NorthernRedneck

8 Weeks today since the accident. Everywhere I go people want to see my back as they don't beleive I have tire tracks on it. I'm guessing the bruising and tire marks will still be there for a while yet. When I take a deep breath my lower rib on my left side feels like it's going to fly out of my side. I know, I know. Long road ahead. I agree. I'm just dealing with the pain every day.

So Brian hows things going on the recovery front?? on a scale of 1-10 how do you think you are compared to before the accident and hows the sleeping and walking going compared to the last time you posted a update in this thread??

Hmmm. On the recovery front id say about the same. I'm still walking with a cane. Some days it hurts to walk 50 feet. Other days I can walk longer.

We drove 3.5 hrs Thursday to come visit the inlaws for the weekend and take the kids to the fair. I drove the whole way. We spent 5 hours at the fair yesterday. The only way I survived that was by borrowing a walker to get around and allow me to sit down every time the kids went on a ride.

Most nights I can sleep in bed the full night but by 5 am I'm awake in pain.

I'm starting physio this week. We'll see how that goes. I suspect I'll be off work for a while longer as I can't lift anything. My back has healed as far as bones go but I now suffer from intense muscle spasms in my upper mid back that often travel through my lower right rib to my liver area and create a burning pain.

So I'm 38. I walk with a cane. For excursions I use a walker. The best way for me to get fresh air now during the week at home is to use my deceased grandpa's old mobility scooter and go for a spin. I use it most days to go pick up the kids a block away from their summer drop in program. They like to race me home most days. Lol

Physio is the next step that will improve things big time Brian,you need to trust them and work hard, i am guessing you needed to heal before this started and trust me if you give it 110% them guys will have you pole dancing in no time

If I can pole dance again I'll be a happy camper

NorthernRedneck said:

If I can pole dance again I'll be a happy camper

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Again??

I hear you on the pain Brian. Mine keeps me up most nights and now both legs are draining. Hope they can help you get your legs back in shape. Mine won't get better till the spleen shrinks to allow circulation again.

My legs are doing alright. My back on the other hand isn't doing the greatest. I'm hoping physio will help with the burning spasms in my back.

The other day at the fair I had a very awkward experience as I was pushing the walker along. I sensed that someone was watching me. I looked over and this nice old lady in her late 70s was walking with her walker. She paused, looked over at me, smiled, and winked. I thought it was rather cute. Both of us racing along with our walkers. Eventually she took the lead. lol

NorthernRedneck said:

The other day at the fair I had a very awkward experience as I was pushing the walker along. I sensed that someone was watching me. I looked over and this nice old lady in her late 70s was walking with her walker. She paused, looked over at me, smiled, and winked. I thought it was rather cute. Both of us racing along with our walkers. Eventually she took the lead. lol

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What' fun, is meeting someone with a walker in a narrow hallway and you have to do the dance of the walkers as you try to pass each other. It's always good for a laugh.

Bad enough walking with a cane down a narrow hall and meeting someone else with a cane. Happened the other day at physio.

On another note. Im back at the hospital with a swollen and tingling right leg as a precaution due to the blood clot they found in July. We'll see what happens. I can't mess around with any swelling in my leg. All signs point to another clot. I'm on blood thinners but the past few weeks my numbers haven't been the greatest. The lower the number the greater the risk of a clot. They want it to be between 2-3. Its been below 2 for a couple weeks.

So far. No breathing problems or pain in my chest. This is a good thing since any clot could travel to my lungs and heart and we know what happens then.

NorthernRedneck said:

Bad enough walking with a cane down a narrow hall and meeting someone else with a cane. Happened the other day at physio.

On another note. Im back at the hospital with a swollen and tingling right leg as a precaution due to the blood clot they found in July. We'll see what happens. I can't mess around with any swelling in my leg. All signs point to another clot. I'm on blood thinners but the past few weeks my numbers haven't been the greatest. The lower the number the greater the risk of a clot. They want it to be between 2-3. Its been below 2 for a couple weeks.

