Posted: 11/18/2008 8:29:04 PM EDT
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Well some of you I've meet in person and some don't have a clue who i am. I am 29 yrs old working in the public safety department. I have been doing ems for at least 8 yrs. Because of the constant lifting and moving of pts, some of which are morbidly obese has taken a toll on my back. I Had to have Back Surgery yesterday to try and fix it. It Still hurts like hell and not sure what kind of recovery i will make. The doc said it may not fix any of my back pains but it was worth a try.
So now i sit around using a cane and wonder if I'll ever be 100% I have a very loveing woman helping me through this times. I just couldn't imagine a true SHTF while i am in this condition. I bought another sks right before surg to help calm myself down. Stupid finiky sks kind of helped. With tinkering... This has definitially given me a different outlook on the survival aspect. I will be extremly hard if not inpossible to do it alone. You need support, both pyshical and mental. I feel comfortable when I think of the people I have. Not just the goods on hand. My income has sunk to so little I can barely pay my truck payment and help out with the bills. I will never sell any of my guns because i would regrete it later. I have food, some water, guns, ammo, medical supplies, and fuel to hold out for awhile. Just thinking that makes me feel a little better. One less thing to worry about now So I guess my Little SHTF has happened to me. But I was prepared for it so i will not panic. I have all the neccessitys of life here and the love of my life. So when I think about it I actually feel really good. 
THanks for Listening guys and girls... ––-I hope nobody ever has to go through the hell of having herniated disc that need surg to fix.... It suks 
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I know how you must feel. On December 31st, 1999 I fell down a ladder while on duty aboard USS Abraham Lincoln and tore muscles in my leg. That led to six years of minute-to-minute pain and a loss of mobility.I got of the meds about four years ago and my personality started to return to normal. About two years ago I started to feel stronger and I'm starting to be able to do the things I did 8 years ago. The road to recovery is long, but so is life. I let the injury break my legs but I didn't let it break my spirit. Don't give up. There were days, weeks. months where I thought I would never walk without a sever limp but it did get better - and I hope your back does too. I gave up some of the things I loved - backpacking and hiking, put on 40 pounds, but I have it about beaten.
A most sincere good luck. |
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Quoted:
I have a very loveing woman helping me through this times. I just couldn't imagine a true SHTF while i am in this condition. Keep things positive. Those things that don't kill us only make us stronger. You've got good support, and that's a big plus. Don't worry about things you can't control. The fear of something is usually worse than the real thing. Take this down time to read everything you can get your hands on to learn a new skill (ex car repair, gardening, canning, etc...). When your able apply those learned skills for adding peace of mind. GR |
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I feel your pain. No, literally. I had a double disc removal done in 2002 after an on the job injury. LOTS of pain and misery. HEAVY economic consequences. 13 months out of work, then maybe 3 years till my back felt "right". To this day, I'm nowhere near as strong as I was.
Sounds like you've got the right attitude to cope with this. All I can offer is well wishes and a little bit of advice: While you're laid up, get a couple of hobbies (like a PITA SKS), do your Physical Therapy religiously and most importantly- let your woman know that you appreciate her support. A good woman is indispensable. Mine did a lot for me and put up with a pile of grouchy crap during my recovery and I am grateful to this day for that. Good luck for a speedy and full recovery. |
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Nowhere-
I can completely sympathize with you. In 1998 I had to have spinal cord surgery to remove a tumor which had decided to clamp down on the base of my spinal cord. Baiscally I lost the use of my left leg and most of the muscle in my pelvic girdle area. Long story short, a positive attitude was what got me through it. I never considered the thought that I wouldn't recover from the ordeal, just wondered how long it would take me to get back to work. In less than six months and a lot of rehab (damn rehab nazis), I made a (what I consider) full recovery. The human brain can be the best tool for recovery and healing when properly utilized. Good luck, you will make it! With some practice that cane can be a pretty good tennis ball golf club! 
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Good luck to you. My wife has had 2 seperate Fusions and a butt more back surgieries going on 4 years. Do the PT as soon as you can. Long term you will feel and be better sooner. And when the doc says you have had enough Happy medicine, listen to him and start cutting back. Last thing you want is a med addiction with eveything else.  I dont say this to preach or lay claim, just experiance of taking care of a loving woman i am married to, with two children and my own SHTF for myself. I pinched a nerve ONCE, in my back for a single day i was in hell. I have no idea how my wife or you others do it. I thank god for my health every morning.
Zar |
I feel your pain.
