Spinal Injuries.

[James Deuce]

I feel gutted for IL4 especially as there but for the grace of God go I.

I'm lucky in that I avoided a severing spinal cord injury, but I sustained compression fractures to C4, C5, T4, and T5.

I've been under sustained stress for 3 years with maybe 2 full nights sleep, one of my kids has been hospitalised 16 times with severe asthma including two trips to ICU where we really thought he'd die. We nearly lost the house twice because TerraNet incorrectly loaded someone else's title against our house so financial institutions thought we we're over commited by about 120%. It took $100,000 to sort out.

Then we had Alex which just about finished me off. Most of you guys think Down Syndrome is a joke. It is in fact a tight rope. Alex's DNA is fucked and the instructions it gives his body as he grows can severely impact on his quality of life because it can just screw everything up from time to time. One day he could be as good as he'll be. The next we may find that large chunks of his brain have become aganglionic (dead neurons and ganglions) and he's now a vegetable. Just like that. It probably won't happen, but there are other aspects to this syndrome, like bowel that doesn't work properly, poor muscle tone, intense emotional attachments, and the fact that we get fucking stared at everywhere we go, including by people who see us daily.

I've been in hospital twice this year after contracting Influenza twice. Not the I feel a bit manky so I'll stay home and play computer games flu, but the one that says, RIGHT I'm gonna kill you if I can.

I found out the same day that IL4 had his accident that there's reason for a bunch of things that have made it hard to develop a career, maintain relationships with people including my family, and to maintain perspective throughout stressful times.

Your thoracic spine carries a lot of nerves involved in Autonomic nervous system function. That's the control mechanism for you smooth muscles like your heart and governs things like blood pressure and heart rate and endochrine function. When I get really sick, like a bad virus, my blood pressure has been dropping right off and heart rate has been staying the same. Every investigation I've had looks at my family history and says it must be cardiac. It isn't. My Cholesterol is 2.8, my resting pulse is 78 and ECG's are better than they should be. Not bad for 40. My "attacks" (I've had more than two, including a bunch of episodes while training at the Gym) look like someone going vaso-vagal or bleeding out internally from a ruptured aorta.

I may have a thing called autonomic dysreflexia which is damage to the sympathetic nervous system. Except the symptoms I have are half that and half looking like damage to the parasympathetic nervous system which indicates a measure of SCI or spinal cord injury, probably just from the cord being irritated enough by the reconfiguration of the vertebrae I damaged to swell slightly. Other effects include an increase in sweating and increased irritability or a sensation of anxiety.

I've seen people look at how much I sweat with little apparent effort and can see that, "eewww, disgusting" look in their eyes. I have to fight the urge to over react in a negative fashion to little things like constructive critcism or someone changing the rules mid-stream. I was naturally like that anyway. It's just 20 times worse.

At least I know why I'm a grumpy fuckwit now.

John (IL4) faces a struggle that is going to include facets of what I've talked about. He is very lucky (as much as you can be) to have broken his spine at T6. He won't need a respirator if all goes to plan.

What I want you all to think about is that he may not react how you expect him to. I'm like a hormonal teenager at the best of times, and John will have to deal with those issues as well as all the personal issues that he will face due to loss of mobility, inability to toilet, and the complications like osteoprosis that will start to mount as he gets older. It is worse that he is an RN. He knows how this goes. If you talk to him and have a bad experience don't take it personally. Don't tell him to stay positive either as sometimes that choice will be out of his control.

[Motu]

I've just had a tooth pulled - I was going to cry in my beer.....I think I'll have a Milo instead.

Hang in there you guys....

[yungatart]

Thanks for sharing that with us Jim. It gives us a little perspective on how things are for some - including my brother.
It will be a long road for John and his family, as for you and yours.
Some people draw the short straw, others of us can just be as supportive as we can...

[Skyryder]

Not many posts move me J2, but yours did. Life is a bit like walking on a razor edge. Some walk on sharper edge than others.

I had back problems when I was a youngster. Nearly three years in hospital with a cage over me to stop me moving about. I came right, but "There by the grace of God, go I." is becoming more relevent as I get older.



Skyryder

[Crasherfromwayback]

These things that happen to us and/or the ones we love, are without doubt trying. As tough as they are to cope with, they also make us.

My most sincere 'ups' to anyone struggling with tough situations.

