I Can't Catch A Break.. Options

[Sabbz]

Back in May, my wife and I were in a very bad wreck. A tractor trailer made an illegal right turn from the left lane right in front of us and I barely had time to hit the brakes. I plowed right into the side of the guy. Well that completely boned my back. As if it weren't already that way. I went through 3 months of physical therapy and chiropractors visits. And that didn't solve the problem, so after all the back surgeries I've had, 4 in all, I requested an MRI. So my pain management doc sent me to get one. As I suspected, I have another ruptured disc that's pinching a nerve. Causes severe pain in my lower back, pain down my right leg, and my right leg randomly goes dead. So I finally talked to my neurosurgeon this afternoon and he gave me the bad news. I'm going to have back surgery #5.

This time though, they're fusing the vertebra. I'm so not looking forward to this. Doc said they're going to go in, take the disc completely out, take a hunk of bone, either from a cadaver, or from my hip, insert it between the vertebra, and ratchet that in place with screws and rods. Ultimately, I have no earthly idea yet how this is going to affect my guitar playing. I'm sure I'll still be able to play acoustic. I just hope I can still manage the electric. This time around though, I'm keeping my gear until after the surgery, regardless of what the doc says. Last time I went through this, a different doc did thoracic spine surgery and told me I'd never play electric again, so I sold all my gear. All that stuff that's listed in my signature, went bye-bye and to this day I still miss my gear.

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[jstcrsn]

This time though, they're fusing the vertebra. I'm so not looking forward to this. Doc said they're going to go in, take the disc completely out, take a hunk of bone, either from a cadaver, or from my hip, insert it between the vertebra, and ratchet that in place with screws and rods. Ultimately, I have no earthly idea yet how this is going to affect my guitar playing. I'm sure I'll still be able to play acoustic. I just hope I can still manage the electric. This time around though, I'm keeping my gear until after the surgery, regardless of what the doc says. Last time I went through this, a different doc did thoracic spine surgery and told me I'd never play electric again, so I sold all my gear. All that stuff that's listed in my signature, went bye-bye and to this day I still miss my gear.

sorry to hear
I was wondering if the doctor told you any outcome this time around

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This post has been edited by jstcrsn: Sep 30 2011, 03:42 AM

[Adrian Figallo]

wow man, that's a very sad thing to hear, i hate going to the doc, i don't wanna think about a back surgery..
you gotta be really strong man, i know this isn't your first tim, you made it great thru the first ones, you will be great after this one too!

just keep a positive mind, i'm sure it will help healing up your body.

the best wishes from me!

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[Ben Higgins]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.. this sucks !

I think docs deliberately try to put low expectations in patient's heads so they're not dissapointed if they can't do things they couldn't before.. but that's a very defeatist and Western thing to do. They should be doing exactly the opposite. If the mind desires something, the body will follow. Within sane reason of course, but how many of us are always reading things where people say they proved the docs wrong ? 99% of the time ! Don't worry, man you'll be playing the axe as normal in no time !

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[MickeM]

Yeah, I remember how you gave up guitar and sold all your stuff last time around. Must have been a couple years ago.
Best of luck with the surgery! Keeping my fingers crossed you will recover.

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[Cosmin Lupu]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.. this sucks !

I think docs deliberately try to put low expectations in patient's heads so they're not dissapointed if they can't do things they couldn't before.. but that's a very defeatist and Western thing to do. They should be doing exactly the opposite. If the mind desires something, the body will follow. Within sane reason of course, but how many of us are always reading things where people say they proved the docs wrong ? 99% of the time ! Don't worry, man you'll be playing the axe as normal in no time !

Ben, I know this for a certainty! My best friend's mom suffered a vascular accident and ended up half paralyzed and unable to speak (the speech center of the brain was affected) the doctors didn't give her too many chances of recovery, but she is healing quickly enough (This happened in late May and now she can walk without help, but using a cane and she can speak moderately complex phrases) the paradox is that she was a logopede - I don't know if that's the right word for it in English, but it's a job in which you help people recover from what she has right now. So now imagine that she is on the other side of the trenches...Ain't that plain silly?

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[Ben Higgins]

Ben, I know this for a certainty! My best friend's mom suffered a vascular accident and ended up half paralyzed and unable to speak (the speech center of the brain was affected) the doctors didn't give her too many chances of recovery, but she is healing quickly enough (This happened in late May and now she can walk without help, but using a cane and she can speak moderately complex phrases) the paradox is that she was a logopede - I don't know if that's the right word for it in English, but it's a job in which you help people recover from what she has right now. So now imagine that she is on the other side of the trenches...Ain't that plain silly?

Wow, well that just goes to show that people are capable of amazing things really. All we need is a strong will and a target to aim at !

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