I know I'm far from being a liked person on this forum, but I'm going through a lot right now, and could use all the positive thoughts/vibes I can get. My dad has something on his left kidney that may or may not be cancer. My mom is dealing with breast cancer, and has already fought kidney cancer -- waiting for a follow-up to see if it's gone. And finally, I injured my back over the summer, and sought feedback from one of the best orthopedic practices in the country. I have five herniated discs...my entire lumbar spine. I had my pre-admission testing yesterday (Tuesday), and my surgery is scheduled for November 4. I'm 31, and this will be my third back surgery. In addition to the herniations, I was diagnosed with congenital stenosis.

I have full confidence in my surgeon, but as I'm sure any of you can understand, any surgery involving the spinal cord has its risks, and I am nervous.

Unlike my previous back surgeries, I know what caused this injury. I was helping my dad unload the car from shopping, and I carried in way too many bags in one trip.

After my surgery and recovery, I am trying to get some sort of funding to go back to school...to be an airline dispatcher. I've spent my couple months incognito dealing with my back and thinking about my future.

Thanks in advance,

Marc

Marc, good luck with your surgery and I hope that all will be fine, as with your parents.

I wish you and your parents all the best and also quick recovery from the surgery to you.

I'll pray for you and your family. Hope things get better for everyone, fast.

I'll think of you, Cadet985. Nobody should have to get through what you and your family is going through.

David

I'm not the praying type, but I certainly hope you all get through this. That's a lot to deal with and I'm sorry.

Sending all my positive thoughts. Hoping for the best.

Sending all my positive thoughts. Hoping for the best.

Sending good thoughts for you and your family.

All the best mate. Please keep us updated about you and your family.

I am praying for you and your family Marc, and I am glad you posted here. I believe in the power of prayer.

Cadet985 wrote:

My dad has something on his left kidney that may or may not be cancer.

Been there. Both my stepfather and dad.

So know how you feel:
There's going to be a range of emotions, both up and down. Just know that it's perfectly normal.

Best wishes to you and those you love.

That's a lot of bad stuff all at once - wishing you all the best.
Went through a similar stretch myself about a year and a half ago so I can imagine some of what you are dealing with

I will remember you in my prayers and your parents. You need to be strong for there sake.
Have faith in your doctors, follow there instructions after the operation.
Best of luck

Best wishes & thinking of you. That's a hard row to hoe.

Gemuser

Best wishes

I am holding a vision of you and your parents all being restored to full health, and you on your chosen path to becoming an airline dispatcher!

Please let us know how things progress going forward.

One of the hardest things in life is to realize one's parents aren't immortal. Helping them deal with illness, especially serious ones, is something almost no one is prepared to deal with.

Thoughts and prayers as you go through this.

I also send my best wish's for you and your family.

Wish you all the best and encourage everyone to wear back braces if at all possible. I'm you're facing some pain as well and there are newer methods of blocking the nerve signals using radiotherapy or inserted spinal devices if needed.

All the best to you and your family.

Hey mate,
You are and will be a survivor, just like me.
Sing the Chumbawamba song 'Tubthumping'....
"I get knocked down,
But I get up again,
Ain't nothing gonna hold me down..."
Have faith, have trust, believe in yourself.... Worked for me and it'll work for you.
All the best mate,
Bunumuring.

Thank-you all for the kind words and thoughts. Surgery is on November 4, and I am starting to get very nervous.

Marc

Marc in the past we didn't agree on few things, but, i don't know if you believe in God.
Twice lately i was that close of bying it, found prayers is a big help, it calms you down.
Marc, pray to whom you like, Budha, God or any other, but pray.

Wishing you the best, will be on my laptop on the fifth of November waiting to hear from you and that all went just fine

SOBHI51 wrote:

Marc in the past we didn't agree on few things, but, i don't know if you believe in God.
Twice lately i was that close of bying it, found prayers is a big help, it calms you down.
Marc, pray to whom you like, Budha, God or any other, but pray.

Wishing you the best, will be on my laptop on the fifth of November waiting to hear from you and that all went just fine

I'll have my iPhone with me, and will post on here after surgery.

Incidentally, I might postpone it. I applied for an absentee ballot three weeks ago, the dead line to have them at the county board of elections is Friday, and I still haven't gotten mine, and if I don't have it by tomorrow or Wednesday, it's not like I'm in constant pain right now...the surgery could be put off.

Thank-you,

Marc

Stay safe and strong - easy to say from behind a monitor, I know. But all good thoughts to you and yours anyways.

It sounds like you are in a tough spot. Know that it will get better, because YOU will get better at it.

Another thing I saw that I agree with, is stay strong for your parents. They deserve it. Pulling for you Cadet985

Update:

Surgery postponed one week.

