There is no place like home!!!!!
Rest well our friend
Jo

Wow...I leave for a bit and when I come back Mark is a NY Lawyer! Scarey, huh? Sorry for the absence...I've sure thought about so many of you often (and said silent prayers).

So do you recognize a military acronym, "BUF" (a nickname given to the B52's)?

Thankful your SCS is hummin along, singing a, "Reduced Pain" song! Mine is also doing wonderfully and, believe it or not, I'm down to 3 weeks and 2 days to that magical 12-week goal. Can't believe how fast the time has FLOWN by.

Had my appt with my doc yesterday and completely forgot to ask, "So, how does this work, anyway? At the 11-week, 6-day point I can't lift over 10 lbs but then at the 12-week point I can go back to picking up whatever I used to? (My job requirements are 50lbs but it isn't unheard of to be called up to go past that.) But, she is setting me up with PT so hopefully that'll be all figured out when the time comes.

Any-who - good to see y'all!

What a blessing to read from you once again. We knew, just knew you were busy with family crawlin all over ya with "do you need help with that?" So, you are doing well!!

B-52, the BUFF [for fat] in its legend apparently. Yeah, familiar with that one and the whine/roar of its engines as it would high speed train low level flying in eastern Colorado. Quite a sight indeed. They will probably keep them running forever. Airframes can last quite a while when care is constant.

Yup, the trip was yucky, but I have the license to prove a NY right to practice. Texas is next. Gonna set up a firm down Dallas way. I might have to stop by... Looking forward to the fun. Also looking forward to overcoming obstacles. I think I get more fun overcoming obstacles than most mental exercises.

You take care of your bod, and heal up full..... I, too, look forward to removal of this neck brace in mid-November. Maybe I will give up on the hope for return to Alpine skiing.

Well, goodness gracious,
here is a carefully placed back slap for a buddy,
along with some prayin,
Mark56

Nothing like back when I was on the Alert Force (as a Controller) and that klaxon would sound (thankfully always as a drill when Moscow was our target - wasn't a drill when Baghdad was the target!) and our 4 B52's and 4 KC135 refuelers would all start their engines and fire them up to full-power while still in place outside our half-underground facility. I made the mistake of being outside once (within 100 yards of this) and even my hands over my ears didn't keep it from being a bit painful to the eardrums! Talk about causing the ground to shake. A total of 48 engines, all at full throttle... made me glad I was on that side of any potential war! Then there were the times they'd move them out, to the end of the runway and we'd watch with just a bit of trepidation ... they'd do one full taxi down the runway and return to 'ready' stance. We knew if they ever took off .... (they were laden with multiple nukes - to those that may be wondering, yes, I can talk about this now because it's all been decommissioned years ago)

Okay, I'll stop 'memory lane'. I really enjoyed my USAF stint - lots of fond memories, that's for sure.

Good to be back out here although I will unlikely be as active in as many threads as before. I really do have my hands full with a forum that uses this same software - I'm way behind on several software updates and really need to get back to being the webmaster I'm supposed to be!

Also very good to catch up with y'all - I appreciate all y'all (yeah, a Texas expression!).

For your service!!! I, on the other hand, as a child spent many a school hour practicing the fine art of becoming a dust pile under a school desk which would have been incinerated, as if that really meant anything except making a bunch of kids frightened.

Yup,
mark56

Hi Mark. Sorry for your having to use a magnifying glass to read but I'm not only crippled from a wreck, two neck surgeries, two lumbar surgeries and, last Nov., quintuple bypass surgery and more recently I began suffering computer stupidity. Please forgive me till I get the hang of this hunt and peck thingy.

My dilema started in 1977 after I suffered an undiagnosed rupture to level c-5,c-6 region. I was released from emergency with only stiches to my forehead. Two years later I started feeling pain in my neck (having forgot and not associating pain to wreck) I changed my pillow whic helped for a few days and then pain was back with a vengance.

A couple of girls at work told me I needed to see a chiropractor that they were seeing. BIG BIG MISTAKE!!!! Wellll, without any questions other than where was I hurting, he gave my neck " an adjustment " and then wrenched my neck ; I could litterally see stars!! As I was walking to my car I felt numbless in my fingertips and in my toes.

I thought nothing of it as I thought it was part of the healing process.
Almost 10 mo.'s later I was in dire straits as I had already severe spasticity in all of my extremities, more pronounced in my right side. My family doc, whom I should have gone to nearly a year before, referred me to a neurologist who immidiately reffered me to a neurosurgeon who immidiately diagnosed the damage in my cervical area.
He said the main damage was caused at a critical time when I needed surgery and I instead opted for the infamous "neck adjustment" and then waited until I was cripple till I couldn't walk.
Surgeon first did surgery (front entry) to remove disc debris and relieve pressure on spinal cord and nerves. That was in Jan. 1980; then in Aug. 1980 further surgery was done by entry thru the back of neck to remove even more pieces of disc.
Needless to say surgery was to keep from having more problems and did nothing to correct damage already done. I was able to recoup some of my ability to walk but my gait is quite spastic and am quite vulernable, as I get older, to tripping and following. Even keeping my balance is a challenge at times.
I have fought pain for years and mostly since my first lumbar surgery in 1992. After the surgery and after healing process from surgery I stll had terrible pain in waist area. Dr.'s back then literally told me to grin and bare it. I endured it as long as I could and then decided to go to my family doc. He put me on Ascriptin which at the time was a God send. The Ascriptin (in double doses) worked till 2003 and then didn't cover the pain.
Doc then put me on 5 mg. Hydrocodone, then 10 mg.Hydrocodone, then to PM doc. PM doc tried, steroid injections and other methods which I cant remember. I do remember the first of my two temporary SCS implants in 2007. I don't remember the name of the company that made it but I do remember that it did nothing to help my pain. There wasn't but one setting to which I could amp up or amp down.

