A Bit Further Down the Road

[ArcticDiver]

It has been four months since The Fall and a few days over seven weeks since surgery. Time to share again how things are going. This helps me and maybe will help others since what happened to me can happen to anyone. I fell on the ice. But, almolst any other fall could have done the same thing.

Lying there pre-op, half sedated and the surgeon asking me to sign an authorization for an "Off The Label" procedure was a bit disconcerting. But, the guy had a sterling reputation and I was going to end up in a wheelchair anyway without treatment so I signed my name. I think "patient management" is why that is when people are asked to sign, rather than when they have a chance to do a meaningful review. It is too early to tell how it is all going to turn out since internal healing around the spine won't be complete for 8-12 weeks from surgery and then I have the rehab of the atrophied muscles.

But, although I am frustrated and do have bouts of pain that the naproxen has trouble handling things seem to be going well. I have narcotics but haven't taken any since discharge from the hospital. I have a 5 step/landing/9 step staircase in the house and am able to navigate that. In fact in the house I don't use crutches at all. For distances and navigating around stores, etc I either use crutches or a shopping cart as a walker. Sometimes, when I'm feeling bold and no one is around to get in the way I try just walking. Slow and frustrating as my situation is I can measure progress. But, it is going to be a long, painful process with no certain outcome at the end.

Optimism tempered by realism is the rule of the day. Actually, considering what happened and the result in other people I'm pretty fortunate.

[Linedog]

Very glad to hear things are progressing along.

[Dusty2]

Any progress is better than none!

[oldsalt]

But, it is going to be a long, painful process with no certain outcome at the end.

Optimism tempered by realism is the rule of the day. Actually, considering what happened and the result in other people I'm pretty fortunate.

This may describe your recovery, but it accurately describes life in general. I have been wondering when you were going to give us an update. My shoulder surgery resulted from a fall on ice. I am sure that any question you have about your rate of recovery will be answered with, "At your age..."
Been there.
- Curt

[ifixedit]

I'm glad to here your on the road to recovery. I am recovering from lower back surgery myself(9/2)"Just" a discectomy, bone spur removal and stripping of scar tissue around the sciatic nerve root and stalk. I read your thread with great interest because of all the success stories of post surgery diving. In the weeks prior to my procedure I was terrified that "this time" (4 surgeries to date) would be the end of my diving. Kudos to you not using the narcotics so quickly. I wish you continued success in your recovery and I'm sure you have heard this before listen to your body and don't push to far.

[BASSMAN]

I'm glad to here your on the road to recovery. I am recovering from lower back surgery myself(9/2)"Just" a discectomy, bone spur removal and stripping of scar tissue around the sciatic nerve root and stalk. I read your thread with great interest because of all the success stories of post surgery diving. In the weeks prior to my procedure I was terrified that "this time" (4 surgeries to date) would be the end of my diving. Kudos to you not using the narcotics so quickly. I wish you continued success in your recovery and I'm sure you have heard this before listen to your body and don't push to far.

Hey! I'm right there too! (4 surgeries = low back) Decompression w/ Lamanectomy, Re-do of the Decompresion, Discectomy
and the last surgery was to try to correct some of the nerve damage from the three previous surgeries. (no help).
As of today, I live with constant pain in both feet and some in my legs. I take no narcotics and have been told by my doctor "No more Ibuprophen or Tylonal!" I do take massive dose of Gabbapentin and also Quinine Sulfate.
My only true relief is when I'm diving. I'm sure it's a whole combination of things like no weight on my feet or but, Cold and compression with neutral bouyancy. but most of all, I think it's mostly the distraction I get from concentrating on the dive and not my pain.
My other way of dealing with the pain is to accept it is there and if I can bring a level 6, down to a level 5, That is a big deal! Even if it's just a streach or relaxation, breathing. Yeah getting old sux, but at least I can still dive.
Tom-Nic put it in a great perspective, while in Bonaire he said, "Look at how many old people are diving" "That just means when we are really old, we can still be diving and doing trips to places like Bonaire!"

Final Note: I often tell myself and others, "At least I have feet, that can hurt!" "It could be so much worse!"

[ifixedit]

Hi, Bassman. Your right about beeing lucky to be on two usable feet. Way to many stories of Vets without. We met when I gave you the gift card for Kirbies family. I'm looking forward to a Thursday at TTN.

[ArcticDiver]

I was a bit bashful about posting my progress. After all this is a diving forum and I only know most of you via this site. With so much misery in this world what is some semi-stranger's concerns to me seems to be a fairly constant theme in our society. Now I'm glad I did post.