Surgery is now scheduled for January 13. Unless I get really sick or there's a winter storm, or something happens to the surgeon, I'm not rescheduling it again.

Marc

Good Luck Marc!

Best wishes for a successful surgery, followed by a speedy and complete recovery!

Marc. I will keep you and your parents in my thoughts and prayers. Hope you all have a speedy recovery.

May you all have a happy and prosperous new year.

I wish you and your family well.

We all on here can agree to disagree that's ok..Like everyone else here wishing your family well and best wishes for a successful surgery

Good luck, God bless

All the very best for you and your parents. The wife and I have been through various issues like you and your parents. In October my wife's 23 year old breast re-emerged and she basically said to hell with 'em. Outstanding woman surgeon with 23 years experience and both of us are delighted.

BTW, if your mother had surgery you can let her know about an organization called Knitted Knockers, which is basically caring women who kinit light weight "replacements" for surgery patients. There is one pair available and there is no charge, even for postage. For knitters the patterns are available and ladies are gently encouraged to help others. My wife's arrived the day after asking for a pair.

Been through the kidney cancer also and I can personally tell you that it is a bitch of a surgery, pain wise, even when it is done with the robot. My pain level was worse than the prostate surgery. Looks like the annual CT scan this Tuesday was OK as there has been no panic calls from the Urologist.

The real challenge will be your back issues because you have a lot of years to live. You may have lots of challenges ahead with therapy but if you stay compliant you can get there. Good luck on the surgery and don't delay in asking for morphine!

My dad had a procedure called cryoablasion on his kidney, and the surgeon is 95% sure they got the cancer. He'll be monitored the rest of his life.

My mother who also has spots on her kidneys requires more testing.

With two parents with kidney cancer, I've already been checked, and luckily, the tests came back negative for me.

I'm very anxious about my surgery...the last couple days I've been in very little pain and have actually thought about totally canceling the surgery, but people in a back pain support group I'm in tell me that herniated discs don't just disappear, that my body has likely just become so used to the pain that I don't feel it.

One week and counting...

Thanks for all the words of encouragement.

Marc

It's been awhile since I posted, and within the last few days, we have a development.

After I saw the surgeon and called off surgery, we agreed for a six month follow-up. Well, it's been about six months. In that time, the pain in my lumbar spine has returned with a vengeance...but I am also experiencing weakness on my left side - my arm, hand leg...you get the picture. We have surgery on my cervical spine scheduled for the 30th of June. I am having an MRI later today to see if there are any changes from the last one that was done last fall. The cervical spine is the concern, and I am getting a shot next week in my lumbar spine in hopes that this will at least mask the symptoms enough for me to rehab the cervical spine. I have two herniated discs in the cervical spine. There is no pain with this, aside from occasional aches in my left shoulder,

The procedure will involve fusion and a plate, so I am very nervous. It can only make my life better; right now, I can't stand, sit, or lay for prolonged periods of time without pain medication - which I take VERY sparingly...far less than even prescribed.

Positive thoughts, prayers, vibes, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Marc

I do wish you all the best. Although not trying to compete here, I have 3 hernias!!, all in the lumbar part of my spine. About a year and a half ago it was so bad I couldnt walk. I had pain, not in my back, but rather in my right leg. Towards the end it hurt even to rub something against my leg. I had to postpone a trip to visit my terminally ill dad for his birthday (he passed away a few months after his birthday) so it was heartbreaking, tough, unfair.

Luckily I had a very good surgeon who dealt with one of the 3 hernias, which was the one causing all the issues. Luckily he was very good, and after a couple months back of rehabilitation I got my life back.

One thing I'll say though, you mentioned things got worse when you lifted some bags.... do not lift anything. I don't anymore. I can't go back to the pains and constant tablets for it, so I am very strict about not carrying anything heavy. Luckily I have a partner who deals with the suitcases when we travel....

Not a religious man, but sending you all the best.

You got this.

Good luck, I hope you have success and relief from this treatment.

I've been through that surgery twice and the second time was far easier because they have gone from cutting a bit of bone from the hip (really painful) to using the plates. There were about 20 years between the surgeries so I can attest that it is an effective surgery.

The surgery is pretty simple - a small incision in the neck and then moving to reach the disc. Because stuff in the neck run north & south the reaching the disks is sort of like spreading beaded curtains. When I woke up after both surgeries I had to feel around for the bandaid to figure out what the incision was. No pain after the second one, but the plate could irritate a bit from time to time during the first month.

BTW, the pain in the shoulder, arm and hand are indications that the discs need taken care of. If they go too long you may be stuck with the numbness. After my first surgery the disc related pain was gone - like flipping off a light switch.

