Larry the headhunter is getting operated on
- Thread starter RollingHome
- Start date
Boca_Shuffles
Well-known member
We wish you well. I have had 5 back surgeries, and have rods from my ilium to T-7, so I know both the hope and apprehension you must feel as surgery nears. Do all you can to move the skin and underlying tissues soon after surgery, to help minimize the scar tissue buildup. That was my biggest problem, and still is 2 years after my last surgery. But I am largely pain free, and now teach water exercises classes at our local fitness center. The water is great for exercise, because it takes the weight off all the joints and allows you to stretch without balance issues and achieve a good cardio workout free of impact.
Bobbi and Tom Paschka
Bobbi and Tom Paschka
Larryheadhunter
X-Rookies Still Luving it
After many requests, its time for an update for my wonderful Heartland family and friends from your West Coast mascot.As many of you know, your robo man had a 7-8 hour double lumbar fusion and full spinal decompression, as well as complete nerve release on July 1.. it was long and arduous and I had a close call. Because I have been on long term morphine maintenance for the past year (I know what you're thinking, but only took pain meds when we arrived at our CG, not while driving), my respiration went down to 0 and they had to give me Narcan and revive me. Poor DW Debbi and kids, me thrashing about as nurses put on my Bi-Pap, but couldn't find my pillows to help me breathe. They forced a mask on me in recovery, and I began suffocating (PTSD). After heaving the mask across the room, (I must be strong), Debbi found the pillows, averted disaster and got me breathing normally. The next week was horrible, which was the time all you nice people kept me amused with all the heartwarming ph calls, PM,s and emails. It was tough, painful and degrading time, especially trying to keep things flowing if you know what I mean. Thank God for Hector, lol, who with his great "de planes, de planes" accent helped me through and kept me laughing when my hands were over my eyes. My back pain wasexcruciating and my quads felt like Ali had used them for a punching bag. Anyone who says back fusion is an easy recovery is crazy, as many of you can personally attest. Finding a semi-comfortable place to lay for a half hour was really difficult and every time they moved me was an experience in itself. Am I jolting any bad memories here? Lol After a week, I was stabilized and taken by ambulance to a rehab facility where I am learning to walk with a tightened corset and go thru 3 hours a day of painful physical and occupational therapy. Over the next 5 days I get the lovely fight trying to beat a year long battle with opioid dependency. This will be tough but everyone please keep encouraging me thru this withdrawal process. I need it!
RollingHome
Well-known member
Larry, as I've told you many times my friend... you have more guts then me... I hear ya dude, I feel for ya... and I still am half the man you are. The docs want me to enjoy the same pain you did and I say... NO. Look up chicken, the picture there is me... Your experience just convinces me further not to do it. Besides, I'm into pain... as in today, Wow !
ziggy
Retired Oregon HOC
Hang in there Larry! If you can do that surgery and recovery so far, you can kick the opioids. You know how to reach us, and Mark is usually around even if I'm with my mom and dad during his heart surgery recovery. You can do this and it will be worth it, not easy, but worth it. Debbi, you can do this too even though it might be even harder on you than on Larry for awhile.
Kristy
Kristy
nextchapter2come
Member
Larry... even though we have never met, I too have had alot of surgery... I hope that you are finding that each day gets a little better.... take care, stay positive and think forward..... hugs and Godspeed
Gary (Lin's son)
Gary (Lin's son)
fjspinelli
Common Sense Jake
God bless brother. I hope both of your rehabs ;-) go as planned and you are on the road again soon!
FJ
FJ
beardedone
Beardedone
Hang in Larry. After reading what you went through I feel guilty about the surgery I had which consisted on one failed attempt and then the successful one shortly after. You have lots of support on here and everyone is cheering for you. I am sure it will work out in the end. Just take it one day at a time and we will soon see you up & about.
GETnBYE
Well-known member
Ok Larry, here is what you said that stuck in my mind: " I may be your latest special cause,"
I didn't reply to your update at first because I really didn't know what to say to help you along your difficult journey. I had to think about it a day or two.
I was sitting outside thinking about it and thinking about an exercise I used to do when at times I was very down about something. And yes it may sound silly, but I wanted to say something that just "might" help a little bit.
My exercise, game, whatever you want to call it was the "IT COULD BE WORSE--fill in the blank. ie It could be worse, it could be raining, it could be worse, I could be alone.* now that's just a for example. You see how many you can come up with everyday.
Hopefully this will give you something to look at, I really do mean look at, because if you look around at other people in the world you will see how much you really do have going for you. I am by no means trivializing (sp) your pain or the hard road ahead of you. I just know that healing takes a lot of time and sometimes we need to keep our mind right during all that time that we have to let pass. I am hoping that this will help in some small way.
