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Well, on Monday I met with the Neurosurgeon. Thinks were worse than I thought. I have 4 levels of damaged herniated bulging disks in my neck and cervical stenosis(narrowing of the spinal canal) The doc said usually people will have a couple of levels of herniation, but not 4 like I do. Surgery would be 8-10 hours and recovery...months! He thinks that there is just too much damage and to try to stablize it would be very hard to do. He feels that I am just too young to undergo something like this right now....which is good I guess because surgery is not going to happen right now.
The MRI looked really bad. You could see where the disks are actually pushing into the spinal cord. I asked the doc, "So, does this mean that I can no longer race my car?" You should have seen his face....classic! He said, "What?!?!" I said, "Yeah...I wanna know if I can keep racing my car. I like auto xing." He shook his head and said, "No." THIS SUCKS!!!! He told me that I need to be extremely careful to not get into a wreck as I could very easily end up paralyzed for the rest of my life. I can no longer enjoy roller coasters, horseback riding, water skiing...anything that will jar or exagerate neck movements. It's taken me a couple of days to try to come to terms with this...it just sucks so bad!!! He has me in physical therapy for the next month and then epidural shots if that doesn't help. When I start loosing function of my hands and tripping over my feet, then it will be surgery time.....
Is there a statute of limitations on how long you have to sue someone in an auto accident??? It's been 20 years, so I'm probably outta luck, huh?
Sorry for the long post but I just needed to vent and I just cannot keep thinking how much this sucks! I LOVE my car and cars in general and LOVE playing in them...maybe I seriously need to start looking into rebuilding them....Chip Foose in the making?
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It'd take me a lot more than a couple days to come to grips with it. Hopefully you get a really good physical therapist and it makes a bigger difference than the doctor could ever imagine. As for the statute of limitations...yeah, I think you might be just a little SOL there. Heck, I wasn't even able to get a chiropractic exam covered just 1 1/2 years after being rear-ended...they'd probably laugh in your face after 20 years When will they realize that injuries don't always show up right away.
Posts: 1143 | From: Portland, OR | Registered: Nov 2001
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Sorry to hear that. My Dad had a similar problem but not so compounded and after wearing a neck brace off and on and physical therapy for several months it did get better. He even did one session of acupucture which he said did seem to help the "pressure" feeling somewhat. Just a thought.
Hang in there and just try to be positive. There is a higher power than doctors. Just try to keep the faith.
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I'm so sorry to hear this news, Pam....but physical therapy can work wonders, along with a positive attitude....and you always have such a great attitude about everything. And fwiw, you might want to get a 2nd opinion, too, especially after the physical therapy.
Thank goodness you'll still get to go to BG!! We'll have a blast!! You and I can be the official go-kart photographers!! (I ain't gettin' in there....those people are too MEAN! ....especially Mary.... )
Posts: 3236 | From: Dallas, Texas | Registered: Nov 2002
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Sorry to hear about your back problem. I hope things work put for you.
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When you start your physical therapy (PT) program, as your therapist about setting up a permanent exercise routine to strengthen your neck, upper back and lower back. This would be for AFTER your PT ends (you'll probably only get so much of it). Then join a gym and have one of their trainers help you to tailer the rountine into a regular workout schedule. Although this won't resolve all of your problems, it will certainly help.
-------------------- Jim Mac '98 Silver SS #108 Posts: 1907 | From: I hope I'm not repeating myself. Again. And Again. Stop picking on me! Waaahhh!! | Registered: Feb 2000
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Agree with Jim. Excersize can work wonders. But you need a routine and you have to stick with it. I do a light workout every morning. In the gym there is a 75 year old man that has had a back problem for 30 years. He's a little crooked at the spine, but he feels great and does 45 minutes on the tread mill everyday. He's convinced his back excersizes have kept him from needing surgery. (delayed over 30 years!)
Keep your chin up, we're all pulling with you and ask you PT for a routine you can do in about 1/2 hour 5 days a week.
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Wife & Best Friend Mary - copilot. Posts: 5558 | From: Windsor, Ontario. Canada | Registered: Feb 2000
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It'd take me a lot more than a couple days to come to grips with it. Hopefully you get a really good physical therapist and it makes a bigger difference than the doctor could ever imagine. As for the statute of limitations...yeah, I think you might be just a little SOL there. Heck, I wasn't even able to get a chiropractic exam covered just 1 1/2 years after being rear-ended...they'd probably laugh in your face after 20 years ![[Mad]](mad.gif)
When will they realize that injuries don't always show up right away.
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