Lucky # Sevens- July 07 Bandsters

[salsa1877 10]

Have a great time! While I am not working on my spring break I will put on my swimsuit and have a glass of cranberry lemonade and pretend that I am with you!!

[Car 0]

Janet, Bon voyage!! Dance a dance for me.

Steph, How are you feeling? EASY NOW ............... Just think on the long term. And the PT? I know that it is hard and hurts and scary, but be strong for just this little bit and I promise that it will get better. Now a tune....Step-by-step. Row-by-row.....dah dah dah. The rest isn't applicable. Every day you're getting stronger.

Luv,

Car

[phyllser 3]

Well, I am frustrated, angry, upset, etc., etc., etc.!

I somehow got the mistaken idea that the plastic surgeon from Tijuana had an office in San Diego and that's where I was going for the consult. Unfortunately, that is not the case and the appointment they made for me for Wed. is in Tijuana. Of course, DH absolutely refuses to go there or let me go! All the recent publicity about "border towns" in Mexico definitely is a contributing factor! And he keeps calling the doctor a "quack". He did agree to help me with photos so I can email them to the doctor. Hopefully, in underwear will be acceptable. But now I'm thinking, just to placate him, I will also consult with another doctor... I was even thinking of contacting yours, Karri, because you had such a positive experience with her. I looked her up on the internet, too. I'm not sure where Bend is, but we could probably work it in to our trip back home. I'm just very disappointed and discouraged and all those other expletives! DH is just dead set against plastic surgery and will say anything to try to keep me from pursuing this.

I'm MAD!!

:cursing::w00t::cursing::w00t::cursing::cursing::cursing::cursing::cursing::cursing::cursing:

One kind of funny thing is that in my emotional state, I did NOT think about what I could go eat, but about what I could BUY on the internet!!

:crying::biggrin::laugh:

[Donna113 2]

Bon Voyage, Janet!

Phyls, I'm sorry your DH is being so stubborn about this. I'm sure it comes from caring but I feel frustrated for you. :frown:

[mango24 1]

Hey Everybody, just checking in,

Wish I was going with Janet.

Just took some Nyquil and going to bed, my whole left side of head hurts, ear, teeth, throat, neck

Yuck

Got all my plants planted this weekend, the weather is beautiful here, 70's and gorgeous

[phyllser 3]

Wish I was going with Janet.

Just took some Nyquil and going to bed, my whole left side of head hurts, ear, teeth, throat, neck

Yuck

Got all my plants planted this weekend, the weather is beautiful here, 70's and gorgeous

Hope you're feeling better soon!

Wish I was on that ship, too!! Those Mexican cruises out of L.A. are really cheap. We should've all gone! Heck, I just found one online on Norwegian out of Seattle... 7 day Alaska cruise for $399!!

[salsa1877 10]

Well, I am frustrated, angry, upset, etc., etc., etc.!

I somehow got the mistaken idea that the plastic surgeon from Tijuana had an office in San Diego and that's where I was going for the consult. Unfortunately, that is not the case and the appointment they made for me for Wed. is in Tijuana. Of course, DH absolutely refuses to go there or let me go! All the recent publicity about "border towns" in Mexico definitely is a contributing factor! And he keeps calling the doctor a "quack". He did agree to help me with photos so I can email them to the doctor. Hopefully, in underwear will be acceptable. But now I'm thinking, just to placate him, I will also consult with another doctor... I was even thinking of contacting yours, Karri, because you had such a positive experience with her. I looked her up on the internet, too. I'm not sure where Bend is, but we could probably work it in to our trip back home. I'm just very disappointed and discouraged and all those other expletives! DH is just dead set against plastic surgery and will say anything to try to keep me from pursuing this.

I'm MAD!!

:cursing::cursing::cursing::cursing::cursing::cursing::cursing::cursing::cursing:

One kind of funny thing is that in my emotional state, I did NOT think about what I could go eat, but about what I could BUY on the internet!!

:frown::biggrin:

Transfer addiction...sometimes it is good and sometimes it is expensive!!

Bend is about 2 hours east of Portland. There are a billion and one camping sites around here if you came on your way back. My doc really is great. I would say that you could stay here but my apartment is less than 500 sq ft and all I ahve to offer is a small couch!! Let me know if there is anything that I can do to help out. Why is Earl so against the surgery? I don't know how the leg surgery is but I do know that my Tummy Tuck was way less painful than my lap-band.

Again let me know if there is anything that I can do. BIG BIG hugs!

[Twilight 2]

Hi ladies. I thought I would copy my Facebook note here. I know you are not all on facebook. In the note I explain a little about why I'm not online much. Something about messing with the spine has messed with my perceptions and anyting electronic puts me into overload. Don't ask me why.