Pete

[Grahameeboy]

As you know Jim, I don't have your physical pain but have the mental pain of Natalie so thank you for sharing yours........despite all your issues you just prove that the table lamp is still on and one day I will meet you and we can be demented together eh.

:rockon:

[TonyB]

The world has a habit of making bad things happen to good people. Jim, you have my respect. And Skyryder- three years? Bloody hell, I start going nuts after 3 days in hospital

[Grahameeboy]

The world has a habit of making bad things happen to good people. Jim, you have my respect. And Skyryder- three years? Bloody hell, I start going nuts after 3 days in hospital

It happens for a good reason though...yep I know that is hard to understand but it makes sense..honest

[Paul in NZ]

Lot of bloody big words in there that I can't understand Jim2. Don't worry though - I got yer back buddy.... Yup, no matter how ugly grumpy and moody and sweaty you get I'll still let you buy me a coffee eh? :dodge:

Dude - hard as it is - we are nearly all damaged goods mate, the degree of damage varies and sometimes you can't put a name on it but it's nearly always there and sadly, the one thing we can't share is the one thing we all have in common.

[Brett]

Crap mate, sounds very much like the punches have been coming very hard at you. I really hope that things start to look up. You must be one incredibly strong person.

[RT527]

Shit if you think J2 has a problem ....You shoulda tried living with the bugger :yes: :dodge: :second: :love:

[Terminated]

There are times when words cannot express how we feel and there are evenings when we take our prayers to bed and convey those true inner feelings - may the peace that passes all understanding be with you.

[chanceyy]

Hi Jim

love that saying by the grace of god .. approx 25yrs ago i was showjumping crashed & had nearly 800 lbs of horse stand on my back, yes it was close to me also being paralysed.

I have never since that time looked at life quite in the same light again.

There are several ppl I know who by the grace of god were not as lucky who are now paraplegic & tetraplegic, but apart from the wheelchair they are the same ppl they were prior .. yes they too get frustrated, grumpy, angry etc .. but I have never based a freindship on all the good times we shared .. I base a freindship on the good times the bad time everything in between & do not treat them any differently than prior to their various accidents.

big up's to you for all that you have been through, & will go through .. & if your ever in the neighbourhoood your sweaty grumpy anxious self will be welcome for a coffee .. & I won't stare or presume to know what you have been through or go through, but yup would be more than happy to share a conversation with ya ;)


cheers Chanceyy

[MattRSK]

Well Jim, since I am not a teenager anymore, I better say something serious for once. Even though I have never met you, I have respect for you, even more so now. Thanks for sharing that. Been dealing with a lot lately and to have someone open up like that and share, makes it that little bit easier. All the best and see you in the not to distant future!

[Grahameeboy]

Hi Jim

love that saying by the grace of god .. approx 25yrs ago i was showjumping crashed & had nearly 800 lbs of horse stand on my back, yes it was close to me also being paralysed.

I have never since that time looked at life quite in the same light again.

There are several ppl I know who by the grace of god were not as lucky who are now paraplegic & tetraplegic, but apart from the wheelchair they are the same ppl they were prior .. yes they too get frustrated, grumpy, angry etc .. but I have never based a freindship on all the good times we shared .. I base a freindship on the good times the bad time everything in between & do not treat them any differently than prior to their various accidents.

big up's to you for all that you have been through, & will go through .. & if your ever in the neighbourhoood your sweaty grumpy anxious self will be welcome for a coffee .. & I won't stare or presume to know what you have been through or go through, but yup would be more than happy to share a conversation with ya ;)


cheers Chanceyy

Good one ewe.............

[chanceyy]

Good one ewe.............

when did i become a sheep ..






ohh yeah a black one ;)

[98tls]

Sorry to hear of your troubles jim...i hope things are on the up for you and yours soon...i got up this morning pissed off over a couple of things but after reading that i realise just how lucky i am....for what its worth things can always be worse though eh...just saw the thread about the rider/pillon up nelson way.......chin up mate.

[Terminated]

Our spine can hide many an injury of years past. In 1997 I had a microforamenotomy at C5/C6 and close examination at C6/C7. I have osteoarthritis and cervical spondylosis of the cervical spine - the result of an injury back in 1968 - yes 29 years previous. Bone has been removed from the vertabrae in order to decompress main root nerves [ie. microforamenotomy]. Picture if you will standing on the beach at the edge of the water and the wave washes in and out and drags the sand around your ankle and you feel the pressure - that is how my spinal canal was affecting my cervical spine, yes talk about a pain in the neck.

