Flat on my back, legs in the air, and not having much fun at all

[bert]

If anyone's been wondering why I've been so scarce these past couple of days. . . .

I managed to mess up my back.

I think the correct medical term is "fucked up"

to the point that I can barely stand up (I look like a question mark). My Mom, who used to be a nurse, says it's Cyatica, and that it sounds like I have a slipped disc that is pinching a nerve.

it was bad yesterday, but still tolerable. I went to bed last night, after sitting on a heating pad for 6 hours, and was in so much pain, I took 4 Tylenol PMs.

this morning, I was unable to move out of bed.

Nick, sweetheart that he is, was so worried about me, he ran to Wallgreens to ask the Pharmacist for recommendations (my Mom had alreday suggested staying on the heating pad, and elevating my knees w/ a pillow. . as the bad back runs in the family).

I've pretty much always had back issues, but this is the first time that I've ever been bedridden because of it. . trying to get out of bed to pee brought tears to my eyes, and I honestly didn't think I'd make it back to the bed.

thanks goodness this happened on the weekend. . otherwise I'd be missing work.

I'm online for a few moments typing, thanks to the wonders of Vicadin (Nick had quite a few from a perscription he never finished last year), and Motrin (recommended by the pharmacist).

It allowed me enough pain free time to get out of bed for dinner, and to sit upright for long enough to type this. . but then I'm back to bed.

the only bright side, is that I *did* get to catch up on a TON of stuff I had on the DVR (including todays LSH. . wow. . I don't like one of the new characters, but I LOVE Cham, and I can't believe they killed off one of Triplicate Girl's bodies . . I know they did it in the comic, but I was surprised to see it on TV. GOOD STUFF.

just wanted to pop in and whine :)

hugs,
bert

[Larime]

Best wishes from Rev and I for a speedy recovery!

[TomStillwell]

I hope you feel better Bert.

[Christopher Cross Is God]

Ugh, I know how bad back pain can be.

Godspeed to full recovery, even though your title got me all excited.

[Pink Bat Max]

If anyone's been wondering why I've been so scarce these past couple of days. . . .

I had been actually. I hope you feel better soon. :(

[Shades0077]

This is why we need to develop robotic exoskeletons.

But until we do, feel better, bert.

[bert]

thanks all. . .

back to bed for me now. . the sitting is starting to really cause pain down my left leg (between the hip and the knee).

hugs. . hopefully, I'll be on tomorrow a bit.

[shrike]

If you really have sciatica, bert, I can't stress how important it is to go to the doctor, mmkay?

[COMIC GEEK]

I wanna say as well hope you feel better and also this topic was kinda like misleading and almost like a bait and switch ;)

[Sabrinaset]

Yeah, bart, you HAVE to go see a doctor like, yesterday. You have a ride?

[heystacy]

Get better.

[a. non]

Get well, get well soon, we want you to get well:)

[Deathstroke]

Bert,

I hope you start feeling better soon. Having had intermittent issues with my back, I know a little of how you must feel.

Rest up buckaroo and get strong to go back to slaving for the corporations.

[Jack Zodiac]

Slipped disc and a pinched nerve? That's a little worse than just some back problems, buddy. My dad's had back trouble all his life and he finally had to have one of his discs replaced with one of those balloon things. So watch yourself, be careful, hopefully it'll never get that bad.

[david r]

Bert, how did you hurt your back so severely?

My mother got a touch of sciatica in 1982. She went to a chiropractor and he permanently fucked-up her back. For life. So think twice about going to a chiropractor, unless a doctor orders you to one. My mother has chronic sciatica now and it forced her to have to quit her job early, and has impacted every thing her life. So take this seriously. Most people's sciatica goes away.

[KevinTBrown]

Yeah, bart, you HAVE to go see a doctor like, yesterday. You have a ride?

I don't know about Bart, but I sure hope Bert is feeling tons better. ;)


Ok, it's rare I get the chance to tease (note: not tase) Sabrina. So I had to.


