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Briar Spirit

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Not really sure what this means for me or why I am posting about it to be honest, can't really talk to anyone in my actual life about it because, well I don't have any friends and the few friends I have made on the net over time I always manage to turn against me in one way or another, I'm a head-case and folk get pretty sick of me pretty quick.

Anyhooo, I had a fall in the shed a couple of days ago, was still recovering from stabbing myself through the hand with a chisel and was impatient to get back out in the shed, I get bored real easy and when I do I get all tetchy, as crappy as I am at it I have found making pipes very therapeutic to say the least and it gave me a sense of purpose which truly lifted my spirits. Cut a long story short, I tripped backwards in the shed and fell over the chair landing awkwardly on my shoulders/neck, oddly I heard a weird popping noise in my lower back and felt what I can only describe as an excruciating lightning storm flash through my torso. After laying out in the garden for a couple of hours, couldn't manage to move, the Mrs got back home and helped me into the house and on to the sofa, there I stayed for a very long while, gritting my teeth so hard I swear they were about ready to crack.

I rested for a good long spell and today I was so frustrated with not having anything to take my mind off the torrent of crapolla in my head I tried my luck out in the shed, I had managed to make something clunk in my lower back earlier today and the pain subsided massively so I figured all was well and it was time to stop babying myself. I don't know quite what was wrong out in the shed, I couldn't grip anything properly, my hands just seemed to have no strength in them at all, I got a weird headache whilst in the shed and was seeing lots of weird white lights flitting around all over the place, yup, I collapsed in the shed. I came to and was confronted by two ambulance folk and I was on my way to hospital, they did some x-rays but found nothing out of sorts other than the massive calcium build up on my spine from a past injury and was discharged with advice to take some aspirin.

Still can't grip anything much, I can just about manage to grip a coffee mug but it doesn't feel very stable in my hands, seems I am of no consequence because my medical records state I have mental health problems and have been a self-harmer, yeah, I get those looks in hospital that tell me they think I did it on purpose, shows how much understanding they have about mental health problems. Nothing new there is the simple fact, I had a mild stroke about 6 years ago, my GP at the time told me that the symptoms being described were those of someone on cocaine, well of course I wasn't but 3 hours later I was rushed into hospital after suffering a stroke, more "he's a mental case and a self harmer and we don't need to take him seriously" crapolla. Bottom line for me is it seems my days of being a pipe maker are over, the Mrs has done her magic on researching on the net and the sort of injury I have managed to get myself is nerve damage and isn't the sort of thing that just gets better, looks like I'll never be able to grip anything properly ever again, just wish it would stop hurting so much and make no mistake, I'm pretty darn good at tolerating pain but the waves of pain are making my stomach turn. My current GP is a total waste of space, even though he has seen the bruising and knows I have been to hospital he has informed us that until I start taking responsibility for my own actions and stop intentionally hurting myself there isn't much he can do to help me.

Sucks to be me right now, oh well, I've had my little cry session and have had my go at feeling sorry for myself, sorry to have bored you all with my trivial crapolla, just needed to actually get this out of my system before it drives me totally nuts.
 
Hang in there Kirk. Hopefully time will help heal your wounds and with any luck maybe you've pinched or done some nerve damage that will turn back around. The body is an amazing thing, hopefully it all works out for you Brother. Have you thought of seeing a sports injury therapist?
 
I did pretty much the same thing. Unless they do an MRI they canot tell if you have a slipped disc. I had the same sympoms and had to have spinal fusion surgery. All an xray does is show bone structure. Mine fusion in in my neck. Sounds like you need more tests.
 
Hang in there, buddy.  You have been through worse and come out the champ you know you are.  We are all thinking good thoughts on this end...you'll be back in the game in no time.
 
cigarsarge":kyi8s978 said:
I did pretty much the same thing. Unless they do an MRI they canot tell if you have a slipped disc. I had the same sympoms and had to have spinal fusion surgery. All an xray does is show bone structure. Mine fusion in in my neck. Sounds like you need more tests.
This for sure!! Not to alarm you, but DO get your back checked out as soon as you can, disc/back injury's can effect many other parts of the body, sometimes with PERMENANT effects. Hang in there but please DON'T try and "tough it out" there's to big a price to pay !
 
