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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
 Posted - 08/03/2008 : 18:19:10
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Note:
This is an edited post that I made to a tread in the moderator folder, which most of you can't see...
Okay, here's the deal. For those of you who don't know, and as an update for those of you who do, for the last month I have been pretty much laid out with sciatica that sometimes accompanies a herniated disc, which was the diagnosis confirmed by an MRI.
My back problem continues. I am scheduled for surgery on August 20th. The main concern the doctors have is a worsening weakness in my left leg that can become permanent if not treated fairly quickly. Basically, the weakness is considered more serious than the pain of sciatica, which I am experiencing in spades. Sigh…
I have bad days and not so bad days. The neurosurgeon told me that the pain might go away almost before the anesthesia wears off. But it remains to be seen how much damage there is to the nerve that is causing the weakness in my leg. So, beyond pain relief, getting the strength back in my leg is still a question. Surgery has the best chance of success, so surgery it is…
I haven't posted much about what's been going on with me because I have been rather stoned on painkillers and nauseated from them at the same time. I try to take as little as I can tolerate. Since the epidural, (cortisone delivered by injection to the site of the damage) I am down to not taking any pain pills during the daytime. But I am still often hung-over from whatever I have to take to make sleeping possible. And sometimes, I just don't sleep.
It's more than a little frustrating that with all the time I have because I can't work, I can't write either. I can't concentrate long enough to write anything more than a post, although that part may be getting a little better on my good days.
If there is an upside to this, it's that I am catching up on movies, good and bad. Oh, and I am loosing weight. But I wouldn't recommend this method as a diet for others.
Anyhow, there it is…
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9687 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2008 : 01:53:30 [Permalink]
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| I really hope it works out for you, Kil! |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2008 : 03:30:50 [Permalink]
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What Doc said. The surgery's not much fun but it's far preferable to the alternative. Hang in, bro!
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Coat Of Arms
Skeptic Friend
USA
58 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2008 : 04:18:04 [Permalink]
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| Back pain affects 80% of Americans at some point in their lives. When your only alternative is surgery it becomes burdensome with both mental and physical hardship. What are the chances you will be completly healed after surgery. What is the surgery procedure? Endoscopic or microscopic excision. Stay tuff, hang in their. It's easy for me to say, but stay focused. |
Paul C. |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2008 : 10:58:59 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Coat Of Arms
Back pain affects 80% of Americans at some point in their lives. When your only alternative is surgery it becomes burdensome with both mental and physical hardship. What are the chances you will be completly healed after surgery. What is the surgery procedure? Endoscopic or microscopic excision. Stay tuff, hang in their. It's easy for me to say, but stay focused.
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Oddly, I don't have back pain. All of the pain is in my hip and left leg. And this is no small pain either. But as I said, the main concern is a worsening weakness in my leg. Otherwise my Doc would probably try another epidural and other more conservative therapies.
The neurosurgeon said that he will make about a 1 inch incision in my back. When I talked to people who had back surgery years ago their response was, "a one inch incision? A lot has changed."
Apparently there is a danger of atrophy and permanent weakness in my leg. I have fallen more than once. When they test the reflexes in that leg, my leg doesn't respond at all. And for that part of my problem, the only chance is surgery. It might be that it only comes back some, or all the way. The doctors don't know for sure.
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Coat Of Arms
Skeptic Friend
USA
58 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2008 : 12:47:57 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Kil[/i]
The neurosurgeon said that he will make about a 1 inch incision in my back. When I talked to people who had back surgery years ago their response was, "a one inch incision? A lot has changed."
A one inch incision. "That" is good news.
Apparently there is a danger of atrophy and permanent weakness in my leg. I have fallen more than once. When they test the reflexes in that leg, my leg doesn't respond at all. And for that part of my problem, the only chance is surgery. It might be that it only comes back some, or all the way. The doctors don't know for sure.
It sounds like Physical Therapy, long term. Muscle atrophy or some loss of mobility may not be %100 percent curable but a physical therapist with specialized training can do wonders. |
Paul C. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2008 : 13:19:49 [Permalink]
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Kil, I would only like to say that you should look upon the surgery as a positive thing. You are already in bad shape as it is, and the surgery has a chance of correcting the nerve-signal blockage. You might very well see almost immediate improvement.
CoA is right: You will doubtless need physical therapy even in the best of cases, to more quickly get your left leg function back to normal. But if the back surgery essentially corrects the nerve function, it seems to me that would most likely be very short-term.
Best wishes!
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2008 : 13:49:08 [Permalink]
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Yeah. In fact, I wish the surgery was sooner. I am pretty tired of my current condition and would like it to be resolved as quickly as possible. (After a restless night, I threw up this morning. I can't even begin to tell you how much I hate the pain pills side effects.)
The neurosurgeon has talked about physical therapy and things I can do myself, including walking every day. But first things first.
Anyhow, Thanks for the support, guys!!!
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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bngbuck
SFN Addict
USA
2437 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2008 : 14:03:01 [Permalink]
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Kil.....
