Bad back and other bad news

I'm getting too old for this shit, 55 coming Friday (dunno how that happened, probably by not dying young as everyone expected ;D )

Well, more news, not sure if it's good or bad really.
Finally had a new MRI, I have a 'fixable' problem but will need surgery.
Had an x-ray this afternoon and I have a fractured vertebra, because it's moving around it hasn't healed.
The position of disc moves about 1/4", the 'clunk' I hear and feel when trying to stretch or move
It's taken 'only' 2+ yrs to find problem :

Wow... that's a long time to have to suffer without an answer. You'd think they could get to the bottom of something like that a lot sooner.

I'm prayin' for wisdom to know how to proceed. :-*

Workmans compensation insurance, they just want you 'off the books' so it doesn't cost them anything

Hope you get fixed PJ. I know about that clunk, mine sounds like a stack of worn-out u-joints.
I have heard that fractures heal better than discs, so good luck.

Those of us living with back injuries can understand where you're coming from!
As 4eyes said, fractures are more likely to yield a better result.
Hope you make a full recovery.

Crazy

Bummer on the surgery, but really glad it can be fixed. Hope you heal quickly when all said and done.

Been there, still feel it, daily. Wish my neurosurgeon had been able to talk workers comp into a fusion the first time. 2/02 got squashed by a 300# weight on a staircase. Tread riser spacing one inch higher, no damage, one inch lower, wheelchair. First surgery Sept 03, micro discectomy. Sneezed in November, surgery failed... Second surgery in Jun 2004, discectomy/laminectomy, with extra bone removed for "good measure".

Worked at a bike shop from 5/05 to 12/06 with no problems. Went back to driving tractor trailers from 1/07-1/11, carried a cane in the sleeper. Bike wreck (20 mph) in 2/08, broke the ball off my left shoulder, split the ball into 4 chunks. Have had ongoing adhesions (muscle sticking to the plate/screws) and elbow problems. Elbow was never x-rayed, but, I can feel a "floater", and any pressure at all on my left arm results in elbow to finger tips going dead on me. Fun fun fun.

Have ridden once since moving back to TN in 3/11. All of 4 miles round trip. Stock seat/bars VN1500 Drifter. Bars are too low. I can ride my 15" ape equipped Savage for 4-5 hours with no problems. I rode my 1963 Honda once... I'm good for 20 minutes on a perfect back day....

Don't give up on riding again. It will be a painful, slow process to deal with recovering from the surgery. If the quacks have been dosing you with cortisone, it will be worse. I got to experience the "thrill" of a cortisone shot being accidentally injected into a cord/branched nerve bundle junction...

Look on the bright side, Guiness does a great job of boosting Flexeril and Percocet...

Surgeon was talking about Laminectopy (?) and fusion, not sure if he meant to do the plastic inserts then use plates and screws to make sure nothing can move or 'spacer' in the real bad one and fusion on the other?

If he's talking a proper fusion, make him use YOUR bone instead of cadaver bone... Titanium cage filled with bone chips surrounding titanium or stainless steel rods, plates and screws. You'll be fine, the loss in flexibility would have been more than worth it to me. If he's talking a disc replacement, they have come a long way since my last spinal surgery in 2004, I wanted that but was told it would not work for lumbar injuries.

Contact the Laser Spine Institute, see if they will look over your MRIs and such. Incision covered by a band-aid versus 3-4 inches (per disc) flayed open in a standard surgery.

He's already said he uses my bone, still not exactly sure what is intended, could be a few months off, minimum of 6 weeks

You should probably machine up those new back parts you need so you know they're done right ;D

Hopefully this can be done laparoscopically like Scruffy said. They threaded a camera, two pinchers, and a fiber optic laser into my Dad's heart through his leg, and he left the hospital with band aids. It's like magic, I tell ya! Good luck!

I hope this is fixed for you this time around. Chronic joint problems are a pain in the arse. Lol. Pain in the back??? Never mind. Just praying it works out for you.


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With sciatic involvement, it is literally a pain in the ass....and leg.

The titanium cages look similar to Helicoils.

ah man... i hate hearing this man, hope you heal up well

Today has been lousy, thunderstorms yesterday and fast moving weather fronts mean big air pressure variations, makes me hurt all over.
Thought I was going to throw up during physical therapy this afternoon.
Only just put TV on and found out about Boston marathon, WTF is wrong with people

May 15th, date for surgery
Having Discetopy, Laminectopy and Fusion
Made a bad mistake and looked them up, looks pretty major
Also found out my sister had similar done 2~3 yrs ago and still has pain, plus, she hasn't been able to ride her bike for a few years now (ZZR 600)
Done more miles in last 4 days than I did in last 2~3 months
I apologise to anyone I've managed to piss off for no reason, really down about this, future is even more uncertain

Chin up mate. I hope everything works out well for you. At least you have been able to get a bit of riding in.

If you're even half as contrary as I think you are, you'll be fine. I"m not supposed to do any lifting, pulling pushing or such over 35 pounds (ignore it all the time). Not supposed to drive more than about 30 minutes at a stretch (so I have a Class A commercial license). Not supposed to ride anymore (so I have beach cruisers and motorcycles). I spend lots of time on farm equipment.

But washing the dishes or fixing something to eat is agonizing, the counter tops at our house are way too low... And I live in jackboots or moccasins unless I absolutely need to wear lace up shoes, tying my boots or skate shoes isn't very fun.

You'll adapt. Grow out your hair, grow a full beard (barber chairs are painful)...

The good news is that 2 or 3 years in medicine is a huge amount of time! I imagine the procedure is a lot different than when your sister had it done. Have you talked to your doctor about your concerns? There might be stuff he/she can do differently to minimize the problems that are concerning you.