MRI IMPRESSIONS

Pete,
Sorry you're having such a rough time. I think you really need your results interpreted by a specialist. Obviously you have abnormalities at many levels of your spine, but without the films (and proper training) there is really no way of saying whether the degree is mild, moderate or severe. From my experience, even if we could see the films, it is a combination of the films, physical exam & stated symptoms that are used to make treatment decisions. Some people have only a very slight problem show on their films but are in debilitating pain & cannot walk right. Other people have major problems showing up on the MRI, but can move just fine & are in only a little bit of pain. So, it seems there is a bit of mystery to it and only a live doctor could properly tell you how all the pieces fit together and how to proceed.

I know you are considering a bunch of surgeries. Maybe the best plan would be to see what they are recommending. Then we could share with you what our experiences are with a given procedure. :)
In any case, I really hope you get some relief and are able to find at least a bit of joy in the weekend. You work so hard, you definitely deserve it!

take care,
frances

Thanks Good friends Frances & PA. I know what you are saying and I am going to the doc soon to hear what she has to say. I guess I didn't word my post very well. I wasn't asking anyone for a diognosis! I was just telling y'all what was on the report and if anyone had the same things maybe coment on them. A lot of you list ailments on the bottom of your posts and I was doing something like that here so they could see it's me too. I just wanted to be part of the club and say, yes I do suffer from terrible neck, back, knee, shoulder, hand and foot pain too just like so many others here. Do you understand? I still have this prostate cancer garble on the bottom of my posts and feel kind of like an outsider here. But I'm not, I take pain meds just like so many of you do. I have pain that tortuures me while I'm working, playing and trying to sleep just like you do. I do thank you both for your support. Thats why I'm here. Someone always responds to me even when I write something stupid or foul. I am hurting bad these days and am very lonely here w/o my wife. I don't mean this to sound like I understand what a single person's lonelyness is like, I don't or I know how someone with much worse health problems than me feels, I don't know that either. I just know how I feel and know that right now I'm teetering on the edge of a deep hole of depression and it helps me so much to communicate with my freinds here which keeps me from falling in that hole. I am so thankful for all y'all! Sometimes my mind tells me that these people don't like me, that they think I'm stupid or just a foul dude from some of the things I've written that I was ashamed of later. But my mind has been playing tricks on me lately. So I try to go on and ignore these things and assure myself that I'm wrong when my mind starts wondering into that negativity and lack of trust place. Do you understand what I mean?
Ok, enough of this petebabble. I need to go to bed. I'm getting up early to take my Mom up to Ocala to see my little sister and her two daughters who are riding horses in a big show up there. They are down from New Jersey and staying there for a couple weeks for the show. They are very good at what they do, Equestrian show jumping. The oldest one skipped her senior year (graduated a year early) in high school to ride the Show circut in Fla. this winter. She already was accepted to Auburn on a full schollarship next year. Anna is very smart and nationally ranked in this stuff. Her Mom & Dad are very wealthy too, they have to be for this sport. Her little sister Caroline is rigt behind her and is also a great rider and she looks like me! At least everyone tells me she does. Dark curley hair, a dark complection and a round face! Her sister and brother have blue eyes and blond hair! OK, Now it's really time for bed! Good night my dear friend, I'll be back posting on Sunday night or Monday AM.
Thanks again for everything!!!!
Your Friend and fellow CP'er!!
Pete

Pete; I think hun that you are forgetting one thing here. We are not defined by our pain here on HW or at least not in my eyes your not nor is anyone that I am friends with here. But rather how we deal with our pain and keep going through the day even though it hurts so much and we are facing an uphill battle that might not ever really receive any final relief. (this is my Opinion in the whole thing). We come here to share our experiences, our triumphs, failures, our heartaches and our laughter. We try to support one another when we are feeling blue and encourage one another when we have little wins. We share knowledge of what we know works for us in hopes that it will someday work for someone else. But most of all we share friendship with one another that guides us along through the pain and helps us deal.

I know that what I am saying may sound a little lame to some...but its my opinion and I'm stickin to it

Hugs

Scarred

Uh, Pete ... It's not so good.
Pamela
I think it looks like mine!
Lots and lots of times I think ...
"Oh no, I'm not gonna make it." I tell ya, that's been 7 1/2 years and I
keep going. Of course, that's no guarantee that you'll keep going.
Seriously now, I have some very bad days - the last one lasted four days!
But after I rest, I'm ready to start my life sweeping, folding clothes, swiffing ,,,
and, in general hurting myself.

We can't be what we can't be. We can't do what we can't do. That's the law.

Post Edited (Pamela Neckpain) : 2/14/2009 3:53:45 AM (GMT-7)