quasi Report This Comment Date: August 02, 2011 02:03PM
I was forced to give up my canoe in June of '09 because of issues with my back.
This morning at sunrise. 3 1/2 months after surgery, I got back out in it for
the first time. I'm a little sore but other than being a little warm and humid
it was a great morning for it.
Onyma Report This Comment Date: August 02, 2011 04:46PM
Congrats quasi! Also an early morning canoe fan here though only get to do it
when on the annual camping trip these days. Nothing more peaceful though.
pro_junior Report This Comment Date: August 02, 2011 05:21PM
like
woberto Report This Comment Date: August 04, 2011 03:51AM
Any 'gators to wrestle in that water?
quasi Report This Comment Date: August 04, 2011 10:07AM
Absolutely, woberto; around here it's either gators or sharks depending on
where you go. I'd like to see the return of crocs to this area but these days
they're only found in extreme south Florida about 100 miles from here.
Just saw this article in one of the local newspapers. This lake is about 30
miles north of here and I've been canoeing there as well. [
www.news-press.com]|topnews|text|Home
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2011 02:27PM by quasi.
BlahX3 Report This Comment Date: August 04, 2011 04:31PM
That's awesome Quasi. I thought crocks only lived in Africa or Asia and all was
down there were gators. What do I know.
I'm very glad you're doing that well after the surgery. I've known some folks
who haven't been as fortunate.
BTW, I did get my back x-ray crap done. I don't know if I mentioned anything
about in another comment somewhere here. I've got an OLD compression fracture of
L5 (no way to tell how old) and a smashed disc plus arthritis there. So much for
"work through the pain." I used to think I had a very low pain
tolerance, now I know better. There's nothing they want to do about it, at least
not at this time, just "pain management." I can tell you that it sure
hurts though. I am mobile but sometimes barely so Especailly now when we are
moving and none of our great friends are here to help.
Reminds me of a DJ comment I heard years ago; the five most dangerous words in
the English language are "Will you help me move?"
quasi Report This Comment Date: August 04, 2011 06:27PM
I helped some friends move about a month before I went down for the count when
I was already feelin' pretty rough but worked through it. I'm sure that didn't
help me any at the time, but my time was coming anyway. I hope they can get you
some good pain management. Painkillers never seem to do much for me besides make
me stupider than I already am if they're strong enough. Cold packs sometimes
help me. Was sore all day after going out in the canoe and about half the day
yesterday but felt better today - that is 'til I went out and mowed the yard.
fossil_digger Report This Comment Date: August 04, 2011 09:34PM
Kim proved to be my best friend when i moved last month.
4 of my friends pussed out on me claiming different ailments.
Mrkim Report This Comment Date: August 04, 2011 09:53PM
quasi, great to hear you're gettin back to some of the things you enjoy that
I'm sure you were longin for. Just take it slow and keep stretchin the
boundaries a little at a time and remember that a little pain is a good measure
of makin progress, but too much means you're overdoin it and can lead to an
extension of your overall rehab
Sounds like you're getting exactly the kinda healthcare we all have to look
forward to with our new Obozocare there Blah, "take some pain meds and deal
with it". If you have ruptured disc(s) it means there's damage that NEEDS
to be repaired and can never be rested or medicated away. A ruptured disc can
lead to permanent nerve depletion and loss of muscle control, which is a very
bad thing.
My greatest fear from Obozocare is our medical system will deteriorate to a
point where this will be the patent remedy for a lot of expen$ive procedures our
government overlords will deem too costly to implement and the older the patient
gets, the likelihood of getting the real treatment needed for
ailments/conditions/illnesses and injuries will go down even further as we'll be
viewed as less productive members of society as we age
I was just readin the other day where womens wellness check ups, birth control,
breastfeeding equipment and several other areas including counseling for these
as well as domestic abuse will all be required to be covered by insurers at no
cost/deductible to the insured. Never mind that no one actually CAN fork over
the billions annually these changes will require insurers to cover as gratis,
which means ALL policies will then of necessity have to raise their premiums,
even on women already past child bearing age so they can hand out these unfunded
mandated treatments to the rest of 'em.
