not looking good

[maplehound]

I talked to my sugen today. Wants to fuse two disc in my back and clean up some arthrites and fragments in my back. We schedualed it for Dec. 26'th. ( Merry Christmass to me :( ) He tells me I will be down for about 12 weeks. That puts me into March and my season should start in Febuary. I guess I try for next year. :( :( :(

[Fred Henderson]

There are worst thing than not sugaring. We will pray for you. :D

[royalmaple]

Ron-

I guess you'll still have to wait and see. At least hopefully once the surgery is over and if you have to miss this season, you'll be in great shape for 2008 and many more. :wink:

Could be a short term sacrifice in the whole scheme of things. I'd say better to take care of yourself then let something go and just cause more trouble down the road.

But none the less it would still be a kicker.
You never know though, still gotta keep thinking positive.

[Pete33Vt]

Everyone is right, Although missing a season would be a bummer there is other things more important than sugaring.(I KNOW I KNOW, But there is)
Your own well beimg comes first. Also it will give your trees a break and you will be able to be good and ready for next season.
I hope all goes well and my thougths and prayers are with you.
Pete

[Parker]

I agree with the other posts,,,it definatly SUCKS to miss the season BUT,,you will be in better shape for next season,,,I tore the bicep muscel off the bone earlier this summer,,,I had the option of fixing it or not,,,I know 3 people that have the same injury and did not fix it...now they dont have much in the way of power in there arm,,,,I had the surgury,,was out for 12 weeks,,now I am back logging and almost able to run the smallest of my chain saws all day,,,,takes time to recover,,but I would kick myself every day if I did not get it fixed,,GOOD LUCK

[Russell Lampron]

Ron,

Hate to sound like a broken record here but do as the doctor says and look ahead to 2008. It should be with alot less pain which will make it more fun.

My mother had the same back surgery that you are having and also had both knees replaced and was out collecting sap last season and running the evaporator.

Best of luck to you and your dad.

Russ

[Fred Henderson]

Halloween night I tripper going into my house, fell on my right knee which has not been good for many years. I limped around for 1 1/2 weeks before having it x rayed. Well nothing broke but still it hurt like H3*&. I kept thinking , I got a brand new 3x8 and it don't look like I will be able to use it, so its off to see a therapist. It turn out to be a torn ligament and Now I have been taking therapy for 3 weeks and I do see improvement. Do what the Doc's say is the whole answer.

[mountainvan]

Ron, Don't give up yet on 2007. Maybe it will be a cold feb. in eastern ohio and the season won't start till march. Good luck on the surgery and your recovery. Van

[maplehound]

Thanks all,
I am thinking I might let someone else take the sap from the woods this year. Then maybe I can buy syrup from them to sell to my markets. And if I am feeling better I can help them this season.
Ron

[Flatfoot95]

I truely can sympathize. I have been out of work for 3 months now for three discs in my neck and pinched nerves. I am currently in therapy trying to avoid surgery. I am nervous myself, I have a brand new 2.5 x 8 foot evaporator coming and new sugar house and am pushing myself to be ready for February/March. I know the pain I am in and you need to do what's best for you the trees will be there next year ,as much as you will (I'm sure) be anxious to be sugaring. GOOD LUCK!

[themapleking]

Find another doctor.
Everyone I know that had rods put in their back are no better off than before. They wanted to do that to me when I broke my back 13 yrs ago. They said I wouldn't walk right with out it.
Well I got another oppinon and I'm doing just fine. Every day pain. But you just work around it. Life goes on.
P.S. the 3 people that I know who had the fusion are in more pain now and can't do 1/2 the stuff I can.
Just my 2 cents because I understand the pain your in.

Joe

[maplehound]

If it was just back pain I think I could handel it. What I have is siatic nerve pain in my leg that is so unbarable. Right now I can't even stand for a long period. As I am a meatcutter by trade I need to ba able to stand. Everyone I talk to that have had the surgery in the last few years tell me that they feel great and don't have any regrets. At this point I don't feel I have much choice.
Is fusing the disc the same as putting a rod in? My doctor never mentioned a rod.
Ron

[themapleking]

Fusing Is when they connect two or more back bones with a rod. My freind had it done because one disk was almost gone. It sounds like you have the same problem.
It was about a 4 hr operation. As with that nerve pain down your leg I get about 3 times a year. That really hurts. I have herniated disk problems too. 5 at once one time. If I stand on cement for any time it acts up. I changed jobs 7 yrs ago because of that problem. I now sit in a truck driving all day.
What every you choose to do I hope it works out for the best. Back pain at this level really sucks big time.