I'm just being a big cry baby, aint nothing but a bit of pain really, yup, it's made me chuck me load four times already but I'm sure the pain will ease off soon enough. Seriously chaps, despite the rubbish our national health service blub on and on about their caring ways, they couldn't care less about folk like myself, the sooner we're in the ground the better is the feeling one gets here. I'll be okay, wish I could chat more right now but tapping this darn keyboard is killing me here, I'll get back to folk after some much needed sleep, supposing I get to sleep of course, we must have the worlds most uncomfy sofa (couch), aint no way I'm going to make it upstairs to bed, worry not folk, I'm just being a big girl, I'm sure things will be much better in the morning.

Thanks for the well wishes, I love you guys.
 
pepesdad1":cofwukf4 said:
Hang in there, buddy.  You have been through worse and come out the champ you know you are.  We are all thinking good thoughts on this end...you'll be back in the game in no time.
cigarsarge":cofwukf4 said:
I did pretty much the same thing. Unless they do an MRI they canot tell if you have a slipped disc. I had the same sympoms and had to have spinal fusion surgery. All an xray does is show bone structure. Mine fusion in in my neck. Sounds like you need more tests.
monbla256":cofwukf4 said:
This for sure!! Not to alarm you, but DO get your back checked out as soon as you can, disc/back injury's can effect many other parts of the body, sometimes with PERMENANT effects. Hang in there but please DON'T try and "tough it out" there's to big a price to pay !
What they ALL said.

Hang in there Kirk. Your pipemaking days may be delayed a bit but they need not be over. You'll get through this as certain as the sun will rise tomorrow.

One day at a time. Lots of us are pulling for you!

glowface.gif



Cheers,

RR
 
Kirk, we all are pulling for you. Don't push yourself too hard or you may do more harm than good.

Jim
 
Kirk, I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. It seems like the plagues of Egypt have descended and found a home with you. But your brain is still working and if you still want to make pipes I'm sure you will find a way to do it. May not be today or tomorrow but with your determination you can and will make it happen. We all all prone to feel like the world is against us when we are suddenly beset by circumstances that make our lives miserable. You've faced bigger problems than this and you know what you have to do to get things rolling our way again. Right now your body needs time to heal. What medical attention you need is something you have to deal with. Just don't don't lay there and do nothing. Get the proper medical attention needed and then start making plans to get back to doing what helps you survive. You've got a good woman and a lovely family who will be with you every step of the way. They will give you the encouragement needed to get back to making pipes if that's what you want to do. As much as you need them they need you. Don't disappoint them. Remember your British, "Stiff upper lip". Now get on with it. :) 

AJ
 
So kind guys, I have absolutely no idea what to do with this sort of warmth and kindness, I'm so used to folk being the completely opposite with me, I love the way you guys are with me, thank you so much.

I'm taking it easy here, the Mrs is investigating possible avenues for us to take, not much hope on the horizon of external assistance, nothing new there to be quite frank. I'm having some problems coping with the depression this has brought down upon me, I know some folk will say just suck it up and be a man, that's what I do to get through a normal day. No worries, I have been given some extra med's to keep me nice and zombied so I don't do anything stupid, got a pretty hazy head right now so sorry if I'm not really making much sense.

Thanks for the lovely warm feelings sent my way, it means more to me than I can tell you, thanks folks.
 
You do need to see a specialist instead of the ER/family practice types. You need to establish what happened and a treatment schedule that probably includes physical therapy help.

As to recovery, a couple of years ago I had a drug reaction that just about put me down. It was over a year before I started to come out of it. The body can recover with time from weakness as long as the initial problem is addressed.

The problem is always find competent medical help. I just lost the Internist I was seeing and finding a good doctor is a daunting task. Stay with it until you do.

BTW, I am really enjoying my poker and billiard. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more)
 
I'm just echoing what these other guys have said...go see a specialist if you can...and we're here to talk/listen.


(tell them you fell while exercising and ask to see a sports doctor, haha).

Take care buddy, and try to relax, don't be to hard on yourself.
 
Not much I can add to what has already been said. We're all pulling for you. Hang in there brother.
 