Seriously, bert, feel a LOT better soon. Hopefully those legs in the air will mean more fun for you in the future. :p

[sk716]

Bert, carry yourself... scratch that... have Nick carry you to the Doctor, asap.

And get to feeling better, or get a laptop. :D

[Larry Dixon]

I am not particularly bothered by this.

For what I need bert for, he'd be bent over anyway.

(Misty howled laughing at this line)

Seriously we hope you feel a lot better. Misty has sufferred from back trouble including crushed discs and herniated discs and she understands how bad it can be.

[Cam63]

Beware the creeping Larry....

Get well soon, Bert/Bart/Butt.

[Flamebird]

Gee, and here I thought you were gonna be making sex joke. :(


I agree; if you're popping vicodin and Motrin, you really should get your butt (as well as your back) to a doctor.



Get better Soon, Bert . ((gentle hugs))

[bert]

Bert, how did you hurt your back so severely?

My mother got a touch of sciatica in 1982. She went to a chiropractor and he permanently fucked-up her back. For life. So think twice about going to a chiropractor, unless a doctor orders you to one. My mother has chronic sciatica now and it forced her to have to quit her job early, and has impacted every thing her life. So take this seriously. Most people's sciatica goes away.

I honestly didn't do anything. .

I was pretty stressed out on Thursday (due to a work related email). . I got home, laid down on the bed for 10 minutes (to set the DVR on the bedroom TV), and then had trouble getting back up.

It wasn't too bad Friday -- although it kept me on a heating pad-- but yesterday morning, I simply could not get out of bed.. . the pain was too intense.

With the Motrin and Vicadin, I'm doing better today. I'm still walking like I "have a corncob up my ass" (isnt' that lovingly descriptive?), and I can't really stand up straight w/out pain, but I did get out of bed this morning at 6am w/out any twinges, and was able to soak in a hot tub for about an hour.

as long as I'm sitting or laying, I seem to be doing better. . .walking? not so great still.

as I said earlier, the back issues run in my family, and I grew up w/ my Mom often being confined to bed for a few days at a time. I know not to go to a chiropracter, because I still remember the time my Mom went, and ended up in Traction for about 3 weeks.

Since it came on w/ no reason, I'm hoping it goes away the same.



(the only thing that has even POSSIBLY happened was Wed. Moning, Nick woke me up w/ a poke to the small of my back. . not a hard poke, but it startled the hell out of me and I jerked awake. That caused a twinge in my back, but that quickly went away. . and the issues I had didnt' start until Thurs. Night. . so I don't know if this incident 36 hours earlier had any influence).

[bert]

Thanks to all for the well wishes (and Larry. . shame on you, you tease!!!!).

If I'm not feeling "workable" tomorrow, I *will* be asking Nick to take me to the Doctor (most likely to get a perscription for SOMA, as I don't really know what else he can do for me).

Since I *do* appear to be getting a little bit better -- yesterday, I couldn't even sit up -- I'm hoping that I continue to improve.

thanks again for the well wishes :)

[Guapo Méndez]

Aw, man, back pain sucks.
Take it easy and go to the doc, so he can get to the root of the problem and get rid of it.

My brother-in-law messed up his back once by sitting down on the bed and bending over to tie his shoelaces. His back went "snap" and he was unable to stand up again. My brother had to carry him to the car and take him to the doc.

Get well soon, bert.

[Darediva]

((((hugs)))) bert...oh, my friend, I KNOW what you are going through, and thank goodness you can tolerate Motrin because I don't even have that option anymore. (Or any type of NSAID drug, because of severe gastric problems.)

Classic case of L4-L5 problems if you hurt down your thigh to your knee. Get to the doctor! You may need to stay off your feet for a while if the disk is not ruptured to let the inflammation clear. If it's damaged, they can do something now to keep it from being worse. The good news if it's not, rest will do wonders.

Sciatica is no joke. It's made my life hell for the past 25 years, and I've had back surgery with little relief. I feel your pain, seriously.