The osteoarthritis is degenerative of the bone in the spine and for two years I said to myself I would never be able to wear a helmet let alone ride a bike - well for 18 months or so each Sunday evening a bbq and beer with the brother in law and looking at his Z750, and a beer and looking at his z750, and walking around the bike, and a beer and looking at his z750 - that's it that's enough I am going to do the bike riding course and BHS....

I will continue to have neurological spasms and at times acute pain, I have avoided anti-inflammatory drugs and keep up a good exercise regime mainly swimming.

We are afflicted in many ways and can look at the brighter side of life at times with a greater focus and intensity that keeps us going on.

I no longer work and take each day as it comes and make the most of it.

And when I say 'Heads Up and Enjoy', it does have a special meaning.

[slimjim]

yup Jim2, as too what buckbuckno1 ,has said your'e not thee only sailor in this world, me got my whole lumber fused,Orthopaedic surgeon fucked up big time, and have sweet fu*k all relief from a huge amount of discomfort, been to the devil and back(year's of doctor's med's,bloody addict,),got nothing the works right from waist down,left leg just a counter weight,right leg works from ankle up, hand's are like claw's due to nerve ending damage, but fuck them all,yup some times i tip over on the bike, haha but where they say you can't,fuck them you do, i still do take each day to what i awake too, can't plan ahead,as you would know, but yea mate "head's Up and Enjoy"

[RT527]

From experiance guys bad back or not ...I can say that Jim2 was Grumpy from the day I was Born....hehehehehehehehe.:yes: :shutup: :innocent: :sunny: :zzzz: :love:

[Krayy]

Shit if you think J2 has a problem ....You shoulda tried living with the bugger :yes: :dodge: :second: :love:
Ahh, Brian. Been there, done that. Maybe Jim should rent out a spare room so everyone can have a go? :dodge:

PS. I didn't find it too bad at all :innocent:
PPS. His Mum's a good sort too.
PPPS. But his brother, bloody hell :gob:

[XP@]

Ouch! feel like I have been slapped in the face by a wet kipper weighing in at 10 tonnes.

It puts my pathetic little problems in to perspective.
Thank you for sharing, and take care!

[onearmedbandit]

Reading all this just reaffirms to me why I never complain about my position. Yeah I've got a spinal injury (brachial plexus avulsion of c5, c6, c7, c8 and t1), yeah my left arm is dead, yeah I'm in 24hr a day pain, but fuck compared to a lot of people out there I've got it damn good. In fact I consider myself to be very lucky. And thankful, the course my life has taken since the injury is one I'd never change.

[scumdog]

The attitude of some of you guys never ceases to amaze me, it seems that the injury and pain you have undergone has made you a stronger (mentally) person, y'all deserve a truckload of green bling.:niceone:





Kinda puts my worries of how my mo is going white and if Mr Sensible is a better shot with Grecian 2000 than I into perspective:shutup:

[MyGSXF]

I am studying Counselling at Tech.. and the biggest thing I have learnt this year is.. how incredibly precious & resilliant people are. The stories my classmates shared of their lives had me in tears many a day.. but there they were, sitting there sharing it with others.

We can never judge a book by it's cover, as underneath it may tell a very different story in it's pages.

I take my hat off to you Jim2.. for the courage it took for you to share your story with us. & wish you & yours well, always.

Jen :rockon:

[Pwalo]

You haven't fixed the 750 yet have you Jim?

I know it's trite but try not to dwell on things too much. Talk about them when you need to, and don't when you don't want to.

I always find it funny how you can put up with your own pain and frustrations but it's so much harder when your children are affected.

Good luck mate. Now go and polish the bike, make sure the kids are ok, etc, etc.

[Squeak the Rat]

Jim - Caring for a mentally impaired child is enough stress let alone everything else, so you are obviously doing something right. Thanks for sharing, and don't be afraid to ask for help (or to tell people to fuck off).


