Virtual Surgery 2

I chose "virtual surgery".  A very scary and unknown concept personally, but I knew I did not want the "cutting surgery" .  I had to try another option.  I had nothing to lose at this point.  What I had seen and read in terms of outcome and prognosis for the typical surgery,  I knew that I could not go there.  Not everyone may have the freedom and support system to choose this option but the planets were aligned for me last winter of 2018. 

Choosing virtual surgery only works with the following practical tips: you must call on your friends, tribe, family, neighbours, spouse or partner to help and do the daily life tasks such as buying food, feeding your pet, doing your laundry, dishes, shovelling, basically all life tasks and skills. 

You need good listeners.  Short, task-oriented visits because you must not move and expend any unnecessary energy .  You are basically growing a new back and body.  You must sleep like a sloth - sleep is your new sport.  Only deep REM (Repetitive Eye Movement) sleep can actually heal your tissue (ligaments, muscles, discs, nerves, brain tissue). Baic physiology factoid. Go to bed!

Take the medication you are prescribed...you do need it.  Don't try to be a hero.  During my 2 months of going silent and still...I felt “cat-like”...no I don't have 10 cats, but I do have 1 awesome Maine Coon.  I went "cat-like" in that I needed to hide, keep quiet and sleep ~ 18 hours/day.  Nerve pain is not like any other pain I have ever felt.  This pain changes you if you don't commit to healing it.  I now have even more sympathy and empathy for those I have treated and continue to treat as an Ergonomic/Health Specialist.  Nerve pain magnifies your sensitivity to foods, noise, light and people lol....truly.    

On a larger scale, the pharmaceutical world pushes medication for everything we feel, a cold, headache etc.  These drugs actually stop us from doing what the body needs to do...feel it and heal it!  Am I repeating myself?...that too comes with nerve pain, oh and swearing.   Our bodies are amazing if we listen to them, the body never lies.  Embrace pharma during the acute stages and don't move, a much better plan.  We should not live on vitamin "I" aka ibuprofen.

#lowback #sitting #driving #MSD #discbulge #health #ergonomics #ONKin #movement #hurdabouthealth #surgery #virtualsurgery

 Talk to you soon, pain free still,

Jo

Why not me?

Great question....WTHell!.  As someone who is so passionate about anatomy, biomechanics, human movement....blah blah blah...how the hell did I catch this?  Family and friends were as confused as was I.  Some asking "Jo you are a Kinesiologist who has been trying to prevent this for over 30 years, WTH?"   "Hell then, there is no hope for me”.  I realized as a Registered Kinesiologist and practicing Ergonomics, I would be held up on some sort of pedestal and labelled as being immuned, how I wish.  Busted!!  Aren't titles funny?  I too am only human.

Being in "cat mode" for over 4 months allowed me to think about this, alot!  When the body has stopped, the mind gets to play more.  All I know is that no one is exempt from back disorders, ego in check. Laugh, cry, anger, quiet, all part of the process.

What have I learned in my little Kin world?  There is no immunity idol (survivor!).  It is a cocktail of life movements really.  Genetics, life demands, sports demands, work demands, lifestyle, just plain living.  I know this may not answer the question.  I can honestly say now that I know I am wiser for it and that my next posture choices are going to be that much better for me, for the next 40 years.  Thankful, shitty but powerful lesson.   

An inert life choice of always seeking better health (mental, physical, spiritual) seemed to help get me out of this "Everest".  Tissue was able to heal, I did a lot of deep breathing, medication  and meditation.  Eventually the pain left and hasn't come back

Physiology factoid: 

Ageing tissue has a lower tissue tolerance for our daily chosen physical demands.  I know right?  That magic age is ~ 48 years - no control over that.  If we do not change our mindset and lower our physical demands in life and work...our tissue - musculoskeletal tissue will TALK and balk!.  I now have assessed and lowered my physical and mental demands to get me to my next chapter.  New, fun life choices.

#lowback #sitting #driving #MSD #discbulge #health #ergonomics #ONKin #movement #hurdabouthealth #surgery #virtualsurgery

Talk to you soon,

Jo

Virtual Surgery 1

The journey to going Virtual. 

My ~7 year low back disorder "Everest" of feeling a lot of pain at certain times, incidents and moments -  getting some medication, getting some physical therapy, getting stronger, changing things up, and returning back to work and life ASAP - I believe held those triplettes (3 disc bulges- Faith, Hope and Grace) at bay until they could not sit tight anymore.  My choices of fitness, health, nutrition, ergonomics, physical demands reduction and a passion for Kinesiology were ultimately tested.  I truly feel that my ever ingrained health choices prolonged the disorder for years and also on the more conclusive, helped my body's ability to finally heal.  I am now pain free still - I can honestly say it was all worth it, what a great learning experience, cup ever half full.  I can now objectively say there is hope to fully recovering from disc bulges and extreme sciatica, without the help of a surgeon.  If you choose to embark on this journey.  There is always hope, as I am living fresh proof, have you Hurd About Health? 

Nerve pain (sciatica) in both feet, so bad, is a whole other stimulus dimension.  This did happen to me in the winter of 2018 and ultimately stopped me from any movement.  The body never lies and will eventually get what it needs.  Pain really is a good thing - if you can sit in it and move through it - not jump around it with self medication and other distractions.   At this point I felt that I had to get quiet, shut-down literally and allow the ever picked "scabs" to heal.  I chose "Virtual Surgery".  I had exhausted all other options other than the typical surgery option.  Virtual Surgery is not the surgery we know, but a mental and physical approach to commit to not moving and acting as if you just had surgery, literally - picture a "back cast" or scars.  Wear it, live it virtually until the scab has healed, and this could mean months commitment.  This is what I chose not knowing if this experiment would work as I had never heard of this option being actually done.  With a lot of help from friends and family to do my daily tasks, I committed myself.  The Stigma of low back disorders and mental disorders for that matter, is that we don't see scars, blood or a cast.  I learned that during this time, I had to gently remind myself and others that I had just had "virtual surgery" and still couldn't move.  As someone looking at me, you would think I was fine, but I wasn't yet healed from within.  Very cool and very scary.

I also committed to physically pushing the 3 disc bulges back into my spine where they belonged - ouch!  Virtual Surgery meant no bending forward for anything.  Think about how many daily tasks involve bending forward....brushing your teeth - spitting into the sink, putting on shoes, socks, sitting, doing dishes, driving...and so the adventure began..

#lowback #sitting #driving #MSD #discbulge #health #ergonomics #ONKin #movement #hurdabouthealth #surgery #virtualsurgery

Talk to you soon,

Jo