So, I got MRI results the other day.....

[12secondv6]

And crap.

As a recap, back in June a bastard in an SUV decided to make an illegal u turn across 4 lanes of traffic, without using directionals or looking, and punted me into oncoming traffic in my brand new car.

Also, I was involved in an accident back in September which resulting in me having a ruptured disc (C6 to C7), having a spinal fusion, metal plate and 4 screws put in.

I have been in pain for a while, and it has been getting worse. So, after trying the usual things (x rays etc), we got an MRI done.

I have a herniated disc (C3 to C4). Normally, I would be able to have the same surgery as last time (spinal fusion) sure, it would suck but I would only be in pain for a couple days after surgery and be back to work in 2 months. This is the really sucky part - I have spinal stenosis. Spinal Stenosis is a condition in which the spinal canal narrows and compresses the spinal cord and nerves. Now, it doesn't stay narrow throughout the entire spinal canal - just small area's.

Lucky me, C3 to C4 is an area where it is affected by the spinal stenosis. Due to the lack of room in the spinal canal and the herniated disc, they have to do major surgery.

Basically, they open up my back (potentially in a couple places), and drill out the spinal canal and provide more room for the spinal cord/ nerves. Then they would do the spinal fusion, put a cedaver bone in, metal plate and a couple screws.

Since they would be working with the spinal canal (where all the nerves are) it is a very scary surgery, very painful (can be severe for 3-4 weeks after the surgery), gonna be out of work for minimum 6 months.

This surgery is avoided at all costs.

Some people are able to function fine with herniated discs and some people (with rest, meds etc) will fully recover from the herniated disc.

So, as this is avoided at all costs, I will spend the next month with pain killers, muscle relaxers, and I must be very careful..... this is the last option before surgery.

Realistically, I do not expect to get better w/o the surgery. I'm in a ***** load of pain now and it is slowly getting worse.

Good thing is, there are a bunch of PS3 games coming out soon so I'll have TONS of time to play them...... and my lawyer will be very happy to hear this as he is working on suing the people from the first accident.... and now we will be able to add the second people also.

So, I gotta just get through the next month and then it is probably surgery time.

So, anyone want to buy my Trans Am????

[enRo]

That black cloud just loves lingering around ya, dude. Hope you make a quick recovery from this.

[Tru2Chevy]

Wow James, sucks to hear that you still have more crap popping up from those accidents. Hopefully the R&R will help you out and you can avoid the surgery.

- Justin

[Savage_Messiah]

holy **** man. best of luck avoiding surgery, and I'll start doing some research on bubbles for you to live in

[Tru2Chevy]

Originally Posted by Savage_Messiah

holy **** man. best of luck avoiding surgery, and I'll start doing some research on bubbles for you to live in

Maybe Paul will donate the one for his SS when he is home for good

And if all else fails:



- Justin

[BonzoHansen]

James, that sucks. We're all pulling for you.

[ShitOnWheels]

And you thought I was accident prone! I fear for our children, whenever they decide to come, lol.

[Savage_Messiah]

Originally Posted by ****OnWheels

And you thought I was accident prone! I fear for our children, whenever they decide to come, lol.

I can totally see a kid getting into a powerwheels accident and the car catching on fire. Then James looking on nostalgically with a strange sense of pride.



Don't let your kids have power wheels.

[Tru2Chevy]

Originally Posted by ****OnWheels

And you thought I was accident prone! I fear for our children, whenever they decide to come, lol.

Yes, this is a fact. Maybe the kid(s) will be lucky and the accident prone gene will skip generations.

Originally Posted by Savage_Messiah

I can totally see a kid getting into a powerwheels accident and the car catching on fire. Then James looking on nostalgically with a strange sense of pride.



Don't let your kids have power wheels.

