I've posted a lot over the years regarding hubby's health issues and no insurance and blah blah blah.. LOL! I'm so tired of dealing with all the mess as you can tell. We are ready to get this FIXED!! Anyway, hubby FINALLY has health insurance through his new job and should know within the month what the course of treatment will be for his back issue. We finally got in to see a spine surgeon.. It's gotten so bad that the doctor has put him as a priority case. He has literally shrunk 8 inches!!! SERIOUSLY! It's effecting his breathing and his digestion. Please pray for accurate test results when he has his MRI and that insurance will approve it QUICKLY.. The spine doctor is 2 hours away so hubby has to take a day off of work to go and that cuts into his already super small check. If we get the MRI done before Wednesday we will be able to drive 30 miles to see the spine doctor on Friday. That will save us money on gas AND keep hubby from having to take off of work for the entire day. Please pray for our nerves. We don't really know what to expect and even though we KNOW God's in control, it's still a bit unnerving. Thanks!!
Yikes...8 inches is incredible Is it possible that he had a spinal fracture he doesn't know about? Car accident, fall on the ice a while back? History of osteoporosis? Good luck and let us know when you get a diagnosis. I'm really curious about that height loss! Poor guy!
We really don't know what the issue is. We finally had some blood work done for the first time and his testosterone levels were extremely low so dr said it could be the reason for his bone issues. He has multiple compression fractures in his spine. His whole spine is compromised. BUT there is not any issues with his spinal cord. He was pushing a car off a lift when he had the first fracture, but the spine doctor way back then told us that it was impossible for that to be the cause of his issues. Hubby said he was in a weird position when he was pushing it off and then he went and visited a chiropractor who never took xrays and twisted on him and caused even more damage. Not realizing it, he went back several times. Each time he was in more pain. So here we are.. I want my husband back. I'm tired of seeing him in so much pain and on so much pain meds that I wonder how he can even function. He's been cleared to drive and work with the meds but they are big time narcotic pain meds that he will have to be eased off of when he does finally get away from them. It's really a hard situation. Our entire life is on hold. We can't go anywhere because he can't sit for long periods of time, he can't walk for long, and he can't sleep anywhere but in his recliner. So no hotels, no camping, can't even plan a vacation. :/ It stinks!! He had to fill out a questionnaire at the dr office regarding how this is affecting his social and sex life. LOL.. Basically, it's NON EXISTANT. I know that God has a plan and a purpose in all of this. I don't understand it, but he knows what he's doing and I DO TRUST HIM!!
Mommi, would a slant board help? Let gravity help take the pressure off gently? i have a friend with back problems (not like your husband's!), who gets some ease from 15 minutes on a slant board.
mommix.... Best thing I ever found for my back pain....was water aerobics. I know it sounds goofy....but it let me strengthen my core muscles...which helped my back a lot...without putting any weight on my back. Also helped to sit on one of those exercise balls while watching TV and stuff. All the little corrections your muscles have to make to stay balanced are a good workout for your core...without stressing your back too much. Would depend on his ability to balance and if he can tolerate it, of course. Strengthening your core helps pull things back into proper position. The water aerobics classes were given at the YMCA five days a week in a heated therapy pool at chest depth. All my classmates were 70 and 80...lol...but it was a nice slow workout that didn't stress the joints. The hot water for an hour every day was heavenly. Wasn't terribly expensive at the Y, either. My husband called my new friends "The Aqua Grey Hairs". We also put one of those garden tubs in my master bath...which was my absolute salvation. Spent MANY hours floating in there when I couldn't sleep. Hot water = very very good! Also! Hubby would put hot water in a 2 liter pop bottle, shove it down a big fleece sock, and roll it over my back like a rolling pin. That was heavenly.
Unfortunately, this isn't just your everyday run of the mill back pain :/ He's on some major pain medications and it just takes the edge off of it. He suffers from compression fractures in his spine which means that the nerves are being smashed. A pain that I will never understand. And NEVER want to know.
I didn't have average back pain either, Mommix.....I had a horse I was riding roll down a ditch on a dirt road and crush me under him. Semi rattled past way too fast...he came unglued....up he went and over we rolled. Was very scary to wake up from...hubby says much worse to watch happen. He said I was squashed like a bug under a shoe....the horse was the shoe. My pelvis was broken in several places, my femur was broken, I had compression fractures in my spine, too. I TOTALLY understand what you're saying about it taking over your whole life. I was in traction for a while, physical therapy for months, I couldn't stand, sit, sleep for almost a year....it was horrible. Water aerobics....being dead straight with you.....was a serious help. Very gentle workout with lots of stretching and strengthening. It really helped.
