Down for a while

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bitshird

bitshird

Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2007
Messages
10,236
Location
Adamsville, TN, USA.
My wife has been dragging me to doctors since Tuesday, it turns out I have several bulging disks, and 1 herniated disk, Now I know why my leg goes numb and I can't lift it.
Heat and Ice, no lifting, stay off my feet, and I start Spinal Decompression for the 3rd time this year.
I guess Doctors don't realize that some of us have commitments and things that have to be done, Fortunately all of the paid orders are shipped, but I still have about 8 more tools to make and send, plus a new one with a round insert to market.
I'm not the kind of person that can stay sitting long, I have a piece turning in my lathe right now, and a cam program going on another monitor, what's a poor old man to do?? I'm too old for Rock and Roll and too young for Suicide. I sure wish I could find a middle gear somewhere.
I wonder if Pen and Wood Turning are considered work?? all the Dr said was no work. He knows I'm retired, I think he meant NO Lifting, OK I'll go for that. How heavy is a pen blank?? or even some tool handles,
OH well I guess I'll tolerate this for a day or two since I can't stand up over 5 or 10 minutes. Poor Poor pitiful me.
 
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My dad had a similar problem...he was literally crawling.

The doctor taught us to make our own traction using simple pulley, ropes & weights mounted on the foot of his bed. The ropes is attached to a girdle he had to wear (it also doubled as back support). This is a 3rd world remedy btw but it worked like a charm and it cost us almost nothing.

Hope you feel better soon but do stay off your feet for now.
 
mywoodshopca said:
Hope you feel better soon Ken.

What can you do to help it? Ice packs, sitting down, etc? Would a chair work in the shop? Inversion a few times a week?
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Jason, That's basically what they will do, the Decompression is like the old days of the mid evil rack, it stretches out you spinal column. they do it for about 30 minutes a day, it pulls then relaxes then pulls again, I really screwed it up last wek end loading up my lathe at a demo. but I have a bunch of stuff to do
 
Ken, hang in there and take care of yourself.
We only get one life and one body.
yeah, i know replacement parts are available, but they come at a steep price.
My father had 2 back surgeries in his early 60's and at 70 he is doing great.
i'll be hoping for a full recovery for you.
 
Ken,
Take care of yourself. I may be younger but I have always had back problems since birth. If you feel that you have to get around, just don't overdue it.
 
Ken, like Butch, I'm a member of the BrokeBack club. Whatever you do, don't ever let them talk to you about fusion. You're miles away from that, but some of these guys love that, and it's freakin' medieval. I had 3 of mine fused after my fender bender with a Beechcraft, and it did not help. May have hurt.

Anyway, I feel your pain, literally. Don't know how good standing at the lathe for any length of time will be for you. For me, anything in the same position for long doesn't work. They seem to know so much about knees, ankles, feet, shoulders, but so little about backs really. I've heard good things aboout decompression though. I can't remember what it's called right now, but I did this electrosound therapy for as time, and for about 45 minutes afterwards, it felt great. They put these little pads around my back and shot some sort of waves in, kinda tingled. Some insurance will even pay for the little transmitters. If it gets to the point you can't take the pain much longer, that may give you temporary relief.

Other than that, what choice do you have other than do what they tell you to? Heat, Ice, yada, yada. My hot tub is good for me too.

Keep us posted, few things are more nagging than that. Hang in there. Hey, here's how I look at it sometimes. At least I've got as wife to drag me around and nag me to try to fix it! Sounds like you do to, thankfully.

Dale
 
take care of yourself. yeah,,, it's boring as heck to follow the dr. orders but... sometimes (most of the time),, when it's over,, your much much better.
 
Hang in there Ken, follow Dr's orders and it's bound to get better. Don't follow them and it will get worse, sigh. Our thoughts are with you.
 
Ken, I FEEL your pain. I had the fusion 12 wks ago and the longer you wait for a permanent fix, the more nerve damage you will do. I didn't have a choice with a vertabrea having shifted. I felt great for 4-6 wks with all the steroids they pack in there but back to square one.

How heavy is a pen blank and skew? It's the standing that does you in. Good luck whatever you chose and will keep you in our prayers.
 
spiritwoodturner said:
I can't remember what it's called right now, but I did this electrosound therapy for as time, and for about 45 minutes afterwards, it felt great. They put these little pads around my back and shot some sort of waves in, kinda tingled. Some insurance will even pay for the little transmitters.


Dale
Click to expand...

I believe you're talking about a TENS unit. There are inexpensive ones on the internet. I have lower back issues myself and found that the TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator) really helps. I did a search online and found one for around $80 about 5 years ago. You'll probably find them cheaper now. Just do a search on it.