I saw various PM dr.'s and neurosurgeons the following years and was diagnosed with failed back surgery syndrome, stenosis, facet degeneration and a couple of other problems that I can't remember. Finally, Sep. 2011 pain got Sooo bad I once again sought help, this time that of an orthopedic surgeon. I was put through the usual gambit of x-rays and MRI'S.
Open heart surgery interruped my back surgery in Nov. 2011 and finally had 2nd lumbar surgery in Feb. 2012. A very involved stenosis removal(?) was performed. Dr. said I had a terrible back and there wasn't much else he could do. He referred me to his PM dr. who put me on Morphine ER and Morphine IR for break thru.

We did the St. Jude temp. implant, with much pain and difficulty. While trying to place electrodes he encountered bone spurs and couldn't get leads placed as needed. The end product was sensations on my right side when pain was on my left side. He said to go ahead with trial and pretend that it was actually producing the same results as the right side. I have a good imigination BUT, I couldn't imagine anything especially the pain he created while trying to force leads in to position while hitting bone spurs.
I was sent home in agonizing pain on a Friday, of course, and screamed and cried the whole weekend and off to emergency room at 2am Mon. morn.
I know this is very long ,so, the leads were removed without my having tried the unit for but about 2 hours total. I was so caught up in the pain in my left calf and foot from the procedure I couldn't even concentrate on anything but that!!!!

My meeting with the surgeon who will do the permanet implant is Oct. 29th. Do I go for it and, if so, what should I ask the surgeon. My options as far as pain relief are concerned are all but over. I had being rum dumb and woozy from all this dope so whats a person to do?
One thing I've learned is that things can always get worse but I feel as I felt about you when I first started reading your story and that you later described in one of your threads; "God has a plan for me"! Maybe it's to be a witness of some sort but He's sure seen me through a lot of problems in life.
Thanks to all for any prayers and/or input. God bless us all.

Do not worry about the length...isn't it wonderful to just ramble and let it all out. Sometimes I can see my family just roll tehir eyes at me when I start my story...here there is no judgement.
All that pain does scramble up life and how you look at it...
IMHO...there are so many success stories here...I know when I had to decide I was willing to do most anything to stop that pain..
this is a great place to educate...read ...read...read...
I wish you the best of luck along with your educated decision...throwing in prayers too cuz that's how we roll around here!!
Johanna

Thanks Sooo much for the warm reception Johanna. I've done a lot of huntin' online for input on my impending SCS implant. I guess me being a computer newbie is why I didn't find ya'll sooner. Anyway I'm so glad I did find this site and I'm going to do my best to snoop around and learn. Oct. 29th is my date with surgeon for a conference so I need to learn and absorb quickly and abundantly.
Again, I thank you so much!

Thank you so VERY MUCH for persisting in your inquiry with the computer so you landed HERE.

I originally came because I was kinda wondering about this psych eval I was told must be completed successfully before I might be fully embraced as a good candidate for SCS implant. My approach to the permanent surgical implant brought me rapidly full circle to the notion of "What am I doing here?" It was one of those cold feet style late night musings the night before the permanent implant was installed.

Since that date, I have not looked back or armchair quarterbacked myself on the decision to proceed, for I am one of the success stories still unfolding with the development of the future..... one step at a time!

I have had such good coverage from my SCS, Boston Scientific Precision Plus, that my waist to my legs is covered without any need for pain meds to handle the nerve pain in my lower body as it is electrically managed with the pulses of the SCS.

Your time is short, the 29th coming up very soon, and my thread in the stickies, continued here is SO VERY LONG, you will not have much time to get through it; thus, I offer, Larry, to answer each and every question you have dirrectly and right here for your convenience. If we need to go offline to PM, I can do that, and if it would be more helpful for you, we can get on a phone together to talk through things. I do that sort of thing all of the time.

Folks have referred to this and the conversations I have as a ministry to which God has called me. Kinda warms my heart, you know, because, helping others is precisely what I want to do for folks in pain.

So, the offer is open, the time is now, and the willingness is absolute. Let's chew on it a bit. I do have full time work again so I will be off later in the day today, but will check in from time to time to see whether you have replied.

Looking forward to helping however I may,
Mark56

Sorry for the delay Mark but I hope you read the part about me not being computerate literate. I just found "quick reply" by accident and I'll save you from any explanation.
Mark, if'n it wouldn't be much trouble I'd like to take you up on your offer cause not only have you been talkin' the talk but you've certainly been walkin' the walk! I spent 3 days reading all of your posted threads regarding your trip from the awful wreck to your return to full time work; praise TheLord!
I would like to put some questions togeather, on paper and then present them to you via post (if you think it would be beneficial to lurkers or others), email, or telephone.I just want it to most certainly be at your convenience. I'm flexible and not working as you are.
Thanks again Mark!
Larry