Nor Cal HL Dealer Does Incredible Personal Favor - Public Thanks - Bad News is Lumbar Fusion in July

Hi everyone,

Randy Scianna, owner of See Grins RV in San Martin, CA, just south of San Jose, is an unreal guy. God threw away the key when he made this man. Listen to this, he never sold me my Big Horn, but we met at my Nov 2009 So Cal Rally in Buellton, CA, where he was a sponsoring dealer, and we became instant friends.

The other day I called Randy for recommendations for a one nite stay in a local CG near San Jose, because I was going to a neurosurgeon for a fourth opinion regarding my lumbar back problems. I can barely walk, with shooting pain down my legs. I was doggedly on my way to the Oregon rally trying to avoid a lumbar fusion when we get home, with a one year estimated recovery, as many of you have unfortunately experienced yourselves.

Randy got me a pull thru site in a local CG, as a guest, then personally loaned me his car and drove it to me at the CG, so I wouldn't have to unhitch. He drove us back to his dealership, and off my DW Debbi and I went to the doc with his car. After a long meeting, this well respected back doc gave me the bad news of imminent lumbar fusion of 2 my lowest vertebrae, which was the fourth thumbs down opinion. I am really bummed out as he recommended we turn around and go home immediately and have the surgery before I can't walk at all. We drove back to his dealership, and Randy drove us back to our CG site so we could head to our next destination on the way, as I am a stubborn man who would never give up. Randy is just a genuine, wonderful person, that I wanted to acknowledge to all of you.

We are staying one more nite in Lodi, CA, trying to talk my DW Debbi into going on to Oregon, heck with going home. Decision time tomorrow and I am being such a big baby. I love Oregon and wanna go to the rally, wah............... but my biggest goal is to be well healed enough to be the Wagon Master for the huge October So Cal Rally in Buellton, CA.

Anyway, can you believe this guy? I was really in loads of pain and he was just too good to be true and I wanted to publicly thank him, right here and now. That is what I call an act of friendship above and beyond the call to duty. So if you want an exclusive HL Dealer that you can trust, Randy Scianna is your man.

I also want to thank all of my great Heartland Owner friends who have been incredibly supportive of me during this long, painful saga.

Another wonderful person. A great story. Good luck on you health issues. Put your trust in the Lord and He will guide you and help to heal you. Like my doctor told us, he is the surgeon and God is the Healer. Faith is the key. God Bless.

Great job Randy! People like him are hard to find and deserve our business. Good luck with the surgery Larry and may God Bless you and your wife.

Great story, I don't know how he made a living being a salesperson being so nice and caring. (joking). Larry did you hear about a UFC fighter that had 3 lower disks spaced and fused and still fights? He moves around like normal so that option may be ok.

It is a good news / bad news story. On the bad news lots of people have had successful back surgery, including me. I hope your pursuit of the best treatment for you succeeds. On the good news scene it is too bad I didn't collect all the names of the good dealers that posters have mentioned. It would be nice to have that list available when travelling as it is always a nice feeling to pull into a safe harbour.

It's always terrific to hear of this kind of sincere helpfulness. Also, here's wishing you Godspeed in your decisions regarding your back surgery. That is a huge step. Sincere best wishes from your East Coast fellow Heartlanders.

I went through back surgery in 1994. L4-L5 & L5-S1 had herniated and there was no position that did not come with excruciating pain down the legs and partially into the abdomen. Get it done. It's like a ticking time bomb as you risk some permanent nerve damage. I didn't need a fusion, the doc did a partial laminectomy (I think that's what it was), removed the calcified disc matter and opened up channels in the vertebrae for the sciatic nerves to sit in without impingement. Like night and day. Recovery was less than a month.

Larry & Debbi

Rich & I will miss you guys in Oregon, we were looking forward to seeing you again. What a great story about such a nice and caring person. We wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery. See you in October.

Larry;

Hang in there buddy! As you know I had a 5 level laminectomy done on my back on St. Patrick's Day. I spent 5 days in the hospital and 5 days at a re-hab hospital. Three weeks after the surgery, I was able to walk 3 miles a day, slowly and in 1/2 mile increments, but still 3 miles! The weeks before the surgery, I couldn't walk 50 feet without losing the feeling in both legs. The only place I was comfortable was in the drivers seat of my pickup.

This afternoon, I spent a half an hour wrestling on the floor with my 20 month old Grandson.....something that I did not think would have been possible a few months ago. At this point, I really feel pretty good....I just wish they could fix my lung issues as readily as they corrected my back issues.

Keep the faith! Stay strong....we are not given more than we can handle! Trust in God and your surgeons and you'll be back on your feet and headed down the road again. Eight years ago when I was forced to go on disability, I thought my life was over. Through perseverance and a "get going or get out of my way attitude" life is good! I can't do everything I used to, or do things as fast, but I'm in no hurry.

You'll get through this!

Randy

Thanks to Randy and Mary and all my Heartland friends for all your kind support. Debbi and I have only been RVers for a couple of incredibly great years, but after 20,000 miles, numerous rallies, and loads of new friends, we are sold on the lifestyle, and hope upon my recovery to resume our traveling in style fun life. To update you'all, yes we turned around in Lodi, CA and made it home a couple of painful days later, with my tail between my legs, and the promise of a great rally and summer trip to Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, etc. down the drain. It goes to show you that sometimes dogged perseverance, and a terrific attitude just isn't enough to overcome the complexities of an aging and painful body. Thanks to my good HL friends and wife who urged me to go home and rest up for surgery, instead of being stuck in Oregon with no way back, we are now back home counting down the days to July 1st, the day of my 6 hour surgery, so I can begin my recovery, dangling that picture in my mind of our beloved So Cal Rally in Buellton in October, to keep my spirits up.

Not wishing to downplay anyone, I am sorry I can't have back surgery like JohnDar and Randy, and some of the posters here. I have already gone the laminectomy route, with poor results, now it's time for the big time lumbar fusion, full decompression, and release of nerves route, which has a 50/50 chance of success. As many of you back sufferers know, it is a helpless feeling to go from a happy, fun person to an every step results in shooting back and leg pain, but I am in good spirits and can't wait to get back on the road again. I checked out the UFC fighter who had minimally invasive back fusion, but he had no nerve damage, so unfortunately I was told I wasn't a candidate for that method, but thanks anyway for the idea.

I use Lori Dawson, John's wife as an example of getting back in the saddle again. She had a similar surgery to mine in February and she made it to the Oregon rally a few weeks ago. My hat is off to her for her quick recovery, although she fell in Oregon and ended up with a few stitches, but she is back on her feet again! Tough lady and a great example!

Thanks for all of the PM's, emails, and comments on this thread, supporting my fast recovery, and wishes of good luck. You are all wonderful, caring friends, and my wife Debbi and I appreciate it. 9 days and a wake up, as we use to say in the Army in Vietnam, till it's time for my personal D-Day. Thanks truly for all this genuine HL forum support, which has been fantastic, and keeps my head on straight. It sure helps to know there are friends out there who care and support those of us who are in pain!

Also thanks again to Randy Scianna, HL Dealer in San Martin, CA for his caring and thoughtfulness, for whom I started this thread to show my appreciation.

Hi Larry

Keep you chin up and think positive. You have a lot of Heartland family rooting for you and praying for a successful surgery and recovery. Please keep us updated after the surgery by starting a thread about your recovery and progress and updating it.

Also, when you get to where you can ride in a car.... I would bet someone close by would pull your unit and set it up for you to get you out and moving about. Just a thought.

Jim M