another one on the wounded list

Elwood

Blues
This is an "interesting" spring this year. Looks like I'm joining Ted & berlew in the recovery "lounge" soon.

I've been having an increasing amount of difficulty getting around like I should. Had to cancel the Tacoma workshop, fell a couple of times, few stitches, things could be better ya know? So I go see the doctor. And another....

It seems I have the good fortune to have assumed a risk that, if things fall my way, will result in me walking and moving better at the expense of more frequent back pain. What wonderful times we live in that we have such choices.

So, next week I have the opportunity to go in and have a "two staged L2-S-2 anterior and posterior spinal fusion." One day they will go in from the front and work for hours. Then I get to rest (and maybe walk a bit) for a day and then they go back in from the back and work the other side. (Sounds kinda like they're gonna make a japanese storm lantern, or maybe a traditional catholic confessional, out of me eh?) This is the third spine procedure for me, first one where I have the rotisserie chicken treatment.

The events and circumstances leading to this have just plain cancelled all creative stuff in my musical brain cells. I've been trying to do all the stuff I will want to do in a few days right? I practice daily and "chord noodle" with the acoustics. Ah yes, in another thread I mentioned my new Taylor GS Mini, love my little re-hab buddy! Good thing I have lots of tunes in my head somewhere....

Anyway I thought I'd post a note. I was on here lots, and lots of you are helping me to learn some recording (and playing) basics. So this is why I have turned back into more of a lurker, and why I won't be too active here for a bit.

BTW: Griff was most gracious. I jumped on the Tacoma registration and was pumped to go. When I realized my mind wrote a check that my body can't cash (Old Folks Boogie) Griff posted a full refund promptly and sent along his kind wishes.

I'll be hanging around and will start posting stuff when I figure a few things out, and the spark catches.

All the best to all the rest who are on the mend!!!! Like they say, this getting old stuff aint for kids.

Take care,

Steve
 

PapaBear

Guit Fiddlier
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy and acceptable recovery! I only say acceptable due to my own experiences with back surgery, it never "all" seems to get fixed!
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
My My:cautious:
Hope this all works out well for you.
Remember, you where gonna be my tour manager or chauffeur...........or something when I made it big.
I don't offer healthcare so, get this crap fixed up now:sneaky:

Really, .......best to ya buddy, keep us posted.
 

PapaRaptor

Father Vyvian O'Blivion
Staff member
Best wishes to you for a successful surgery and a quick and uncomplicated recovery.
 

steve o

Student Of The Blues
My prayers have been said! Even though it won’t be fun, make sure to follow Dr’s orders and work hard on the rehab. It can make all the difference in the world!
 

Ted_Zeppelin

I’ll agree with you so that both of us are wrong.
@Elwood - I hate to hear that!!! Sounds like you are having pretty much the same procedure as me, just in the lower back instead of the neck. I am 11 days post surgery right now and getting ready to pack up and head home tomorrow. Although I still have some pain, it is easily manageable. Up until this point, it was quite a roller coaster ride. Felt great for half a day and then horrible the 2nd half. My advice is to find your pain cycle as quickly as possible and take the pain meds before it gets too painful. I kept trying to see how long I could go between pills and it always ended badly. If the nurse says every 4 hours, listen to her. Overall, it probably wasn’t as bad as I had made up my mind before surgery that it would be. I can’t give you advice on how it will be splitting to two surgeries up since they did both of mine during one 7 hour surgery. Almost everyone in the hospital and rehab center was totally amazed that I had them both at the same time. I’m sure you will have some rough days but just hang in there...it will get better. Almost all of my pre-surgery symptoms are gone. Definitely a net positive result for me so far. I also got to look at an X-ray of my neck the other day. Ummm...I may look at it again someday:eek::eek::eek::eek:. Pretty amazing what they can do. I’ll be thinking about you and sending positive thoughts and prayers your way.
 

Elwood

Blues
Thanks guys, for all the prayers, kind wishes, and good intentions.

Ted, It is really good to read your post. Your tips are right on, but most of all it is obvious that you are progressing well from the clarity of your message. I am very happy for you!!! Thank you for your care and concern!

