RealSurf Surfers' Forum

Hey guys, thought I would drop a gday down. Im going under the knife for a major op on my back on the first next month at one pm... Its been a horrible seven or so months of pain and Ive managed to get off the pain killers to be ready for the operation. Im still going through some withdrawals but should be right by thursday. Im staying on my nerve blockers as without these pills I would not be able to get to brisso for the op. Hopefully I will come out pain free, im being kept in for one night then released the next day if all is well.

Talk to you guys on the other side, hopefully pain free and ready to start the recouperation. Im thinking water arobicts and pilates. Forgive the sspelling. im just to tired to care at teh moment.

Really hoping it comes out ok digger.

Yeah digger, good luck buddy

Best of luck digger. Rehab sucks but will get you through mate

All the best with it Digger. Glad there's some light at the end of the tunnel.

Good one Digger, nice to see the health system working.

Yeah, to each according to their need. Socialism at work.

Hopefully a one night stay extends to a shortish recovery. All the best, digger

Keep us posted Digger. Good luck.

All the best with your operation and recovery.

He's been put back to 2 or 3 pm. Been prepped though, so hopefully a cancellation isn't on the cards.

Any word on digger, Trev?

swvic wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 03, 2017 11:32 am

Any word on digger, Trev?

Done and home recuperating.

I'm sure he'll pop in here with details sooner or later.
What they found was a bit different to what was expected and depending on how his back reacts in the healing process, he might need a follow up. Best case scenario if I understand it right, is everything will settle down and life will go on.

Here's hoping for a best case scenario then

I've sent him a note and asked him to drop by.

Hey guys. Ive sorta been a bit out of it so sorry I have not posted yet. The operation was a success as the surgeon took a cautious approach first time round. Without using the big words to explain things this is what happened

When they cut me open they found extensive damage that was not forseen from the images they had. These were the issues they faced. A lot of bone chips in the spinal cavity. Disks pushed into the cavity and at different depths and they were shattered. A calcified bone that was extremely hard was resting on my L5 siatic nerve or how ever you spell the bloody word. From my operation there over twenty years ago there was also extensive scar tissue around the nerve. Theres a sorta casing the nerves run through down the back like a tyre tube, that was crushed in one area.

What they did.
1. They cleaned out all the bone chips from the spinal cavity
2. The opened up the casing that holds the nerves to give them a better flow sorta thing.
3. They tried to clean out the scar tissue via heating up the nerves sorta.
4. Cleaned out the disks, shaved em back.

What they did not do and why
1. They did not move the hard calcified bone. It is still pressing on my siatic nerve L5.
The reason they did not do this was due to the extensive damage already there. The risks in doing this is quite high and i could be left in pain due to the damage it MIGHT cause in cutting it out. The damage could include perminate ( cant think of how to spell words and cant be bothered really) pain down my left leg. Permanet pins and needles in left leg. Numbness of foot and clafe.

What they hope will happen. My L5 nerve now has the ability to sit back inside the tyre tube thingy they have opened up in my spinal cavity area. If this happens happy happy days. I need to stay on my nerve blockers so I will not know that if this has worked until I go back to doctors in four to six weeks.

I am stuck in bed in a lot of pain but have no intention of going back on those pain killers. Every hour or so I have to walk for five minutes or so. I have a few excersises to do and will book myself into a physio on Monday. Not allowed to start pilates for a few weeks and that is the same for swimming.

If it all turns to shite then its back to the surgery table and out with that bone on my siatic. That is when the risks will be taken. Im staying positive as i woke up alive and thats all that counts. I have purchased a set up square for measuring and fins placements and getting some sand papers together. Got to stay positive. Even if I go back to surgery that could still work out perfectly. Its just sorta good to know worse case senarios so i can be ready in my mind if that happens.

Thats it in a nut shell. Sorry bout the spelling and the long reply.

Ive sort of giving up on the idea off every getting up on a board again. Though I am keen to start taking photos with my go pro. Maybe I should go to a long board. I dont know really. The whole experience has left me in a bit of a shock at how fragile we really are. Life goes on and I will just take this on the chin, do my rehab and see how it turns out.

Oh Gawd! Well mate, you certainly weren't bunging it on.