General Music Chat

Guitaranatomy, thanks for your concern man, i appreciate that. Theres more to my spine and its level of injury than what i posted; i just keep it simple for most people to understand.
You hit on a point that for me is built in to my nature, i feel like a worthless POS when other people are lifting heavy things, back and forth up and down stairs, moving furniture, equipment, etc...and i have to just watch..."that's 'not me'" but i have learned (the hard way) when to and when not to, pitch in.
Being an invisable injury; most people think you're faking and just a lazy SOB that wants to get out of work...it's none too flattering to be looked at or thought of like that.
So i walk a fine line between risking farther injury vs. being looked at as someone who's a worthless mofo.
It's just a matter of time before the "big one" hits and i'll have no options but surgery (if that will even be an option then)...and i realize that...so it's "on me" so to speak.
My whole spine including the Cervical area is wasted but i "keep that to myself" only my Family knows the full extent of whats going on and progressing. Like i said "Thanks"...it's hard to find someone that understands...when people say "my back hurts" or "my feet ache"...man they don't know the half of it...i just smile. to keep from cryin'

No problem man. Back problems are just very hard to deal with, so I understand everything you are going through. People do not understand the level of pain a person endures when they have those problems. It is very hard to get around, it is very hard to just function overall. I know when I just pull out my back slightly, it's just like ow, and that is a 2 on a pain scale of 1-10. People with your disability usually feel around an 8 out of 10 of pain. My mother sometimes has a 10. You end up taking Percocet, OxyContin, Morphine, Medrol Dos Pak's, etc... Sooner or later the body just cannot tolerate it. So yeah, apparently I know where you are coming from. Like I said, just be careful with that kind of an injury, because like you were saying, you do not want to have to do surgery. Surgery is very scary, when a neurosurgeon opens up your back they are taking a chance that you could never walk again. So whatever you can do to keep from surgery, do so. Whether it be physical therapy, exercise, acupuncture, massages, just do it to keep from resorting to anything extreme. Good luck man with all of this.

Peace out, GuitarAnatomy.

Thanks again man, yeah i have all the pills and whatnot that i need and use them sparingly because of my addicted history, i don't need that again. You know whats strange? i can lift say up to 50 pounds (yes i know i'm risking it) and move it a few feet easier than i can sneeze; sneezing can literally drop me...i'm not kidding on that one.
Numb spots moving up and down my legs, feels like im walking on gravel constantly, like i been "kicked down there" for seemingly no reason sometimes.
It's a mess...anything as a Medical person you care to know about my symptoms and whatnot, feel free to ask.
Here's one of my mail accounts: frantasy@mail.com
I'll tell you anything you'd like to know and be straight up if it will further your knowlege to assist others.

Thanks man for the e-mail, I will hold onto it if there are any questions I need to ask to learn more. I am going to become a doctor, but in Biomedical Engineering. In that field they create all of the cures, so that is my aim.

Numbness is something I have heard of before, and so is the gravel like feeling. Bone scraping on bone probably. But yeah, it's rough. People always complain of that exacerbating pain that radiates down the legs. If it is in the upper torso, around the cervical or mid-thoracic region, I think the pain goes into the neck and arms. It is such a rough problem man.

I understand what you mean about addictive history. People get in such pain that they cannot stop taking these drugs. That is why most of them end up in rehab and then have to only take these pills as is needed. But it is fascinating how you can lift 50 lbs. and be alright but not sneeze. I do not remember where, but I have heard that before. If you like cough too hard or sneeze too hard it like puts the back out of whack.

Yeah though, you are going to have to look into as many options are possible with that. There are many options available to helping the back, usually depending on the exact severity. You should just take some time out of working and go on Google, there are tons of medical sites you can research treatment on. If you need a couple I can list some for you. But of course, before initiating any kind of treatment that you hear about somewhere else, ask your Doctor.

Peace out, GuitarAnatomy.

If i can, could i get your opinion about this?
I'd hate for desperation to overrule common sense.
https://axiomworldwide.com/DRX9000.aspx

Would you deem this "witch doctor" treatment or a legitimate medical device and or procedure?
Some things regular MD's look at you like your crazy to ask.

Just an opinion is all Thanks.

Hey Franny,

Sorry about your back bro. That's serious stuff. My prayers are with you for a solution that helps.

Numbness not good Franny, need to get that looked at pronto!!!

Thanks Craig and Greenie.
I've been "putting up" with all this for a long time, just deal with it is about all i can do.
"Lay down and die" is NOT an option in my book, i could cry and whine about it constantly but that wouldn't prove nothing either.

I strongly recommend getting the numbness looked at and don't be a prat..Sorry to sound harsh but I know what I'm talking about. Your health is more important than being a "hero"

Thanks for yelling at me Greenie.

