Round Engines

"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message
news
6 level Lumbar. 8 hours on the table. Seems to be healing ok.
D

Good for you. That 50% failure got me, so I hope the other half is on your
side. :-)

It will be a year, before you feel close to normal, at 6 months, about 75%,
in my experience.

Good luck. Keep walking and exercising!
--
Jim in NC

"Matt Whiting" wrote

Have either of you looked into the new replacement disks that are now in
medical trials? I have several degenerated disks that I'm simply living
with so far and keeping at bay with exercise (I've forgotten what it is
like to be pain free) as I really don't want to lose mobility which occurs
with a fusion procedure.

I've been casually following these devices a hoping they become mainstream
before I can't take it any longer and have to do something.

Yes, and the candidate field is rather narrow. In my case, I was not a
candidate because of previous traditional surgery. Now, it is fused at that
level, so nothing else can be done, there.

From how it was explained to me, the level that would be replaced has to be
undisturbed by previous surgeries. The surrounding and muscle and
everything has to be strong, because that is all that holds the new disc in
place.

I wish that would have been an option, but it was not around when I had my
first surgery done.
--
Jim in NC

"Dudley Henriques" wrote

Best of luck with this. I know what you are going through, believe me.
Dudley

That is right. NO ONE can imagine what back pain *really* is, unless it is
with you 24/7, 365.25.
--
Jim in NC

"Matt Whiting" wrote

They all recommended against surgery until one of these happened:
1. The numbness progressed to more than my toes and top of foot
2. Loss of muscle strength/control occured
3. The pain became unbearable.

There is one thing that they have not told you yet, and if I were you, I
would ask about it.

If you go too long with pain and numbness in your foot, or any other part,
even if the surgery is done and is successful, the pain and numbness can
become a permanent thing. Once nerve damage proceeds to a certain point,
the nerve will not recover, even when the pressure is taken off of it.

That is the situation I am in. There are also other issues with me, though,
and I have been told that I will have to live with it. The doctor will sign
for me to get job and social security disability any time I say I am read.
Right now, I can't afford it. I'm not even 48 yet.
--
Jim in NC

"Morgans" wrote in message
...

"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message
news
6 level Lumbar. 8 hours on the table. Seems to be healing ok.
D

Good for you. That 50% failure got me, so I hope the other half is on
your side. :-)

It will be a year, before you feel close to normal, at 6 months, about
75%, in my experience.

Good luck. Keep walking and exercising!
--
Jim in NC

God, I'm sorry to hear that. They do tell me that the pain can be controlled
with medication. I sincerely hope things get better for you.
Dudley

Big John wrote:
Matt

My son in law (retired Army) is doing the same. From what he says, the
procedure is not tomorrow but on the horizon and if successful will be
a god send to those who suffer.Full flexibility and no pain. As I
understand the procedure, it should pass the FAA medical with flying
colors.

I damaged some disks when I ejected but so far have been able to work
around the pain. At my age it is probable that I will pass before the
back gets so bad I have to do something. Would even consider going on
morphine for the short time I have left vs the operation, if push
comes to shove and I develop chronic heavy pain.I do be careful with
my back however.

Just the thought of an e-seat ride makes my back hurt! Glad that you
survived it, that's the important part.

Matt

Morgans wrote:


"Matt Whiting" wrote

Have either of you looked into the new replacement disks that are now
in medical trials? I have several degenerated disks that I'm simply
living with so far and keeping at bay with exercise (I've forgotten
what it is like to be pain free) as I really don't want to lose
mobility which occurs with a fusion procedure.

I've been casually following these devices a hoping they become
mainstream before I can't take it any longer and have to do something.


Yes, and the candidate field is rather narrow. In my case, I was not a
candidate because of previous traditional surgery. Now, it is fused at
that level, so nothing else can be done, there.

That is my understanding also. That is one of the big reasons I'm
holding out.


From how it was explained to me, the level that would be replaced has
to be undisturbed by previous surgeries. The surrounding and muscle and
everything has to be strong, because that is all that holds the new disc
in place.

That isn't quite my understanding, but my understanding is admittedly
feeble in this area. What I've read says that they remove the OEM disk
and then cut away part of each surrounding vertebrate. The artificial
disk unit has essentially a partial titanium vertebrate on each side of
the polymer disk. This is glued (maybe also screwed, I don't know) to
the OEM bone vertebrate much the way artificial hips and knees are put
in. In this scenario, I'm not sure why they couldn't break apart a
fused area, but maybe it is simply too aggressive a procedure to do with
the spinal cord in the middle.


I wish that would have been an option, but it was not around when I had
my first surgery done.

Well, that is a bummer, but you did what you had to do when you had to
do it. Can't look back.

Matt

Morgans wrote:


"Dudley Henriques" wrote

Best of luck with this. I know what you are going through, believe me.
Dudley


That is right. NO ONE can imagine what back pain *really* is, unless it
is with you 24/7, 365.25.

Yes, only a toothache has bothered me more than the back. I've heard an
injured big toe can be real painful, but I crushed my foot in a logging
accident when I was 18 and that was nothing compared to the back.

But I have had a couple of toothaches that make the back feel downright
pleasant. :-)


Matt

Morgans wrote:


"Matt Whiting" wrote

They all recommended against surgery until one of these happened:
1. The numbness progressed to more than my toes and top of foot
2. Loss of muscle strength/control occured
3. The pain became unbearable.


There is one thing that they have not told you yet, and if I were you, I
would ask about it.

If you go too long with pain and numbness in your foot, or any other
part, even if the surgery is done and is successful, the pain and
numbness can become a permanent thing. Once nerve damage proceeds to a
certain point, the nerve will not recover, even when the pressure is
taken off of it.

Actually, they did tell me this. The lucky part is that the sciatica so
far has really only affected my right leg and foot and this is the same
foot I crushed severely in a logging accident many years ago. The foot
has been about 1/2 numb since I was 18, so the little extra numbness
(one toe added to the two that have been numb), really isn't a big deal.
:-)

They did tell me to not let the numbness go any farther than what I'm
willing to live with forever, but thanks for mentioning that.


That is the situation I am in. There are also other issues with me,
though, and I have been told that I will have to live with it. The
doctor will sign for me to get job and social security disability any
time I say I am read. Right now, I can't afford it. I'm not even 48 yet.

Yes, my doctor hinted at the same thing, but I can't for the same
reason! Also, I really don't think my current job is any worse on my
back than anything I'd do around the house if I was on disability. And
being on disability has its own downdside such as folks who are always
watching you to see if you are a fraud and calling the authorities if
you do anything that looks like it would suggest that you really aren't
disabled.

Plus, I just can't see myself on disability unless I were in a lot worse
shape. I've always been very independent and fiercly self-reliant, so
as long as I can climb out of bed in the morning (or roll out as I do
now!), I plan to keep on working.


Matt

"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message

Ah, the old Lycoming R680. Must have been a Gullwing :-))

Actually, it was a Detroiter, an SM8a. But a lovely soft flyer, too. A real
steering wheel, and crank-down windows, too!