Compression fracture of L-1

Hello Carrie,

Ouch that HURTS!!!! So sorry. Thank goodness you were so very wise and went to your doctor. BRAVO!!!! I'm so glad you did.

Carrie, I can understand your "down" feeling right now. Try to take a deep breath and relax and communicate with the good Lord. That will help to take some of the burden off of your shoulder. To just let God walk with you on life's path.

RichT

Thanks for the reply Rich. As I really don'nt get many replies to any of my posts anyway. Makes a gal really feel some support ya know. This thread could go on with just me talking with you or to mayself. Does anyone not realise that I too may need some uplifting or adivice once in a while. I see "the girl_friends post was jumped all over. I think I will just stay in the background and moderate from now on. No one seems to really care around here how I fell. And yes, I do take it personally.

Hello Carrie,

I know you are down now and hurting. Let all the frustration out. Its okay.

Yes, you want your friends around you NOW. Understandable. Try to be patient, your first post was about 3 hours ago. Most likely this evening more will be here to give you hugs. I know I'll be here. You can count on it.

HUGS

RichT

Rich, this is NOT the first post I have made about myself that recieved 0-2 replies. I though this was a board whee all were supposed to be compansionate to others. I have made posts in other topics and the same thing has happened. It happens all the time!


27 views on this one!

Dear Carrie,

I am so sorry about your back pain, it I know one thing. people here lean on your widsom, and it seems they are selfish because caregivers need support too.

I can see you are very ,very respected here, and people see you as a leader, and they do not slight you on purpose, you are loved, respected and loved by many.

You are alwAys IN

how the heck did i hit enter,

you are always in my thought and prayers. You have more than you deserve of health problems.

Carrie I truly love you like a sister, What can i do for you friend? anything you need or want please call me. Love Linndie

Thank-you Linndie for you such kind words. As you can already tell, I've again gone into one of my manic modes and best if I stay away from the phone for a day or so and even giving advice since I am so underserving of it myself. I have it on answer and it will stay that way for few days untill I can grasp what is in store for me. A broken back was not supposed to be part of the plan. Remember the old "Jewit" brace. That is what I am afraid is going to be ordered for me. I will never be able to bend at my back again. Straight all the time even in bed. Like a spin cast. Yes, I am very deppressed right now and sure could use some soothing words for others on this board. Maybe someone it has happened to and tell me what my future (if I have on) might be. That's all I'm asking for. Too much to ask for I guess.

Carrie, I usually post under Back Pain/Laser Surgery.
There are a lot of posters there who can really give you support in regards to your spine problem.

To find yourself in the condition of what you described as your diagnosis after an MRI is shocking for most people. There is nothing more mentally frightening and physically painful as to find yourself with a spine problem.
And to find yourself in that kind of a position all because of a fall, makes it even worse. The fact that you were on a ladder feeling fine and probably doing a job there is nothing so unexpected as to find yourself injured and in a major way. And now you are finding no one responding to support you during this trial. Don't give up.

I hope you accept an invitation to go to the Laser Surgery thread if you are not getting the responses that you had hoped for under Compression Fracture. There are people who have found themselves in a similar position....an unexpected spine problem. If you are finding no one is responding on the thread that you started, look for help and comfort on another thread. Believe me when I say you will certainly find it there. A lot of people will walk with you through every appointment, every test and if you find yourself facing surgery, you will find all of the advice and sharing of pain and relief stories from the surgery experience right through the post-op help.

For the moment you do not know what direction your doctor is going to lead you, but I do hope he has provided you some Rx for the pain that I know you must be in.

Good Luck and I know many people will pray for your well being. Talk to us with as many details as you wish to share about your condition and what your doctor is saying to you. We will do our best to try to help you through this traumatic time in your life.

God Bless.
Marie B.

Thanks Marie B. I will head over ther tomorrow. I am so tired from being depressed, I going to try and eat somthing and go to bed. I know I sound negitive right now, which is not like me. The the news I got this morning did me in good. I went into complete depression and tonight I notice the pain at the L-1 point is getting a little worse. I have been taken may drug medications and well take my two more at bed time. This is just in a place where it never hurt before my fall. Just hurniated bulged L-2,3 were excruciating at times.

Carrie

Carrie, There are many people in Florida who have had spinal problems. We have a poster who lives in Tampa who really went through some tough times wih her spine.

She posts as Carrianne.

Can I ask you what drugs you are taking?
Also are you doing anything like putting mild cold or warm moist heat on your back while you are dealing with the pain?

Prior to my surgery for a year and a half I would go from cold to heat depending on how my back was responding.

I hope you have family around because depression can be as painful as the spine problem itself. The old addage of misery loves company is so true.

I hope with time your buldging discs will calm down and give you some relief. Since I am not a doctor, I don't know how bad the compression fracture you have experienced is. There are many approaches and you will not want to take the first doctor's opinion as "gospel".

Again, Good Luck!

Marie B.

Dear Carrie,

I understand about you not wanting to chat on the phone sweetie. I need to tell you something Carrie, all our deep phone calls about life, the goverment ect, you may not know this, but you have helped me so many times, I never told you when I was in a high anixety mode/mood. Just you listening to me, and talking have helped me so much. Here you are Carrie handed yet another brick in your already full load you must carry. I'm here for you and i will help you. Remember i am a phone call away, and a cell phone call away. I will private msg my cell number. People do care about you, we will all be here for you. You are a mentor for many. Love Linndie

Hello Carrie,

I hope you are resting well.

You have reeceived heartfelt thoughts feelings and advice from Linndie and Marie.

Today has been a most difficult day for you I know. I hope that you will be able to see your doctor tomorrow and that his analysis of your situation is not as bad as you fear.

