Yup, we all take our simple lives for granted, and then something like this kicks us back into reality. You need to go with the flow a little, and not sweat the time issue. We have all told you to expect a long recovery. I can't see any way around that. And yes your body and life has changed, and you just have to think for the better. Concentrate on the good stuff, and forget the bad. If you keep dwelling, it will pull you down, and right now, you don't need that. Go pick flowers, listen to a bird sing, drink a cool ice tea and watch the world around you for a while. Take a break, you deserve it. You will be amazed at what you might see that you couldn't see before. That is called appreciating what you have. After something like this, you understand it a lot more. I imagine you have a better insight into your friendships, friends, familiy etc too. Your whole being is becoming more aware of what is going on around you.. and that is a good thing. It is that tempering I spoke of before. You are growing into a new person like a butterfly that came from a coccoon. You are changing, and becoming something special. Imagine the insight you have into so much of what you have gone through, and look, you are even reaching out to help someone else.... would you have done that before the accident? Good things are going on.. You just have to trust that they are going to lead to bigger and better things.

 

BBL,
It's time to develop some strategies / battle plans, to win. Develop a positive mind set. You may have set backs and loose some battles. Last year, September & October, I got to work with hundreds of disaster victims in New Orleans on a daily basis. Over the weeks, the individuals that developed multiple strategies / back up plans and had positive mind set / thinking, I knew would win their personal battles. I don't want you to give up on anything. I want you to see, what your personal experience dealing with your crisis is a plus in the insurance industry or in any career. Now think how you can sale that experience as an asset. Make yourself a winner (positive mind set / thinking). Practicing at least twice a day repeating positive statements about yourself. Put sticky notes on your mirror in your bathroom stating the same positive statements.
LW.


7/6 1.5 mi. in 20' 35"

7/11 1.5 mi. in 25' 03"*

7/12 1.5 mi. in 19' 14"

7/14 1.5 mi. in 23' 10"*

7/17 1.5 mi. in 22' 05"*

* running in higher temperatures.

 

Staying positive .. I try, but it's hard. As for you all, you've had enough time to be able to put it in your past and forget a little of the frustration, even though I know you will never forget what it was like. I did notice a few days ago that I was able to jog about 7 or 8 step and not causing myself as much pain as it did a month ago to jog 3 steps, so I could tell a difference that day and felt good about it!!!

 

BBL,

You are doing great!

Positive thought - message for your mirror, "I'm improving and getting stronger everyday!"

Please remember as you rebuilt yourself it takes 6 months for your bones to grow into and around your titanium. You are a month out, 8/26? Nerves and muscles take a lot longer. Pace yourself.

Keep up the good work and positive thinking! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

LW.


7/20 - 1.5 mi. in 18:19 min.

 

LW, you're doing pretty good because I haven't broken my back and I wouldn't run 1.5 a month nevermind everyday. And I certainly wouldn't run it at those times. I'd probably start walking after .25 miles!!! I did t-bone someone who pulled out in front of me (and didn't have insurance) and hurt my back. Doc said I have a buldging disc, but then told me " ...that's normal, lots of people have them." Even though I didn't break anything, I still wake up some mornings not being able to move my back until I spend 45 mins in a hot shower. Long road trips make it burn, snowmobile and atv trips kill it. So I definetely feel for you guys, I can imagine it would be a lot worse if I broke it. It's been about 6 years now, and it still bothers me a lot.

 

Sparky, sparky, sparky, ........ positive here, I dont' want to know it bothers you after 6 years, yikes. Just messing with ya, I have to give you and everyone else a hard time as often as I can. That sucks that after that much time you are still in pain, hope it gets better!!!
Sparky, I was also told by my doctor that if I hadn't have gone threw the surgery, which I could have avoided, but he said i'd be in twice as much pain and surgery would avoid some most of it, so I try to believe I could be worse, and that could possibly be why you still have pain, cause of no surgery.
LW, Yes you are correct and 8/26 is 6 months from the time it happened and 08/28 is 6 months from the day of my surgery, you must have a good memory or a lot of patience going back to the 1st page reading the responses [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Yes I think I do need to put up reminders of the good things, cause I don't think about those as often as I should!!!!!!
Although the pain from my back comes and goes, and today is pretty good for me, it's cooler weather and I'm doing good, as far as everything else, .. my job and everything is still a mess and I'm torn about what to do, and right or wrong.

I now know more than I did 5 months ago, I want to help anyone out that I can, I think with all that you all have helped me out with and helping me recover and think positive, it's the least I can do for anyone else, even more now than before.

 

OK, here comes the drill seargeant part of me. ( a former career choice). Buck up.... get focused. You are your best friend, and your worst enemy.... You are still letting the pain rule your life. Pain is deciding what you can do, and what you can't do, and you are planning your actions based on that pain....

Here is the subtle difference.

YOU need to decide what you want to do, and then do what you can. If it hurts, then back down. But the decision to move forward with plans etc is YOURs to make, not the pain monster. Don't say I can't do something because it might hurt. Decide to do, or not do. Then, if it hurts while attempting it, you adjust.

I hope that subtle difference is apparent. It will train you rmind, and begin the process needed to put the pain out of your mind, and let you start getting back the control you once had. It will change your whole outlook on life. The pain becomes less of a factor, and will be nothing more than a nuiscience. Not a life controlling monster it is today.

 

Sparky, Thank you for your support. It's great to be improving. I know someday arthritis will grab me and slow me down. For now I keep training and trying to improve on my nutrition. Pressure and nerve pain from a damaged vertebrae disk is similar to broken vertebrae. I'm sorry to hear you are still having pain problems. There are a series of surgery options to relieve the disk pain. Once the pain is too great for you to function, you may want to consider getting multiple opinions from different doctors on what's best to relieve the pressure. Sparky, if you choose surgery, research to find a doctor that is the best with an excellent track record for patient recovery. According to my friends, usually with disk surgery the recovery is fast. Fuses & rods on broken vertebrae takes longer to heal, because the muscles and nerves cuts are deep.

BBL, You are doing great. Listen to Drill Sergeant DB! My employer and a nurse kept telling me I would never be back on the job. I got mad, with help of a trainer & PTs, we developed routines to rebuild me. At the end, a battery of doctors signed off, so I could go back to work.
Keep this mind set, "I'm improving and getting stronger everyday!"

LW.

7/22 - 1.5 mi. in 18:31 min.

7/27 - 1.5 mi. in 18:06 min.

8/03 - 1.5 mi. in 17:46 min.
---------------------------------

Goal: 1.5 mi. in 14:40 min.

 

Hoorah, we have no quitters here... Get in there and take charge. Considering the alternatives, I'd rather drive this train than be a rider. But then again, I always liked turning ***** and pushing buttons to see what they did... Dumped a load of gravel in the middle of the road once doing that..... I drove away rather than shovel it..... Made the newspaper too... "Phantom protester dumps load of gravel.....Police mystified.."

 

Sorry I haven't posted for a while here, with everything going on, there are just not enough hours in a day anymore.

I can say that I am getting better, I was able to do a slight jog a few days ago, as long as I placed my feet on the pavement very softly. I am able to finally drive my truck that is a 5 spd and don't always have to lean against a pillow, unless going for long road trips. I am trying my damnest to stay positive and I think I am doing a fairly good job, for the most part.

I have a friend that his back bothers him often and he takes long showers also to loosen up his back and sounds a lot like Sparky. I'm not sure which one is worse, braking it and having the rods and screws in the back, or the pain of the slipped disc.

I just wish there was not a thing called pain .... life would be soooo much better. Hope everyone is doing good since the last time, take care!!!!!