I also think that we have to allow ourselves to just feel really bad sometimes! Cause we do and to try to be upbeat allllll the time is near impossible. BUT, by sometimes I mean with a time limit. I'm gonna feel real icky this morning, but after lunch I'm gonna buck up and get on with it.
Hoping for the very best for you and your caretakers also.
Wow, when I get started I get long winded! You may need a nap after trying to make sense of all my ramblings, I'm trying to not delete this whole post worrying that I might be giving unwanted advice. You did give me a cause remember. I'll leave it to you to decide, and if it's unwanted advice please accept my apologies.
Peace on your road to recovery,
Nita
Edit: boy is my face red, I just read a post where you responded about the nasty posts on the board by saying,
"All I can say from under my rock is there is always someone with a worse situation than you have, whatever that may be.........."
GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE I GUESS!
I didn't reply to your update at first because I really didn't know what to say to help you along your difficult journey. I had to think about it a day or two.
I was sitting outside thinking about it and thinking about an exercise I used to do when at times I was very down about something. And yes it may sound silly, but I wanted to say something that just "might" help a little bit.
My exercise, game, whatever you want to call it was the "IT COULD BE WORSE--fill in the blank. ie It could be worse, it could be raining, it could be worse, I could be alone.* now that's just a for example. You see how many you can come up with everyday.
Hopefully this will give you something to look at, I really do mean look at, because if you look around at other people in the world you will see how much you really do have going for you. I am by no means trivializing (sp) your pain or the hard road ahead of you. I just know that healing takes a lot of time and sometimes we need to keep our mind right during all that time that we have to let pass. I am hoping that this will help in some small way.
I also think that we have to allow ourselves to just feel really bad sometimes! Cause we do and to try to be upbeat allllll the time is near impossible. BUT, by sometimes I mean with a time limit. I'm gonna feel real icky this morning, but after lunch I'm gonna buck up and get on with it.
Hoping for the very best for you and your caretakers also.
Wow, when I get started I get long winded! You may need a nap after trying to make sense of all my ramblings, I'm trying to not delete this whole post worrying that I might be giving unwanted advice. You did give me a cause remember. I'll leave it to you to decide, and if it's unwanted advice please accept my apologies.
Peace on your road to recovery,
Nita
Edit: boy is my face red, I just read a post where you responded about the nasty posts on the board by saying,
"All I can say from under my rock is there is always someone with a worse situation than you have, whatever that may be.........."
GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE I GUESS!
Last edited:
Larryheadhunter
X-Rookies Still Luving it
Hi my HL friends,
I just wanted everyone to know my 7 day stretch in a rehab hospital is over after the 7 days in the surgical hospital, and I came home to recover Wednesday. I have a nice hospital bed, and a bone growth stimulator to wear 4 hours a day, and the rehab hospital set me up with a Physical Therapist and a Occupational Therapist, as well as a skilled nurse to keep an eye on my 10 inch incision. The main instructions are to give up BLT's, which I love. LOL BLT stands for no bending, lifting or twisting. Try it as it's hard to do. Anyway, I am still opioid dependent, but have an appointment with a Physiatrist, (pain doctor), who will wean me off the long acting morphine over a period of time. The pain meds I take for break thru pain will continue for several weeks, but my intent is to be eventually drug free, YEA!
I just want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who has posted on this thread, or contacted me thru various means, and supported my recovery, but mostly those prayers you'all said WORKED! It appears that this huge operation was a success, albeit a long recovery. I won't get into details, but I truly believe in my heart those prayers helped me cope with this operation, and gave me strength, when I just couldn't take the pain. Heartland owners are the best, really the best! I have been reading through my phone all the support comments, and it was really awesome, so THANK YOU! My sweet, wonderful wife Debbi just told me she has an email folder with many well wishes as well. If you could see me now, you would see me blushing bright red, as I just didn't comprehend how many wonderful Heartland owners there are across the beautiful USA. I felt like I was your mascot, and I had to recover, just had to, with all of you pulling for me. It really helped. And special thanks to Tom Alldridge for starting this thread, if you were here I would give you a huge hug, as I would have felt all alone, instead of feeling like I was in all your hearts. This is why, if I had to buy a new rig, it would be a Heartland. The way I look at it, no matter what fifth wheel you buy there is always going to be some type of problem, flat springs, leaks, etc. but where can you find the support like everyone gave me? Where can I find the friends we developed at all the rallies we attended? The answer is nowhere, only with you guys. I don't want to get mushy, but WOW, I am feeling the love. Debbi and I couldn't have done it without you and my family and friends.
