Muscle spasms suck. Started out bright and early this morning with a monster spasm in the lower back and a headache that just won't quit. I am beginning to wonder if the headaches are not one of the symptoms from the Arch. I do not remember having migraines this bad before the surgery but then again a lot has happened since then.
"The Passion of the Christ" was released today on DVD and while I have seen it in theaters I made sure to get to Blockbuster early enough to get a copy for this evening. Our oldest has not seen it yet and I am sure they will be discussing it in school soon.
8/30/2004
Apropos
I saw something today that rang so true...
Those who preach tolerance seem to have the least for my views. I would say that about sums it up.
Another relative pain free day but not a day without the numbness. It starts about the small of the back and extends all the way down my left leg and into my foot and toes. It sucks when it is numb as I can't tell if I am cold or hot and walking becomes difficult. I have to keep myself on pavement or risk stumbling on the dirt/gravel. It is pretty much why I no longer drive unless absolutely necessary and then I try to limit it to around town for things like groceries. Other then that I rarely leave home by myself anymore.
I thought the medrol might be working but I can see that it's effects will be short lived. The results were the same when they did the epidurals, they were more of a pain the relief they provided. If I had to do it all over again I would probably skip them. Of course then my insurance company would say that I did not follow protocol and deny benefits.
Speaking of insurance companies, they all suck in my book. You have to have it as the cost out of pocket is insane but if you try to use your insurance you have to jump through hoops to only find out you jumped the wrong one. Do that and the hospital will try to bill you for what insurance did not pay, even though they have an agreement with your insurance company to not do that. I got a bill from my hospital for about $20K when it was all over. They tried their best but I simply sent it off to the insurance company. Never heard anything from the hospital about that again.
Those who preach tolerance seem to have the least for my views. I would say that about sums it up.
Another relative pain free day but not a day without the numbness. It starts about the small of the back and extends all the way down my left leg and into my foot and toes. It sucks when it is numb as I can't tell if I am cold or hot and walking becomes difficult. I have to keep myself on pavement or risk stumbling on the dirt/gravel. It is pretty much why I no longer drive unless absolutely necessary and then I try to limit it to around town for things like groceries. Other then that I rarely leave home by myself anymore.
I thought the medrol might be working but I can see that it's effects will be short lived. The results were the same when they did the epidurals, they were more of a pain the relief they provided. If I had to do it all over again I would probably skip them. Of course then my insurance company would say that I did not follow protocol and deny benefits.
Speaking of insurance companies, they all suck in my book. You have to have it as the cost out of pocket is insane but if you try to use your insurance you have to jump through hoops to only find out you jumped the wrong one. Do that and the hospital will try to bill you for what insurance did not pay, even though they have an agreement with your insurance company to not do that. I got a bill from my hospital for about $20K when it was all over. They tried their best but I simply sent it off to the insurance company. Never heard anything from the hospital about that again.
Veterans for.......
Well I am hearing tons of news about how John Kerry has the support of the veterans. Amazing thing is I am a veteran of the US Army and I generally only socialize with other veterans. Not one of us would ever vote for that man. We have all pledged our support for President Bush. John Kerry has proven himself to veterans with his treasonous acts after returning home from Vietnam. I will give the man his due credit for going over and fighting even if he did cut his tour short with 3 Purple Hearts. I was not there and cannot dispute how or why he earned them so I won't go into that. What I will get into is his anti military and intelligence voting record as a Senator as well as some of the legislation he introduced.
Little things like S. 1290, Introduced by Senator Kerry on 9/29/95 that would cut intelligence spending by $1.5 billion dollars or $300 million a year from 96-01. The bill had no co-sponsor and died before it hit the floor.
He introduced S. 1580, Introduced 2/29/96 that would cut defense spending by about $6.5 billion and specifically targeted programs like the Apache helicopter, the Abrams MBT, Patriot missile systems, F-15/16 planes, Tomahawk cruise missiles and B-1 & B-2 bombers.
Want more then that? How about the voting record....
