Hi Everyone

[MichelleandCraig 1]

I know I haven't been on here for ages really...much, that is. I mean, I have...popping in to off topic to check in here and there but really not posting much.

Anyway, thought I would give you a little update (on this anyway....Craig, Corey and I are doing great...all the update you really need as far as that goes!) If anyone has any advice or thoughts for me regarding the following, I would be glad to hear them(experience with back surgery, etc.) I am copy/pasting it from where I wrote it elsewhere....just because I don't feel like typing it all out again.

Hope you are all doing great....update me on what's going on with you if there's any big news with you I may have missed! Take care, Mich

Hi, everyone...

I haven't kept up with most of you very well recently, but I thought I would post about this. I, (like lotsssss of people!) have had bad back problems for about 4/ maybe 4 1/2 years now. I've dealt with a local pain clinic for the past 3 years or so, but after a facet joint nerve block, 4 epidurals, chiropractic, physical therapy, and lots of pain meds througout, I'm in too much pain to keep on like this. I was managing it, even though there would still be breakthrough pain, until about 2 weeks ago when a disk also herniated in my midback region. (I have had one in my low back between L4 and L5 for those of you who may know something about all that, for quite some time now)

Now, my latest MRI last Wednesday shows the new herniated disk in the midback and also a couple of other things...I don't feel like looking up the exact name right now but the L4 vertabrae is slightly over the L5 instead of being perfectly aligned like they are supposed to be...and that is compressing nerves as the holes where the nerves come out are a bit smaller (with one vertabrae over the other a bit it "covers" the holes a bit making them smaller....)

Anyway, I went to a back doctor in Green Bay today (Wednesday this week) (parents drove me down there) and I am going to have lumbar fusion surgery on July 29. Ugh.! I am a bit nervous about it, even though lots of people get it and my mom and dad have both had it...Dad many years ago and Mom in the last few years...so they have told me about it. I guess I'm most nervous due to the fact that I haven't had surgery since I was 9 (ruptured appendix at that time...in the hospital for 2 weeks and almost died from it) and this is a 5 to 6 hour surgery...pretty major. I will be in the hospital for 5 days after surgery.

If there is an upside it's that the hospital is fairly new and absolutely gorgeous...it's like a nice hotel almost! The decorations are lovely, every room is a private room, glass elevators going up....just a nice looking place and from all I've seen (and Mom/Dad who have had surgery there have said) great staff, most importantly. Craig and Corey along with Mom and Dad (and my SIs who lives closer down there will come to hang out with them too) should be able to be there, but then Craig will have to come back for work as he will be our only income for about 3 months.

I won't be able to do much of *anything* for at least six weeks after and I might be able to go back to work 2/3 months after...hopefully 2 mo. after, as long as I don't have to lift anything. (I can go on the self checkout lanes...where one cashier mans 4 of those...they stay busy, but at least I don't have to lift, so that should be fine.....I should be able to do that until I am healed up a bit better...for maybe about a month.)

I have applied for leave of absence...personal as I don't qualify for FMLA yet..and am hopeful it will be approved. Silly as it sounds, Walmart is very good to their people, they pay me alright..better than a LOT of jobs around here, adn I really, really like what I do...so I hope I will have a job to go back to. I am hopeful that if they *can't* give me leave for whatever reason,that they will hire me back as soon as I can go back anyway. We'll see...I should have my leave papers back from the doctor by Friday, Saturday or Monday and then can get them turned in..should have an answer by midweek next week.

I haven't been able to work for about a week now..since I blew out the disk some in my midback I have put myself on the self checks...asked to be there (and most ppl dont like to do that all day...nor do I..but whatever, as long as I could work!!!!..so it wasn't a problem to do that) but after even a week of that I just couldn't deal with the pain anymore. I have only been able to sleep in the recliner for over a week, with an ice machine going (like a little cooler with ice/water and a cold pad much like a heating pad attached to it) the whole time. Hurts too much to lie in bed. After over a week of that, I am just now thinking that maybe tomorrow night I can try the bed again...the ice has helped some....and the pain meds too, I'm sure.

Just thought I would let you all know since I have a lot of friends on this board...instead of trying to keep up with some of you would I would PM, individually.