[maplehound]

Joe'
Thanks, I looked up what it took to fuse these disc togher last night. I find that not only do they put in a rod but also have to take a bone from my to use.
The doctor never mentioned how this was done. Although he did ask if I had any questions. I guess ignorense of these things don' spure questions. I think I still don't have alot of other options at this time since all the opther doctors in this area are too busy to see me till Feb. or March and I can't wait that long.
Ron

[Flatfoot95]

Maplehound, I as said before I am struggling with some back/nerve problems of my own. I have a friend that was going to have fusion surgery done and wasn't satisfied with the process he was facing. He was referred to this Doctor in Florida that is doing alternative surgery. He is now going to Florida in a few weeks to have his neck operated on. Here is the link to the website for you, www.bonati.com You can never have enough options. Good Luck

[maplehound]

Thanks I contacted them. I hope they respond soon. I may be too late to get a second opinion before my surgery that is schedualed for the 26'th. I hate to put it off any more since I am out of work on a tempory medical leave.



While I was typing this they called me and I am going to send them my MRI films if I can get another copy of them.

[Russell Lampron]

Good luck Ron, I hope the news is good.

Russ

[maplehound]

Thanks to all who thought of and prayed for my father. He had his surgery today (5 bypass) and the doctor say he has come through as good or better than expected. :) He should make a great recovery and hopefully will be helping me next year when we both are more up to sugar making. :!:

[brookledge]

Thats good news
Keith

[royalmaple]

glad to hear the good news.

[Russell Lampron]

Thanks for the good news and good luck with your surgery.

Russ

[Daren]

Just a little imput from someone in the medical profession who has also herniated and had surgical repair. I did not get fused, but has a couple of bulgers and one herniated in the lumbar spine. I was out of work for just over 3 months. I can not say that I am completely pain free, but I can say that I have no regrets and I am back to doing pretty much everything I used to. the thing that you must remember (and anyone who has been through rehab has heard) is that you do not have to change what you do, but how you do it. The "How" is what got you into the trouble in the first place. To resort back to the old M.O. would only lead to stress on the other articulation points....and with a fusion...more so due to the decrease in flexible area over which the forces we place on them gets distributed. your recovery is only as good as the effort you put in, and to believe that the post surgical outcome will return you to a charles atlas body of a 20 year old is not reasonable. With that said, I have only mild symptoms, and much of that is due to me falling back into some of my old routines. Keep stretching and exercising and the rest will take care of itself. As for second opinions, that should be a given. Never place all eggs in one basket. (there must be a few more cliches I can put in here..... :roll:

[maplehound]

I have decided not to send my MRI to Florida. I believe my surgery date is too close to change now. I do however feel better about what he is going to do. have talked to several people ( some in the profession) that tell me if I can get DR Kang to do my sugery I should feel lucky. They all tell me there is no beter and that the UPM Hospital is for most in back surgery and are always developing new ways of doing things. In my case they will be fusing the dsc with a flexable rod, I will have most all my mobilty back. If only I can then bend my knees. That is what will be next for me. At the yong age of 44 I need both knees replaced. The right one is as bad or worse than any they ever seen.
Ron

[maplehound]

I am back today for the first time since my surgery. I feel like things are going well. I get around the house with no problems but still need help when utside of the houes. I have been told that I have been progressing at or ahead of the pace but still feel that syrup making is out this year.

I gave the surgeon a bottle of my syrup. :) :lol: I told him he could have alot more if he could get me in the woods real soon. He was very happy to get the syrup and looked forward to trying it. But he still thinks that this year is out. :cry:
Ron

[Fred Henderson]

You just do what the doc tells you and all will be fine.

[HanginAround]

Glad everything is going well with it, I'm sure things will improve quickly.

[Parker]

When I ripped my bicep off and had it repaired this summer I did just exactly what the docter told me to do,,,,I healed ahead of time and now I can do anytrhing as well as befor,,,healing seems like it took forever as it was happening but looking back on it seems like the blink of an eye,,,

[Russell Lampron]

Ron,

Glad to hear that the surgery went well. Do as the doctor says and keep us posted.

Russ

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

The cherry blossoms are blooming in Washington DC 8O

[NH Maplemaker]

Ron ,by the looks of the weather here you may not miss much :cry: Time will tell :!: You take care and do as your told so you fight another day :lol: Good luck Jim L.

[Daren]

Hey Ron...just a note of advise from the medical side of things. If you are taking those disco biskits they gave you for pain control, dont forget to push the fluids and maybe chew a few prunes every day....nothin worse than being laid up and bound up.... :roll:

[maplehound]

Daren,
Found that out even before the surgery. Now I take a softener. 8O mostly right now I don't believe I need it with all the sourkrouat flowwing around the new year. :wink: :lol:
Ron

[brookledge]

Sauercraut will certainly do it for me. I love it but I have to know where I'm going to be before eating it
Good luck Ron !!
Keith