Well. I've had better news in my life than this..........
 

Just got back from the hospital in Hull, where I had a consultation with a back specialist about a trapped nerve.

Apparently I HAVE to have an operation on it, the alternative is that it will not get better and may, in fact will probably, get much worse, perhaps resulting in partial, even total paralysis.:cry:

It's already pressing on the spinal cord, so I'm banned from any sort of heavy work, pushing, pulling etc. He's also told me NOT to continue to see the chiropractor as any sort of manipulastion could do me a permanent damage, paralysis is a real risk, he says. I'm booked in for 26th June. It's only to fuse two vertebrae, but it's the POSITION that makes it risky.

I will have a 1:10 chance of talking like Lee Marvin for the rest of my life, (they have to go in through the base of my neck at the front, and will have to move the trachea, voicebox, and oesophagus out of the way), a 1:100 chance of losing the complete use of my left arm, and a 1:1000 chance of becoming a quadriplegic. What a rotten choice. Take those chances, or take the chance it'll get worse and paralyse me anyway.:(:(:(:(:(:(

The recovery time is four weeks without driving, ten weeks without work. Not a problem as far as work is concerned as I'm retired, but a b*gger because I'll not now be able to go to the house in France during the summer, and have myself a week in the Gorges du Tarn: no swimming, no long distance driving, no mowing the lawns etc etc. It's a nice 580 miles and I was looking forward to taking the Scoob again.:(

The only positive to come out of it is that the wife will be in Australia for August, so won't be nagging me because SHE can't go to the house.
However, SHE'S now talking of cancelling so I'll be in the sh*t anyway.

Sometimes, life sucks.

Retired, houses in France, lawns to mow, doesn't sound like life sucks to me :p

I'd be seeking a second opinion.....

Hey at least its only one summer written off, if the operation is successful you can have 2 trips next summer :)

Can't you fly / TGV to France and grab a hire car at the end of July? OK you won't be able to mow the lawn but last time I checked thats not high priority on my 'things to do on holiday' list ;)

Fly/drive? Aye, I suppose I could, but I wanted to take the Scoob and was going to go to the Gorges du Tarn on my own for a week, but no swimming, no distance driving, (it's 250 miles from the house to the GdT)..............:(

As for mowing, the lawns aren't really lawns, just grassed areas, and will be TOTALLY out of control by the time I get there in Autumn. AND it's 2000 sq m.:freak3:

The bit that's REALLY upsetting is the lack of choice: risk this, or risk that.:nono:

And even WITH the op, there's no certainty it'll help, I could STILL be numb and have little use of my left hand as it may ALREADY have done permanent damage to the nerve.:brickwall

I know what you mean Sara, it's just that I'm a bit down at the mo, I can't see much of a bright side to it all............

At least no-one on here's called me owt bad yet:D:D

(Awaits arrival of usual suspects).

What a choice, only you can decide. But I hope it all turns out well for you.....

Hope it turns out OK!

Put it this way, if your house, second car, holidays, second home, ninth wife, thoroughbred horses and yacht are as good as you say they are then they will be along :thumb:


Pain? You have to just get on with it. I cant be operated on because i could end up in a wheelchair and i have a disabled daughter to care for, yeah, life sucks when you cant even afford to buy your house :(

Chin up :thumb:

****e man - i think id have take the lifelong beer ban over that lot :(

Aye, me too.
Unfortunately the consultant didn't offer that option:D

Fingers crossed for you old boy. :thumb:

I trust you are being sensible and going private?

It would be done by the same guy, top man in the area apparently.

And not THAT much sooner
Less chance of MRSA I suppose:( ?? Dunno.

Meh, there's risk in everything. Still scarey stuff though!

Good luck, I'm sure you'll be fine :)

Look on the bright side, it has nowt to do with your beergut.

I'm a fellow back pain sufferer myself and was not sure to post this. Well I'm still not sure but I have to say it . . .

I declined the op after speaking to 2 people who had it done. Both said it made things worse after the op. Neither of them saw any benefit from it, and both said they got better relief from visiting a chiropractor regularly.
So I didn't want to go through all the pain and trouble of an op for little or no benefit, so I've declined it.
I take 1200 mg of Ibuprofen every morning as soon as I wake up, and take more during the day as and when needed.