Oddly enough I didn hear about similar freebies like prostate check ups for men,
testicular cancer exams or any other male specific concerns being addressed
which is of course overall discriminatory, but that's of little matter either,
we men just work till we die and that's that.
In honesty I want the damned govt. OUT of my life alot more than I have any
fondness for the idea of their being in any way involved in making ANY decisions
about what I should or shouldn't eat, what personal habits I choose to embrace
or my healthcare, much less who or where I get it from
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/08/2011 09:56PM by Mrkim.
BlahX3 Report This Comment Date: August 05, 2011 02:54PM
I worded that incorrectly, it should read POSSIBLE ruptured disc but almost for
sure arthritis since I have OA in several joints and advanced stages. The thing
that puzzles me is how the hell did I go all these years with a broken back
undiagnosed? I think it was probably from a car wreck something like 30 years
ago but had x-rays at the time and no one saw it then so who knows? It sure
explains the lower back problems I've had for so long no matter what it is. They
ask about pain down my legs but that's not happening. I do get numbness in my
feet but that could just be circulation. Next time I go to the doc I'll ask more
questions but it seems to me if there was a serious problem that needed
attention he'd have said something. He's a DO and a pretty good doctor but he
doesn't like people getting surgery if it can be avoided. That has nothing to do
with Goddamnacare.
Pain meds don't do a whole lot for me either but they are better than nothing. I
hear you about it taking enough to make you stupid(er) to really
"kill" pain, if it can be called that. It's more of masking pain. I do
not like them, I get side effects from EVERYTHING. I can't see how anyone could
take opiates for fun, they sure aren't any fun for me and I only take them as I
really need to. I've tried the synthetic stuff and it sorta works but makes me
feel like shit. No matter what it is a choice between hurting like hell or
feeling sick. Sometimes I can strike a workable balance.
quasi Report This Comment Date: August 05, 2011 05:15PM
X-rays don't always show everything. I had an MRI to see what was all was going
on. Before I had my first surgery which was in the days before the MRI they did
a thing called a mylogram; the test din't take long but the aftereffects of the
dye they used were excruciating for several hours and required an overnight stay
in the hospital. Glad those days are gone.
Mrkim Report This Comment Date: August 05, 2011 05:35PM
An Xray didn show the damage to my discs but the MRI did pretty clearly. I had
been to both a DR. and a DO. and even the DO said I needed surgery once he saw
the MRI.
After the surgery I had hydrocodone and percodans but after 3 days I quit takin
'em. They had serious effects on my moods and just made me a zombie so I
self-unmedicated and just dealt with the pain as best I could, which I still do
on a daily basis.
I know I need another surgery but without insurance nor the $20k to pay for the
surgery that's just a pipe dream and I'll be damned if I'll become a welfare
baby, so
BlahX3 Report This Comment Date: August 05, 2011 06:12PM
I know the x-rays don't show it all but I guess since I'm not bitching about
leg pain or something they don't seem to think it's an emergent problem. I've
lived and worked with a borked back for years after all. I did have a MRI for my
neck a few years ago. That was a trip. I wish they could have run it without all
the covers and panels on so I could see the magnets and gizmos moving around and
stuff but I probably would have been rubber-necking all over the place and that
wouldn't have worked out. Talk about loud! Them things are hellacious loud!
Earplugs required for sure. Medical imaging technology is awesome. I wish I was
involved in that science somehow. The worst thing was a nerve conduction test
with needles poking into nerves all over and stuff. I'd rather have a broken arm
set without anesthesia or any pain meds like I did when I was 13. Those places
where the doc put the needles into hurt for weeks after.
I do the self medicating thing too, just not too much of it. My doc is actually
pretty understanding about that shit but I do try to keep it to a minimum and I
am completely honest with him. A little is good but more is not always better
A vic and a couple of ibuprofen and a couple of beers seem to work almost ok for
a little while. Not nearly good enough though. Hydrocodone I am pretty used to
and when the doc suggested oxycondone I said no thanks. I don't like drugs, or
rather I like to CHOOSE my drugs
Thanks for the comments guys. I appreciate them and the concern. Now what the
hell is Fossil doing for a living? That is the burning question...