We share something more than a recreational sport. We share a portion of life's miseries and how we cope with them. We share not in the vein of misery loves company, but in the idea of how each of us is mentally and physically coping with adversity. In today's world of income focused medicine this is important not just from a personal health perspective.

Back to my progress:

Oldsalt commented on everything being prefaced by "...at your age". Absolutely. My PT person said that I am fighting age related decline (as if everyone over 26 isn't). She said that there is a decent chance I'll make full recovery to what a normal person of my age can do. But, I will probably never get back to where I was. Her rationale is that by the time I get back to "normal" next July it will take another year, or so for athletic conditioning. By then I'll be two years older and the effect of age related decline will mean that my conditioning level then won't come close to where I was pre-fall. In effect I will never be where I was, no matter what. At first, until I thought about it, her comments were demoralizing. Then I mentally chasitised myself and realized that none of us are what we were.

Diving:
With this spinal decompression situation I'm not sure what diving is in my future. As I earlier posted DAN was of no help at all, which from their past history is what I expected. Others have not given very good guidance. Some say that diving with nerve damage of any nature is not only not a good idea, it is a disqualification for diving. Yet, you folks are doing it. What is your rationale? Difficulties? How do you protect against the weight of the scuba kit causing more damage and thus creating an in-water adverse situation?



Edit:
I stand by my earlier post: This has been a life changing event. Not a life ending event. That is true mentally and physically.

[RoxnDox]

Glad things are going good, sounds like everything is progressing very well!

I'm kinda like Bassman - I just try to accept the remaining pain (though my docs have not forbidden me from the tylenol etc), and I try to adjust life where I can to lessen the amount... I am still taking the Gabapentin as well. I haven't done much in hte way of diving to find good methods, but I'm going to try doing just one tank instead of two, and see if that works. My other options to get weight off my shoulder (backplate/wing with one of those web harnesses, or learning sidemount) might happen, but I'm going to see how the shortened time works first...

Jim

[BASSMAN]

Hi, Bassman. Your right about beeing lucky to be on two usable feet. Way to many stories of Vets without. We met when I gave you the gift card for Kirbies family. I'm looking forward to a Thursday at TTN.

Waitng for ya!

I had to have a dive physical prior to my volunteering at the aquarium. The Doctor told me I was cleared for recreational diving and aquarium diving, but not commercial diving. He also said, "if you ever get put in to a Decompression chamber, plan on being there for a long time. Because, with the kind of nerve damage you have, (in all of my toes) you would have to go back in, after a neurological assessment was done, at the completion of a chamber ride." The weight of the Scuba unit for me, is greatly distributed with a DUI harness, a steel Back Plate and a HP 100 cu ft tank. I have thought about getting a couple of steel, HP 80's, but my air consumption is not at a girls level yet. If you ever get a chance to strap an HP 80 on your back for a shallow dive, you'll love it! And of course warm water diving is liberating as well. By the advise of my Ortho doctor, who also is a diver, He said, "Always follow someone in and out of the water so you can watch where they are stepping." Sometimes I wonder if diving is making my pain worse and then I get in the water and all doubt is gone. With careful entry and exits on shore dives. And hand up gear as needed for a exit on to a boat. I also use the slow and steady exit, while climbing up a boat ladder. My best advise...Always lift with a neutral spine, use your legs and NEVER twist!

This is a good thread! Thanks!

Keith.

[WylerBear]

Arctic Diver, Glad to hear of your progress. It seems you have the right mental and emotional outlook which goes a very long way in the healing progress. With luck and time, the physical outlook will eventually be at a level that allows you to do what you love to do.
I don't have back problems but have lots of knee problems. I've had 3 knee surgeries and just had the third of three injections for pain because there is very little time when I'm not in pain. I can't take pain meds because I've had heart issues and am on blood thinners. But I've learned to adapt and diving is one of the few times when I don't have pain (once I'm in the water, at least). Like Keith, I take it slow, watch entries & exits, & dive with a smaller tank (I DO breathe like a girl so I can do a pretty good dive on an HP80).
I am in fear of bad falls since my knee gives out on me occasionally & I'm not the most graceful person around anyway. My mom took a bad fall walking down the sidewalk many years ago and never fully regained the use of her arm because of the rotator cuff injury that resulted. So I try to be careful but sometimes it's hard to remember to go slow and steady and to remember that I'm not 20 anymore.
I'm sorry that you had this happen to you but hope you continue to recover. Good luck to you and keep us posted. Even though we've never met, we are all part of this same big, crazy "family" of divers.
This IS a good thread.

[BASSMAN]

Georgia,
Your Signature line says it all!

NOT diving is NOT an option!

I always wait untill my Doctor gives me the "A-OK"
If I had to cut out cold water diving, I would just do more warm water trips.

