#L5 S1 microdiscectomy

[alien-cookiez]

So it's been a week since my microdiscectomy. I've had a herniated disc for 15 years at L5/S1. It just kept progressing over the years and my dumbass just kept pushing through.

Let's talk about it and how things have gone so far.

Day 1: Surgery day. I woke up and felt no pressure and no pain in my legs. My pain was very well controlled with meds. (the heavy shit Morphine, Dilaudid, vicodin) was able to get up and use the bathroom.

Day 2: I think my body was in more shock than it was pain. Very shaky/wobbly. Still very medicated at this point. Was on another planet. Went home. 3 hour car ride wasn't terrible. Moved to pain pills at this point instead of IV. (I preferred the pills because they lasted longer, tis why we have so many addicts) This is also the day I started having muscle spasms in my lower back, legs and hips. It felt like I had bugs crawling around in those areas and I honestly thought I was losing my mind. They assured me it was normal but you could sit and watch my muscles just dance. Trippy.

Day 3: Was able to shower and start taking small walks. Pain was bearable with medication. Still was having muscle spasms. This was a good day.

Day 4: The swelling started. As the day progressed the pain got worse. Not necessarily the incision area but the muscles surrounding it. I still made myself get up and walk to my little post a few times. Definitely felt unsteady.

Day 5: Haha. PAIN. There it was. I had been waiting for this kind of pain. Pain with every movement. I still couldn't sit straight up at this point either. This was the worst day but the muscle spasms stopped.

Day 6: Pain and swelling are still there but it's controlled with Tylenol. I kept walking and decided to try to drive up the road and it went well. It was comfortable to sit in my car because I have great seats lol.

Day 6: Woke up with very little pain. Had some muscle soreness. Decided to take a drive and did just fine with some Tylenol. Went and saw QB this night and was feeling pretty good. Muscles started to get sore after a bit.

Day 7: Woke up pretty sore. Both cheeks felt like I had done some major workout. Wild. I only had to take Tylenol/ibuprofen once.

Day 8: Today I'm still pretty sore. My left leg is more so than the right. That was the one effected more before the surgery. The muscles up my whole back, sides and hips are just on fire like I worked out heavily yesterday lol. They feel pretty tired/weak. I did take some ibuprofen this morning when I got up and it feels better now.

[betterbacksbetterliving]

Understanding and Treating L4 L5 Disc Bulge

Are you experiencing persistent lower back pain that radiates down your legs? It could be due to a common spinal issue known as an L4 L5 disc bulge. In this article, we'll delve into what exactly this condition entails and explore effective treatment options that can help you find relief and get back to enjoying life pain-free.

What is an L4 L5 Disc Bulge?

The human spine is made up of a series of vertebrae, cushioned by intervertebral discs that act as shock absorbers. These discs have a tough outer layer (annulus fibrosus) and a gel-like inner core (nucleus pulposus). When the outer layer weakens or tears, the inner gel can protrude outward, causing a bulge or herniation.

The L4-L5 disc refers to the disc between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae in the lower back. A bulge at this level can put pressure on nearby nerves, leading to symptoms such as:

Lower back pain

Pain or numbness that radiates down one or both legs (sciatica)

Weakness or tingling in the legs or feet

Treatment Options for L4 L5 Disc Bulge

Conservative Treatments: In many cases, symptoms of an L5-s1 disc bulge treatment can be managed effectively with conservative measures, including:

Rest and activity modification

Physical therapy to strengthen the muscles supporting the spine and improve flexibility

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce pain and inflammation

Epidural steroid injections to deliver anti-inflammatory medication directly to the affected area

Minimally Invasive Procedures: If conservative treatments fail to provide relief, or if symptoms are severe, minimally invasive procedures may be recommended. These can include:

Lumbar Microdiscectomy: A surgical procedure to remove the portion of the herniated disc that is pressing on the nerve root.

Lumbar Decompression: This procedure aims to relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots by removing portions of bone or tissue that are compressing them.

Lifestyle Modifications: Making certain lifestyle changes can also help manage symptoms and prevent further injury. These may include:

Maintaining a healthy weight to reduce stress on the spine

Practicing good posture and body mechanics

Engaging in regular exercise to strengthen the core muscles and improve overall spine health

Choosing the Right Treatment

When it comes to treating an L4 L5 disc bulge, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The most appropriate treatment will depend on factors such as the severity of your symptoms, your overall health, and your personal preferences. It's essential to work closely with a healthcare provider, such as a neck pain specialist or spine specialist, to develop a treatment plan tailored to your needs.