Hopefully you will not need surgery, but who you should actually see is a chiropractor. There is no magic cure, but there is a lot less voodoo than people place on them. They aren't the same as acupuncturists, crystal healers, etc. They are actual western doctors that will hopefully provide you relief through adjustments as a priority over invasive, long-recovery, and potentially costly back surgery.

It may not be cheap, but in the long run you will not "save money" by going straight to surgery without considering alternative/preventative options, nor will it help by avoiding the doctor, toughing it out, or whatever you try to do because the injury can be re-aggravated by the littlest thing if it wasn't fixed properly the first time.

But, do shop around and be careful who you see (if you even have options on that side of the pond). Run away if they ask you for an x-ray before even talking to you about what happened or try to get you to sign up for their plan before you even have a first exam. Referrals are always going to be more effective in this day and age to determining whether the doctor is the right one for you.

Good luck and get well soon!

*I should also note, I am not a doctor and therefore cannot rule out the necessity of surgery in your case, but you should leave that as your last resort if possible.
 
Briar Spirit":c88sqwel said:
Not really sure what this means for me or why I am posting about it to be honest, can't really talk to anyone in my actual life about it because, well I don't have any friends and the few friends I have made on the net over time I always manage to turn against me in one way or another, I'm a head-case and folk get pretty sick of me pretty quick.
I want to echo what the other guys have said. I also want to say that we aren't sick of you. I know I am interested in seeing you posting pics of pipes again.

I can't do much for you in Indiana but keep you in the prayers. I hope that is some comfort. I want you to bounce back from all this.

Blessings... Tom+

 
Brewdude":fhsns25w said:
pepesdad1":fhsns25w said:
Hang in there, buddy.  You have been through worse and come out the champ you know you are.  We are all thinking good thoughts on this end...you'll be back in the game in no time.
cigarsarge":fhsns25w said:
I did pretty much the same thing. Unless they do an MRI they canot tell if you have a slipped disc. I had the same sympoms and had to have spinal fusion surgery. All an xray does is show bone structure. Mine fusion in in my neck. Sounds like you need more tests.
monbla256":fhsns25w said:
This for sure!! Not to alarm you, but DO get your back checked out as soon as you can, disc/back injury's can effect many other parts of the body, sometimes with PERMENANT effects. Hang in there but please DON'T try and "tough it out" there's to big a price to pay !
What they ALL said.

Hang in there Kirk. Your pipemaking days may be delayed a bit but they need not be over. You'll get through this as certain as the sun will rise tomorrow.

One day at a time. Lots of us are pulling for you!

glowface.gif



Cheers,

RR

Agreed. Easy for me to sit here and "hang in there buddy," especially with the way your doctors seem to be handling your situation, but we're all pulling for you. I wish there was something we could actually do to help - but in the meantime, we're here in whatever capacity we can be, even if that just means being a sounding board for you to vent to.
 
Hang in there and push to be seen by a specialist. To think here we are about to receive the same type medical care. We call ours obama care. where the beurocrates will tell use what we need. I do hope things get better. Hell we are all nut cases. Again hang in there buddy.
 
Thank you for such wonderful words of support, something about all of this which has been absolutely delightful is the reinforcement of my knowing just how amazing my BoB Brothers & Sisters can be when a person really needs folk there for them.
 
What I have to say probably won't be accepted well by some but I have to say it.

Hope for the best but expect the worse.

I have had four vertebrae fused in my neck. The docs I saw had refused to operate saying that I would not make it off the table alive because of my heart problems. I reckon that five heart attacks and a trip bypass scare them. The specialist that did the op did so because I was on the verge of being totally paralyzed below the neck. I told him, and meant every word, to go ahead with the op because being totally paralyzed isn't living and that I did not want to exist that way. The op did not help with the pain at all but I am still getting around under my own power. That was the best scenario. I'm grateful to that doctor.

I now have three dry discs in my lower back and it hurts horribly at times, even with the narcotics I take. The docs will not operate for the reasons I already mentioned. I was lucky to find a man that wasn't afraid to operate on my neck. I'm trying to track him down to see what he says.

The docs can operate but that doesn't mean all will be alright.

Don't stop hoping. Sometimes that's all we have left.

Good luck to you.
 
Kirk ole buddy - hang in there, my Brother.
Try to get the medical attention you need and don't give up on it all.


Besides - you can't quit making pipes until I get a Churchwarden.  8) 
 
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