Lizzie Borden Society Forum

MD!!!!!

When I was pregnant with my triplets I suffered some nerve damage to my back.... I have coped as well as I could for the past 8 years but I can no longer tolerate it--and it is getting worse as I descend into hag-dom with my lifelong aversion to milk (merci Dieu for the cheese) nipping at my calcium deficient heels...

I am to have surgery! MD!!!!!!!

There is a bright side. Not only do I have the excuse to do nothing all the day, I can also look forward to a stint at Betty Ford to overcome the almost certain dependency to prescription drugs I am soon to suffer from....

A sober Audrey would never have allowed one of her sons to play 'Boot Scoot Boogie' at all--let alone at full volume and she certainly would not have attempted some of those moves... Moves she will pay for when the vicodin wears off...

The French just cannot comprehend the concept of a dosido.... It's true. A spirited cancan.. Yes. That makes perfect sense.

I will never understand Joey.... It must be Thayne's side of the family. He likes Wayne Newton and knows all the words to 'If Bubba can Dance' and worst of all-- he sings it. To make matters worse he changes the name from 'Bubba' to various names of family members-- including 'mama'!

But I digress....

Did I mention I am having surgery?

*edit*

And another thing... I am not nearly as uptight. Ding dong the stick is gone!

Oh Goddess!
Well, a couple here have had some back work done- Bob G. comes to mind.
Has he shared his experience?
(Also someone else- you know who you are...)

Bon Chance!!!

Good luck with your surgery Audrey. I had surgery in 2001 for 3 Herniated discs in my back. I hobbled around for at least 6 months from doctor to doctor until they discovered the problem. The pain was horrible, it radiated from my lower back down my leg into my foot. The surgery was a success, although it took me about a good year of physical therapy to feel normal again. I had to wear a back brace, and yeah, you CAN get addicted to Vicadin real easy, and Celebrex was my salvation. I slowly weened myself off of them, but it was not easy. I hope your surgery goes well!

i have a bad disc and know all about it. it's been going on for about 3 years. i'm avoiding surgery now and opting for treating the pain. and yes -- it takes a narcotic to deal effectively with the pain when it really acts up -- otherwise, i would have gone mad from the pain, so i've just accepted this for now -- the narcotic, i mean. i've had every test there is, so they know exactly where the problem is; the disc at the very bottom is worn down to just a slither. i take lortab within the range my doctor allows. there are stronger opiates than this, so i guess it's not as bad as it could be. i have had many injections, but none of them helped. my point about taking a narcotic is that i finally just gave up getting off them, because each time i did, the pain would drive me back to them. it's less upsetting this way. i'm afraid to let them mess with my back surgically. i guess i'm just stubbornly refusing until i collapse. i presume everyone must use his/her own instincts about these things.

Yes, good luck with your surgery, Audrey, hopefully you will be back on your feet quickly and pain free. Please be careful with the Vicodin, I just recently helped a girlfriend of mine get off of it, she had been addicted to it for like 3 years! She quit cold turkey which I understand is bad, a gradual tapering off is the prefered method. My friend went through 3 or 4 days of the deepest, darkest depression where all she could do was sleep or cry and couldn't take care of herself or her son. It was awful, but, she is doing so much better now that she no longer takes the Vicodin.

Sorry to hear that, Audrey. Back pain can be excrutiating. My brother has a touch of arthritis on his spine and I know what he goes through.

You can count on all us Bordenites wishing you well and a speedy recovery.

Don't be a pain to the nurses like Lizzie was when she was in the hospital!

Very sorry to hear about your back troubles Audrey. I know that it must not only be painful but quite frustrating as well. My husband was in an auto accident a few years ago, and I know that his back still bothers him because of it. I hope the surgery goes well and that you will be back in tip top shape in no time. We are all hoping you come through it and everything turns out well.

I am concerned about the Vicodin as well.. But the pain can be so excruciating that I cannot tolerate it.

I do take aleve as well and try to get by on this-- but I cannot sleep without something stronger...

It makes me wonder a lot about the threads we have discussed Lizzie and possible drug abuse... If this kind of thing was readily available I can understand becoming dependant on it-- especially in a time where drug dependence was not something which was generally understood or known about!

Just cover those pills with cod liver oil or something else real nasty and you won't want to take any pills!!

My sister hurt her back years ago and just recently had surgery. She is recovering nicely.

Although I'm a weight lifter and never hurt my back, I know what pain is all about. I'm pulling for you. Hang in there, Audrey.

-1bigsteve (o:

***I am concerned about the Vicodin as well.. But the pain can be so excruciating that I cannot tolerate it.

I do take aleve as well and try to get by on this-- but I cannot sleep without something stronger... ***

------------

Audrey:

i KNOW. if you are choosing a surgical fix, i'll say a specific prayer for you. it does work for some people.

for whatever it's worth, i understand every word you've said about it. you're not alone.

_______

Eugene

My sister dearest...you will be fine. I promise.


Tracy...