I have a long recovery ahead of me, but thanks everyone for helping getting me this far. My mind set is super strong, especially after the rehab hospital stint, where I saw all these hurting people, young and old, who were trying to recover from strokes, and deep leg vein thrombosis, and back fusions etc. Heck, we were all rooting for each other. I don't know what else to say, but thank you so very much for keeping my mind straight, and helping me to never give up! All of you are the very best. Each one of your prayers is helping heal me. Keep going, as I will too. And anyone who is contemplating going through a spinal fusion,
DO IT, as getting rid of the pain was worth it. I tried to ignore it, and the surgeon let me know I was walking around with a fractured facet, which he said in his lingo was a broken back. So, it's worth it, and when you get this kind of support and prayers, you too will feel like it was well worth going through the pain. God bless each and every one of you. I couldn't have done it without you! YOU ALL ARE THE BEST!
I will update my continued recovery as we move along. Time to do Physical therapy, she is at the door. What a crew. I just can't say enough thank you's.
I just wanted everyone to know my 7 day stretch in a rehab hospital is over after the 7 days in the surgical hospital, and I came home to recover Wednesday. I have a nice hospital bed, and a bone growth stimulator to wear 4 hours a day, and the rehab hospital set me up with a Physical Therapist and a Occupational Therapist, as well as a skilled nurse to keep an eye on my 10 inch incision. The main instructions are to give up BLT's, which I love. LOL BLT stands for no bending, lifting or twisting. Try it as it's hard to do. Anyway, I am still opioid dependent, but have an appointment with a Physiatrist, (pain doctor), who will wean me off the long acting morphine over a period of time. The pain meds I take for break thru pain will continue for several weeks, but my intent is to be eventually drug free, YEA!
I just want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who has posted on this thread, or contacted me thru various means, and supported my recovery, but mostly those prayers you'all said WORKED! It appears that this huge operation was a success, albeit a long recovery. I won't get into details, but I truly believe in my heart those prayers helped me cope with this operation, and gave me strength, when I just couldn't take the pain. Heartland owners are the best, really the best! I have been reading through my phone all the support comments, and it was really awesome, so THANK YOU! My sweet, wonderful wife Debbi just told me she has an email folder with many well wishes as well. If you could see me now, you would see me blushing bright red, as I just didn't comprehend how many wonderful Heartland owners there are across the beautiful USA. I felt like I was your mascot, and I had to recover, just had to, with all of you pulling for me. It really helped. And special thanks to Tom Alldridge for starting this thread, if you were here I would give you a huge hug, as I would have felt all alone, instead of feeling like I was in all your hearts. This is why, if I had to buy a new rig, it would be a Heartland. The way I look at it, no matter what fifth wheel you buy there is always going to be some type of problem, flat springs, leaks, etc. but where can you find the support like everyone gave me? Where can I find the friends we developed at all the rallies we attended? The answer is nowhere, only with you guys. I don't want to get mushy, but WOW, I am feeling the love. Debbi and I couldn't have done it without you and my family and friends.
I have a long recovery ahead of me, but thanks everyone for helping getting me this far. My mind set is super strong, especially after the rehab hospital stint, where I saw all these hurting people, young and old, who were trying to recover from strokes, and deep leg vein thrombosis, and back fusions etc. Heck, we were all rooting for each other. I don't know what else to say, but thank you so very much for keeping my mind straight, and helping me to never give up! All of you are the very best. Each one of your prayers is helping heal me. Keep going, as I will too. And anyone who is contemplating going through a spinal fusion,
DO IT, as getting rid of the pain was worth it. I tried to ignore it, and the surgeon let me know I was walking around with a fractured facet, which he said in his lingo was a broken back. So, it's worth it, and when you get this kind of support and prayers, you too will feel like it was well worth going through the pain. God bless each and every one of you. I couldn't have done it without you! YOU ALL ARE THE BEST!
I will update my continued recovery as we move along. Time to do Physical therapy, she is at the door. What a crew. I just can't say enough thank you's.
gmc
Reitired - California-Central Chapter Leaders
Larry nice talking to you today,glad you are doing better. hang in there and we'll see you soon.Good luck with your trailer. We will be onboard to help out if everything works out, you know what I mean.Hangin there and do what the therapist tell you to do see yah!
dieselsweetheart
Well-known member
Larry it was good to get an update from you....you know you will have good days and bad and as long as you accept the bad ones and not expect every day to be rosy...you will do just fine. You know what I mean...recuperation is very difficult! The surgery was easy....my goodness all you had to do was sleep through it! I had my knee repaired this past Wednesday and it's not the first go' round for me. This knee has been an issue for me since 79 but there is not much I can do except to stay positive and focus on getting well. And you are right about the Heartland family....think where we would be without the internet and the ability to reach out to one another so easily!! Some days you don't feel like talking on the phone...but postings and emails can be a quick way to say "today was a good day"..... You just continue to stay focused on the big picture and soon you will be looking back and it will all be just a fading memory.... sending good thoughts your way!