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against B-1 Bomber. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against B-2 Stealth Bomber. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against F-14. (H. R. 5803, CQ Vote #319: Adopted 80-17: R 37-6; D 43-11, 10/26/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against F-15. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against F-16. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against AV-8B Harrier Vertical Takeoff And Landing Jet Fighters. (H.R. 2126, CQ Vote #579: Adopted 59-39: R 48-5; D 11-34, 11/16/95, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against AH-64 Apache Helicopters. (H.R. 2126, CQ Vote #579: Adopted 59-39: R 48-5; D 11-34, 11/16/95, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against Patriot Missiles. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against Aegis Air Defense Cruiser. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against Trident Missile System For U.S. Submarines. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against M-1 Abrams Tanks. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against Bradley Fighting Vehicle. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against Tomahawk Cruise Missile. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
All these are systemns critical to the US Military. There are more records for him like these....
No excuse for special tax cuts for the rich. (Jun 2003)
Voted NO on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts. (Apr 2000)
Voted NO on 1998 GOP budget. (May 1997)
Voted NO on Balanced-budget constitutional amendment. (Mar 1997)
Isn't part of his platform now to balance the budget? What was he waiting for? Oh yea that's right a run at being the President when he could then propose it and look like the good guy.
Tax cuts for the rich? Hell no he would not do that. Why? Because he is estimated to be worth somewhere between $1 & 3 billion dollars. If he elected he would be the richest President to this date, and not by a few dollars but by a few billion. The wealthiest before that was estimated at about $26 million. Comparison of the last sitting Dem would be Clinton who had a net worth of less the $1 million as President.
His voting record (when he has time to make it to vote!) is appalling. He has a long history of voting against issues that are critical to Americans. For more on his voting record.
How can veterans side with this person who has a clear record of voting against the very tools the military needs to do it's job? The same man who voted to GO TO war with Iraq but then voted no when it came time to fund the war. This man is no friend of the military and he has the record to prove it.
Little things like S. 1290, Introduced by Senator Kerry on 9/29/95 that would cut intelligence spending by $1.5 billion dollars or $300 million a year from 96-01. The bill had no co-sponsor and died before it hit the floor.
He introduced S. 1580, Introduced 2/29/96 that would cut defense spending by about $6.5 billion and specifically targeted programs like the Apache helicopter, the Abrams MBT, Patriot missile systems, F-15/16 planes, Tomahawk cruise missiles and B-1 & B-2 bombers.
Want more then that? How about the voting record....
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against B-1 Bomber. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against B-2 Stealth Bomber. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against F-14. (H. R. 5803, CQ Vote #319: Adopted 80-17: R 37-6; D 43-11, 10/26/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against F-15. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against F-16. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against AV-8B Harrier Vertical Takeoff And Landing Jet Fighters. (H.R. 2126, CQ Vote #579: Adopted 59-39: R 48-5; D 11-34, 11/16/95, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against AH-64 Apache Helicopters. (H.R. 2126, CQ Vote #579: Adopted 59-39: R 48-5; D 11-34, 11/16/95, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against Patriot Missiles. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against Aegis Air Defense Cruiser. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against Trident Missile System For U.S. Submarines. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against M-1 Abrams Tanks. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against Bradley Fighting Vehicle. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
ü Sen. Kerry Voted Against Tomahawk Cruise Missile. (S. 3189, CQ Vote #273: Passed 79-16: R 37-5; D 42-11, 10/15/90, Kerry Voted Nay)
All these are systemns critical to the US Military. There are more records for him like these....
No excuse for special tax cuts for the rich. (Jun 2003)
Voted NO on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts. (Apr 2000)
Voted NO on 1998 GOP budget. (May 1997)
Voted NO on Balanced-budget constitutional amendment. (Mar 1997)
Isn't part of his platform now to balance the budget? What was he waiting for? Oh yea that's right a run at being the President when he could then propose it and look like the good guy.
Tax cuts for the rich? Hell no he would not do that. Why? Because he is estimated to be worth somewhere between $1 & 3 billion dollars. If he elected he would be the richest President to this date, and not by a few dollars but by a few billion. The wealthiest before that was estimated at about $26 million. Comparison of the last sitting Dem would be Clinton who had a net worth of less the $1 million as President.
His voting record (when he has time to make it to vote!) is appalling. He has a long history of voting against issues that are critical to Americans. For more on his voting record.
How can veterans side with this person who has a clear record of voting against the very tools the military needs to do it's job? The same man who voted to GO TO war with Iraq but then voted no when it came time to fund the war. This man is no friend of the military and he has the record to prove it.
I knew it was to good to be true
Well I almost had an entire pain free day. Late yesterday the pain started to come back and by bedtime it was going full force. This morning it is bearable but I am betting by lunch I won't be able to stay in the same position for 2 hours straight.