[Charles RB]

Ow.

Hope you either get better or get your spine laced with adamantium to reinforce it.

[Aggie]

hope you up and about dancing on tables real soon sweetie...((kisses))...

[beetlebum]

I have scoliosis so i kind of know how you feel. Leave it up to Bert to make a sexual joke outta this SERIOUSLY:p Pray to St.Dennis for healing. And that Bert will be erm, on his back (or on all fours:D ) in a fun way soon.:cool:

[MacQuarrie]

Oh, man, Bert, that sucks. Been there myself, and it ain't fun. Get well soon.

About chiropractors: They come in two flavors.

There are some who think they can cure anything. They will prattle on about balancing energy and doing weird kinesiology tests to "get the body to tell them what's wrong." they generally have a condescending and dismissive attitude toward "the medical industry" or "diseasestablishment" and will shun foolishness like x-rays and such as unnecessary. These guys can easily put you in a wheelchair.

There are others who understand that their concern is strictly limited to the bones and nerves, specifically the alignment of the bones and the avoidance of impacting nerves. They usually take a ton of x-rays and don't touch you until they know exactly what's going on with your back. They generally respect regular medicine and recognize their complementary role. These guys can save your life.

Your best bet is to look for somebody who teaches at a chiropractic college; they're a lot less likely to get all mumbo-jumbo on you.

EDIT: All of my lower-back problems actually originated in my neck. I'd had a "minor" motorcycle accident in 1977 that put a couple of bones out of place at the base of my skull, and it was literally 15 years before I found out the problems it caused. Once my chiropractor straightened out my neck, I didn't have any more back problems. Good luck.

[Cam63]

Hope you're feeling better soon, Bertram.

[hellokittykat]

Bert-Doctor! Now! *cracks whip*

Seriously, take care of yourself and feel better soon!
(((HUGS)))

[Major Comma]

sorry to hear that bert i have had back issues myself if it doesnt get better in a day or two see a doctor just to be on the safe side OK?

[bert]

Ok then. . .

so, I was feeling much better (see the "mmmmm Cake" thread), and that night got spasms so bad I couldnt' get out of bed again.

I think it was participating in the Team Building -- I only played one round of darts, but I think that was enough.

Everything was better on Thurs. Morning, but by the time the Vanpool dropped me off at work, I could barely move, and was in so much pain, that I called to make a Doctor's appointment.

He couldn't see me on Friday (which is when I wanted the appointment, because Nick could take me) as he was going out of town. . but if I could get there 45 minutes after I called, he could squeeze me in.

of course, I didn't have my car, but one of my co-workers was willing to drive me all the way cross town --I work in South Austin, and my doctor is in far North, so it was about a 35 minute drive. (this was NOT my boss, who showed absolutely NO interest in my well being other than to tell me I should stay home today. . . .seriously, she didn't even ask me how I was when I showed up today).

long story short?

Medrol (Anabolic Steroid ?) dosepak for the inflammation (6 days)
Skelaxin for the Muscle Spasms (30 pills, one every 6 hours)
&
Celebrex, as needed.

I've only been on these for one day, but I'm feeling much better. . the "twinge" factor is still there, but the pain is almost completely gone. (which is why I bothered going to work today).

last night was horrible. . . .twinging so bad, I could barely stand up. So of course, I had to pee. A lot.

but much better now :)

fingers crossed that I stay that way.

[Lester C.]

I hope you get better quick.

[Darediva]

Rest up, bert! It's going to take some of that too before you get back to full speed. (I know, I know, how DO you keep a good man down?) :)

[hellokittykat]

Feel better soon bud! :(

[Deathstroke]

Bert, nice that you have a coworker that was willing to take you to the appointment.

Here's hoping you feel better for real as soon as possible.

[Corrina]

Damn, bert.

Feel better soon!

[Major Comma]

glad you saw a doctor
hope the meds and continued rest helps
take it easy this weekend
heal quickly and well