Ken - do what they tell you to do, no matter how crazy it makes you. Everyone will understand and if they don't you probably don't want to be dealing with them.

My brother didn't and ended up having to have surgery. Luckily, his herniated/ruptured disk was able to be removed via a 1" incision and closed with 4 staples. I say luckily because he had the surgery 3 days before Christmas and was walking around the next day and was home on Christmas eve.

Take care of yourself.

Nancy
 
Praying for you Ken. Take care of YOU first and take care of the rest of us AFTER you have taken care of you. Listen to your Doctor.:eek:)
 
Thanks guys, I think I found out why they don't want me around any machinery, the muscle relaxers and the vicoden have a very pleasant effect, I stumbled in her to shut off the lights, I think mine are ready to go out as well.'Nite every one
Thanks for the good thoughts and advice, It's hard trying to be John Wayne. maybe I'd better settle for Betty Boop or Porky Pig.
 
ngeb528 said:
I believe you're talking about a TENS unit.
Click to expand...

That's it, Nancy, although when I did it in the Docs it looked like something out of Young Frankenstein. I've seen them about the size of an Ipod now. Trouble is, you can't go around everywhere with those pads attached zapping yourself, and for me the relief was short-lived. But, there was relief.

Ken, I'm sure you're getting good advice, but be very careful with the Vicodin. Some people are more prone to this problem, and it's not pleasant to talk about in mixed company, but be careful you don't get "stopped up", if you get my drift. Fiber, lots of liquids. If this happens to you, you'll know it ain't funny. Fact is, it can be deadly if it gets out of control. And it can, and does. PM me and I'll share some horror stories with you and ways you can avoid getting near this problem. I'm with you, the dope sure takes the pain away and is "pleasant", but it has a bite too.

You're probably dreaming about purple flying elephants right about now. Sleep Well, sweet prince! Hope you don't wake up with a hangover...

Dale
 
You need one of those inversion tables. They stretch you out at your own pace. Works great. Not good if you have high blood pressure though.
 
had same problem..had surgery in 1990..still have problems with standing & sitting and lifting..it will haunt you 'til you get run over with the proverbial logging truck, but hang in ...life gets better & bearable...rest is boring, but do it anyway...
 
A little (ok a lot of) misery now will pay off big for the long run. I am also one that cannot set still. I am always doing something so I feel for you. Here is hoping you get better and stay that way.
 
Take care Ken and I feel for ya....

I have C/1--C/3 fusion scheduled for April 13th... They are also going to make room for my spinal cord and stem.... I have not made a pen in a LONG time thus have not been around here........
 
Sorry to hear bout your mandatory time away from the shop. Pop in a movie and kick your feet up, Take care of yourself....... Thanks for the woodchuck, will have to wait to get a handle on it, got too much stuff to do around the house. Wife says I cant play on my lathe......Dang it.
 
bitshird said:
I'm not the kind of person that can stay sitting long
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Boy, can I relate to that :)

Ken, take care of your self. Let your body be the best judge of what you can and can't do. If you listen to it carefully it's pretty smart. Sounds like it's telling you to get some quiet time, you'll know when it's time to play, err work, again.
 
Being down really sucks, I got my barracuda chuck three days before I screwed up my back, I got to use it on three pens, at the show I did where I got stupid. (I got it to do other stuff with,)
My lathe is sitting on the porch, I need to get it inside, I just got a beautiful pen display from Jeff Powell, I can't even work on it. I really don't see how sanding is going to damage any thing any worse, but my loving wife St. Hagatha says NO WAY DUMB A$$.
Two days and my rear end is getting numb. if it weren't for this place I'd go nutz, maybe I can clean up my web sites a little bit.
I'm surprised she lets me up to use the pot!!
I really appreciate all of the kind thoughts and prayers from all of you great family members, this is the greatest place on the web.
 
"my loving wife St. Hagatha says NO WAY DUMB A$$."

Since she isn't currently the one with the back problem, it stands to reason that she may know what's best.

If you don't, she'll wait until your better and make you pay, then you might not be able to "use the pot" with her foot up your backside.

Get a pad of paper and a pencil and dream up some, new, amazing tools for us to salivate over. That will keep you out of trouble...for the moment.
 
I agree with your wife. Don't push it as you will only injure your spinal cord and then it will just take longer, if ever, to recover. Take it easy, can you sit at your lathe? I know how much standing for periods of time can hurt. I found a stool with a foot rest and I often sit at my lathe just to have a change of position and relax my muscles. You could also ask to see a physical therapist and get some stretching exercises to help. I have a neuromuscular disease that causes constant cramping in all of my muscles and stretching has made an amazing difference in my pain level. Give it a try once you have the proper exercises.
 
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