Living in Pain

Well it's no secret, I am out on Workers Compensation with a bad neck & back. Now when some people are hurt, they have 1, 2, and/or maybe 3 herniated discs in either their neck and/or back. Well, I don't just have 3 anymore like I did 3 years ago, nor do I have 6 like I did last year. You must be thinking that I got the surgery and am left with 1 or 2 bad discs. Nope, thats not the answer. The answer is 11. Yep thats right, 11 herniated discs. At 39 years old, I got 11 herniated discs that aren't going away, they are just getting worse because with them being on multi levels according to 2 different doctors, I am inoperable. I have 2 in my Cervical Spine, 6 in my Thoracic Spine, & 3 in my Lumbar/Sacral Spine.

I might get lucky with a doctor who might read this and that he/she can give me some hope, so here's the results of my MRI's:

C1/C2: ok

C2/C3: ok

C3/C4: bulging disc

C4/C5: bulging disc, herniates on left side upon flexion

C5/C6: right paracentral herniation

C6/C7: ok

C7/T1: ok

T1/T2: ok

T2/T3: ok

T3/T4: ok

T4/T5: ok

T5/T6: moderate broad right-sided herniation with thecal sac compression

T6/T7: prominent left-sided herniation

T7/T8: prominent left-sided herniation

T8/T9: moderate right-sided herniation with significant thecal sac compression

T9/T10: bilobulated disc herniation with thecal sac impingement

T10/T11: ok

T11/T12: small right paracentral herniation with a well-defined annular tear

T12/L1: ok

L1/L2: ok

L2/L3: ok

L3/L4: prominent broad herniation with L4 nerve root impingement

L4/L5: prominent broad herniation that affects both L4 nerve roots

L5/S1: broad herniation across disc space with displacement of the left S1 nerve root

The result of all these herniations is pain down both arms & both legs, constant numbness in half my right hand with ocassional numbness to the whole hand & ocassional numbness in the left hand as well, both legs are weak, sharp pain from my neck to buttocks, ocassional sharp pain in both knees, and pain that wraps around both sides of my ribs.

Now there are ignorant people out there (comp doctors as well as exfriends) and you know who you are that say, oh he's faking or there's nothing wrong with him, well films don't lie asses!

How do you deal with the pain, you might be wondering? Well 60mg of MS Contin (morophine sulfate) twice daily along with anti-inflamatories & muscle relaxors that does help sometimes, but there is usually breakthrough pain that you just have to deal with. When you got this much wrong, each day that I can still move around is another day that I thank the God & Goddess for & it's another day to overcome the pain & be thankful that it could only be worse.

There are other factors that you deal with especially being on Comp, but that's another Blog for another day! If there is anyone that reads this that can help, leave a comment & Blogger will notify me. I have to monitor the comments because there are callous people out there that used to be my friends, that put hateful comments on previous posts that don't like to hear the truth & just want to live in a world where you must always be PC or be one of the gang that all think alike or pretend that they are individuals, but really aren't.

Thanks for listening,

b.0.b aka Caedmon