Best thing you can do is lose weight, and build up your core body muscles. Reverse sit ups are good for your back . . . if you know what I mean by reverse sit ups (I don't know a proper or better way to describe them).

I have the odd bad spell, but generally can live with it as it is.
Only if the operation was 99% certain to cure me would I have the op, but it isn't - well not in my case anyways.

Best of luck/wishes with yours, I hope it turns out well.


By the way, I drive 40 ish miles to a chiropractor every month and I wouldn't stop the visits for anything!

And anything that effects your posture can efect your baqck, including a beer gut! Even sitting at a funny angle or leaning can cause probs.

I have been doing Pilate's as this strengthens the core muscles and so aids posture etc.

The occupational therapist swears by pilates. I have seen a small improvement over the months but anything i do can cause me to be excruciating pain. I am having to change the way i live. I would rather do the exercise then have an operation that is a 50/50 risk :nono:

Well, I have a six-week wait for the op, so I still have time to change my mind, and am going to see Vicki, the chiropractor on wednesday to discuss it.

BUT: the consultant DID show me the scan, which DID show the disc interfering not just with the brachial nerve but also my spinal cord, which is what worries him and why he wants me to have it done. He said that NOT to have it done would be my decision to make, but I was risking serious injury to the spinal cord which is already in jeopardy. He even told me I could have a copy of the scan, (I would need to pay for it), and his findings to show the chiropractor what I was risking. Hence no hoovering, mowing, decorating, lifting, pushing, pulling etc etc until well after the op, for fear of aggravating the stupid thing again.

B*gger, B*gger, B*gger, and I was certain 2009 couldn't possibly be any worse than 2008, health-wise.

I just don't know..............

AND my footy team have got to Wembley in the League One playoff final and I can't go 'cos we'll be away..............:rolleyes:

I would be scared to breath from what you are saying. Even a sneeze could be dangerous :eek:

I'll keep you company Jeff if I haven't a job by then mate.

You know me, always giving :D

































See, things could be worse with me round all the time drinking your excellent coffee :thumb:

Yes, I could aggravate it turning over in bed.:(

Have to continue with life though, I can't stop doing everything, can I?

You daft sod, you know you're always welcome and will be over summer too. We might even agree on a couple of days out, not too far, or you could take the Pug and we'll share petrol costs? I MIGHT even get to meet Nat? Or don't you trust me not to fancy her?

:lol1: Get yourself round mine tomorrow morning if your fit enough. We'll have a chin wag. (I'd come round your's but I have to stay in tomorrow for a delivery for a mate).

Re. days out - Cleggy and 2p machines it is dear boy :D

I feel very guilty for suggesting more exercise now...

Hope it all works out okay.

I've known a couple of people who have had L&F's at around your site.......both dentists as it's an occupational hazzard LOL

both now very much better. :D

Personally I'd seriously think about asking for another opinion on elective surgery, Hull Royal is a big place and will have (or should have) more than one neurosurgeon.

Cheers

Shaun

:lol1:

You fanny.

But seriously, you didn't know man, don't beat yourself up about it. Me and Mr Triangles are mates and I didn't realise it has gotton this bad.

Don't mean to sound like a smart arse but I remember ages ago when I suggested this and some **** with a polytechnic degree in biophysics reckoned it was the way you sat, and everybody agreed.

Anyway, my advice to you is to get some proper advice. You seem like a nice chap(and you've offered me useful advice) but you can't seem to see the wood for the trees mate.

You need to be able to concentrate on the relevant advice and disregard the other stuff. Real life stories are good, but cannot be deciphered without the necessary knowledge and experience.

If you want some advice pm me. A copy of the REPORT of the scan would be very helpful.

I'll bell you once the post has been as I'm waiting for some memory cards plus a charger and Duracell rechargeable batteries off e-bay.

Oh and a couple of things I'm selling cheap finish tomorrow too;(

Hey dont worry about the grass fella .

Post me the keys and I will take care of the grass in France for you over Summer .
Hey ,honestly its the least I can do .!!!!!


Its a difficult decision to take either way for you ,but I hope you get it sorted one way or the other .
Good Luck .:thumb:

May do that.........if I can figure out a way to hide, and secure the wine cellar;) and the booze cupboard;) ;)