crazy canuck Z8 Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Good luck,I had back surgery 4 years ago,I feel great but the numbness never went away,but the back pain did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 25, 2006 Author Share Posted April 25, 2006 Thanks for all the advice and well wishes guys. I will post as soon as possible, probably Thurs or Friday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Good luck, keep us posted and call for help when you have to move something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie-GNZ Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Pete, well wishes and quick healing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad-ManQ45 Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Man Pete, I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Hope it works out ok. I myself have had a bad back since a truck rear-ended and totalled my ESIR Starion. One bit of advice I wsill give to anyone is NOT to have seats in their car with a PLATE for lumbar adjustment.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbk240z Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Hey man, I hope the surgery goes well and you have a speedy recovery! Take care man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VRJoe Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Pete, I hope the surgery goes well. My good friend is a Safety and Ergonomics expert. We've been hanging out for so long I can hear him yell about lifting with my legs not my back even when he's miles away. I caught myself reprimanding a kid at a tire place for picking up his impact wrench by the hose the other day (called my buddy and blamed him, he just laughed and claimed he's a good influence). Having had back issues for years (thank Heaven for my Chiropractor) I know your pain and related issues far to well. I guess I've learned to be more careful and allow Archimedes to lift the heavy stuff. Get well quickly, Mike will need help moving all the heavy stuff in the garage. :flamedevi - Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaleMX Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Best Wishes to you Pete, FWIW I have a friend that went through that surgery a few years back and he is as good as new to this day. Oh, and change over to LS1 stuff, the blocks weigh in at 80 lbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 26, 2006 Author Share Posted April 26, 2006 Thanks, guys. I'm probably going to be thinking very hard about lifting more than 50 lbs in the future, past the 4 month mark. I'm going to use slings and my engine hoist to lift the crank in and out of the block when I get back on my feet and start putting the 406 back together. I had to have my WIFE lift the crank out of the block and into the trunk to take it to the machine shop Monday, and she did the man-handling of the block at the end of the hoist as I worked the hoist controls to get the block in there! I'm trying to educate myself on the CAUSES of disc disease, that supposedly is the real problem that I only exacerbated with the lifting. The L3/L4 and L4/L5 discs are diseased, according to the docs that have looked at the MRIs. Some say that too much sugar, not enough minerals and water intake, neck spinal cord pinching due to a bad curve there (need to strecth it), are the real culprits and I've just failed a diseased disc. You don't usually think of this stuff in your 20s and 30s, but as we age the stuff we put our bodies through starts catching up to us and we HAVE to learn or get worse. Dake, LSx will be the next engine!!! But at least 400 cubes! No plans to do that unless this 406 build goes south as well! Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Mileski Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Pete, hope the surgery goes well. I've had on and off back problems for years (really bad a couple of times), so I can sympathize. Mike Mileski Tucson, AZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2126 Posted April 26, 2006 Share Posted April 26, 2006 Pete, believe me...I feel your pain!!!! NO FUN! Yah, once you reach 40 yrs your warranty runs out. My warranty expired 15 years ago! If I may suggest, once you are back on your feet put yourself on some type of exercise program in addition to a health diet. I know what you are going through...there was a time when all I could do was ly flat on my back, period! I had those shoot pain down my legs and even on top of my feet as well as some paralisis in my right leg. Any movement brought on some really fun pain! The good news is, I'm back riding my mountain bikes and dirt bike with no ill effects. (I didn't go through surgery) There's just certain things I just don't do any more. Just thank goodness the medical industry is as well equipped as it is today! Best of luck Pete.... we're all pulling for you. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsil Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Pete. Haven't talked to you for a while, but I hope things went well with your surgery. Sorry to hear about your pain. Back problems are the worst, it makes everything a chore. Get well, recouperate, and get back out there with your Z!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 27, 2006 Author Share Posted April 27, 2006 thanks again, guys. I just got home from the hospital. There were a few complications but nothing serious - the doc was able to handle it. 3hrs instead of 1.5hrs surgery. I'm on a bit of pain meds, but not too much. I can walk around slow, everything is working pretty well. The recovery begins! Tom, I agree with the exercise program, but will have to play it safe and follow strict doctor's orders. The disc was in pretty bad shape and he left it in there, but it may have to come out in a few years and get the vert's fused. I'm going to do my damnedest to rehabilitate the disc so to stay away from surgery. Thanks for all the kind words, I'll probably be on a lot in the next few weeks, laying on my back with the laptop propped on my gut . Cheers, Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Good to hear Pete! Hope your recovery goes smoothly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 27, 2006 Author Share Posted April 27, 2006 A bit more info: I got back from the hospital this afternoon. Everything turned out well! A few happenings or minor complications: 1) There was so much pressure in the area that when the laminectomy was done, the nerves and disc fragments jutted through the window cut in the vertabrae that the laminectomy produced. This didn't phase the surgeon, as he knew from the MRI going in that things were packed tight. He did say that if he'd done a partial laminectomy and only opened up half as much of a window, I'd probably have been instantly paralyzed by the nerves squirting through the window, etc. Nice! Made me feel good that I had a doc that knew what to do from the beginning (full laminectomy). 2) He had to pull the pieces of the disc out from around the front of the dural tube as well as from behind where he made the opening. He came out to the waiting room and told my wife: "I had to come at the disc from both sides." She thought he meant through the front of me! 3) There was so much pressure for so long on the dural tube against the bone in one place that the dural tube and bone had adhered to each other. He was able to get it loose though. 4) There looked to be a half thickness tear in the dural tube in that area, but it didn't leak fluid. He took the precaution of putting a few stitches in to keep it from bursting later, along with some adhesive, both of which disintegrate by themselves. Prognosis: What little there is left of the disc may fail at a later date and cause pain, or weakness and cause me to have to go in to have the disc removed and L4/L5 fused. Oh well. These guys must have huge balls. I mean that stuff all makes me nervous thinking about doing to someone's spine. I'd say whatever $$ he makes, he deserves! I'm home, had a shower, on no meds now, laying in bed and feel only a little discomfort in the surgery site. I can lay and stand with little discomfort. Sitting is uncomfortable. The doc says that the disc can regenerate itself. I thought I'd heard they can? Oh well, I'll just have to see what happens and be careful. Again, thanks for all the good advice and kind words everyone! Cheers, Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2003z Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 glad you are doing better, get well soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BARACU Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Pete: It's good to see that everything went well. Good Luck! AL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synlubes Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 I'll probably be on a lot in the next few weeks, laying on my back with the laptop propped on my gut .Cheers, Pete 40+ and a bigger gut, you shouldn`t have any problems working the laptop. Do whats needed to get better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike kZ Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 Sounds like everything went well, and less pain to boot! Good news! Hope it all goes smooth for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BiltWel Posted April 30, 2006 Share Posted April 30, 2006 Sorry to hear your pain man. My best freind and cousin has about 2 lbs of titanium in his back from having to have a total fusion of his lower 3 vertabra done due to slipping while packing a case of beer out to his truck. See what drinking will get you.lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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