So far. No breathing problems or pain in my chest. This is a good thing since any clot could travel to my lungs and heart and we know what happens then.

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Well, after some blood tests and an ultrasound on my leg, they found that the previous clot is still there. It's not better but also not worse. It's just there. So the doc decided to switch my blood thinner meds.

Just speculation but I had an assessment done for physio. On one hand they figure 10-12 weeks and they'll be able to get me back in action. On the other hand, they gave indication that I'll still be off work for at least two years and will end up on permanent disability. So who knows. Just taking it one day at a time. I had some testing done a couple days ago and they decided to switch my blood thinner since there's no sign of improvement with the clot.

Quick update. I finally start physio today. What a pain in the A$$ to get the process going. Have to go through work benefits then insurance etc etc. Took a while but I'm going in for the first round of actual physio. My previous physio sessions were basically an assessment so they can make a treatment plan.

Of course the first cold fall rain today isn't helping my bones feel as good as they should.

Brian you have come a long way to date in your recovery and done very little moaning in the process,sadly your hand using a pen had to endure physio first,i really do believe this is the real start of your recovery,work hard and them experts will work even harder.

Have a great day, i am sure this is the first of many to come, remember the old saying no pain no gain.

Thanks. Some days are better than others. If I sit at home on my butt all day with a heating pad on my back the pain isn't too bad. If I go out to do anything that involves walking for more than 5-10 minutes my back starts burning with pain shooting through the rib that broke extending around to my liver which is still healing. I can often feel heat in my liver area and swelling which is a sign not to overdo it.

I know it's going to be a long process recovering. I get frustrated some times just sitting here thinking about everything I used to be able to do. It's bird hunting season and I haven't bothered to buy a license this year since I'm in pain just driving the atv from one campsite to another I couldn't imagine what it would do to me going down a trail.

You really learn to appreciate all the small things in life that people take for granted when you're sitting at home injured. My garage is a total mess right now. Tools still laid out from when I was working on the motorcycle and my wife's vehicle only days before my accident.

We went to the mall the other day. I had to use a walker so I had a place to sit down. It's gotten to the point where I dread standing because I know the pain that is coming.

And this is what the physio will help correct Brian so please keep up the fight,internal injuries like you say the Liver will take time but the liver is forgiving and heals well as time passes, time is the answer and sadly none of us can cheat time unlike back to the future movie likes to suggest

I have been working on something to send you but every thing i come up with i fear will offend,so i have taken an approach to do something that will have use for the time at hand but also a future use when you are fully fixed up,hand made and personal.....time will tell how this pans out,could end up being a lap pole with a whiz around scooter access point...like you i am unsure.

Prayers to you and your family as i know this still has a long way to go before it will be concluded mentally and physically.

Thanks. I try not to complain too much because I am so thankful to still be alive. I try to focus on that and not what I can't do. It's a physical struggle but also a mental struggle as well. I have to keep telling myself to remember what the alternative is compared to the pain I'm enduring.

I know how you feel, there are a lot of things I can no longer do because of the severe arthritis, but I found you have to challenge yourself to figure out how to adapt and overcome some obstacles. It's a pain in the ass, but pays off in the end.

Keep your spirits up, that will be your biggest challenge as PT wears on. But being young and strong you will make it and be your surly self in no time.

I'm keeping on my prayer list, keep up the good fight.

I know it's easy for me to say, but you are doing better and getting better every day. Not sure how old you are, but the older one gets the longer it takes to recover from anything. Stay focused and you will tough to catch before you know it.

Thanks guys. I'm 38 yrs old hobbling around with a cane like an 80 year old. But I know there's a chance that's only temporary. People(myself included) look at someone 80+yrs old walking with a cane or walker and it's accepted as natural. It's when you see someone my age walking around with a cane or walker. People stare. I've seen pointing and whispering as I walk through a store or public area. I choose to not pay attention to any of that. I figure that if people aren't able to treat me with respect they aren't worth my time.

I'm missing work, of all things. All my coworkers. All the kids I worked with. It's frustrating but I know I will continue to work towards getting better.