I guess the big thing I need to do is get with a neuro-surgeon and figure out exactly what I can expect from the arachnoiditis. I mean it is obvious it isn't going to get better but will it get worse? My primary care physician did not elaborate to much on it and was not willing to hazard a guess on any prognosis just yet. He did say he wants to see me on the 20th of September.
The forecast today looks to be a repeat of yesterday with a little rain mixed in. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website we have some storm building to the west of us. They look to be just forming right now so I expect we would get some rain in a couple of hours.
This is the first full week of school for the oldest so looks like it is just me and the baby for the day.
I guess the big thing I need to do is get with a neuro-surgeon and figure out exactly what I can expect from the arachnoiditis. I mean it is obvious it isn't going to get better but will it get worse? My primary care physician did not elaborate to much on it and was not willing to hazard a guess on any prognosis just yet. He did say he wants to see me on the 20th of September.
The forecast today looks to be a repeat of yesterday with a little rain mixed in. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website we have some storm building to the west of us. They look to be just forming right now so I expect we would get some rain in a couple of hours.
This is the first full week of school for the oldest so looks like it is just me and the baby for the day.
8/29/2004
Fear and loathing.....
Well it seems as if his blog has been pretty much deleted. There was an outstanding blog called Fear and Loathing in Iraq but it seems that he has taken it down. It was the daily life of an Infantryman serving in Mosul.
I did find a site where he appears to have posted his last entry for know. That's too bad because it was a totally different view on what is going on in OIF then the media has been reporting.
I did find a site where he appears to have posted his last entry for know. That's too bad because it was a totally different view on what is going on in OIF then the media has been reporting.
Laura Branigan passes away...
Well naturally as a child of the 80's this is something. She had a hit in the early 80's called Gloria. It appears she has passed away from a brain aneurysm. Sad news indeed as she was not at all old. Hell she is younger then my parents who are not old by any sense of the word.
RIP Laura
RIP Laura
Pain free day?
Well, I woke up this morning with almost no pain. A very unusual day indeed, now if the numbness would go away we would be good to go. According to weatherbug it is a cool 62F (about 17c) outside and a high in the lower 80's is expected. We have had an unusually cool summer so far. Generally we have hit the 100f (38c) mark by now and hold it until early September. I think we hit 95 one day and that was it. Reminds me of a Long Island summer without the cool breeze coming in from the ocean. That is without all the sand from Jones Beach in your hair and clothes.
Maybe I will have time to sit and watch what is going on in NY. I love liberal protesters, they have such a way about them! They will march and protest about their rights being violated and just about anything else that is the "in thing" to protest. If any one of them had an idea on their own it would be scary. They are living proof of the pack mentality and even better is when a counter protest forms. Those liberals would readily trample anyone's right if they are not in agreement with the liberal cause or when they feel threatened. Want to see what I mean? Check out Protest Warrior for some video footage of what happens when the liberals feel threatened.
Looks like the cause celebre in conjuction with the RNC is Starbucks Coffee and their anti-union stance. Unions had their place once upon a time and in some shops maybe they still do. A coffee shop though? Don't they have a better cause somewhere? How about tougher rape laws or better enforcement regulations for deadbeat parents? Hell, how about better education issues? I guess those are not front page causes and as such do not warrant any attention.
Well anyway, I am feeling good today so I will make the most of it as I have no idea how I will feel tomorrow.
Maybe I will have time to sit and watch what is going on in NY. I love liberal protesters, they have such a way about them! They will march and protest about their rights being violated and just about anything else that is the "in thing" to protest. If any one of them had an idea on their own it would be scary. They are living proof of the pack mentality and even better is when a counter protest forms. Those liberals would readily trample anyone's right if they are not in agreement with the liberal cause or when they feel threatened. Want to see what I mean? Check out Protest Warrior for some video footage of what happens when the liberals feel threatened.
Looks like the cause celebre in conjuction with the RNC is Starbucks Coffee and their anti-union stance. Unions had their place once upon a time and in some shops maybe they still do. A coffee shop though? Don't they have a better cause somewhere? How about tougher rape laws or better enforcement regulations for deadbeat parents? Hell, how about better education issues? I guess those are not front page causes and as such do not warrant any attention.
Well anyway, I am feeling good today so I will make the most of it as I have no idea how I will feel tomorrow.