At Better Backs Better Living, we understand the impact that spine-related issues can have on your quality of life. That's why we offer personalized treatment options designed to address the root cause of your pain and help you achieve long-lasting relief. If you're struggling with an L4 L5 disc bulge or any other spine-related problem, don't hesitate to reach out to us. Together, we can work towards a healthier, happier, and more active lifestyle.

[medikreview]

L5 S1 Lumbar Microdiscectomy

Lumbar disc surgery- Microdiscectomy A procedure for sciatica with fast and painless recovery.

L5S1 Lumbar Microdiscectomy is surgical removal of herniated disc fragments which are pressing on the nerve root. The surgery is safe, painless, uses small incision, has minimal blood loss, excellent outcomes and faster return to work. Lumbar disc surgery is the surgery to remove herniated disc fragments in the lumbar spine, causing pressure on nerve roots. Lumbar Microdiscectomy is lumbar disc…

[astangayurveda]

Find the PIVD from the root

Lower back pain may be a quite common complaint in all age groups. We all have experienced back pain at some time in our life time. It may be calls for PIVD. Sometimes, it persists and affects our routine and becomes a matter of concern. But, in fact, most of the days it simply stiffness or muscle strain because hard work, prolong standing, sternuous excercise, play, or after lifting some heavy object. Such back pain isn’t because to any underlying disease. Gentle or moderate level of pain gets relieved by taking analgesics (like an adult may take Diclofenac 50 mg after meal, SOS) and after taking rest. The other causes of backache are muscle sprain, muscle pull, strain, wrong posture, etc.

                         Pain could be a subjective sensation and the complaint of backache may vary from person to person. For example, for an athlete the lower backache after a prolong run or play may not be of an excellent concern but similar intensity of pain could also be terribly draining for an old age person. So, delicate back pain which can be explained on the premise of obvious cause like prolong walk and play should not be investigated. Bed rest is the best medical recommendation for relieving backache. However, severe persistent backache without any obvious precipitating factor may warrant a consultation with the medical specialist. Orthopedicians, Physiotherapists, Sport medicine physicians, Neurologists and Neurosurgeons commonly encounter patients with complaints of lower backache. 

The human spine is formed of alternating vertebrae and intervertebral discs extending from the neck to the tail bone. The intervertebral discs are the ‘shock absorbers’ of the body and are composed of an outer strong fibrous membrane and an inner ‘jelly-like’ nucleus giving both strength and elasticity. A disc prolapse occurs when there is a weakening in the outer membrane which leads to a protrusion of the inner nucleus. This protrusion usually heads towards the spinal canal thus compressing them giving rise to the symptoms. Disc herniation can occur in any disc in the spine, but the two most common forms are lumbar disc herniation and cervical disc herniation As we grow older, our intervertebral discs begin to lose water content and betray years of stress and pressure. For the same reason, the body’s natural aging process is the prevailing underlying cause of prolapsed discs. However, several other factors may encourage or exacerbate prolapsed discs in both the young and the elderly, such as: • Repeated improper movements that place stress upon the spine, often due to sports, improper lifting and even sitting for too long • Sudden injuries or traumas, such as might occur during a high-impact sport, fall or car accident • Smoking or the excessive use of alcohol • Obesity • Lack of exercise • Excessive driving The prevalence of a symptomatic herniated lumbar disc is about 1% to 3% with the highest prevalence among people aged 30 to 50 years, with a male to female ratio of 2:1. In individuals aged 25 to 55 years, about 95% of herniated discs occur at the lower lumbar spine (L4/5 and L5/S1 level); disc herniation above this level is more common in people aged over 55 years. Symptoms include mild to sudden severe back pain which can be caused by muscle spasm and may radiate to buttocks and calves or in the hand and palm in case of cervical disc herniation. There may be pins like sensations, tingling in the affected area and associated limbs accompanies by numbness and weakness in the same. Lower back pain that is accompanied by incontinence of the bladder or bowels or the inability to walk may indicate that the bottom of the spinal cord is being compressed. ( cauda equina syndrome).

Physical examination including special tests along with an MRI scan can confirm the diagnosis. Medical treatment would include muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory pain-killers.

Physiotherapy Management - Controlled rest with activity modification and ergonomic advice. -manoeuvres like dry needling, taping , soft tissue manipulation to reduce the spasm and pain. - exercises to maintain and improve the mobility of neural tissues - list correction ( side shift correction) -hydrotherapy - a good core , back and hip strengthening programme for strengthening and maintainance of the same and to prevent re-injury.

What Are The Symptoms Of A Prolapsed Disc?

Back Pain

The pain is often severe and commonly comes on suddenly. The back pain is generally eased by lying down flat and is often made worse if you move your back, cough or sneeze.