I like Marie, invite you to the LSS thread. There you will find support and carring. It is a thread of very special people. A very special family of spineys.

My thoughts and prayers have been with you throughout the day and this evening, and will be with you in the days ahead.

Hang onto God's hand for He will never let go.

RichT

Rich, the compression and brake showed up on my regualar lumbar X-Ray that I had done on Monday ll/14. I am do for a follow-up MRI on this Thursday morning. It will show alot more and how big the break really is and how compressed L-1 is to L-2 now. Before my fall L-1 was not even injured. There are only 5 L vertabre and I have three out of five useless now. There are 12 Throaic and 5 cervical and three (I think) sacrul. I also have scoliosis of the thoracic spine. Wonderful right? And I also got into a very bad car accident back in 85 (rear ended at a stop light with the woman hitting me at a speed of 45mph, that casuse a small compression fracture in my neck at C-3 ( I believe it was). Was in a neck brace for quite awhile. I will never forget the pain. I had to roll out of bed. Now, I am having flashbacks.

Good Morning Carrie,

Thanks for the additional information that you have shared with us. I am somewhat puzzled. For some reason I thought your fall off of the ladder was just a few days ago. Do I understand correctly that it was before November 14th? If the compression and break showed up in the ll/14 X-rays, why wasn't an MRI taken at that time? Why didn't your surgeon address the problem at that time? I really am confused. Carrie, I just realized that this past Monday was 1/14. Perhaps (hopefuly) the "11" was a typo?

Carrie, could you clarify these things for me? Thanks. And if you mentioned the compression and break earlier, my apology for not remembering.

I can understand having flashbacks from what you went through because of being rear ended by that lady. Just think of the flashbacks that many soldiers who have been in the Iraq war and other wars have. It is so sad.

Please do let us know how your MRI goes, and after your doctor has had time to review the MRIs and talked with you.

RichT

Hi Carrie,

My name is Carrianne and I post on the laser surgery thread. I'm so sorry for how you're feeling, physically and emotionally. I never understood what it was like to feel depressed until my back problems developed about 2 1/2 - 3 years ago. The ONLY thing I have learned is to do everything in my power to focus on the many things God has blessed me with. Often easier said than done, but nonetheless, very important.

Please know that we are all here for you. Though I have different complications with my spine than you, the one fact remains. We are all in pain and must support eachother through this! I, along with Marie and Rich, invite you into our little family on the laser thread.

Best wishes to you and God bless,
Carrianne

Hi Carrianne, nice to meet you and yes I am already over there. Thanks for the heads up too.

Linndie I go for my MRI in the morning and I will let you know personally when the results are in. I will call you. My back is again now starting to bother me when I sit a the computer to long. I think it is starting to feel like my remission from pain down to just a bad ache is over. As I said on the other thread, I just hope it is not to bad. I willl be calling you my dear friend, have no fear. You are always in my heart and on my mind. I hope you are doing alright yourself. And do'nt over do it girl. How do you like this weather? I'm having a little bout with my asthma this week too. I think it is the weather.

Well be hearing from me soon, gotta go back and lay down. Back is starting to bite a bit.

Love ya sis,

Carrie

Hello Carrie,

I've been thinking about you today. Hope the MRI went well. When time is right for you we will look forward to your doctor's thoughts and advice.

Take care. MANY HUGS!!!

RichT

Hi Carrie,

how did the MIR go? Been waiting all day, kinda feel like someone is having a baby, that kinda wait. Hope and pray all went well.

(((((((((Huggles)))))))))) Linndie

Was just getting ready to post the news. Did not get the results till this morning 1/22/08. Been in bed most of the day and when not there just going through periods of crying. Was sobbing at the office so bad, I think the whole place heard me.
I will not be able to post much for awhile now gang. I can't sit for long periods of time. But, I will try and be on line every so often.

The results showed that 50% of L-1 is fractured and now also T-12 is compressed also. Yes, I have to have surgery and have to go to Tampa to have it done. From what I hear I have a couple options when I see the neuro surgeon. My neuro has to fax all my records to tampa and then the review them and call me for an appointment. But..........I have MRSA, and my infectious disease doctor told me that any time I have elective surgery that is not life or death and can wait, I have to take somekind of antibiotic for a month to prepare and scrub down with hebiclens every day for that month. So the super bug does not get into the surgical area from my skin or any thing even though it is not on my skin. I have to call him as soon as the neuro surgery office calls me for an appointment and sets up a surgical date.
My first option is where the inject someking of spongy material into the break. Second would be a complete disc fusion. I think there was a third, though not sure.
I am very depressed and scared right now to say the least. So keep those prayers coming OK. I have stepped down as Moderator and will remain as Supporter and try and be on line every so often if I can. But, the pain has come back (about three days ago or so) and doc has up'd my narc's pretty high. So, there goes my vision again. Grrrr. After feeling so much better with just one Oxycotin and a couple of breakthrough, he now up's me to three Oxycotin twice a day and 3 (30mg) three times a day for breakthough pain. Walking zombie I will expect to be. Hope I never need to take that much.
So far I can get away with two time release Oxycotin and maybe one dose of breakthough early morning after sleeping for a bit.
I will miss you all so very much. I don't know how long recovery time is for this. Rich T would maybe know or someone else that has had fusion done.
I sure was not ready to hear that 50% fracture at all. Hit me like a brick wall at 200mph.

Linndie, I will call you tomorrow. Other then family, I put my phone on "ignore" today. I think I am better in control now and have accepted the what has to be done. I know I will still go through periods of crying and that is normal. Fear of the unknown is the worst for anyone.

Love you all,
Carrie