8/28/2004
Time to break out the wayback machine
Well it has been about 20 years or so since I had given any thought to how much I really hated Rubik's cube. But like all good fads it seems to have come around again. Some how, some where my 11 year has gotten his hands on one of these things. Of course being the child of the 80's that I am, as soon as I saw it I said, "Hey! A rubik's cube." If you have kids you will understand then that for some reason they will always believe you can do anything and everything. I know, I once looked at my father the same way. There was not a thing in the world he did not know and he was an expert at everything he did. So naturally my son has handed me this freaking thing and says, "well here, you can solve it then."
I did not have the heart to tell him (thank God my wife did though) that when we were kids we could not solve them, we simply pulled them apart and put them back together again. If I remember correctly there was even a company that sold the stickers so you could pull them off and put on new ones. No matter, that toy is the spawn of the devil! Next thing you know kids will be sporting parachute pants and bi-level haircuts. Aaaaaaarrrrrrgggh!
Don't get me wrong, the 80's were a fun time. I mean look at the 70's as a comparison. I would rather be wearing parachute pants (yes I had some) and a mullet then platform shoes and bell bottoms. Crap, when I think of the 70's what comes rushing back to me is this REALLY TACKY picture my uncle had hanging up. It was a velvet lady half naked lying on a bed or something. Of course about the same time frame women were wearing polysester pant suits and bad hair (which somehow escaped into the 80's.)
Which brings me to another horrible invention from somewhere in the past, the terry cloth tube top. What the hell was that all about? I hear/see one of those and I here this voice in my head saying, "All skate change direction." Shudder.......Skating was a big thing back then, everyone was skating. My son saw a pair of rollerskates one day and actually was shocked to learn that rollerblades have not been around for ever. Of course, no one actually owned real skates.
That leads us to another genius invention. Adjustable metal skates (had a wing nut on the bottom)with metal wheels. Now I know they predate the 70's but they were still popular for some reason. More amazing is how most of us who owned them made it to their adult years. They would vibrate your feet off and made noise like a trash can being dragged down a gravel driveway. They were decent skates though as far as stopping. They would stop on a dime! and a stick and a rock and just about anything else that was in the way. Of course we also did not wear knee or elbow pads and helmets. Like I said sometimes I am amazaed that we made it this far.
Then we have tv shows from the 70's. Wow, what the hell were we thinking?
I did not have the heart to tell him (thank God my wife did though) that when we were kids we could not solve them, we simply pulled them apart and put them back together again. If I remember correctly there was even a company that sold the stickers so you could pull them off and put on new ones. No matter, that toy is the spawn of the devil! Next thing you know kids will be sporting parachute pants and bi-level haircuts. Aaaaaaarrrrrrgggh!
Don't get me wrong, the 80's were a fun time. I mean look at the 70's as a comparison. I would rather be wearing parachute pants (yes I had some) and a mullet then platform shoes and bell bottoms. Crap, when I think of the 70's what comes rushing back to me is this REALLY TACKY picture my uncle had hanging up. It was a velvet lady half naked lying on a bed or something. Of course about the same time frame women were wearing polysester pant suits and bad hair (which somehow escaped into the 80's.)
Which brings me to another horrible invention from somewhere in the past, the terry cloth tube top. What the hell was that all about? I hear/see one of those and I here this voice in my head saying, "All skate change direction." Shudder.......Skating was a big thing back then, everyone was skating. My son saw a pair of rollerskates one day and actually was shocked to learn that rollerblades have not been around for ever. Of course, no one actually owned real skates.
That leads us to another genius invention. Adjustable metal skates (had a wing nut on the bottom)with metal wheels. Now I know they predate the 70's but they were still popular for some reason. More amazing is how most of us who owned them made it to their adult years. They would vibrate your feet off and made noise like a trash can being dragged down a gravel driveway. They were decent skates though as far as stopping. They would stop on a dime! and a stick and a rock and just about anything else that was in the way. Of course we also did not wear knee or elbow pads and helmets. Like I said sometimes I am amazaed that we made it this far.
Then we have tv shows from the 70's. Wow, what the hell were we thinking?
I saw an old lady walking down the street
She had a ruck on her back and jungle boots on her feet.
Ok ok, no more Jody calls. For a minute there I thought I was back at Ft. Benning.
One of the biggest things I have been learning to deal with is the tolerance some people have or more likely don't have towards disabled people. Hell, I used to be one of them. Maybe this is my penance for being less tolerant?