Nerve Root Pain (Usually Sciatica)

Nerve root pain is pain that occurs because a nerve coming from the spinal cord is pressed on (trapped) by a ‘slipped’ (prolapsed) disc, or is irritated by the inflammation caused by the prolapsed disc.

Other Nerve Root Symptoms

The irritation or pressure on the nerve next to the spine may also cause pins and needles, numbness or weakness in part of a buttock, leg or foot. The exact site and type of symptoms depend on which nerve is affected.

 PIVD Treatment

 Conservative Treatment-

a) Rest: Rest and Anti-inflammatory and analgesics.

  b) Reduction: Continue bed rest and traction for just two weeks may lessen the herniation in over 90% cases. If no improvement with rest and traction, epidural injection of corticosteroid and native anaesthetic are given.

c) Chemonucleolysis: dissolution from the Nucleus Pulposus by percutaneous injection of the proteolytic enzyme (chymopapain). This enzyme has got the property of dissolving fibrous and cartilaginous tissue.

Operative Treatment-

Indications for operative elimination of disc.

i) cauda equina compression syndrome that doesn't clear up with Six hours of starting bed rest and traction (emergengy).

ii) Neurological deterioration while under conservative management.

iii) Persistant pain and signs and symptoms of sciatic tension after 30 days of conservative treatment.

The disc is taken away by following techniques.

a) Hemilaminectomy/Partial laminectomy- Area of the lamina and ligamentum flavum on one side is taken away, taking great care to not damage the facet joint.

b) Laminectomy- Laminae on sides with spinous process are removed. Such wide exposure is needed for big, central disc producing cauda equina syndrome.

c) Microdiscectomy- completed with an operating microscope. Exposure is extremely limited. Morbidity and hospitalisation is less.

d) Fenestration- Ligamentum flavum bridging the 2 adjacent laminae is excised and spinal canal at affected level exposed.

e) Laminotomy- Along with fenestration, a hole is made within the lamina for wider exposure.

Physical rehabilitation Management in PIVD

Before coming up with the medical care, verify the position of comfort or symptom reduction.

 Ayurveda Says about PIVD

  Actually what happens in PIVD?

The spine or back bone is comprised of range of vertebrae which are placed over one another with support of inter vertebral disc. The disc is filled with a pulpy matter surrounded by a fibrous sheath. When the gap between two vertebrae is reduced due to some external or internal reason the inner matter is compressed and prolapsed at a soft part of the sheath. That causes pressure over the adjoining nerve roots and ligaments giving rise to pain, low back pain, sciatica pain, lumbar pain, lumbar spondylosis, stiffness, swelling, numbness, dysfunction, muscle wasting, burning sensation etc.

PIVD (Prolapsed Inter Vertebral Disc or IVDP) is a common disease. We can manage and treatment with Ayurveda.

For the PIVD disease, you can find the best Ayurveda hospital in India. So, here you can find the best Ayurveda treatment.

Take care yourself and avoid such kind of works which not good for you.

[bengrammerlaw]

What Is The Average Herniated Disc Lower Back Workers Comp Settlement?

via Average Settlement Compensation What Is The Average Herniated Disc Lower Back Workers Comp Settlement? http://bit.ly/2Inb7ka

If you are looking for the average herniated disc lower back workers comp settlement then you are in the right place.

Herniated discs in the lower back are usually a result of workplace injuries. Given the debilitating effects they can have on the body, they should be taken very seriously.

What Is A Disc Herniation?

Spinal disc herniation is the injury suffered by the tissues (discs) that attach and pad the bones in the spinal cord (vertebrae). This happens when the vertebrae experience high levels of physical stress and trauma.

When the outer ring of one of the spine’s discs (the annulus fibrosus) experiences a tear that allows the portion to within to escape, then the disc is herniated.

Causes Of Disc Herniation

A herniated disc in the lower back is usually the outcome of cumulative trauma, going back days or even weeks to get the point where the discs in the lumbar vertebrae are weak enough to rupture.

An abrupt, traumatic wound like the kind suffered in car accidents, falls from heights or when trying to lift heavy objects can also cause discs to herniate.

Effects Of Disc Herniation In The Lumbar Spine

Effects of herniated discs include pain, mostly in the back and less frequently in other parts of the body, and physical disability.

Over 80% of herniated discs are found in the lumbar region of the spine, at the L4-L5 and the L5-S1 levels.

Disc herniation in the lumbar region often presents as pain in the legs. An L4-L5 disc herniation will usually pinch the L5 nerve. This will present as weakness and pain in the whole leg.

Disc herniation at L5-S1 with usually pinch the S1 nerve and cause radiating pain through the feet and feet.