When is this going to be?
My vet said to have my dog's surgery very near to or on the new moon. I was surprised at that- that a medical man would offer me such advice. So he explained that in his experience, surgeries (or new projects) have a best result at or around the new moon.
In my dog's case, he was absolutely right.

The doctors will not do the surgery until I put on some weight and this is a challenge to me.

I have no energy and no desire to do anything.. I am either in unbearable pain or looped on meds.... Not conducive (for me at least) to sitting down to calorie laden meals.

I have been underweight my entire adult life.... There is no use pretending any more. My 'petite' frame was not designed to carry 3 children! (who's is?) With me 3 regular pregnancies I gained between 11-14 lbs each time and with the triplets I gained nearly 40.

I guess the first three times I really was one of those red neck types who could have given birth at the prom and not known I was even pregnant....

I am coping and it is hard for me... And as Eugene shared in his post, I am relying on the narcotic medications.

Thayne said it best... "If you have enough will power to weigh what you weigh, you can beat the medication when you no longer need it... So take it."

I have been.

I appreciate your prayers and support.

I adore you all. Such good people come here.

Audrey
I am so sorry you are going through this.
If you want any of MY weight I will be more than happy to give it to you. I'm altruistic that way.

Audrey @ Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:07 am wrote:I have been underweight my entire adult life.... .

Chocolat, mon cher. Cela mettra dessus pèsent!
Mes prières sont avec vous.
Joe

The local newscast just had a feature on back surgery. I'm not sure what the procedure was called but it involved implanting something beween vertebrae. The man having done could hardly stand or walk, and couldn't drive. He said that within 45 minutes of the operation he was walking, and has not had to take any pain relievers.
Needless to say, I wish you the same kind of success and speedy recovery, Audrey!
And I've got a couple of extra pounds I can send you too, and I'm more than willing to make the sacrifice!

Audrey @ Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:55 pm wrote:MD!!!!!
I am to have surgery! MD!!!!!!!

There is a bright side. Not only do I have the excuse to do nothing all the day, I can also look forward to a stint at Betty Ford to overcome the almost certain dependency to prescription drugs I am soon to suffer from....

Good luck with the surgery, and I hope some hot movie stars are at Betty Ford with you.

Audrey, you are a riot with those pictures. I'll have to look some of mine up- I'd probably scare the bejesus out of everyone.

LOL

I wish that was me... What a cool kid I would have been!

That is actually Theebmonique. Her mom sent it to me to commemorate her 50th Birthday.

OK...I can't keep this secret any longer.......AUDREY IS THE PRETTY SISTER !!...AND THE SMART SISTER !! However...there are a couple of things that I have that my dear sister does not. AND....mom liked me best.


Tracy...

And the YOUNGER sister.

You two made me pull out my old grade school photos, oh boy did I have good laugh! It kind of made me misty eyed too looking back at the girl I was then with a big sweet, trusting, goofy grin, bad pixie haircut, and Catholic school jumper complete with saddle shoes. I wonder where she went?

"I wonder where she went?"

That remind's me of Georgia Brown's song, "I Wonder What Became of Me." I pull out my year books now and then and relive the memories and wonder what has become of everyone. One class mate drowned recently, one died of cancer, one murdered his wife, her lover and blew his own brains out. Another is in prison...

Have you ever notice how mature the photos made us look?



Maybe Audrey will have time during her recovery to meander through her year books and relive the good old days. Don't forget the pop corn, Audrey!

-1bigsteve (o:

The school(s) I went to did not have 'yearbooks'.

We had which is best described as a school directory. Individual photos with a 'resume' of your school activities and accomplishments from that year. Very basic.

No yearbooks to take home? Bummer.

I often regret not having bought more yearbooks when I had the chance. I have yet to find one at a local flea market. I would love to see what I looked like in kindergarten but I don't think they had cameras in those days.

-1bigsteve (o:

Audrey,

So sorry to here about your situation. I myself
suffered a terrible electrical accident that caused severe nerve damage in my arm shoulder and neck.
I'm doing much better now but I've been through
the whole pain medication ordeal and have learned an awful lot about it. If done right and you find a good pain doctor you can manage through it.
Just to give you an idea these are the medications I was on durring this.
Hydrocodone, Morphine, Diluadid, Oxycodone and Fentanyl. I learned you need a very good pain specialist for this and if you have one this can be done with minimal side effects especially when they take you off them. A doctor who is not good with these things will just try to ween you off and let you suffer through it but if you find a good doctor they know very good ways to get you through it.
I did very well when it was time for me to stop.
Don't be afraid pain problems are starting to be taken much more serious now than in the past and there have been many advancements in the past few years to better deal with those who are in pain.
I would be more than happy to share what I know with you if you have any questions.

Kevin,

I am working with a team of a physician, a nurse practitioner and 2 nurses who specialize in pain care.

Most of their patients have been cancer or hospice patients but they told me that they are moving more and more into the area of those with chronic pain who do not have life threatening or terminal illnesses.

I am on a new pain medication called Tramadol and it seems to be a miracle drug! The first couple of days I took it I was as near to pain free as I have been since before the nerve damage was done. Of course miracles like this seldom last! The trick now is finding the magical dosage for me that works the best.