I had surgery in 1992 for a herniated disk, and the surgery made a BIG difference. Within days, the pain was gone and I was walking much better than before it. Unfortunately, I have another herniated disk now, and this time the doctor says surgery is not a good option, so I'm stuck with it. I was taking some medicine for the pain for about 2 years, but after going to the hospital with kidney stones 5 times, I decided I couldn't keep taking those pills, so now it's a matter of trying to live with the pain. You just have to play the cards you're dealt.
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Very similar for me except not as invasive. I was a medic for 8 years and developed back problems from spending too much time sitting in ambulances, we were system status management. Herniated discs and what not.
Started carrying granite countertops instead. Things got better. Granite is very heavy but unlike people it doesn't shift around on you. Doesn't try to roll over and grab railings in stair wells and such. Best wishes. |
| Nurses and paramedics have the highest level of back injuries. Even more than construction workers. (they have more injuries and deaths). When that 300lb tub of lard won't even try to get up its up to 2 little nurses to do the lift. Think about changing jobs, money for retraining is there if you look. ETA–– My wife was the employee health RN for a hospital system overseeing 2000 people. She has a bad back too. |
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Wow. My turn.
It was Nov. 1999. I was gearing up for Y2K. Had prepped more than I thought I could. Had been into weight lifting for several years but really pushed it for the possible upcoming event. While doing a dead lift, I blew my low back out. Hit the floor. Prayed a lot. Went to the Chiropractor a lot. Laid on the floor with ice and heat a lot. Had visions of losing my job. My house, ect. Realized that there will be things that I will never be able to do again. Thankful that Y2K was uneventful. Today I am very careful how I sit, walk, lift or carry things. I am real quick to say "NO" when asked to help or do things with others that may re-injure my back. The event has changed my life for sure but it has not stopped me. Like you I have a wonderful wife. It does give a different view to being prepared. The term "support group" takes on a whole new meaning! Best wishes to you and yours. |
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I am a volunteer who has been lifting the morbidly obese for 20 years now. Seems like it is getting worse with more people topping the 300 lbs range that can't move to the john without help. There are some patient calls that I will not respond to simply because of the injury risk. I let the paid FD responders take care of them now because there are not enough volunteers to do the job. After 30 years of minor back pain, I just can't take the risk of what the op is going through.
To complicate the back surgery "fixes", the actual origin of back pain is notoriously hard to pinpoint. Fixing collapsed discs regularly fails to help because apparently people walk around with blown discs all the time but do not suffer from them! They only know about them if they get an X-ray. If the docs can figure that one out it will be the next medical breakthrough. The body will eventually numb the pain out by itself as others have attested. My opinion is that anyone going into EMS these days is missing some marbles unless they have Paul Bunyans strength. RS |
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I know how you feel, I herniated my L5 disc in a motorcycle accident in 2005. I ended up being out of work for 3 months because I had a job that I could not work with the doctor-ordered lift restriction. My job, thankfully was held for me during my time out, but I was a college student at the time and had only about $400.00 in savings to make it the whole three months. The doctor and I made the decision to use the time off to focus on rest and healing. Luckily I had a lot of supports in my life to help me through, and many understanding people both at home, school and work who made little accomodations that made my life much easier.
I was able to make a full recovery with physical therapy and no surgery, and learned to always keep money around to live off of in lean times. I can relate to the sick feeling you get in your stomach when you realize you might not have enough cash to make ends meet and no good way to make more. ETA: My brother had a back injury a year or so after mine, but his was treated with pain meds and surgery. He didn't take care of himself and is not contemplating a second surgery because he re-injured his weight lifting. He had difficulty getting off the pain meds, too. |
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first, good luck on your recovery
second, keep up the good attitude, make sure your spouse knows you appreciate her. I worked in construction for many years watched many people get hurt,some with families, got hurt myself left construction for something safer got into the Fire/EMS business. |
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Wow, Thanks for all the postive responses...
Sorry I haven't responded earlier. For the past few days or more I've stayed pretty medicated and layed up in bed. Its kinda been a big blur...  
Lowdown- Yes it is the same girl you briefly meet in Atl
I hope i will be able to return to all my favorite hobbies like hiking, riding motorcycles, and pretty much anything outdoors. I think staying active has helped my back more than anything... Never had a bit of back pain when hiking. It has hurt like hell on long all-day motorcylcle rides. I guess if my finances get really bad i can sell it but it would break my heart. Its a bmw k1200 gt, shes sleak, fast, and comfortable... I have a few skills under my belt and don't have a problem with a career change... Again, Thank you all for your support. I hope I make a quick recovery in case the Real SHTF. Guess I'll be buggin in. 
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