Just wanted to give a big thanks to a couple very respected members who are helping me deal with the most severe back pain you could ever imagine. 2-1/2hr's. plus just to get out of bed and on my feet kind of pain! Huge, huge thank you's to Tinkerer and the thepumpguysc for giving me encouragement, support and recommendations to help deal with this. It is helping immensely. There's a few times I was wishing for death rather than deal with the pain. Your support gives me hope it will get better. The PM feature on the site is great as I wouldn't want to post all the issues I'm dealing with on the open forum. Dr. did say I need to try and move as much as possible during the day so I don't end up in a wheel chair. A nurse with the neurology dept. recommended going to a pool to walk around. Said it would be less stressful on my back because the water would provide some buoyancy. Thank you GUYS!!!
Welder Dave asked me to post an update on his ordeal that he is going through with his back. He has been in a hospital and will be transferred to Cross Cancer Institute next week for treatment of 10 compression fractures in his spine. I am praying that he gets well soon.
Thoughts and prayers for Dave and a good recovery. Ed
The recent 10+ plus fractures occurred since I was admitted to the hospital about 5 days ago. I have multiple myeloma. Fairly rare cancer of the bone marrow. Some good treatment options which is good. Had bone marrow and bone biopsy yesterday. Bone scan would'nt show it. MRI a couple days ago too.
Wow Dave, we get so busted up in this business that the pain seems to be par for the course. Not even your doctors saw that one. Hoping for a good recovery for you.
Dave best of luck and keep in touch here as much as you can. Ken in NY
There are a lot of cancers and blood ailments triggered by chemicals. My father died from myelodysplastic syndrome. Similar to Dave's illness, but it affects all your blood cells, and is not classed as a cancer. The first thing they asked was if he worked around chemicals like gas, fuel, or oil. The dr said your skin absorbs chemicals like benzene found in oils. Like smoking, not everyone is affected ,but it can cause a lot of ailments in some. I took some of the paper work for it to the guys in the shop at work. Most of them started wearing rubber gloves. Hope Dave's prognoses is a good one. My father waited too long to go to the Dr.
Fight with everything you have Dave then find some more. Wishing you the very best.
Best wishes @Welder Dave . I had a back injury years ago that really showed how vulnerable I was. I can only imagine what you're going through. I hope this finally leads you to a path of recovery and relief from the agony you've been dealing with.
Dave, Glad you finally have some answers and treatment options. You’ve dealt with all your challenges (I realize, though, none like this) head on and I know you’ll do the same here. Prayers for you and your medical team. Darryl
Thanks everyone! Not heridarty and they don't know what triggers it. Good news is have world class cancer treatment center I'm being transferred to early next week.
Prayers for you Dave. Fight on! Have always enjoyed your posts, comments, and advice. Keep the Faith!
I have no words for you, but you have my best wishes and prayer.
Best to you Dave.
It's nice just talking or conversing with famalier friends and people with similar interests. It helps take my mind of it. Pain is currently being maintained pretty good. Seems funny to me that there going to use a type of plastic? cement to repair the fractures. I guess they haven't perfected Tig bone welding yet. LoL
Wishing u the very best with the medical jb weld.
Wishing the best for you!
Curious what the tensile strength of the spine is? X-ray to check root penetration shouldn't be problem. Aha, need a micro plasma welding torch and calcium filler material.
Man Dave, cannot even imagine what are going thru to have found multiple myeloma, just WOW! God's grace and aid to you from here, as prayers from here too.
Dave-I wish you the best of luck and the issue resides. I can truly understand the pain-I had four discs removed and five fused in my lumbar. I dealt with that for twenty five years until I finally found a surgeon that had the understanding and skill to help me. I hope you have people like him to help you. Take care of yourself and be careful with the pain meds.
Dave, my family and I wish you a speedy recovery and all the best!
Hope you get better soon Dave, that sounds awful.