Okay...so I will be traveling all day tomorrow and my be able to write a little once I get home tomorrow night. If you don't hear from me don't panic. I notice I'm a couple of days behind in reading postings. I'm going to try to catch up another time.

Okay....here's my note. Hugs and love to you all.

Hi everyone. I know there has been a lot of questions going around and I'm going to try to answer then. Easier in this forum than each little note you all sent me. If I don't answer your particular questions, let me know and I'll try to get you answered. too.

The dates get a little bit blurry so I'm not going to try to get them right. One day I got in to see Dr. Luckett. He immediately scheduled an MRI because from the xrays he could see degeneration in the discs between L3, L4, L5, S1, and possibly S2. He really needed to see the extent of the damage before he could come up with a course of treatment. We did discuss fusing discs and he explained that the long range ramifications of that surgery were not all that positive as far as pain relief. He said that if you damage one disc in an accident or something and need a fusion, that is one thing, but that as you progress in the number of discs being fused, the pain relief success goes down very quickly.

Well, as I said before, that first MRI was a bust because I could not lay flat out at all without excrutiating pain down my left leg. He put me on steroids, hydrocodone, and lyrica to try to get the pain to a point where I could lay for 45 minutes. That next morning, even though I was still walking with a walker, I was able to lay out and stand the MRI. I had about an hour wait between that and when he could see me because he was in surgery that morning. It speaks quite loudly that he wanted to see me immediately when it was not even an office day for him. His surgery took a little longer than he had thought and mom and I were trying to figure out how we were going to convince him that we needed to take care of this and not just pussy foot around the issue for a month or two. Well, when we went back to see him, he didn't even put me into an exam room, he pulled up my MRI and showed me how my disc had pretty much collapsed on my spinal nerves between L3 and L4. The nickle size hole where those nerves go through was down to pen point size. He asked if we were going to do surgery the next day or the day after. There was no question about what needed done.

He went in and did the surgery, removing the disc so that the nerves were no longer crushed. There was a bit of spinal bleeding because of how compacted everything was but he was able to cauterize the bleeds with minimal damage. I do not remember seeing him before surgery or after, though Jeff assures me he was there checking on me and making sure all was well. I'm still a little unnerved by the loss of time but I'm sure my psyche is not truly damaged because of it.

Since the surgery, side effects have been minimal. Any extended mental activity produces a hot flash of cosmic proportions. I am, in fact, sitting here sweating up a storm trying to get this written. Physical exertion does not produce the same effects, just mental exertion. Up until yesterday I was also having sensory overstimulation problems. Everything was too loud, too bright, moving too fast. I have come to consider that a side effect of the hydrocodone and cannot see any reason drug addicts desire that effect. No one has to worry about me becoming a dope fiend. In fact, I just had to take a 5 minute time out from this message in order to stop the nausea that this over stimulation causes. Each day it is better, but it has not gone away. The kids have taken the brunt of this effect because their actions, activities, and voices grate in a way nothing else does.

Tomorrow mom, the kids, and I are going to attempt the drive to Plentywood. We have bought an Aerobed and it is waiting in the back of the Expedition for me. Because of my normal car sickness, this could, in itself, prove horrible. I am equiped with a blindfold and dramamine as well as my other routine meds. I'm hoping to sleep most of the way across the state.

I will go see Dr. Kirk and share this story with him on Friday and see what he has to say. I already have the appointment so why waste it. Hopefully my records will have made it to him by then and he will be able to see the MRI and xrays too.

I go back to see Dr. Luckett on May 4th. I suspect that then we will discuss what to do about the degeneration in the rest of my discs. He says that with the family history of back issues and the extent without trauma, he thinks a lot of the damage is biochemical and will just continue. I don't know what he sees for long term. I hope we will be able to discuss it then. As for replacing the disc he took out, it sounded like it wouldn't be an issue being bone on bone. I will need to ask him more about that then.

For now, he sees no reason that I shouldn't be able to do my 3day walk in September. I will wait to sign up until I see him on the 4th of May for sure. I cried when Jeff told me that he gave me the go ahead. It meant that he sees a full recovery in my future. My motorcycle may have to stay in the garage until May just so that I have the go ahead from Luckett. Who knows what Kirk will say.

For now, just know that I am fine. If I am offline it is because I am having issues focusing on the computer or sitting concentrating on anything. If anything horrible has happened, Jeff would have logged on and shared that information.

I have so many good friends. I love you all and feel very blessed that you have been worried about me. Your prayers and positive thoughts have contributed so much to my quick recovery. It is "The Secret" in action, I am sure. Thank you for all of it. I will be back online soon. Until then, count your blessings and don't take your health for granted. Hugs to all!

[Car 0]

Steph,

So does this mean that I should get rid of the hookah I bought you as a get-well gift?