Take care and enjoy some pretty neat pre-op drugs as wall as drugs in Recovery.

Good luck. You can't lift heavy things ever again and buy a back brace post op to keep you straight. If you need some inspiration, here's some:

https://youtu.be/p5mmFPyDK_8

You are in my prayers and thoughts. Don't give up, you can conquer your pain and fear.
I believe in God, so God bless, keep us informed.

Good luck with it, although good luck isn't what is needed for the surgery as you won't remember a damned thing about it. Anaesthesia is great like that. Bang! and it's over.

The good luck is best kept for the recovery and rehabilitation. My big surgery last year (CABG) was over (to me) in the blink of eye, as will yours be. After that it's a process of getting you mobile fast and then pushing the boundaries day by day. My best wishes for that as the surgeons will have the other stuff covered.

It's been 7months, how are you feeling now? I hope you and your family is doing fine now.

ogre727 wrote:

I do wish you all the best. Although not trying to compete here, I have 3 hernias!!, all in the lumbar part of my spine. About a year and a half ago it was so bad I couldnt walk. I had pain, not in my back, but rather in my right leg. Towards the end it hurt even to rub something against my leg. I had to postpone a trip to visit my terminally ill dad for his birthday (he passed away a few months after his birthday) so it was heartbreaking, tough, unfair.

Luckily I had a very good surgeon who dealt with one of the 3 hernias, which was the one causing all the issues. Luckily he was very good, and after a couple months back of rehabilitation I got my life back.

One thing I'll say though, you mentioned things got worse when you lifted some bags.... do not lift anything. I don't anymore. I can't go back to the pains and constant tablets for it, so I am very strict about not carrying anything heavy. Luckily I have a partner who deals with the suitcases when we travel....

Not a religious man, but sending you all the best.

1, Thanks for the wishes.

2. Unless I'm carrying a "lazy man's load" after shopping, the heaviest I usually lift is a gallon of milk or my laptop. I hate having to ask for help as the majority of people look at me and only see a lazy fat guy.

solarflyer22 wrote:

Good luck. You can't lift heavy things ever again and buy a back brace post op to keep you straight. If you need some inspiration, here's some:

https://youtu.be/p5mmFPyDK_8

I was given a back brace prior to the surgery that I cancelled, and will be getting a neck brace before this surgery.

SOBHI51 wrote:

You are in my prayers and thoughts. Don't give up, you can conquer your pain and fear.
I believe in God, so God bless, keep us informed.

Will do. Wishing you an easy Ramadan.

Channex757 wrote:

Good luck with it, although good luck isn't what is needed for the surgery as you won't remember a damned thing about it. Anaesthesia is great like that. Bang! and it's over.

The good luck is best kept for the recovery and rehabilitation. My big surgery last year (CABG) was over (to me) in the blink of eye, as will yours be. After that it's a process of getting you mobile fast and then pushing the boundaries day by day. My best wishes for that as the surgeons will have the other stuff covered.

I'm having an ACDF - Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion.

alexinvasion wrote:

It's been 7months, how are you feeling now? I hope you and your family is doing fine now.

It's been up and down the last few months.

Thanks for all your thoughts,

Marc

Cadet985 wrote:

2. Unless I'm carrying a "lazy man's load" after shopping, the heaviest I usually lift is a gallon of milk or my laptop. I hate having to ask for help as the majority of people look at me and only see a lazy fat guy.
Marc

I fully understand how do you feel Marc. I'm forbidden to lift anything above 20 lbs due to heart damage caused by infective endocarditis. So when we go grocery shopping with Mrs. Wildcat, she's moving the stuff from the cart to the trunk. I'm just standing there, looking like an idiot. Can't wait for it to be over, but with our beautiful health care system it may take another year. Well, if the waiting doesn't cause even more damage...

Good luck with your surgery, Marc. Keep us posted.

I had a steroid injection in my lumbar spine this past Wednesday, and my blood sugars have been really high. I'm on insulin at least temporarily.

Marc

Steroids can do that to you so don't sweat that. Regular steroid treatment can actually trigger a form of Cushing's Syndrome and high blood sugar plus eventual diabetes is all part of what happens.
It'll settle.

As for the lazy fat guy thing, I invite you to use a traditional British riposte to anyone who intimates that to you. Just tell them in no uncertain terms to go and fuck themselves and mind their own business.

You, I and anyone else who has medical issues can do without body shaming. It's wasted emotion and wasted energy best kept for getting better. I could tell you the story of how that became important to me but it's a bit too yucky for here, but it was a cardiac critical care nurse who explained that to me. Don't let people sap your energy by body shaming you and certainly don't waste energy doing it to yourself.