[ArcticDiver]

Georgia,
Your Signature line says it all!

NOT diving is NOT an option!

I always wait untill my Doctor gives me the "A-OK"
If I had to cut out cold water diving, I would just do more warm water trips.

Looks like we are all in the same camp. We enjoy diving. Since I have to travel anyway I've been fortunate enough to sample a fairly wide variety. With the exception of some where I just couldn't accomodate the participant's egos or the situation was just plain boring all has been wonderful.

I wonder what used dry suits, too many cylinders, dual bladder wing and extra BPs go for?

[BASSMAN]

ArcticDiver,
Let me know when your back in the water, so I can come up and do a couple of dives with you!
Mid week works best for me, just tell me when and where and I'll fly up!

Keith.

[ArcticDiver]

ArcticDiver,
Let me know when your back in the water, so I can come up and do a couple of dives with you!
Mid week works best for me, just tell me when and where and I'll fly up!

Keith.

Now that would be a pair! Looks like we both have a goal to work toward.

My next event is to get off the crutches. After today at the gym using the hand cycle and nautilus machines I did some walking without them. Wobbly and a bit weak. The legs feel like I'm moving pieces of lumber. But they move! Tomorrow is PT. Maybe some good feedback on a realistic no crutch date? I'm on Alaska Air in early Oct to go back to Denver. It would be nice to be off by then.

You gave me an idea. Why not try to get all of us spine people together in the Spring for some diving? Location TBD.

[BASSMAN]

You gave me an idea. Why not try to get all of us spine people together in the Spring for some diving? Location TBD.

Count me in!

[Octoloco]

Can I get in with no surgeries but 2 old compression fractures?

All the advise and caring words are good and true. You sound more dedicated than I was at 17 so you should do well.

I fortunately have a wonderful husband that carries my tanks if needed and always holds my hand for stability coming out of the water. I'll bet there are many people that would carry your tank to the water for you (I don't know about holding your hand though).

At the last Expo a rep had designed a wheeled system that somehow connects to your tank while you're diving - so you push or pull your gear into the water on a cart and back out again.

Once in the water - all is well and perfect in the world.

[ifixedit]

WOW diving for the surgicaly challenged! There you go someone, a no charge business idear. Yes idear. Please note, that was not intended in any way to insult or malign ANY OTHER challenged group. I have spent a great deal of time thinking about what sort of devices I could knock together for myself to aid in donning and doffing my kit. The fear of reinjury is real but the love of the experiences keeps it to a dull roar in the back of my head.

[Octoloco]

If you make it, they will come (and dive)!

[BASSMAN]

Best piece of dive gear assistance has been my tailgate on my truck!

[BASSMAN]

Best piece of dive gear assistance has been my tailgate on my truck!

[ArcticDiver]

Bassman you started something for sure.

I had a reality check yesterday when my physical therapist got back from her hunting trip and we had a chance to get rolling. Also, was exactly 8 weeks since surgery so my limitations eased a bit. Anyway, whe put me on the leg press machine. "That is 35#. Think you can do that?" After 5 minutes of that I was sweating. The rest of the session went the same way.

One of the good things about our conversations is that Realistic Optimism has been the rule of the day. Otherwise I would have been crushed.

Thanks

[oldsalt]

It seems that the primary function on my physical therapist was to keep me humble. My family would assert that is an impossible task. Every time I would walk into therapy saying, "Look what I can do.", he would say ,"Now try this." When I would whine about my general weakness or progress that I judged to be too slow, he would say, "For those of you in your seventh decade..." I had never thought about myself like that before. As you have said, this is life changing, not life ending. Your are probably not going to dive the Andrea Doria nor race in the Tour de anything, but you are smart and determined. And, as in the case of many of those who have posted, you will adapt and continue your adventures. Good luck to ArcticDiver all my fellow cripples who have posted on this forum. In the words of Red Green, "We're all in this together."
-Curt

[ArcticDiver]

Actually Oldsalt your therapist can use a humorous math lesson. We are in our Eighth Decade.

I'm rewording my motivational: This has been a Life Changing, not a Life Ending event. The more I think about it the more I think that theme really applies to all of us who have had spinal problems.

To make me feel even more fortunate: I was leaving the gym today after a session on the hand cycle and nautilus preacher bench. A female who looked to be about 10 or so years younger than me asked if she could help me. After I told her I'd make it just fine on my crutches she asked what happened. After I told her she shared she had worn a crotch to armpit cast for 9 months. Of that several months had been spent in bed. She still has pain and can't sit for more than a few minutes. She had been in a vehicle accident. We both were encouraged by the conversation.

We are a needy people indeed. With mutual support life is much more bearable and even fun. Everyone here has said that in one way or another.