Reading all this just reaffirms to me why I never complain about my position. Yeah I've got a spinal injury (brachial plexus avulsion of c5, c6, c7, c8 and t1), yeah my left arm is dead, yeah I'm in 24hr a day pain, but fuck compared to a lot of people out there I've got it damn good. In fact I consider myself to be very lucky. And thankful, the course my life has taken since the injury is one I'd never change.And that's the attitude which no doubt has helped you deal with your injury and move on. It's not an easy one to adopt, and for some it's too easy to look inwards and get negative or even into depression.

I'm not going to bore you all with my current tales of woe (head injury + 'the bends' = bung head), but Jim's right, don't expect IL4 to be happy and rational all the time. Not for a while anyway.

[TonyB]

There seems to be a fair amount of knowledge amongst our members when it comes to spinal injuries, so I have a question to ask- is it at all common for spinal injuries to 'repair' themselves in an adult?

I have a moderate back injury and Shermans disease. Things have been pretty stable for at least 6 years. Yesterday I started getting a small amount of pain and a fair amount of 'pins and needles' in both feet up till somewhere above my ankle. This morning I thoguht I'd ring MrsB's massage therapist and see if I could book in for a massage. She spoke to the physio who said 'tell him to go see his Dr immediately'. So I did. He freaked out just a bit and sent me off for x-rays. Apparently the sensations I'm getting are consistent with a problem at S2, and could lead to floppy feet and a couple of other issues I'd rather not think about- nothing serious, just bloody inconvenient!

My lumbosacral area has been x-rayed at least four times (including today)1987, 1989, 1995 and today. The second and third x-rays showed a pars defect with a 5mm foward shift of L5 on S1, along with mild wedging and deformaties associated with Shermans disease.
My understanding of the foward shift is that it was caused when the <bits on the back of the one of the vertebrae>* cracked along the jucntion with the main part that holds the spinal chord. This made it susceptable to moving foward and back.
As I was in no pain after the initial accident, I then continued jumping of roofs, bouncing around on motorbikes and in gokarts and doing all the other dumbarsed things teenagers get up to.
The theory was that the crack didn't heal properly, so the vertebrae ended up having a bit that was like a dryrotted bit of wood, meaning it could slide further forward at any time. I was told not to ride motorbikes, NO motor racing, and to be aware that i was in grave danger of ending up in a wheel-chair, possibly from something as minor as taking a bad step. I was also told it would never get better, but could be prevented by getting worse if managed correctly. Failing that, the only option was surgery- fusing bits up etc.

Well bugger me if todays x-ray showed no noticeable foward shift at all! I'm kind of puzzled by this. Is it even possible?

* No idea what the correct name is

[Skyryder]

There seems to be a fair amount of knowledge amongst our members when it comes to spinal injuries, so I have a question to ask- is it at all common for spinal injuries to 'repair' themselves in an adult?

I have a moderate back injury and Shermans disease. Things have been pretty stable for at least 6 years. Yesterday I started getting a small amount of pain and a fair amount of 'pins and needles' in both feet up till somewhere above my ankle. This morning I thoguht I'd ring MrsB's massage therapist and see if I could book in for a massage. She spoke to the physio who said 'tell him to go see his Dr immediately'. So I did. He freaked out just a bit and sent me off for x-rays. Apparently the sensations I'm getting are consistent with a problem at S2, and could lead to floppy feet and a couple of other issues I'd rather not think about- nothing serious, just bloody inconvenient!

My lumbosacral area has been x-rayed at least four times (including today)1987, 1989, 1995 and today. The second and third x-rays showed a pars defect with a 5mm foward shift of L5 on S1, along with mild wedging and deformaties associated with Shermans disease.
My understanding of the foward shift is that it was caused when the <bits on the back of the one of the vertebrae>* cracked along the jucntion with the main part that holds the spinal chord. This made it susceptable to moving foward and back.
As I was in no pain after the initial accident, I then continued jumping of roofs, bouncing around on motorbikes and in gokarts and doing all the other dumbarsed things teenagers get up to.
The theory was that the crack didn't heal properly, so the vertebrae ended up having a bit that was like a dryrotted bit of wood, meaning it could slide further forward at any time. I was told not to ride motorbikes, NO motor racing, and to be aware that i was in grave danger of ending up in a wheel-chair, possibly from something as minor as taking a bad step. I was also told it would never get better, but could be prevented by getting worse if managed correctly. Failing that, the only option was surgery- fusing bits up etc.

