Posted by Ugg (in Uggville) at IL on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 at 08:19:40 :
In Reply to: doctor update posted by richard bowman on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 at 01:39:28 :
Richard:
I was once given a similar option, have surgey to which there was a 50% chance I wouldn't walk after or learn to live with the pain. I chose the later. 30+ years later, I'm still walking (although my wife calls it a swing trot).
10 years ago, I was placed in almost your same current situation, major nerve damage. In the old days, they tossed a guy into a pit of snakes. If he got out, he was "CURED".
Although medicine has advanced way beyond that point, IMO, the methods are the same. Nerve damage is a very tricky business. I had a friend who's back was broken. He was actually making a recovery, but the insurance would no longer go with the treatment, so they ended up fusing his back.
He is now permanently paralyzed from the waist down. He equates himself to Frankenstein as they have emplanted electrodes into various leg muscles which are hooked up to a small computer he wears so he can sorta walk.
Make your considerations VERY carefully, remembering your coverage and what it'll go with LONG TERM, as what you have will take a LONG time to heal (if). Your life will be forever differnt now. Yeah, it sucks, but life goes on, and it's all what ya make of it.
Feel free to drop me an email as I can be a good sounding board. I'm sure there's others here that have gone thru similar. I really HATE them EMG tests (talk about snakepits)! Be wary of the drugs. Don't let them dump a crapload on ya at one time.
What I have since learned is to have someone else read what the possible effects are, and keep an eye on you, as most times you are not aware of acting differently.
Good Luck Bro
Ugg
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