Dave, We wish you a speedy recovery,at least now you & doctors know what you are dealing with, which makes a little easier to relax & mend. Fighting the unknown is the worst. I have a Welder friend that has cancer of the throat , I didn’t know they used asbestos in welding rod up to the 1980,s. Albertans are tough
Dave,sorry to hear about you're diagnosis,I too was diagnosed with multiple myeoloma in 2015,my advice to you is to get at least 2 opinions and make sure you get to a major cancer institute where your Dr.deals exclusively with your type of cancer.I was told I had maybe a couple of years,and i'm back living my life 5 yrs. later,so hang in there .Also you may want to ck. out The Myeoloma Beacon,lots of info,good luck Dave.
Cross Cancer Institute is very highly regarded. I have the top guru who will be doing the t-plastic injections to repair the fractures and support my spine.
Means the world to me all the support that this great site and members are showing me. Happy tears!!!
Have less mobility today as in can't raise bed as high and steady pain is higher than the last 2 or 3 days. Spasm's are much more likely with just the lightest wrong movement. Was down as low as about a 6 out of 10 for pain and now about 7 to 7.5. Spasm's are of course higher (9-9.5) but that comes with some clarification. Worst spasm's in the past were through the roof and I honestly don't know how I got through it. I've just wanted to cry for a couple hours as just a release but I can't because it triggers continuous spasms. Have wanted to cough a few times recently and that's pure hell. Thankfully partner brought a shallow pillow I can use to basically crush into my chest to prevent even more extreme pain from coughing. .
Best wishes for a complete recovery.
Dave: Wishing you a speedy recovery. Cam and Shawn
All the best for your healing from the other side of the world. My partner has had successful treatment for non Hodgkin lymphoma over the past year. Modern cancer therapy can be very effective. AusDave
Wishing you well Dave, keep fighting and remember, slow and steady wins the race.
Hope for a speedy recovery for you Dave. My wife works in Cancercare so I’m familiar with what you have. Good luck in your treatments.
Got an air bed today. Why the heck didn't they put me in one right away. Not going to Cancer institute yet as they have a covid outbreak. Really pizzed that I have no idea what is going on and there's an almost complete lack of communication. Dr. Was supposed to see me and never showed up. Am I getting treatment here or waiting to go to cancer institute, etc. Just give me an idea.
Poor comunication Must be seriously frustrating on top of everything else you have to deal with. Air suspension . Great stuff.
Frustrating is an understatement to say the least. Side effects of steroid treatment seem to be wearing off which is great. I feel a lot more level headed. Dave
I'm guessing your wife would understand the kind of pain I'm dealing with.
Gee Dave don't get too level headed or you won't fit in with the crowd here! All Joking aside it is good to hear you are feeling a little better. I'm not dealing with anything even close to what you are and I can fully understand the frustration caused by lack of communication to and from doctors!
As odd as it may sound we’ve had two friend’s parents that had multiple myeloma as well. My wife is in the fundraising end but we both now how debilitating it can be given our friend’s experiences. I only hope they can offer you some relief.
It is such a boost to my moral having such a great group of people helping me through this. Just reading the comments takes my mind of it and I don't notice the pain nearly as much. It is more helpful than words could ever say.
i'm rootin fer ya dave. i sincerely hope covid hasn't backed up the cross cancer institute too.
We too, wish you well. Sounds like you are setting on go as soon as they give you a room key! It used to be said....Golden Years. Now, more and more the go to phrase is...Getting old isn’t for wusses. I’m in this corner. I am interested in what the other corner looks like. Just so I can ponder what I’m missing. If you like to read, Would gladly send you materials. About a year ago, finished a couple of fiction books that were interesting.
Apparently covid outbreak at Cross is over. Moved to another room with a room mate but thankfully seems like a very nice retired lady battling breast cancer. On a real positive note, I feel great today!!! No major spasm's lifting up in bed like is usually a reality check after sleeping. Out of bed and in chair to eat in 5 minutes! Using a walker I was moving about 4 times faster than yesterday! I guess I'm not ready to be written off yet. I'm going to beat this &^^%%#! thing!
Dave hang in there finger crossed for your treatment. I have chronic back pain but it rarely puts me down and out. I can't even image your pain with all those discs collapsed.
Compression fractures.
Whatever it's called I'm sure it hurts like HELL!!!
Yes you are Dave.
Ever see people say "ohh my back hurts so bad?" Then they bend over and pick up something? And then put on their shoes? With out having to work at it for 5 minutes? Hope it's getting better Dave!