I guess I should have checked this before today but I have been unsettled yet with the other forum. I was asked to come back but I am really feeling burned over what occurred.
As far as the name change it is for political purposes. My real name is Terry Allen Blackburn from my birth family. I was part of a group of three that was born in to a family that imploded. My father abandoned us after having all three and my mother was put in jail for shoplifting. We were taken away and placed in foster care where we were adopted by an older man and woman who raised us. My adopted name became Terrance Lee Newton and my sister's names changed as well. My father died in 1988 and then my mother died about 8 years ago. While looking through the house, we found birth records with our real names prior to adoption. We tried to find our real family but, believe they may be deceased by now as we are all in our 50's. I use this name from time to time when I do not want someone to find out my identity. Due to the sensitive nature of what I do for a living, and, for other personal reasons, I probably should have never given out my real name on any forum. If someone were to Google my name they could come up with postings that I put in to the different forums that I have been on. So this is why I am posting like this for now, though I will sign my name as people know who I am.
As far as getting in shape prior to the surgery I can only say the following:
I believe that aerobic conditioning is the key answer to many fibromyalgia symptoms, pain control, weight loss, decrease in depression symptoms, and, general well being. With that said, it is important to just start doing something, no matter what. Many who know me know that my accident was caused by a German Shepherd/Rottweiler mix dog, that weighed in at 100 lbs., and he collided with the front wheel of my bicycle, causing me to catapult end-over-end, with my feet still attached to the pedals, and crash on to the asphalt of the street. It was like being picked up by a professional wrestler and body slammed in to the street with no cushion of a boxing/wrestling ring. I shattered my clavicle and destroyed my already fragile spine. I had already ruptured 4 discs, over the years, in my spine prior to the accident. The accident just killed what was left of the discs. I have been a long-distance cyclist for many years and have worked out solidly since I was 20 years old. In spite of the pain, when I was hunched forward on the bicycle, the nerves were alleviated in that position, and I could ride. In fact, the more I road, the better I felt. I kept this up all the way until the surgery. I road 1,800 + the year of the surgery, mowed my lawn by hand every 4 days for the whole mowing season, walked at lunch time at work, and whatever other exercising I could get away with. I stayed in great shape till the surgery and weighed in at 163 Lbs. and was 10% body fat. Even though I was on pain medication, prior to the surgery, I was able to maintain, at a very small dosage, due to the endorphin building from the solid aerobic conditioning. I think, no matter how bad you hurt, that if you do some low to no impact conditioning, you can benefit your situation.
Obviously, this plan worked, as I went to work at two months post op from 4 level disc replacement, and road 2,300 miles the season I was healing from this very major surgery. I am a person who pushes myself and refuse to give up.
I am happy to be posting somewhere, and hope that I can add value to this community, as I tried to do with the last forum I was with. If there are any other questions, please feel free to ask away.
Terry Newton