The numbness in my legs is actually on or in my skin, and it appears one day and gone the next changing "spots" as it comes and goes. It's strange and it doesn't affect my muscles or nerves it just gets "on my nerves"; kinda like if your foot or hand 'falls asleep' and you don't want to touch it...thats kind of how this feels.
No Greenie; i darn sure let my Family Doctor know when i've hurt it further or something changes or feels out of the ordinary...oh they know

Ok I'll quit yelling seeing as you are getting it checked

I've had numerous back problems as well as numbness behind my left knee. I STRONGLY recommend seeing a reputable chiroprator and a naturopathic doctor. I go to both and it's been an amazing and wonderful recovery for me WITHOUT surgery or drugs. I get my back and neck adjusted about once a month and I'm on a naturopathic diet based on my blood type (A). About a year and a helf ago I woke up one morning and fell over. The back of my leg centered around my knee was completely numb. I went immediately to a good chiropractor. Turns out my knee problem was a spinal misallignment problem. He adjusted my neck and three places on my spine. I went about four times the first month, twice a month the next six months, and about once a month after that. If I had gone to an osteopath I guarantee they would have operated on my knee and I WOULD STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I went to the naturopath because I was having terrible irritable bowel for months (I could not sleep for almost three months). I got completely off all dairy, very limited red meat, and do not eat any peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, and a few other fruits and vegetables. I do not drink ANY carbonated beverages whatsoever, only soy milk, fruit juices, and certain herb teas. I also take a number of different digestive enzymes, acidophalus, and herbal tea pills. In the last ten months I lost about 35 pounds, I can sleep almost all night, my blood pressure dropped over 40 points, and all without any perscription medications. Another method that might help you tremendously would be accupuncture. Our medical establishment is woefully deficient when it comes to diet and natural manipulation. They only know surgery and drugs. You should seriously consider alternative care. it may GREATLY alleviate your pain and stress. Good luck...

fisherman bob, i totally agree with you, i found out too late.
I go to a chiro for neck adjusting, shoulder elbow and wrist. He won't touch my Lumbar spine (because i've had surgery) before my surgery i used to love getting the adjustment where you lie on either side and they "crack' your lower back and pelvis...those days are long gone.
I don't think i could take it now on the lumbar though

Physical Therapy...no Thank you!!! did that twice and both times they ended up making matters worse, at 2 different treatment centers or whatever they call themselves no less. They think they know more about you than you do, the first one was after my surgery, they had me doing crunches with some big oversized ball on my stomach, i blew out a navel hernia...surgery to correct that, the second time which was just in 05 they wouldn't listen to me, they treated me as though i had a back spasm and a pulled groin muscle...oh man, they tore my ass up, after that experience is when i went back to the Neurosurgeon and got the diagnosis and prognosis of whats going on and whats going to happen.
So you see why i'm hesitant about anything.

EDIT: just to clear this journey up a little.
1) initial injury in 1987...wall fell on me
2) 1997 surgery after everything went numb below my hips (except that) returned to work a year later
3) 2004 had to stop work and apply for disability...2005 finally got all paperwork and diagnosis settled...and thats where i am today.
So yeah, it's been a mess.

Personally...... I like boobies

Hey Alvin (Ax), i apologise for my delay in getting back to this thread.
Been busy as all get out with preparing the house for hardwood flooring, Natural Cherry (highly figured) engineered floor...add my disability to that, plus playing and i'm a mess. (my disability is my Lumbar spine) i have 4 out of the 5 discs blown, they want to remove the L-4/L-5 and the L-5/S-1 discs and use Titanium, then do something to the T12/L-1 and the L-2/L-3 (surgical nonetheless) a rough frame wall fell on me back in 87...been under the knife once already(2 procedures at once) so i'm not exactly volunteering to jump back on the table; know what i mean?
But anyhow, the audition went well enough that i'm the regular Bassist now with her at Church...she (Lori Citro) is scary good...leaves me in the dust as far as "paper trained" goes. (thanks to Irminsul for the paper trained saying) thats a good way of putting it.
Anyhow, at the "audition" she had a keyboard malfunction...the power supply blew...so the scramble was on from the get-go. But we substituted, leveled out then flat out performed with zero practice and very little warmup. I was surprised at the end when she invited me back...i guess my "winging it" skills paid off. As you can tell, "i can't say enough about her"; never worked with anyone at her level, she sits there and transcribes while carrying on a BS conversation with us, laughing and giggling included...music is hand written for us in a matter of minutes...and brought into chord charts for us non-readers, it's all good, i've learned a boatload from her in just 3 meetings thus far.
So, thats some more of my life...to be continued

Kudos on the successful audition, Fran man! I'm real sorry to hear about your back problem, that's right where you live! Well, That's right where one also lives. Speaking of the pills! Anyhow, I'm also disabled, only mine is from the neck up! You probably already gathered that, huh? I'm bipolar/personality disorder and I can't seem to just let it run down my back, and I certainly can't go around beating the piss out of my employers, now can I? I'm anxious to hear more about your gig, I wish I had something going! I'm breathing. Later.