is called a Spinal Epideral. For those of you without wives or kids, this is a big needle directly into my spinal base to inject steroids to reduce the swelling. Between that and the Kidney stones I've passed... I know EXACTLY what women go through... it's no fun. So 3 weeks into this little fun, I start physical therapy and get another stab in the back. Mind you, I am moving around, but can't sit for more than 30 minutes, walk more than a couple of blocks or stand for 10 minutes. Laying is the only way to relieve the pain, so from the time I was in ER, I was on disability from work. Nothing like being stuck in bed and not being able to do anything or see anything except for 4 walls.
And moving to today, I had an appointment with the 2nd doctor from the ER. A surgeon. After about 20 minutes of talking and getting the just of what is going to happen next, he is working to get me scheduled for back surgery with in the next 2 weeks. It's called a Dicectomy. They will go in and clean out the herniated disc from around the nerves to relieve any pain. I get a 2 day paid vacation in the hospital then 6 weeks of bed rest with a back brace on. Next on to physical therapy again to rebuild the muscles that I've wasted by being restrained in the brace.
Dr. says that off-roading is out. It's too much abuse on my body, but riding is not out. So I'll get to keep one of my hobbies. Hopefully next summer I'll be strong enough to ride and get the Camaro back on the road again. Maybe with work, I can get to AIS... but right now, I just want to get back to work.
So... don't think I'm gone or ignoring this place, I'm just taking a hiatus for my own health. But I'll keep my eye on everyone like Santa Claus does... see who's being naughty and who's being nice ;)
Steve
It started in CHI town back in late Sept. I drove down for an Apple training seminar. By the time I got down there, my lower back was bothering me. Didn't think anything of it... just felt like I pulled a muscle. By Tuesday morning getting ready to take the Metro train into town for class, I was to the point I could only walk about 30 feet before doubling over in pain. Pain I can only compare to Kidney stones (which I've had 3, thank you). So I managed to get to town and get through class and back to the hotel.
By midnight Tuesday I could not sleep. So I drove myself to the nearest clinic. The "doctor" poked me in the back, asked me the pain. Told me it was my Sciatica acting up a sent me on my way with Vicodine. That didn't help much and I ran those out in 2 days, it was a 5 day supply. So I lived through the week long class in pain, passed my training and drove 5 hours home on Saturday with about 4 hours of sleep.
Got back to Detroit and went right to ER. They were nice enough to put me on an IV with good drugs within an hour and half. Got that every 4 hours... I was a happy camper with no pain. Got an MRI by 3am that night and then the visit from the doctors about 8am. Good news was I was being feed nice food and getting more drugs before I was being released, but also had a Herniated L4/L5 disc.
Great... I hit 30 years old and I start falling apart. Damn warranty company lied to me :-P
So.. with good drugs I got to go home. Still in pain, but oblivious to it with meds. I scheduled what is called a Spinal Epideral. For those of you without wives or kids, this is a big needle directly into my spinal base to inject steroids to reduce the swelling. Between that and the Kidney stones I've passed... I know EXACTLY what women go through... it's no fun. So 3 weeks into this little fun, I start physical therapy and get another stab in the back. Mind you, I am moving around, but can't sit for more than 30 minutes, walk more than a couple of blocks or stand for 10 minutes. Laying is the only way to relieve the pain, so from the time I was in ER, I was on disability from work. Nothing like being stuck in bed and not being able to do anything or see anything except for 4 walls.
And moving to today, I had an appointment with the 2nd doctor from the ER. A surgeon. After about 20 minutes of talking and getting the just of what is going to happen next, he is working to get me scheduled for back surgery with in the next 2 weeks. It's called a Dicectomy. They will go in and clean out the herniated disc from around the nerves to relieve any pain. I get a 2 day paid vacation in the hospital then 6 weeks of bed rest with a back brace on. Next on to physical therapy again to rebuild the muscles that I've wasted by being restrained in the brace.
Dr. says that off-roading is out. It's too much abuse on my body, but riding is not out. So I'll get to keep one of my hobbies. Hopefully next summer I'll be strong enough to ride and get the Camaro back on the road again. Maybe with work, I can get to AIS... but right now, I just want to get back to work.
So... don't think I'm gone or ignoring this place, I'm just taking a hiatus for my own health. But I'll keep my eye on everyone like Santa Claus does... see who's being naughty and who's being nice ;)
Steve
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