This is my 3rd go at the lumbar zone. My first was a 7.5 hr session. Fusion at L4-5 plus "extras". My second was about 1.5 years later, microdiscectomy a couple up from there. It has been about 5 years since the second one. These procedures are a big PIA and they hurt! BUT, since my last one I took inventory and made a few changes. Got rid of 50 lbs, made daily exercise part of my life, and for the most part I quit eating stuff that I won't feed to my dogs. Two summers ago I rode 100 miles + per week on my road bike. Got off all Rx meds entirely. I think that realizing that I am lucky enough to have amazing medical options helped me to make better use of what I have that still works. Without medical intervention, I would be sitting, fat and miserable for these years. That makes me very lucky indeed!!!
Some smartass says that we rise to the challenge right? Well mine seems to be arthritis, aggravated by a life with a few injuries here and there. My previous procedures were working with specific disk areas. This time the lumbar zone L2 on down will be fused from the front and back side. From a mechanical standpoint this makes great sense. If you tape a broken pop sickle stick (folks used to do that) it is way stronger if you tape both sides. Fine.
I feel real good about this thing coming up. I like that surgical group I'm with. Physiologically, I'm older than before. But I'm lighter, leaner, my vitals are great. I'm training for this like getting ready for a match (the best I can). Spinning on my stationary daily, walking a mile twice a day, plus another 30 minutes of casual aerobic stuff with my dear wife. I am not going in there "poor me". I am going in there to kick hell out of this arthritis, till we meet again...I like walking, and I like the ground to stay where it belongs! Yeah, my mind wanders, and I can worry or be scared, that's why we have guitars! (I'm playing, and doing my scale/boxes exercise routines, but I seem to be dumb as a stick trying to learn anything new) I'll be fine, later.
Any Far Side fans? One of my favorite Larson's cartoons pops into mind big time. Wednesday I'll try to be like Rex. In that Far Side panel, Rex the dog is leaning out the window of a car bragging to his dog friends "Yeah, I'm going for a ride and 'm gonna get tutored!". Might as well have fun with it.
So I have a little bump to get over. Sounds like Ted Z and I will be doing some therapy for a while.

Now our friend @berlew, let's send tons of good stuff his way! He already has issues with the water spinning backwards and summer coming in the winter months, but his is the real deal. Berlew, all the best to you and your son! Your story gives me strength and perspective. I feel like, by comparison, I'm having a nail trim. It is sure good that you had a chance to get on your feet so you can support Mitch. I hope everything goes amazingly well. When they come to take me from my room next Friday, back down to the cold room, I am sending all the good stuff I can muster out to Mitch!

Sometimes, I still fell like a big chicken though...

Steve




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Ted_Zeppelin

I’ll agree with you so that both of us are wrong.
Good luck this week...and beyond. You will be coming out stronger on the other side of surgery!!!
 

Elwood

Blues
Thanks Ted (Brian right?, my oldest Son's name, kinda partial to it :))
I hope your recovery is going very well. It can be hard to push and be patient at the same time. Recovery, at least for me is a non-linear process. But, the average always moves in the right direction. You sound like a real good guy with your head on straight, I bet you do great. I hadn't thought of guitar restrictions, with the cervical stuff that makes sense. I have every intention of smuggling my GS mini in there with me (good enough for the silly Kermit tune.). Once I'm awake they will find me much easier to deal with if I can stay busy.
Hey, when you came out of the anesthesia, did you feel the change? I still remember after my first spinal procedure when I woke up it was unbelievable...all the pain and numbness was gone from my legs, just like that! Yeah, I had some work to do on rehab but it worked!!!
Man, Mitch. I can't stop thinking about him. I spread his name and story to some very devout brothers who will help us to advance his cause.

Me, I'm sick of waiting. Bring it on.

Steve
 

Ted_Zeppelin

I’ll agree with you so that both of us are wrong.
It was kind of odd how I realized the changes after surgery. I came out of sedation around 8:00 pm the day of surgery. Pre-surgery, 95% of my issues were numbness and weakness in my feet, legs and abdomen even though the surgeon told me that he was amazed that I still had any feeling in my arms. I slept through that first night pretty good. It wasn’t until the second day that the back pain from the surgery really kicked in. I remember clearly on that second day I was laying in bed and all of a sudden realized that I had normal feeling back in my legs. Before surgery, I could not sit or lay down without my legs having that “restless leg syndrome”. Once I found myself laying perfectly stilling bed, I had a great relief in my mind that it was all worth it. Since I’ve been home, I ditched the walker after one day and really only using a cane until I get all of my strength back in my legs. Tomorrow is the big guitar day. I’m not expecting much since my left hand is still only at about 50% strength. At my doctor visit today, they told me that this is all normal as my nerves “wake” back up after years of being suppressed. My guitar playing this week may just consist of finger strength exercises.
 
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