It has less side effects and I feel a lot more comfortable. I also feel better about driving while on it.

Finding a confidence in a drug you can be comfortable driving on is a very responsible thing to do, and very worthwhile! Good for you!

Thank you Kat...

To be honest that has been one of the greater challenges of this entire incident. We live in the country and it is a 15 minute drive to school, all the stores, etc.

I wasn't driving at all-- and it showed in our empty cupboards, kids missing practices and other events and Thayne and Alax being like the 'time to make the donuts' guy form those old commercials as they went to and from the garage.

Don't worry...Nurse Wretched will be there soon to see to your care. All will be well....


Tracy...

Just an update...

I am getting along very well with the Tramadol and have managed to gain some weight!

This new medication is less of a narcotic and controls my pain almost as well with little or no narcotic side effects. I am more than willing to contend with a bit more pain and be cognizant!

I'm glad to hear your doing better, Audrey, I've been thinking about your situation. My baby sister (she's only 45) went through massive back pain and I've had my own experiences with pain so I know what pain is all about and it is NO fun!

Hang in there. We are all pulling for you.

-1bigsteve (o:

I'm also glad to hear you are doing better Audrey.
And that the Tramadol (Ultrum) seems to be holding for you. Your right things are changing
with the treatment of pain chronic pain etc.
are being taken much more serious. No one should have to live in pain when there are things available
to treat these ailments. Keep working with your doctors and I know you will keep getting better and better.

Kevin,

Could this be caused in part by a sofa or couch, or other too-soft seat?
Ever notice how you can sit for many hours in a car seat but not an old sofa? A firm seat may be better for your back.
Maybe you need to get out an walk more for your back.
They sell a seat w/ no back support so you must sit up straight.

RayS @ Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:25 pm wrote:Could this be caused in part by a sofa or couch, or other too-soft seat?
Ever notice how you can sit for many hours in a car seat but not an old sofa? A firm seat may be better for your back.
Maybe you need to get out an walk more for your back.
They sell a seat w/ no back support so you must sit up straight.

Again... It was caused by nerve damage during my pregnancy with my 3 youngest children.

I seldom lay or even sit on any sofa in my home and up until the pain became out of control I walked about 2 miles per day and I would like to think I have good posture. Of course most people do base their advice and opinions on their own experiences and circumstances and I do thank you for your input.

I've just seen those backless seats at my local Office Max.
It was very comfortable! But I don't think I could use it for hours.

Kat @ Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:20 pm wrote:I've just seen those backless seats at my local Office Max.
It was very comfortable! But I don't think I could use it for hours.

My chair has arm rests and a back. Trading stocks can be so boring I didn't want a chair I might fall out of when I doze off zzzzzzz...

-1bigstevzzzzzzzz... (o:

[quote="Audrey @ Tue Apr 11, 2006 6:50 pm"].. It was caused by nerve damage during my pregnancy with my 3 youngest children.

I can certainly identify with that. I had always been 5'9" tall. Then I had three baby boys- (9 lbs, 8 lbs, and 8 1/2 lbs). They were all single births. I am now 5'7" and have had back problems since the births. I cannot imagine what it must be like to carry three munchkins around for nine months all at the same time, especially for a taller person.

It was a literal hell! I gained a great deal of weight and carried them very low. I could barely walk towards the end.

I am tall, but small framed.

It is worth noting that my triplets were a result of a regular pregnancy. No fertility medications at all!

Lillie and Torrey are identical twins and Mikey is their fraternal triplet.

I spent the last 6 weeks in a hospital. Like another Iowa mother of multiples I eventually developed toxemia and they were born via C'Section about a month early. We were VERY lucky and they were all born healthy and were all home within 2 weeks!

Sometimes I think I was in worse shape post partum. I was very depressed, overwhelmed and completely exhausted. I got a lot of support from my family and friends as well as other parents of multiples and joined a group of mothers of multiples in which I am still active today.

With advances in medical science-- multiples are more common.... Triplets are not the big deal they were at one time! (except to the parents trying to care for them!)

I have never belonged to a gym-- or really participated in a regular exercise regime. Berk! I just cannot imagine it. I did walk a lot and ride horses when my back was better. I am by no means sedentary.

Yet another reason French women don't get fat...


Tracy...

The custom car seat manufacturer 'Recaro' also makes a LR chair. If you can get a doctor's prescription for this you can write off the costs as a deduction on Federal income tax.
I've often noticed that you can sit for 5-6 hours or more on a long car ride and not get a back ache (not mentioning other problems), but only a few hours on an old sofa (soft cushions). I got two kitchen chairs that I use to sit on in the TV room. Bent tubing makes them flex.
But not everyone would approve of this style.

Audrey,

Did they ever have you try a tens unit electrical stimulator?
They are small about the size of a beeper now and
you put the little round sticky pads on the area that hurts. If you have then you already know if this worked for you but if not maybe look into it.
It helped my nerve damage and it's very easy and comfortable to use.

Kevin,