Luv,

Car

[phyllser 3]

Transfer addiction...sometimes it is good and sometimes it is expensive!!

Bend is about 2 hours east of Portland. There are a billion and one camping sites around here if you came on your way back. My doc really is great. I would say that you could stay here but my apartment is less than 500 sq ft and all I ahve to offer is a small couch!! Let me know if there is anything that I can do to help out. Why is Earl so against the surgery? I don't know how the leg surgery is but I do know that my Tummy Tuck was way less painful than my lap-band.

Again let me know if there is anything that I can do. BIG BIG hugs!

Hmmm... well, my suspicion is that a great deal of the resistance to PS comes from being focused on $$$$, but he's not going to say that, so he just keeps telling me how STUPID it is, unnecessary, I look MUCH better than I used to, I'm only doing it because some stupid ladies made comments about me legs, etc., etc., etc. Why would you want to butcher yourself, blah, blah, blah, blah! And then there's the Mexico arguments.... too dangerous, why don't you go to a REAL doctor, he's a quack, etc.

Transfer addiction... yes, SHOPPING! One of the things I was shopping for was a CRUISE! LOL

I am going to post on the NW thread and see if anyone there has had PS... Maybe someone can recomend someone closer to home. I am still upset about the whole issue and DH response and want to go crawl in a hole somewhere. He just doesn't get it. Really think that a large part of it is the $$$ because one day when he let his guard down he said, "we can't even afford a new car and you want to spend $50K on plastic surgery". Well, it won't cost that much and it's not true that we can't afford a new car. He just won't spend his precious cash! ON ANYTHING! Therefore, I think I will buy a cruise!! LOL.... YEP, I'm still MAD!! He's trying to be so nice but he's getting monosyllabic answers from me today. And I'm conspiring with myself as to how to get the photos to email the dr. in TJ... without asking HIM to help me!! Like taking my camera down to the locker room and take them in front of the big mirrors down there!

STEPH... so glad you posted that note this morning! I know we were all worried when you didn't post for a few days. Hope you are starting to feel more normal SOON and that the trip home tomorrow isn't to traumatic or difficult.

[kirajh 0]

Hey Phyl, I can't believe how much Earl sounds like Brad. Maybe I aught to get him to come to Candace's with me and the two of them can sit around and discuss the financial woes (oops, I mean World).:rolleyes2: It might keep them occupied so we can all go spend some money. LOL:lol:

Steph - Great to see you've posted. I think it means that you are on the road to recovery.

In fact, I'm glad to see that everyone is posting. Seems like whenever janet is gone, so is everyone else.

Have a good day all and I will TTYL.

[phyllser 3]

Hey Phyl, I can't believe how much Earl sounds like Brad. Maybe I aught to get him to come to Candace's with me and the two of them can sit around and discuss the financial woes (oops, I mean World).:scared2: It might keep them occupied so we can all go spend some money. LOL:lol:

Steph - Great to see you've posted. I think it means that you are on the road to recovery.

In fact, I'm glad to see that everyone is posting. Seems like whenever janet is gone, so is everyone else.

Have a good day all and I will TTYL.

Yeah, they could sit and watch the financial channel with their little calculators in their hands and cry in their beer together while we SHOP!!

So... let's see how many pages we can fill up for Janet to read when she gets home!!

:rolleyes2::biggrin::scared2:

Yes, so good to see Steph online!!

I did soothe my anger a little today.... booked that Alaska cruise for May.. $399 each!!

[mango24 1]

I wonder what Janet's doing right now.

DS left me one sip of Nyquil. Uggghhh

I hope I make it throught the night.

Phyl- 399, you can't beat that with a stick.

I felt like crap all day, I came home and took an extended nap. I hope I just have a cold and get through it without antibiotics.

The weather here is still beautiful spring days. Rain coming later in the week. I moved all my plants off the patio this weekend, so I hope we don't get any more frost. I really was counting on that Nyquil to get me back to sleep, Dag nabbit.

Steph- Hope your feeling better. One of our teachers just had back surgery in Nov., she could barely walk before, in constant pain. I asked her how she felt today, she's said much better, she's happy. They took out a disc for her too. I really didn't know that could be done.

Okay this is as much as I can think of right now for the: Add pages before Janet gets home campain 09.

[phyllser 3]

Hmmmm..... Do you think Janet is sitting quietly at the piano bar sipping a drink of the day?? Or maybe she's in the lounge and she found someone to dance with??? Or maybe she's so tired from running around all week getting ready to go on the cruise that she's already tucked in to bed catching some zzzzzzzzzz's.

Nah... she's gotta tuck those teenagers in before she can go to sleep and they won't be ready for bed yet!!

[salsa1877 10]

Knowing my mommy the teenagers are probably trying to get her to go to bed!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DENISE! I hope you are feeling better.