It's been 3.5 months since the accident and I still have tire marks on my back. The bruises are darker than the picture shows. You can still see tire marks. The doctor thinks there's a chance the skin has changed pigmentation and will stay that color.

I would take that skin color change and label it as a battle trophy, a reminder of the outstanding courage you have shown Brian through your recovery, through all this you have shown real strength of character, you clearly are not giving up on getting yourself back to full health and i sir in simple

Do me a favor when you get 5 min PM me your address again (i wrote it down and lost it lol)i have finally sorted that little something i wish to send to you as a mark of respect to your battle...it will come in handy on camp fire nights.

This is one of my favorite threads due to the fact it is slowly unfolding a happy ending.....all it lacks is some

Thanks for the vote of confidence. [emoji4] I have to keep pumping myself up so i don't get discouraged. Just yesterday my back was in so much pain i could barely stand for more than a few minutes. We're into below freezing at night and up to around 20c during the day. The extreme temperature changes are hard on my back.

Sometimes I start to lose focus on how well I'm doing and let it get me down.

I was supposed to have physio yesterday but I got a call from the facility cancelling the appt as my therapist apparently had a bike accident and dislocated his shoulder.

Brian you can do me a favor...for i have sinned

Next time you go to church as i know you do on a regular basis think of me as i have a confession...

I ordered my wife a laptop PC and the idiots sent me the wrong one,i ordered a purple one but they sent a white one,i called them and the customer service lady said"we have the strictest of quality control this can't be possible" well FFS i aint blind.

We had a row on the phone and in the end she agreed to send a courier to pick it up and give a full refund/send it again,this is where i got naughty just to piss them off for their arrogance....i gave the courier a empty box

The Lady from customer service called me this morning and said"good morning we have received your returned item would you like a refund or would you like us to send the correct item"...no mention the box was empty so i paused and said...refund please,clearly quality control is shit as i got me a free £400 Laptop.

Pray for my soul Brian....sadly i just act now and think later....me bad.

[emoji12] HAHAHA. That's it. You're Going to hell. There's no hope. Lol

NorthernRedneck said:

[emoji12] HAHAHA. That's it. You're Going to hell. There's no hope. Lol

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Crap thats all i need,i really should think first....wont 3 hell mary's make it better

Doubtful.

I don't want to come across as a whiner about everything I've been through this summer. The current med combination I'm on is doing a number on my body. I haven't had a decent night sleep in a week now.

First, a wee bit of edumacation on blood thinners. There is the standard Heparin injections where you poke a needle into your stomach every day much the same as someone giving themselves insulin injections. This wasn't working for me in the hospital. Second, there's the standard warfarin(or coumadin) prescription which requires constant monitoring and adjustments of doses along with changes in diet.(Again, much like a diabetic). This wasn't working for me and I ended up back at the hospital a few weeks ago as my right leg was swollen and in pain. They found then that the blood clot in my leg wasn't getting any better. So, I switched from warfarin to the new blood thinner Xarelto. Now, xarelto works and doesn't need to be monitored like the warfarin or heparin injections. But the side effects are doing one hell of a number on my body. For starters, I'll go right from top to bottom. My head feels like it's in a constant state of dizziness combined with headaches. My neck and back are in a constant state of pain. The med is reported to cause muscle soreness. My arms and legs are in a constant state of tingling and cramping. All of these are side effects of the blood thinner. Not to mention the fact that the combined effect of the blood thinners along with the meds I was taking for my stomach resulted in hair loss. I was pulling out clumps of hair in the shower on a daily basis until switching to xarelto and stopping the stomach meds.

I now live in a state of continuous pain and feel like crap from the time I wake up in the morning till I go to bed at night. Most nights I can't fall asleep without taking pain meds and sleeping pills. I know what the alternative is though. A very realistic possibility of blood clots traveling to my lungs and heart with a very bad outcome.

This is a battle I don't wish on anyone.

My Cardioligist switched me to Eliquis last year from Warfarin. A lot of the troubles I was having either went away or were reduced.

Jim