Well bugger me if todays x-ray showed no noticeable foward shift at all! I'm kind of puzzled by this. Is it even possible?

* No idea what the correct name is

Some would call it a miracle. Just don't tell Benny Hine.

Skyryder

[TonyB]

HA! Yeah at this rate I'll have a perfect spine by the time I'm 50!

Call me cynical, but the 1989 results came from a heap of xrays assed by a specialist. The 1995 results came from 4 or 5 xrays, and the 2006 results came from two x-rays assed by a radiologist... I think that has a lot to do with it.

[Grahameeboy]

Yep, you often find that disabled people and parents are more content than others.....I guess those who do not have the pain that some of us do, don't realise how lucky we are so we want more out of life and are often dissapointed but in Jim2's situation and others you just take day by day so there are no dissapointments and you get on enjoying what you have and like today my Daughter, was lying in bed with me and just said "you are the best Dad in the world"......the pain I have just dissappears and I am sure the same goes for Jim2 and others......:rockon:

[Dooly]

Life can be a real bastard with what it deals up to you sometimes.

Sounds like many here have faced and battled major trauma.
Its a tough mental battle getting through it. People react in different ways.
It affects not only the victim, but the family as much, but you just have to deal with it as best as you can.

I'm still suffering now 12 years later from my accident in a car.

Head on impact into a concrete bridge, very similar to that TV ad were the young guys in the Subaru wagon hit the bridge.
Was'nt wearing a seat belt.
Woke up 6 weeks later in ICU in Hastings hospital.
I had been in Napier hospital for 3 weeks, can't recall that, or anything actually except the seconds before impact, think......'oh fuck'.
The family were called up twice to say I was going to suck the kumara.
Punctured both lungs, internal bleeding, broken jaw, wrist, knee caps, LH femur totally destroyed, hip ball and socket ripped from body, broken leg, 9 broken ribs, head injuries, yadda, yadda, yadda etc etc.
The worst part was the tracheotomy and the ventilator, which was in 3 months.
If anyone has had one of those you'll not recall with fondness nurses inserting long thin tubes down the trach tube right into your lungs to suck the fluid out.
It could need doing once an hour, or 30 times and hour, with a nasty gurgling sound.

Lying in ICU for months, counting all the squares on the ceiling, connecting all the dots on the walls was so much fun.
Not being able to talk to anyone due to the trach. Having to use a white board to write words to folk after a few months.
Seeing dozens of young and old folk wheeled to the morgue after dying next to you etc.
I think I still hold the record in Hastings ICU for blood transfusion use and antibiotics.

30 operations later including chest ones and multiple fracture ops, which some were to fix the original surgeons fuckups where he left screws poking into my nerves etc.
They did'nt think I would walk again, and were humming and haaing about taking my L leg off for ages.
Come back operations months afterwards for infections, metal removal, and a few years on crutches

But hey, I got through it, life goes on.
A legacy of it all is bad arthritis in my L hip, I can't run at all, can't crouch or kneel, immense pain from a smashed tail bone, and other bits and pieces.

A funny thing when I was nearing the end of my stay, and was in a general ward.
My orthopaedic surgeon who is a really good down to earth bloke said to me qiuetly.....
'Mate, after all of these operations to get your bones right, I'f I ever find out you've brought a motorcycle.......I'll fucking kill you.'

Best wishes to all having problems.

[TonyB]

My orthopaedic surgeon who is a really good down to earth bloke said to me qiuetly.....
'Mate, after all of these operations to get your bones right, I'f I ever find out you've brought a motorcycle.......I'll fucking kill you.'

I can see his point, but the accident happened when you were in a car!!

Reading through some of these posts confirms what I have always said to my mum- I've got it pretty good, compared to a lot of people my problems are minor.

[Ghost Lemur]

A funny thing when I was nearing the end of my stay, and was in a general ward.
My orthopaedic surgeon who is a really good down to earth bloke said to me qiuetly.....
'Mate, after all of these operations to get your bones right, I'f I ever find out you've brought a motorcycle.......I'll fucking kill you.'


Did you send him a pic of you on your bike? :innocent::Punk:

[Dooly]

Did you send him a pic of you on your bike? :innocent::Punk:

No, but I told him about the new Bandit 1200 I brought a year later at a follow up appointment and he nearly spewed.:laugh:
Amongst several colourfull phrases........:yes: