George's health again!!

[Aussie steve]

Originally Posted by georgeld

Don't know why but, seems whenever I unplug this system a few days it flat will not work again. Today, after rebooting both the tower and modem til my fingers were blistered. a trip to the store with the tower and then back to find it wouldn't work yet.

I called the phone company and had a tech come out today. Rare when they'll do that the same day. This guy tested things for an hour before claiming "the caller ID shorted out inside, (yet it still worked???), and cooked both the modem and routing box outside". Once I left the room a few min, he'd packed up and was headed out the door. Claimed he'd replaced everything and it was working now. Without turning the system on to check? Well, I must admit it does!

Far as the back surgery deal. No idea how long it took him. Next morning a PT and I took a short walk of 120' around the hall. 220' that afternoon. next day was even longer. Finally Friday morning she wrote down 550' all in one hike.

The hard part and fully what I expected. They wouldn't let me sleep there either. Don't think I got a full three hours sleep any one night. Friday when the doc came in I laid it all over him about the lack of sleep, rest etc. Inconsiderate sob's turning the brightest light on right in my face then leaving for half hr til I called the nurse's to bark about it.
That I wanted to go home, where I can sleep and rest as needed in a decent bed. As long as I have help putting my socks n shoes on I can still get all the walking done I need to do. SO screw his three more weeks in rehab.
"Ok, you can go home in the morning". Sis brought me home Sat, bil drove my car back. Things have been doing well other than the 'puter problems again. And yes, I pulled it down, UPS driver carried it to the car. Store clerk hauled it in n out, I got the wheel chair and rolled it in myself and hooked it up etc. Determination is all it takes guys!!

As Kenbro said: I've got OT once a week, going to get me some toy to put my socks on with, and assist the first couple times in taking a shower. Said she wouldn't get in there with me though, but, would wash my back n feet. Too bad as she's a real doll--!!

PT three days a week for an hr a time to go for a walk with me. She's the same lovely that helped me get back to walking in '13 once I got home from the N/H. I got her to handling a couple revolvers one day. Next time her hubby came instead. Nice guy, got him to the shop to fire a few .38's, before long they bought a Blackhawk .357 7.5". Fine folks, both. Met them at a burger joint this summer, made him jealous as I got a big hug from her.

Anyway, am still hurting a lot, don't think the hang foot was helped any yet, but, Rhonda tickling my feet it feels like I do have better feeling in the bottoms. So maybe things will get better as they heal up.

So far, I'm doing well with it, and no where near the pains I had the first back fusion Nov '05. Soon as he'll do it, I'll have the other shoulder replaced too. Hey, I need to get on with this healing stuff IF I'm going to make that buff hunt in Aust.

Thanks for the support guys, much appreciated.

Glad to hear you made it out and seem to be on the improve, you need to get there so you can make it out to Oz!

[georgeld]

Am doing much better yet. Though the last week I've had a 'moving' pain from L hip, down leg and back. Don't know what causes it. Sometimes it's rough, other times just nagging.

I am getting lots of sleep though.

That sock pulling toy from China for $28 got me to thinking. "I've got lots of 3 & 4" pvc pipe on the rack. Cut a piece about a foot long and a third of it away full length, rounded the corners and drilled a couple holes for rope ends to tie to. By golly it works just as slick as that import does and it sure don't say CHINA on it either! Might be a bit scabbed up as it was just the end of a left over section on the rack for several yrs. Might have half hour in it. Sure beats paying $28+tax for import crap imo.

Besides, it gave me something to do for awhile too.

Gonna surprise the OT girl when she comes in and I show it to her how well it works etc.

IF it wasn't for this hip/leg pain I'd be just about over the surgery by now. Took myself to the grocery store for a few things yesterday. By the time I got back to the car I was worn out but, made it ok. I'm gonna fool 'em all yet, I'm gonna make it!!

Take care guys, thanks for the support.

[Daryl]

Sounds sciatic nerve pain, George - L5-S1 joint.

[georgeld]

Daryl:
That's one that was supposed to have been fused this time.
From L 3 on down, all of 'em. Plus the L3 that was done Nov '05 apparently didn't take he pulled the lags n plates out and redid that all in one pair of long plates to the end. Haven't seen a picture of it yet so am just guessing there's at least five lag bolts on each side to anchor things with.

Just up from a three hour nap and could barely make it in here on a cane.

Sure getting old I'll tell you that much.

One word of advice to everyone that hasn't wrecked their backs yet.
"Don't do it!!"

[Aussie steve]

Hang in there mate! Good bit of work on the sock puller, I try as hard as I can to by things that don't have CHINA, INDIA, or BANGLADESH too, it's a loosing battle here in Oz.

I'm glad you are sleeping at least anyway.

Did you get my email?

Steve

[Bill K]

Originally Posted by Daryl

Sounds sciatic nerve pain, George - L5-S1 joint.

Did the surgeon remove all the disk material in that area ? Back in 74 I had the L-5 disk really badly ruptured and portions of it were pushing on the nerve and that caused much pain, and it varied, especially down the right leg. Any possibility you could still have some pressure point/s ? Just a thought to discuss and maybe MRI to see. Bill K ( they removed the disk, let the vertibra just settle) but ended the problem.

[260Ackley]

George if you have a drop foot have a brace made to help pick it up. It will prevent you from tripping and you will use less energy to walk. You won't have to hike your hip or swing your leg out to clear your foot. Should make your back feel better to. Find a local hanger clinic we have locations in Colorado. Its what I do for a living. Promise I'm not preaching at you.

[Daryl]

Interesting, I don't think the back surgeons here have used plates and screws (known as hardware) since my bone fusion (no hardware) in 1999 or 2000- I don't know when it was - might even have been 98. The made a paste of bone chips from my right hip and synthetic bone growth material, packed it in there around the joint and imobilized my back in a back cage until it grew in solid on it's own. They also attempted (their word "tried") to open up the crushed bone area around the sciatic nerve exit - which is why I still have 'phantom' back pain today, they say.

Nowadays, here, they are doing the same as in Germany, replacing the disks. In 2000, the Drs. here said there was no such thing yet it had been done in Germany for 10 years - with 96% success ratio. Cost about $40,000 per disk, seems to me.

By the time they got around to doing mine, there was no disk - just 2 vertebrae sitting on each other growing interlocking spurs all the way around along with a crushed sciatic nerve bundle where it exits the spine - that's what finally got me into the OR.

Impingement in or on the sciatic nerve bundle is what causes the shooting pains in the buttocks and legs. It can come from a compression fracture of the vertebrae over the exit hole, which squeezes that nerve bundle, or from viscous fluid from a ruptured disk, impinging on the nerves in the bundle, which is what happens first, normally.

After about 30 years of that, the disk is finally empty iof this viscous fluid and your bones grinds it up and the body absorbs it - thus - no disk - just bone on bone and the subsequent spur growth.

That is when our social medicine stepped in and attempt to fix things as best they could for me. Up until that time, they said I merely had weak back muscles causing my pain.

Many of us are in the same condition - not the best.

[sicero]

Does anyone know how George is doing?

My emails don't go thru. Kenny

[kenbro]

Kenny,
George does have 'putor problems.
Sent you email.
Ken.