While I look normal and walk almost normal, I do have a small gait, you would never now it to look at me but I am usually not very comfortable. Small things like walking to far at once or sitting in the same position for to long cause a lot of pain. I do not have a disabled placard nor do I intend to get one, doing some simple tasks anymore can suck!
I do have people ask me from time to time what happened, but explaining it to them can sometimes be more of a pain in the ass. I know they do not intend to be rude and generally I oblige them with the abridged version of events. Then there are times I have to remember what a wise man once told me, "There is no such thing as a stupid question. Just stupid people!" How right he was.
Well, it seems that someone needs my attention so more later.
Ok ok, no more Jody calls. For a minute there I thought I was back at Ft. Benning.
One of the biggest things I have been learning to deal with is the tolerance some people have or more likely don't have towards disabled people. Hell, I used to be one of them. Maybe this is my penance for being less tolerant?
While I look normal and walk almost normal, I do have a small gait, you would never now it to look at me but I am usually not very comfortable. Small things like walking to far at once or sitting in the same position for to long cause a lot of pain. I do not have a disabled placard nor do I intend to get one, doing some simple tasks anymore can suck!
I do have people ask me from time to time what happened, but explaining it to them can sometimes be more of a pain in the ass. I know they do not intend to be rude and generally I oblige them with the abridged version of events. Then there are times I have to remember what a wise man once told me, "There is no such thing as a stupid question. Just stupid people!" How right he was.
Well, it seems that someone needs my attention so more later.
It was a dark and stormy night
Wow! That was some storm last night. While it did not produce the tornado or hail we have become accustom to it certainly did have some earth moving thunder. The entire upstairs seemed like it was on casters and sliding side to side with each clap of thunder. Amazingly the baby slept through the entire thing. It reminded me though of when we still had shadow, our Curly Coated Retriever. Nothing like a 100lb dog inviting himself into bed at the first sound of thunder.
So you are probably asking yourself how come people with certain types of arthritis can "predict" the rain? I too wondered that some time ago and decided to look it up. Here is what I found.
Does the weather really affect osteoarthritis?
Painful joints are often sensitive to the weather. They tend to feel worse when the atmospheric (barometric) pressure is falling, such as just before it rains. This helps to explain how people with osteoarthritis can predict rain, and why joint pains seem linked with the damp.
However, there is no evidence that different climates have any long-term effect on osteoarthritis or its outcome. The weather may temporarily affect symptoms but not the arthritis itself. There is no point in moving to a different area in the hope of curing osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs all over the world, in all types of climate.
Well, know that explains that but what exactly is osteoarthritis? I thought only older people suffered from that?
Osteoarthritis is a disease which affects joints in the body. The surface of the joint is damaged and the surrounding bone grows thicker. 'Osteo' means bone and 'arthritis' means joint damage and swelling (inflammation). Other words used to describe osteoarthritis are 'osteoarthrosis', 'arthrosis' and 'degenerative joint disease'.
In my particular case it is the facet joints in portions of my spine that are suffering from this. Sometimes I feel good and do not notice the pain but those days are quite rare. Usually it is just there or rather I have grown use to it. I have done the pain management routine but for the amount of pain it causes and the lack of relief it provides I am not sure I am willing to go that route again.
Pain management for me consisted of a series of epidurals over several weeks. Did he just say epidurals? I thought they only gave that to women who were having babies! Yea, I thought the same thing too and boy howdy was I wrong. By the time my epidural journey was over I had received 10 of them! 3 pre-op at the L5/S1 level 6 post-op at the C-6 level (this one is fun! They go in through the front left side of the neck) and I had one during surgery.
Why did I have 6 post-op at the C-6? Seems during surgery they installed a blood/gas line in my left arm. In the process they nicked the left radial nerve and basically "crashed" it for me. Result was an arm that burned in agonizing pain. The shots were to "re-boot" the nerve so it would somewhat function again. It is working but at times it still burns.
Here is a good link to some information on what an epidural is.
Ironically the condition that I know have arachnoiditis, was possibly caused by shots that were intended to help the pain from the spondylolisthesis.
So you are probably asking yourself how come people with certain types of arthritis can "predict" the rain? I too wondered that some time ago and decided to look it up. Here is what I found.
Does the weather really affect osteoarthritis?