Having had quite a few invasive procedures (colon snipped eighteen inches, heart six arterial bypasses, umbilical hernia repair, scrotal hernia repair, and a couple you don't even want to hear about); I can understand your concern and apprehension.
But surgical science is amazing in it's never-ending development and almost daily improvement in procedures, When I contemplated (but did not get) disc surgery almost thirty years ago, the procedure involved a major incision and considerable possibility of not much help with the sciatica problem.
Today it's a one inch incision and almost a certainty of great improvement in your condition. Take heart, what used to be a major, major operation is a relatively minor one today! And you're going to be in much better shape after it's done and you do some rehab.
Break a leg! And very best wishes for a really quick recovery, which I know it's going to be! |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
Posted - 08/04/2008 : 14:32:34 [Permalink]
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Turns out, having had a physical last Friday, I have an umbilical hernia too. Go figure. It doesn't bother me though, and the doctor doesn't seem all that concerned about it. It occurs to me that this getting older stuff has a few downsides. Only the alternative is worse.
Anyhow, Thanks Bill! |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2008 : 10:33:55 [Permalink]
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Okay, so, due to the fact that there was no one available to read the results of the stress test I had yesterday, my surgery has been postponed to next Tuesday. Someone dropped the ball and I'm kinda pissed about it because I want to get this over with and start my recovery. But there is nothing I can do about it so I am trying to not be pissed off. (Maybe this is the real stress test and all of that other stuff was just a rues.)
One of the post-op instructions is that I must not sit down for two weeks. Huh? I can stand and take walks but I can't sit. (Except for a few minutes to, you know, but holding my back straight as I do my duty...) I'm still wondering how I am supposed to get my shoes on so I can take a walk, or whatever...
I plan to set up Michelle's Macbook in bed. That should work out fine... |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2008 : 11:02:03 [Permalink]
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OK, this'll make you feel better.... or worse maybe, I dunno.
My first back surgery was done the pretty much standard way: Large incision that included getting at my pelvis (which now looks like the rats have been at it) to get some bone for the fusion. Pretty straight forward. The second time, some 10 years later, they did a lot of tsking over the x-rays and went in through the front, dumping all of my giblets & chitterlings out on the table to get at my spine. My belly looks like it has a full-length zipper and I now have not only another fusion, but some metal rods in there as well. I find a one-inch incision little short of amazing!
But I ain't complainin' -- the alternative is either a life of bent-over agony or suicide -- and I don't need the pistol yet.
Hang in Kil, better days are a'comin' and you will become as dirty an old man as I, 'mooner & buck!
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2008 : 13:48:28 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Kil
(After a restless night, I threw up this morning. I can't even begin to tell you how much I hate the pain pills side effects.)
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Hear, hear. Painkillers suck.
I hope everything goes alright next Tuesday, Kil. As I never had back problems, I can't really say anything to that effect. I did have two surgeries done in both my legs, but one was when I was 4, so I have no memories of it.
It's a good thing there is a surgery at all, though. The wonders of science! I hope you recover your leg's functionality soon enough. Physical therapy can be annoying, but it can also be interesting at times. Hope it's the latter for you |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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bngbuck
SFN Addict
USA
2437 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2008 : 21:07:58 [Permalink]
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Kil.....
| It occurs to me that this getting older stuff has a few downsides. Only the alternative is worse. |
Well, as I contemplate an honest 80 on Ocyober 11 (I've been lying about my actual octogenerian status until now) I have come to several conclusions:
1. Getting old is the shits, but you have within your power to make it mild diarrhea or severe dysentery.
2. There really are compensations. The bonfire of the vanities dies to a mere bed of coals, and much more clarity of perception and expression arrives.
3. There is a ever-growing realization of the things that really count - Love and companionship, and mutual respect from a partner, decent health, clear cogitation, emotional control, honest evaluation and respect of self, money and good booze!
4. Morality and ethics are somewhat relative, but some truth lies buried within those thickets of confusion!
5. At some point, everybody has to trade pain for gain!
Wishing the best for you on Tuesday, anticipation of surgery is far worse than the experience, so the best is yet to come!
quasso cruris!, Kil |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13476 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2008 : 09:06:59 [Permalink]
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Okay, surgery complete. The doctor left it up to me whether to stay in the hospital for the night after a prolonged period in post-op. Seems I overslept and they had trouble (or I did) getting my blood oxogen levels to where they should be on my own before release. Eventually I stabilized and decided to go home. I'm in a bit of pain but it's manageable. The hard part, right now, is that I am not allowed to sit down for two weeks. Oh, and I must wear surgical stockings for two weeks. (Not the best look in shorts.) Also I haven't figured out how to put on pants without bending. Hmmmm....
My head is mostly cleared and I am on a Macbook. I need to get used to typing lying down, as if writing in kilbonics and my typo's weren't bad enough. (I feel a stiff neck coming on. It's the little things.)
So there it is. Recovery is the deal now. There is light at the end of this tunnel...
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 08/27/2008 : 10:01:28 [Permalink]
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Get better soon, Kil. At least you can catch up on your reading.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
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My back...
