Request for Advice (and maybe a little sympathy)

DEF · Post by **DEF** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:50 pm

Sorry to hear about your trouble. I hope it's a fast and easy recovery.

swarden43 · Post by **swarden43** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:40 am

mantic wrote:Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I'm actually feeling a ton better today and I'm back at work (with a cane "just in case" and no heavy lifting).

That's what SWMBO is advocating for me. I'm still skeptical.
swarden43 wrote:I do Know Someone who still does miracle healing!

Still skeptical? I'm still prayin'! Glad to hear your felling better.

mantic · Post by **mantic** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:09 am

I picked up the book "Healing Back Pain, The Mind-Body Connection" at lunch today, on the recommendation of a poster here (and the glowing reviews at Amazon). I did a quick browse of it and already alarms are going off in my head. For example, Sarno states that physicians have a hard time between "things of the mind" and "things of the body." Then he goes on:

Peptic Ulcer of the Duodenum is a good example. Although some physicians would dispute the idea, there is fairly wide acceptance among practicing doctors that ulcers are caused primarily by "tension."

That's utter "felgercarb" as I know from personal experience that the primary cause is a bacterium. Sarno also advocates discontinuing ALL physical treatment. While I personally know some Physical Therapists who agree that therapy may not help much in some cases, to make a blanket statement like that makes me wonder "where this guy is coming from."

I'm still going to read the book, but to say I'm skeptical would be an understatement. If the experience of the past week has taught me anything about the subject, its that there are no hard-and-fast, all-inclusive answers.

swarden23 wrote:Still skeptical? I'm still prayin'! Glad to hear your felling better.

Thank you, I do appreciate that. To quote Curly from The Three Stooges

It may not help, but it couldn't hoit!

Oh, you know that Jewish carpenter I've heard so much about? Can you have him build me a nice straight-backed chair?

(kidding!!)

Hraefn · Post by **Hraefn** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:19 pm

You could go robot. My prayers are with you.

mantic · Post by **mantic** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:55 pm

Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance! $\:D/$

Saw the Ortho surgeon today, I have a degenerative disc disease but its in the very early stages and he thinks it can be stablized with physical therapy. He ordered six weeks of PT (3x/week) and we'll go from there, but for now he's not particularly concerned.

I'm still sore (particularly at night after a long day at work) but I feel better every day and don't really need the cane anymore.

You have no idea how relieved I am....

--Mark

[EDIT: forgot to mention, I got a copy of my MRI scans to give to the ortho guy and just for grins and giggles I popped the CD into my computer. I could read the disk! Fascinating pics though of course I had no idea what I was really looking at.

]

JimR · Post by **JimR** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:09 pm

mantic wrote:Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance! $\:D/$

Saw the Ortho surgeon today, I have a degenerative disc disease but its in the very early stages and he thinks it can be stablized with physical therapy. He ordered six weeks of PT (3x/week) and we'll go from there, but for now he's not particularly concerned.

I'm still sore (particularly at night after a long day at work) but I feel better every day and don't really need the cane anymore.

You have no idea how relieved I am....

--Mark

[EDIT: forgot to mention, I got a copy of my MRI scans to give to the ortho guy and just for grins and giggles I popped the CD into my computer. I could read the disk! Fascinating pics though of course I had no idea what I was really looking at. ]

Oh that's fantastic. Always cool to dodge a knife.

And, you should totally post those pics on the blog! We can see the REAL Mantic!

mantic · Post by **mantic** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:32 am

JimR wrote:...And, you should totally post those pics on the blog! We can see the REAL Mantic!

Thought about that but I couldn't figure out how to export the image.

Zach · Post by **Zach** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:47 am

Print it to a PDF!
(trying to be helpful, not curious)
Try PrimoPDF.com

swarden43 · Post by **swarden43** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:34 am

mantic wrote:Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance! $\:D/$

Saw the Ortho surgeon today, I have a degenerative disc disease but its in the very early stages and he thinks it can be stablized with physical therapy. He ordered six weeks of PT (3x/week) and we'll go from there, but for now he's not particularly concerned.

I'm still sore (particularly at night after a long day at work) but I feel better every day and don't really need the cane anymore.

You have no idea how relieved I am....

--Mark

[EDIT: forgot to mention, I got a copy of my MRI scans to give to the ortho guy and just for grins and giggles I popped the CD into my computer. I could read the disk! Fascinating pics though of course I had no idea what I was really looking at. ]

Praise the Lord! Glad to hear it!!

mantic · Post by **mantic** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:34 pm

Zach wrote:Print it to a PDF!
(trying to be helpful, not curious)
Try PrimoPDF.com

Too late, I already gave the CD to the Ortho guy.

CMur12 · Post by **CMur12** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:15 pm

Wonderful news, Mark! I'm greatly relieved and very glad for you!

- Murray

Aztecface · Post by **Aztecface** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:15 am

Indeed, very good news. Carry on.

Shave Monkey · Post by **Shave Monkey** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:27 am

Glad to hear you are on the mend. Being late posting to this thread, I triple the already huge sympathy pool you have been floating around in.

Although not related to back pain, I have had a course or two of physical therapy in my life and at some point they usually let me go off on my merry little way with a list of daily exercises that I am supposed to do at home. Where most people fail (myself included) is in their discipline (or lack thereof) in following through with this. It's easy to lose the motivation to stick wth it once the pain is gone.

Two examples:

1. My college roomate - did his PT back exercises for one day and that was the end of his effort. That was years ago and every year he has some recurring pain that flares up now and then.

2. My father - had chronic back pain for years. Finally got it treated (PT) and being the stoic person that he is, never has stopped his daily back exercises/stretching routine. Hasn't had a lick of back pain since.

YMMV

Joe

mantic · Post by **mantic** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 9:43 am

Shave Monkey wrote:...Where most people fail (myself included) is in their discipline (or lack thereof) in following through with this. It's easy to lose the motivation to stick wth it once the pain is gone....

I doubt I'll have the luxury of not following through. SWMBO is an Occupational Therapist (not a Physical Therapist but she works in the same department with them) and has told me in no uncertain terms that I will be following the PT's routine...or else.

mantic · Post by **mantic** » Mon May 04, 2009 7:16 pm

Had my first session of PT today. It was sort of like someone stomping on your toe: it feels better after it stops.

In truth though, it wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting.

mantic · Post by **mantic** » Tue May 05, 2009 6:43 am

...but I'm so freakin' sore this morning.