Diagnosing Disc Herniation

A doctor or surgeon (orthopedic) diagnoses disc herniation in the following ways:

Medical history: The physician asks a series of questions to determine how you were injured, how severe your injury is, and any other symptoms you are experiencing as well.

Physical examination: The physician will have you take a series of positions to see how they affect your symptoms.

Diagnostic testing: the physician will use a test like MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or CT (Computed Tomography) scans to detect the anatomic injury and confirm the presence of a herniated disc.

Treating Disc Herniation

Pain relief and restored function and mobility of the body is the aim of treating herniating discs.

The standard procedure for herniated discs involves rest, physical therapy, and medications to relieve pain. It usually takes 3 to 6 months of this conservative treatment for patients to recover fully.

If and when the restrained approach fails to achieve the desired results, surgery is the next option. The usual surgical procedures include lumbar decompression, microdiscectomy, cervical laminectomy, and spinal fusion. Unfortunately, surgery increases the likelihood of another disc herniation and further worsen the situation.

Cauda equina syndrome is also a worrisome issue. Cauda equina occurs when the herniated disc compresses the spinal nerve roots during surgery. It presents as weakness of the legs, dysfunction of the bowels and bladder and potential leg paralysis.

Compensation For Herniated Discs

A herniated disc can entitle you to

Medical Herniated Disc Settlements, including medication and surgery

PPD (Permanent Partial Disability) benefits

TTD (Temporary Total Disability) benefits

TPD (Temporary Partial Disability) benefits

Vocational rehab if you are unable to return to your old job as a result of your injury

Examples Of Lumbar Spine Disc Herniation Settlements

In Michigan May 2017, a car accident at an intersection causes disc herniations and annular tears in the defendant. Facet rhizotomy (using a radio frequency probe to destroy malfunctioning nerve fibers) was used on both his lumbar and cervical spine. He was awarded damages of $329,000.

In New Jersey in June 2014, a man slipped and fell in an Edgewater food court. A knee and lower back injury sent him to an orthopedic surgeon who treated him with arthroscopic surgery and then a lumbar fusion. A settlement for $800,000 was reached during mediation.

In New York on April 2014, a 51-year-old pedestrian was struck by a vehicle and was diagnosed with two cervical avulsion fractures, ligament tears in her knee and shoulder, lumbar and cervical disc herniations, and lumbar disc bulges. The case was settled for $1.5 million.

How Much Compensation Payout Can I Get For A Herniated Disc In The Lower Back?

The average jury verdict for herniated discs is $350,000, but the median verdict is $75,000.

Ultimately, there is no one right way to calculate the compensation you deserve; consulting a personal injury lawyer will give an idea of what to expect.

The post What Is The Average Herniated Disc Lower Back Workers Comp Settlement? appeared first on Average Settlement Compensation.

by https://averagesettlementcompensation.com

[createdbyangels]

Driscoll life in the Quay

Life is rolling by at ridiculous speed.  In the day-to-day moments I assume that I’ll remember these days forever.  But the reality is, I can barely remember what we had for dinner last night.  I need to write things down or it will be like they never happened.

It is April - spring has sprung and with it, the renewal of life back to “normal” around here.  Just after Halloween last year (2018) I noticed a bruise on Madigan’s belly.  I decided to make an appointment and took her to the vet a few days later.  They did some bloodwork and her platelet counts were low so they gave me some meds for her and said to bring her back on Saturday (I think I initially took her in on a Tuesday).  She seemed okay but not great that week until Friday.  I wasn’t home all day but James told me later that she had thrown up a few times.  She did it again that night and I knew something wasn’t right.  We decided to have her sleep in her crate in our room that night instead of in our bed in case she got sick overnight.  That is still one of my biggest regrets of the whole situation.  I woke up Saturday (she didn’t get sick over night) and filled her water bowl.  She drank a full bowl of water and then shortly after threw it all up...it was dark and looked like she was throwing up blood.  I panicked and called the vet - they got her in earlier and I was out the door.  The appointment was a nightmare.  I snuggled her and waiting and cried.  The doctor told me her blood work was very alarming - her platelet count was ZERO and I needed to take her to the hospital immediately.  It was one of the worst drives of my life.  I had to get her checked in and then I had to leave her there.  I was a wreck that day.  I visited her every day and took the kids on Sunday to see her and celebrate her 10th birthday.  She got a little better after a blood transfusion but the last night I went to see her (11/6/18) I cried nearly the whole time. She was going to the bathroom on herself and I knew things were bad.  I questioned the staff and that was the first time I felt totally hopeless.  I left that night and called early the next morning to check on her.  They basically just told me she was still alive and they would have an update later.  I got a call while Savannah was in dance class - the doctor said that she had really taken a turn for the worse and even if we poured a ton more money into her treatment, there was no guarantee she would get better.  I was distraught.  I got Savannah in the car, called James, picked up Corbin from school and we went to the hospital to say goodbye.  It has been 5 months since that day and I have tears streaming down my face as I type this.  I loved that dog so damn much.  She left us so so quickly.  I know we did the right thing but it was devastating and I swear most days I think I don’t ever want a dog again because I can’t even fathom going through it again.

So as I start to come out of the fog of losing Madigan, it is Corbin’s birthday and Thanksgiving and then December!  Life was still in full swing and so busy.  On December 13th I went to the gym one evening to take a class a friend was teaching.  At some point, my feet started feeling weird and a little numb and tingling but I finished and went home.  The next day it felt like I’d pulled my right hamstring.  I worked out again Saturday and Monday (lighter weights in BodyPump) but Tuesday my hamstring really hurt and when I picked something up with my right arm the pain shot down my leg.  I skipped the gym and went home to rest.  It got worse over the next few days so I went to the doctor Friday AM and they told me it was likely sciatica and gave me some advice and meds and sent me on my way.  That night as I came downstairs after bedtime, my right heel went numb. The next day we took the kids to Bass Pro Shops to see Santa.  The ride there was awful and I was in so much pain once we got there I couldn’t really stand.  I slumped on the couch up front until our turn, ended up sitting on the floor while waiting in line and nearly cried on the walk to the front door.  James pulled the car up and drove us home.  I pulled it together on the way home and the wait at the urgent care was long so we went home and I laid on the floor.  By mid afternoon I told him I needed to go in so they dropped me off and then went to a park.  I couldn’t really even sit comfortable at that point.  The doctor thought she felt a knot in my hamstring and told me to keep foam rolling and stay on the meds, I had a muscle relaxer from the visit on Friday but those just knocked me out.  The next few days were Christmas Eve services at church so James was gone all day and I couldn’t be up more than a minute or 2 before I had to lay back down and the pain was intense.  I spent Christmas on the floor, then I spent New Year’s on the floor.  My grandmom came up 12/26 and took me back to the doctor to get a referral to an ortho. The ride there was horrible (I tried to lay down in the back of her car but was curled up a little) and once I got to the office I was in so much pain that I hit the floor and was crying and miserable.  They got me back into a room and finally the pain let up.  The dr. was a turd and basically treated me like I was faking and looking for meds or something even though I’d been on the waiting room floor just moments before.  The ortho they referred me to couldn’t get me in until after the new year (A FULL WEEK LATER).  Once I got home I decided that was insane and I simply couldn’t wait that long.  A wonderful friend had a connection to an orthopedic surgeon who is amazing named Dr. Nemani who had his assistant call me within minutes of my conversation with the friend and schedule me for the next day.  I went in (a friend came to get me in her “vanbulance” so I could ride laying down) and took me to see him.  I had to get X-rays and cried and wailed during them because it hurt so much to be up.  The dr. assumed I had a herniated disk and saw disk degeneration on the X-ray and ordered a nerve root injection the next day.  He is friends with the Dr. he recommended who called me personally that night around 7pm when his flight landed and he got Dr. Nemani’s text.  His office got me scheduled the next day for the nerve root injection.  James took me (laying down in the back of the Nitro with all the seats laying flat) and I got the injection in my back).  It may have numbed me a little that day but I couldn’t ever get up for longer than a minute.  I was eating on my belly, James was prepping my toothbrush so I could brush quickly, he got the water on in the shower so I could take a 2 minute wash off and then fall back down on to the bed while he dried me off.  It was insane. I waited 2 weeks with no improvement and then schedule another nerve root injection.  The night before was the worst one I had and I had an “episode” that lasted over an hour - the pain was a burning, stabbing, stinging, pounding pain that also felt like the world’s worst charlie horse.  For over.an.hour.  I was screaming and crying and desperate for relief.  James was beside himself because he couldn’t do anything to help.  I finally got it to let up enough to lay down in bed but I had to stay in one very specific position on my stomach - if I moved at all I would totally cramp up.  It was a long painful night.  He took me that morning to get the nerve root injection and I was absolutely done.  The drive was miserable and I couldn’t imagine how this was going to get better.  I had to lay on the waiting room floor and just cried.  Once we got into the room I couldn’t stop crying.  Dr. Singh (the original doctor who called me at 7 to schedule the first shot) was the one to see me this day.  He was out of town the first time.  He came in and asked some questions and was shocked that I wasn’t on meds stronger than Tylenol for the pain.  He said something like, “Why haven’t you been sent for an MRI?!  This is America - no one should be living with this kind of pain!”  He gave me a massive dose of numbing to basically get me through the MRI.  He assumed that I’d be flying high once I got down off his table.  They made me sit in a wheelchair to go to the car because I wasn’t supposed to feel anything in my right leg.  It.still.hurt.  They couldn’t believe that I was still in so much pain that sitting in the wheelchair was hard.  They got me loaded into the back of James car like a piece of lumber and I just needed to make it home.  The shot he gave me basically made my leg feel like it weighed a million pounds but didn’t do much for the pain.  I truly didn’t think I was going to make the ride home and was crying and praying and desperate for something.  The song “Overcomer” by Mandisa came on and it was like I could feel just the slightest bit of calm enter my body.  I felt God telling me that I just needed to take a breath and hold on. He would get me through the ride.  I was still in pain but the panicked feeling got a little better and I made it home.  I was a wreck and James basically dragged me inside while I put my arms around his neck.  My mom was freaked out and I was hysterical.  The dr. prescribed hydrocodone and we got that into my system before the MRI that afternoon.  James took me and I miraculously was able to lay on my back and still for the entire thing.  We came home and the stronger meds got me through the weekend but also made me feel a little nauseous.  The MRI revealed a herniated disk at L5/S1 and another above that.  Dr. Nemani was out of town and not able to see me until the following Wednesday.  We had to drive pretty far to see him but I am SO GLAD we did!  He went over the MRI and said based on the past 4 weeks (I had been laying down for 4 weeks) and the MRI results, he felt it was time for a microdiscectomy if I was okay with it.  I was okay with anything that would get me back on my feet.  He moved some things around and got me on his schedule THAT FRIDAY!  Two days later.  I had the surgery, WALKED in from the car and felt okay that night.  The next day though - I was miserable in a whole new way.  The next few days were awful, my mobility was very limited and I couldn’t feel the back of my right leg all the way down and through my heel (nerve damage).  Turns out - my herniation was 2.5 inches long - the typical one removed is a quarter to a half inch long.  It was the biggest one Dr. Nemani had ever removed and the nurses said top 3 in that hospital.  Not a record I’m thrilled to have,  I was told to spend the next 12 weeks only walking, sitting and standing.  No bending at the waist, twisting or lifting over 8 pounds.  I just reached the 12 week mark last Friday and I am free of restrictions!  That said, I still have numbness down the back of my leg and in my heel.  My foot hurts if I’m up too much.  I am back on my feet and back to life, but it isn’t the same and I’m super frustrated.

What I came here to post wasn’t either of those things.  Hahahhahaha - I just got on a roll.  And all of that is important in understand the reason I came on to post in the first place.  

Sometime in November I told James it was time to put the will we/won’t we discussion about adoption to bed once and for all.  I had reasons I thought we couldn’t do it.  He ended up solving all the issues I brought forward.  So we decided to explore fostering to adopt.  Wake county has info sessions once a month and I assumed we’d go to the one in January.  Then I got laid out.  Also, we’d spent over 5K trying to get Madigan well (and then having her cremated) and then more on top of that to deal with my back.  And we couldn’t go to the info session in January because I was stuck on the floor.  It felt like another blow after we’d finally decided to at least get some more information.  The next one was Feb. 12th and after my surgery on January 18th I was determined to make that meeting.  The day before the meeting I had dinner plans with a friend from the gym..That day was particularly rough.  I spent the drive home from dropping the boys off at school crying because I was still in so much pain and so limited and just really mad.  My song, Micah Tyler’s “Even Then” came on as we drove home and gave me some comfort.  I just didn’t have a great day but at lunch, I was sitting at the table with Savannah and distinctly remember having a thought about the gender of the child we would adopt some day.  I’ve ALWAYS said it would have to be a boy.  I felt very strongly this sense that I am not in control and can’t make decisions like that.  Since that moment, I can honestly say that I haven’t had strong feelings one way or the other about the gender of our child.

But the rest of the day was exhausting and annoying and by the time I was driving to dinner I was mad and spent.  I pulled out onto the main road and guess what song came on.  “Even Then”.  And during that song, as crazy as it sounds, I very strongly felt this message: “The enemy is trying to keep you from doing what you know you are supposed to do.  Make it happen.”  I got to dinner and was shaken up and ended up telling Amanda that night about our meeting the next night and the conversations we’d been having.  “You have to go to that meeting!” ..... I know.  

I kid you not, the next afternoon as I walked in to the kitchen around 4;30 to start prepping dinner for the kids (babysitter coming around 5:30 so I could leave by 5:45) THE POWER WENT OUT.  I called our babysitter’s mom and told her what was going on.  “If we were just going out to dinner, I’d cancel.  But this is where we are going and I need to make this happen”  She is a great friend and agreed to come over with her son if the power didn’t come back on so I could go.  It finally did come back on and I left on time.  And almost slammed into the back of someone on the way there.  But we both made it and got a lot of great info.  We connected with an agency called Children’s Home Society of NC and felt very confident they were the right choice for us.  We did an online info session with them and then began filling out the application.  We had a face-to-face interview with our specialist on March 12th (exactly 1 month after the meeting).  Our thoughts have been slightly changing and shifting as we work through this process but we have already learned a lot and our plan is to work toward fostering to adopt.  The agency requires anyone working with them to become licensed foster parents.  Our classes are in June/July and shortly after that we’ll be licensed for placements.  We had said we are open to 1 or 2 children (sibling sets are very common) in the 4-9 age range.

The application we have been working on since that meeting is so.intense.  We are almost done with most of it but it has taken me a month to get through it.

I do feel that everything we went through between November and January was God’s way of reminding me in no uncertain terms that I am not in control.  Nor can I be.  Nor should I be.  I have had so much more space in my life to be open to this major life change since I can’t go to the gym or do much of anything these days.  I have to take breaks a lot.  I have time to think about the decisions we are making and have time and space to fill out the application.  I have been able to process that I can’t be in control of what children come up for placement nor whether they come up for adoption.  But one thing I know FOR SURE.  This is our path.  We are doing what we have been called to do.  There is a child (or children) out there who need us.  And we need them.  Our family will be growing at some point.  I can’t tell you when or how - but at some point, there will be more Driscolls in the Quay.  And I’ll have even less time to write in this blog.  

But I don’t want to forget the details of these crazy days.  I want to remember what lead us to this point.  I want to remember the details of the journey.  

And at some point, I want to write some more about our kids at their current ages.  Because there is so much to say about them!  But for now, it’s late and I’m tired.

Goodnight.

[backpainfree]

Just Pinned to Back Pain Free: Video of L5-S1 Surgery Lumbar Microdiscectomy | Low Back Pain Surgery | mine was http://ift.tt/2Fvn6Mx

[usatrendingsports]

Take pleasure in this run with Tiger Woods as a result of it’s undoubtedly his final

One other December, one other Hero World Problem return for Tiger Woods. 

In 2014, Woods performed this occasion (which his firm hosts) following an early-2014 again surgical procedure and withdrawal from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in August. He missed it in 2015 following two extra again surgical procedures, citing that anything in his profession can be gravy. Final 12 months, he performed, and it was encouraging. Then it went badly in January and February, and he ended with one other again surgical procedure.

So right here we’re once more after a again fusion earlier in 2017. The identical Hero World Problem, the identical skepticism and an older Tiger. And the query I preserve listening to is a official one: Why is that this time going to be any totally different?

It is a honest query and the precise one. We do not know that it is going to be totally different than any of the previous makes an attempt at a comeback, however there’s a massive distinction. This previous surgical procedure, Woods’ fourth on his again, was a last-ditch effort to each give him a greater high quality of life and assist him play skilled golf once more.

This time, his backbone was fused collectively.

How will that go? No person, not even Woods, is aware of.

“I haven’t got any ache anymore in my again,” Woods mentioned this week. “I’ve some stiffness, ‘like no duh, it is fused.’ So I am studying that, what my physique cannot do but and what it could do. Simply going to take a little bit little bit of time. The individuals who have had my process of L5-S1, the common age is 58. Me being 41, 17 years youthful. The general public who’ve had it … they have been nicely previous their enjoying days once they had the procedures carried out. I am nonetheless proper in my enjoying years, and so it is laborious for me to ask folks what have been you experiencing as a result of they weren’t going at velocity at that age.”

That is true, however the factor you’ve going for you as a Tiger fan is that you do not have to fret concerning the future. There aren’t any extra surgical procedures. That is it. If it breaks once more, it is carried out endlessly. That is the final in an extended line of hopeful fixes for Huge Cat.

“I used to be speaking to my surgeon about that is that I felt how lengthy will this fused again maintain up? It is like my microdiscectomies, how lengthy is that going to carry up,” Woods mentioned. “He says, ‘You may be high quality for the remainder of your life as a result of it is bone and bone, you are high quality.’ How laborious is it to interrupt a leg? It isn’t simple break a leg. Similar factor, it isn’t simple to interrupt that a part of your again.”

I am undecided if that is encouraging or not, however the language has a finality to it.