Please keep me in your thoughts as I *know* it's probably really, really silly...but I hate the thought of being "under" for 5 or 6 hours...scaring me a bit! I'm sure they do it all the time, but I've never had it, so it's new to me! Also, I'm a bit nervy in that he said this needs to be done but it's really all he can see to do for me...and if this doesn't work, he wouldn't really know where to go from here and I would probably just have to live with the pain. I'm only going to be 36 at the end of the month...I don't want to "live with" chronic pain at my age, yanno???

Talk to you all later, thanks for listening to me worry and ramble! Michelle

[Kathryn41 3,205]

((((((((((((((((((((Michelle)))))))))))))))))))))),

I sympathize with you about the blown disc and the back pain - I share the ruptured lumbar disc with you but fortunately don't have the ongoing pain, just the numbness from the nerve damage. It certainly sounds like you have tried everything and that surgery is indeed the last avenue. I know I was told to wait at least 12 weeks for whatever healing was going to happen, to happen before looking at the surgery option. Is that something you have looked at as well, although with that level of pain, I can appreciate you wanting to resolve it asap. One thing I wonder if you have tried before you take the surgery - an inversion table. I have found that using the inversion table is surprisingly beneficial in allowing for some separation between the facet joints and relieving some of the nerve pressure. It may not relieve all of the pain but it should lessen it greatly.

Regardless, good luck with the surgery - I hope it resolves your problem once and for all and you are at last pain free. Ruptured discs are absolutely no fun.

Edited July 18, 2008 by Kathryn41

[Ban Hammer 13,641]

michelle!

we just restarted your famous thread, version 5!

[MichelleandCraig 1]

LOL...saw that, Charles...

Kathryn, thanks for your kind comments...I have had the pain for over 4 years...and it's been severe from time to time....so it's not something that is going to resolve. It's only the disc in the *midback* that has blown recently...between L2 and L3 ...the L4 and L5I've had for some time. I hope it works, but not looking forward to it! Thanks again, M.

[Mary Lou 682]

Best of Luck to you Michelle

I have back issues too, not as severe as yours but painful none the less. My L5 is herinated too! But my main problem is SI Joint Dysfunction.

I hope this takes care of your problem and you can get on with living a pain free life. Its good you have your parents to talk to about the surgery too, seeing as they have experienced it.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Hellllloooooo Michelle!

Sorry to hear about your back trouble...hope that the surgery will be a long term success.

[maggieNomar 0]

Michelle,

Sorry to hear you are having so much pain. My sister had a fusion of her thoracic verts last year following a bicycle accident. She was out of the house for short jaunts within a week and went back to work after 3 months. the first 2 weeks were the worst for her but she is now back to riding her bike and hiking, even taking dance lessons and feeling a whole lot better. she has not been able to return to her job as a floor nurse but does have work at the same hospital.

I had back surgery the month before her for a herniated disk with a fragment on my sciatic nerve. Was so glad I finally broke down and had the surgery. I had instant relief from the sciatic pain and most of the back pain was gone within a few months.

Good luck to you.

[Ms. Squirrel 11]

All the best for the surgery, Michelle!

I am sure it will go smoothly and you'll be fine - being anxious is absolutely normal. I have herinated disks as well - in my neck. They hurt sometimes (it goes down to my elbows and wrists even), but it's getting better. I can only imagine the pain you must go through!

Fingers crossed for you! x

[MichelleandCraig 1]

Thank you both Maggie and Ms. Squirrel (Sorry! I know I know your name but it escapes me just now...all I know is that you're El Presidente's "woman" LOL!!)

I appreciate the thoughts and "talk me down" words of comfort! M.

[Ms. Squirrel 11]

Thank you both Maggie and Ms. Squirrel (Sorry! I know I know your name but it escapes me just now...all I know is that you're El Presidente's "woman" LOL!!)

I appreciate the thoughts and "talk me down" words of comfort! M.

I used to be Julie on VJ, but changed it to Ms.Squirrel a few months back

Let us know how the surgery went, ok?

[Nessa 23]

Best of Luck Michelle

[almaty 19]

AW, SISTER MICHELLE..YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF..YOUR OLDER BROTHER..DEAN

(and yes, i typed in all caps)