[fireyangel76]

I so well remember the first time my back "went out". I was laid up and off work for 3 mos....mri showing only an annular tear and no big deal. So I fell for it hook line and sinker. Being a nurse I did not want anyone to really know just how bad I was hurting because nurses with bad backs don't get jobs. So I sucked it up and continued to work and lift patients as if I was "normal" all the while doing more and more damage. The things I wish I would have done was take care of myself first. With that I mean take my back giving me that warning and make changes in the way I did things. I was a nurse and we just don't get sick or injured we just take care of those that do! I can not work now and because I kept everything on the "down low" I also never filed workers comp and I discovered that there is a statue of limitations on that.
I finally herniated after about 8 years of back and right leg pain. However I was treated for many months for muscle strain and it was 10 months before I had a microdiscectomy. I have read many places that if conservative measures don't help in the first 3-4 months that sugical intervention has a higher chance of success the sooner it is done. Mark I am sure you are in a better palce to know if this is true or not, but for me I always have wondered if I would have had the microdiscectomy sooner would it have worked. Anyway my nursing career had never been quite the same since that first injury. I hope Diane heals with conservative measures and goes back to a wonderful fullfilling nursing career....but I hope she really asks for help when lifting and turning patients and I know how hard that is to do for a nurse...to ask for help is not really in our nature! We give care...hard to be the recipient of care!