Painful joints are often sensitive to the weather. They tend to feel worse when the atmospheric (barometric) pressure is falling, such as just before it rains. This helps to explain how people with osteoarthritis can predict rain, and why joint pains seem linked with the damp.
However, there is no evidence that different climates have any long-term effect on osteoarthritis or its outcome. The weather may temporarily affect symptoms but not the arthritis itself. There is no point in moving to a different area in the hope of curing osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs all over the world, in all types of climate.
Well, know that explains that but what exactly is osteoarthritis? I thought only older people suffered from that?
Osteoarthritis is a disease which affects joints in the body. The surface of the joint is damaged and the surrounding bone grows thicker. 'Osteo' means bone and 'arthritis' means joint damage and swelling (inflammation). Other words used to describe osteoarthritis are 'osteoarthrosis', 'arthrosis' and 'degenerative joint disease'.
In my particular case it is the facet joints in portions of my spine that are suffering from this. Sometimes I feel good and do not notice the pain but those days are quite rare. Usually it is just there or rather I have grown use to it. I have done the pain management routine but for the amount of pain it causes and the lack of relief it provides I am not sure I am willing to go that route again.
Pain management for me consisted of a series of epidurals over several weeks. Did he just say epidurals? I thought they only gave that to women who were having babies! Yea, I thought the same thing too and boy howdy was I wrong. By the time my epidural journey was over I had received 10 of them! 3 pre-op at the L5/S1 level 6 post-op at the C-6 level (this one is fun! They go in through the front left side of the neck) and I had one during surgery.
Why did I have 6 post-op at the C-6? Seems during surgery they installed a blood/gas line in my left arm. In the process they nicked the left radial nerve and basically "crashed" it for me. Result was an arm that burned in agonizing pain. The shots were to "re-boot" the nerve so it would somewhat function again. It is working but at times it still burns.
Here is a good link to some information on what an epidural is.
Ironically the condition that I know have arachnoiditis, was possibly caused by shots that were intended to help the pain from the spondylolisthesis.
8/27/2004
The human barometer
Well the sky has turned that lovely yellow that only a rainstorm on the plains can bring. The thunder is starting to pick up which means the front it near, let's hope it just keeps on moving. A stalled front sucks! If you have never experienced that it is something you should be thankful for. Stalled fronts spawn wicked tornados and this last spring we had some real humdingers.
Since my surgery I have turned into the "human barometer" as my wife likes to put it. This front must have moved very fast though because I did not feel it a day in advance like normal. You u see, my wife was an atmospheric science major so my back and the weather is something we like to kid around with. She stopped consulting charts and started asking me how I feel to figure out the forecast.
Since the front moved in my back has been throbbing which in turn amplifies the numbness in my leg and foot and the pain in my lower back. That in turn will make lying down later this evening a treat. Something mild to kill the pain and a muscle relaxer to stop the spasms and I should be ok, but they only work for so long and then you are up again. My time frame is about 4 hours and then I am up for a bit before being able to get back to sleep.
Maybe I should think about moving to AZ or someplace with a drier climate? Not sure I could deal with the lack of seasons though. Being a NY'er I have to have my spring, summer, fall, winter. 6 years in the desert of SoCal was enough for me.
Since my surgery I have turned into the "human barometer" as my wife likes to put it. This front must have moved very fast though because I did not feel it a day in advance like normal. You u see, my wife was an atmospheric science major so my back and the weather is something we like to kid around with. She stopped consulting charts and started asking me how I feel to figure out the forecast.
Since the front moved in my back has been throbbing which in turn amplifies the numbness in my leg and foot and the pain in my lower back. That in turn will make lying down later this evening a treat. Something mild to kill the pain and a muscle relaxer to stop the spasms and I should be ok, but they only work for so long and then you are up again. My time frame is about 4 hours and then I am up for a bit before being able to get back to sleep.
Maybe I should think about moving to AZ or someplace with a drier climate? Not sure I could deal with the lack of seasons though. Being a NY'er I have to have my spring, summer, fall, winter. 6 years in the desert of SoCal was enough for me.
A few minutes before lunch time.....
Thought I might get a few minutes in before it is time to feed my son lunch.
One thing that has kept me going throughout my time dealing with spondy has been my wife. When I went into the hospital she had just had a baby 3 months earlier. Now she had to face a few months of taking care of a baby and myself as well as worry about finding a job because I had no disability insurance. It could not have been easy for her and I am sure it had to be both physically and mentally exhausting. So to my wife I have to say "thank you and I love you."
