Awesome progress on the nonsurgical front

[Maria]

Hey all,
Even tho I buy 3 plane seats to fly and don't work anymore I have had significant progress since my L5S1 autofused (fused naturally).

I made it thru a grueling 2 months of helping my father out before going to Assisted Living in Fla. and also helping out his best buddy and wife as they had some health probs as well and couldn't drive/shop and so forth so you know who ran all the errandsyep me!

Holding up well until the end whereupon the emotional aspect of everything started stressing me out and my back as well I had to back down a bit tho keep going.

Flew home on 5/4 and hit the ground running with my own errands/tasks to be done and after 2 months away from home (live alone) as one can imagine there was much to do.

In the past I would have been laid out several times by now re my back and certainly not hit the ground running and kept going tho let me elaborate~ I sat to have my hair done the day after I got back. Unheard of for more years than I can remember if ever as any gal that has her hair highlighted knows.. it does take time sitting there thru the whole process! This was just part of what I did as I needed to shop,grocery shop, wash the car, do some straightening up at home,took the cats to be groomed and on and on with mundane tho necessary errands! Finally by Friday I had gotten over Jet Lag and could sleep according to Pacific time so I allowed myself to start doing more than errands.

Last night I walked 3 miles (breeze except on my feet) and today I walked a mile easy and rode my bike twice a mile the first time and 3 the second time.

My low back, buttocks, and legs don't even hurt at all

You guys have no idea how much better my body is behaving because after traveling with the 3 seats lying down used to require several days of lying down afterwards to get my back "togeher" and housework would have been out of the question.

The pain I seem to have now is more in my cervical area than my low back as this gets out of whack much easier and requires some additional care/rest.

Overall for doing nothing since my last surgery in '92 which was a failed L4 discectomy (had L5S1 done as well w/good results) I would have to say that I'm pleased with where I'm at today. Actually more than that I'm grateful that my body is giving me some peace in a place where it used to be pure torture.

I'm not advocating not havng recommended surgeries because one day Imight 'have to have' one however sometimes good things do come to those who wait or at least so it seems for me currently.

[Jim M2]

Maria,
What an uplifting post! I'm so glad the way things have worked out for you. I've been on a journey with my L45 for about 2 years. There will be restrictions, severe restrictions, pain, many odd behaviors (like buying 3 plane tickets to lay down), therapy and more, but I plan on seeing L45 through to a natural fusion. If I didn't have the ADR at L5S1 I'm pretty sure I would have fused by now. Good gosh it takes a long time though.

[dshobbies]

Maria,

Yes, sometimes good things do come to those who wait, though that should not be the new spinal motto!

Can't wait to see how I do on our upcoming European vacation - that is if that damned volcano in Iceland cooperates. Don't think I'll do as well as you and to be honest, I'm jealous.

I have to wonder, if spinal medicine is in it's infancy, what will tomorrow bring? Are you also waiting to see what might happen with your C spine, what new and miraculous remedies are on the horizon or ?.

Regardless, glad your back held up. It sure makes life easier.

Dale

[Maria]

Jim,
Yep..I'm really very glad I just let L5S1 fuse on it's own tho that's really because I started to feel better around '05 (after having probs since '82).

The difference is really quite unbelievable to me as a long time spiney. Still what will bring on back pain are some of the very same things. Cannot sit in a soft chair to save my life still and rushing packing luggage always tweaks my back. One day I will learn to pack light!

Dale,
my cervical area has been deemed not bad enough for surgery. It's just a small bulge at C5/6 and DDD at a number of levels tho seems to get bothersome often enough and when it does it does not seemed to be helped by the pain medication but rather a Toradol injection for a really bad case or oral muscle relaxers and rest.

I've not had Lola for a while and so the neck issues have been less tho still there more regularly than not. The good news w/cervical probs is it's not WC so I don't have to at least go thru their red tape if and when something has to happen.

I hope your trip happens and the body is not only willing tho also able!

[Maria]

I have had some not so good days with my tailbone again. Feels like the musculature or tendonous/ligamental attachments are pulling with a dull pain to one side (right I think).

This has been a direct result of the bicycling tho I surely try to avoid huge bumps/potholes by standing when going over.

This bike is different than the other I was using as it's lighter and I'm wondering if it absorbs less shock. I have a pretty good seat on it and my position seems Ok tho my coccyx or structures around it are definately feeling the effect. No burning in my legs or buttocks like I used to get if trying bike riding so that much is good however I do have to limit the biking to nonconsecutive days it seems.

Yesterday rode light rail for an hour, went out to eat sitting for over an hour and couldn't handle going to a play.. just too much for the ol' tailbone area.

Today still sore (last rode day before yesterday). It may have something to do with trying to move my futon sofa an inch or two to straighten it out but I think this is mainly bike related.

Anybody know if it's possible that the weight of the bike can contribute to the impact one feels in the coccyx/low lumbar area?? Low back stiffens which I think is related more to spasming tho nothing overt in terms of back pain.

So wondering about Ketamine treatment even if one were a surgical candidate of some type. Again something I cannot afford tho to be out of pain entirely (mind and body) would be so wonderful.