“I used to be nonetheless battling some nerve points down my leg once I got here again at Isleworth (in 2014),” Woods mentioned. “Final 12 months I used to be the identical however it was higher, however not the place it is at now. You already know, I am not going to be dunking a basketball anytime quickly, however I can stay with none decrease again ache or any type of zinging down my leg or have foot drop. I haven’t got any of these points anymore. That is why it is extremely totally different. … Final 12 months I used to be nonetheless struggling a little bit bit and this 12 months it is evening and day.”

We do not know if he is telling the whole reality, in fact. What’s the distinction between stiffness and ache, anyway, and is there a solution to inform? These are unanswerable questions. All we will do is take him at his phrase, and his phrase is that he wasn’t nice final 12 months and he’s nice this 12 months.

This can be a protected place to push all of your chips into the center of the desk on the remainder of Woods’ profession. Woods might crack or tear one thing this weekend, and that is a wrap for the remainder of his profession. You needn’t fear about having something within the financial institution of emotion as a result of there might be no person to spend it on. 

The flip aspect of that, although, is a query we have been batting round for just a few days right here: What if he is OK?

What if his swing would not look nice however if you’re the neatest golfer in historical past, you do not want a great-looking swing? What if he can really apply placing now as a result of it would not harm him to face over a golf ball? What if he performs 10 tournaments in 2017? What if he performs for 10 extra years? What if his thoughts permits him to let go, and what if letting go is what will get him again to 70 % of what he as soon as was?

That is sufficient, in fact. Something can be sufficient at this level. I wrote final 12 months that Woods’ closing chapter had an opportunity to be his greatest one but. I used to be flawed. The story did not have a contented ending, and the hero misplaced the final battle. There’s nonetheless the epilogue, although. The tacked-on version of this lengthy, sweeping narrative. I do not know if it is going to be a heartwarming epilogue or extra unhappiness. All I do know is that we’re lastly on the finish of the ebook.

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Tiger Woods undergoes another back surgery; potential recovery 6 months out

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Tiger Woods has undergone a fourth back surgery to “alleviate ongoing pain in his back and leg,” he announced on his website Thursday.

Woods said the surgery, termed a “minimally invasive Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion” at the L5/S1 site, was his choice after attempts at relieving pain through rehabilitation, medication and other therapies proved ineffective at halting the back spasms and nerve pain he has been experiencing.

While it’s unclear – and too early in the process – to know what this surgery will mean for Woods’ future schedule, his website did indicate “patients typically return to full activity in about six months.” That would make it unlikely Woods will compete in the U.S. Open in June, if any other event on the remaining 2016-17 PGA Tour schedule.

“The surgery went well, and I’m optimistic this will relieve my back spasms and pain,” Woods said. “When healed, I look forward to getting back to a normal life, playing with my kids, competing in professional golf and living without the pain I have been battling so long.”

The 14-time major winner indicated his three previous back surgeries dating back to March 2014, including two microdiscectomy procedures, left the now-removed disc severely narrowed, causing sciatica and severe back and leg pain. Woods pulled out of the Dubai Desert Classic after a first-round 77 on Feb. 2, citing lower back spasms. Woods then pulled out of planned starts at the Genesis Open and The Honda Classic. He made a brief attempt to get ready to play in the Masters, but his efforts proved too painful.

On Tuesday, Woods hit a pair of golf shots at Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, Missou., in a ceremony to announce a new 18-hole championship golf course called Payne’s Valley to be designed by his TGR Design firm and open in 2019. Woods hit his first 100-yard shot into a guarding water hazard before doing better with a second attempt.

  Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

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A post shared by Felix E. Roque M.D. (@dr.roquepainreliefcenter)

Today we are performing an endoscopy lumbar microdiscectomy L4-L5, L5-S1 in a 54-year-old Hispanic female with a history of incapacitating severe radiating low back pain that was interfering with her life.

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Felix E. Roque M.D. (@dr.roquepainreliefcenter)

Today we are performing an endoscopy lumbar microdiscectomy L4-L5, L5-S1 in a 54-year-old Hispanic female with a history of incapacitating severe radiating low back pain that was interfering with her life.

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Felix E. Roque M.D. (@dr.roquepainreliefcenter)

Today we are performing an endoscopy lumbar microdiscectomy L4-L5, L5-S1 in a 54-year-old Hispanic female with a history of incapacitating severe radiating low back pain that was interfering with her life.

[felixsindolor-blog]

Today we are performing an endoscopy lumbar microdiscectomy L4-L5, L5-S1 in a 54-year-old Hispanic female with a history of incapacitating severe radiating low back pain that was interfering with her life.