Growing up you always here about lifting things properly or taking care of your back. Funny how we take some things for granted. Looking back 16 years to when I was in the Army and I thought I was invincible. Funny thing is how we age physically but sometimes we forget that we are not 18 anymore. I can no longer run 2 miles in 11 minutes and carry 60kilo ruck, LOL! But we damned sure do try to maintain that image.
Anyway, lunch awaits (PB&J) and some applesauce! :D
One thing that has kept me going throughout my time dealing with spondy has been my wife. When I went into the hospital she had just had a baby 3 months earlier. Now she had to face a few months of taking care of a baby and myself as well as worry about finding a job because I had no disability insurance. It could not have been easy for her and I am sure it had to be both physically and mentally exhausting. So to my wife I have to say "thank you and I love you."
Growing up you always here about lifting things properly or taking care of your back. Funny how we take some things for granted. Looking back 16 years to when I was in the Army and I thought I was invincible. Funny thing is how we age physically but sometimes we forget that we are not 18 anymore. I can no longer run 2 miles in 11 minutes and carry 60kilo ruck, LOL! But we damned sure do try to maintain that image.
Anyway, lunch awaits (PB&J) and some applesauce! :D
So what happens next?
I decided that I should start to document my experiences with Spondylolisthesis and Arachnoiditis. While there is tons of information on the Spondy as well as surgical advances that have made living with it better, there is no known cure or treatment for arch.
What is Spondylolisthesis? Basically it is when one vertebra slips forward of the others. This is a website that I have used since I was diagnose 2 years ago. Great site and tons of information for other ailments. http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article1430.html
How did mine happen? Jury is still out on that one but most likely cause for me was repeated lifting of heavy (75kilos+) of items on the job as well as the beating my body took while I was a grunt in the Army.
Prior to my surgery in March 2003 I spent the better part of the previous year doing pain management and physical therapy in hopes of reducing the symptoms of the Spondylolisthesis. Pain management consisted of epidurals at the L5/S1 as well as muscle relaxers and opiods during flair ups, which can be quite intense and very painful. Imagine a charlie horse in the small of the back that lasts for days. Physical therapy consisted of basic hot/cold treatments and basic muscle toning exercise to develop the groups in the area of the spine affected. While all of these were helpful, in the end I had to much nerve compression at the L5 to continue without surgery. Due to the position of the disc & vertebra the nerve root was being compressed and I was losing feeling down the left leg.
Surgery went very well and I spent about 5 days in the hospital though most of the time was a blur thanks to our old friend Mr. Morphine. I did an overnight in ICU (standard procedure) and then off to the neuro ward to recover. The staff on the ward was excellent and they kept me as comfortable as possible. I do recall watching the ground war on TV as well as my visitors but what I remember most was an unquenchable desire for orange juice. Strange enough since it is not something I would normally have a desire for. Must have been the meds???
What is Spondylolisthesis? Basically it is when one vertebra slips forward of the others. This is a website that I have used since I was diagnose 2 years ago. Great site and tons of information for other ailments. http://www.spineuniverse.com/displayarticle.php/article1430.html
How did mine happen? Jury is still out on that one but most likely cause for me was repeated lifting of heavy (75kilos+) of items on the job as well as the beating my body took while I was a grunt in the Army.
Prior to my surgery in March 2003 I spent the better part of the previous year doing pain management and physical therapy in hopes of reducing the symptoms of the Spondylolisthesis. Pain management consisted of epidurals at the L5/S1 as well as muscle relaxers and opiods during flair ups, which can be quite intense and very painful. Imagine a charlie horse in the small of the back that lasts for days. Physical therapy consisted of basic hot/cold treatments and basic muscle toning exercise to develop the groups in the area of the spine affected. While all of these were helpful, in the end I had to much nerve compression at the L5 to continue without surgery. Due to the position of the disc & vertebra the nerve root was being compressed and I was losing feeling down the left leg.
Surgery went very well and I spent about 5 days in the hospital though most of the time was a blur thanks to our old friend Mr. Morphine. I did an overnight in ICU (standard procedure) and then off to the neuro ward to recover. The staff on the ward was excellent and they kept me as comfortable as possible. I do recall watching the ground war on TV as well as my visitors but what I remember most was an unquenchable desire for orange juice. Strange enough since it is not something I would normally have a desire for. Must have been the meds???
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