- Justin

[Savage_Messiah]

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

Yes, this is a fact. Maybe the kid(s) will be lucky and the accident prone gene will skip generations.

awesome, so their grandkids are gonna be ****ed

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

Damn man......Godspeed in healing, that surgery sounds terrible. Maybe you can steal the bubble from Paul's SS

[BigAls87Z28]

Originally Posted by Anti_Rice_Guy

Damn man......Godspeed in healing, that surgery sounds terrible. Maybe you can steal the bubble from Paul's SS

Way to read the thread...stalker

Originally Posted by Savage_Messiah

holy **** man. best of luck avoiding surgery, and I'll start doing some research on bubbles for you to live in

Originally Posted by Tru2Chevy

Maybe Paul will donate the one for his SS when he is home for good

And if all else fails:



- Justin

James, seriously stay the eff away from me.
If you two do have kids, we will all show up with clothing made up of foam-rubber.
You should be required to have a roll cage in all of your vehicles.

[baddest434]

damn james that sucks to hear.

[98CamaroSS]

I hope everything works out for you. I've had back problems and a herinated disc also from another idiot driver who slamed into the back of my car 12 years ago. The pain is still there after all these years.

[ib4200]

that sucks man, never good to hear about someone running into issues like that. get well soon

[Squirrel]

so basically you can choose between barely being able to walk now, or potentially being paralyzed after surgery?

[Knipps]

damn dude, I wish you nothing but the best. Like someone said, a roll cage should be put in everything you own and you might want to keep the flame retardant suit just in case. Here's hoping things only get better from here

[Blackbirdws6]

Wow that all sounds incredibly scary. Best of luck with getting better and I hope you will not need this very invasive surgery.

[JL8Jeff]

Geeez, that sucks big time! I've been complaining about the pain and soreness I've been having this summer but I know it's because of golfing and playing volleyball. My problems are not nerve or bone related so I know I can't compare to what you're going through. I hate to say it, but I don't see how pain killers are going to help your situation. I hope you don't need the surgery but like you said, it sounds like that might be your best hope. Good luck, and don't get old!

[CAUGHT-YA-LOOKIN]

Good luck to you..

[btownws6]

wow man hope it all works out for you that's a pretty ****ed up situation there

[BurninrubberGT]

good luck with the recovery

[Teds89IROC]

Wow scary stuff, good luck with everything James.

[jims69camaro]

Originally Posted by Squirrel

so basically you can choose between barely being able to walk now, or potentially being paralyzed after surgery?

basically, oversimplified and squashed down into one sentence, yeah.

i went through the same decision before i had my surgery. none of the more conventional treatments were helping and i was already on a good dose of pain meds. there was no relief in sight, but here was a chance that i could get better. in the state of mind i was in, basically not dealing well with the amount of pain i was in, i was really open to anything that had a chance of succeeding. now, my only recourse is, of course, more surgery. once you open the body up it is never the same again. if the doctor could give me better odds on the success rate, i might bite, but he is only projecting a 25% chance that i could come out of it better than i am right now. not very good odds.

think long and hard about this. talk it over with the mrs. talk it over with your parents. get as much input, opinion-wise, that you can. don't go for the emotional, knee-jerk reaction. get hard facts. if there really is no end in sight as far as the pain - it's just going to increase as you get older. what's worse is, you could end up in a chair. i only hope the best for you and i know what a heavy decision this is for you to make.

also mention to your lawyer about the "second injury fund" which is state sponsored and it makes the money pool a little larger. i don't know if it makes sense in your situation, but it could make the difference in actually receiving the settlement as opposed to winning the judgment and having to wait for your money.

with technology where it is today, i wouldn't worry about the surgery making things worse. it all depends on how you recuperate and if any further injury happens to your spine while you are convalescing for those 6 months. there will be days when you feel like a million bucks and you will be tempted to overdo it just because you feel good. it comes back like a whip the following day. you only get one shot at the spine - it's not like the kidneys or lungs where we have a backup just in case sh * t gets fuBar.

i wish you the best.

[Clutch Master]

Originally Posted by ****OnWheels

And you thought I was accident prone! I fear for our children, whenever they decide to come, lol.

That baby is gonna come out like Samuel L Jackson in Unbreakable lol, broken bones out of the womb lol.....