Larryheadhunter
X-Rookies Still Luving it
Hi folks,
Well today makes it 4 weeks to the day from my lumbar spinal fusion surgery. Never thought I would see this day, on July 1, when they splayed me open and cleaned out the mess in my back, and made me the titanium man. I was lucky enough to find a physiatrist ( pain and rehab doc) over 2 weeks ago, who decided he would make me his top priority to bring me back from being morphine man to a drug and pain free patient. I had lost so much hope and was almost resigned to be living on pain pills forever, as I have been fighting off this surgery for almost a year, like so many of you others, who have severe back pain. Some of these pain med docs have no clue what they are doing by giving epidurals and facet joint injections, and when they fail, leaving you addicted to morphine and oxycodone, and other powerful painkillers. The sickest part of this story is that once you decide to go through with the spinal fusion, most of these idiots, even the famous ones, desert you, as they failed to inform you that they don't have hospital privileges, and release you to search and hopefully find a caring physiatrist who will work with you post-surgery, to resume your life, especially RV'ing. It became clear that keeping up and building my strength by continuing physical therapy during the rehab process was by far the hardest part, but saved me. When tested for strength, he was pleasantly surprised that I was almost at full power due to my continuing painful therapy, and a smile crossed his face and he gave me a big thumbs up. The doc told me that most patients like me just lay in bed enduring pain and suffering, and lose their power forever. Once atrophy occurs, you are in a world of s**t, that at age 55 and up, it is virtually impossible to regain lost strength.
Now the difficult part. My receptors were full of all those pain meds, and I had to dedicate myself to slowly, but surely, remove myself from their powerful addiction. Thanks to all of my fellow Heartlanders, who stayed on top of me, and called, emailed, PM'd and just plain encouraged me, it is working. I can now say I am completely off of morphine, yea, and am being weaned from methadone for the long term pain, and oxycodone for the break thru pain, due to the eleven inch cut in my lower back, that is almost completely healed. No more shooting pains down my legs, or my back, just a bad charlie horse in my left leg that will eventually go away, and the superficial burning in my back, as the crushed nerves slowly but surely, are showing signs of life, thank you very much. Hooray, I say, there is a God. In 2 more weeks I will be off of methadone, which I must admit, helped me kick the morphine habit, and the oxycodones will be replaced for a couple of weeks with vicodin. Within a month, I have been promised to be totally pain meds free, as long as I continue the physical therapy 3 times a week which releases endorphins easing the pain, and walk, walk and walk some more. Today I walked around the block for the first time, and I am ready to throw the walker away, thank you Randy. The neighbors must have thought I was crazy when I threw my fists up in the air and declared victory is mine. Well, maybe not yet, but I do see the light at the end of the tunnel. I had to give up BLT's, (bending, lifting and twisting) for 6 months, but that is a small price to pay to have my life back. My kids are so proud of me, and all my local buddies can't believe all the improvement.
SO THANKS EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. AWESOME IS THE WORD. I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU AND YOUR ENCOURAGING WORDS. HEARTLANDERS ROCK! NEXT UPDATE WHEN I AM OFF PAIN MEDS AND PAIN FREE, OR AT LEAST DOING MUCH BETTER. LOL
For those of you who are to chicken to go through spinal fusion, please check with me, it's not worth living in pain all the time. I mean you Rolling Home (Tom Aldridge), it is worth it. The secret is to work hard in physical therapy to keep and build up your strength, and believe in yourself. Go to a neurosurgeon who has performed spinal fusions hundreds of times successfully, and go for it, then spend another week in a rehab hospital working your butt off! Thanks again for making me your mascot, and believing in me. I have read all 53 of the posts on this thread hundreds of times, and it has given me the strength to continue on.
See you all at my 2nd Annual So Cal Fall Rally in Buellton, CA Oct. 15-17th, 2010, where you will see me walking erect and upright, for the first time in a year, without any physical support, except my 2 feet.
Well today makes it 4 weeks to the day from my lumbar spinal fusion surgery. Never thought I would see this day, on July 1, when they splayed me open and cleaned out the mess in my back, and made me the titanium man. I was lucky enough to find a physiatrist ( pain and rehab doc) over 2 weeks ago, who decided he would make me his top priority to bring me back from being morphine man to a drug and pain free patient. I had lost so much hope and was almost resigned to be living on pain pills forever, as I have been fighting off this surgery for almost a year, like so many of you others, who have severe back pain. Some of these pain med docs have no clue what they are doing by giving epidurals and facet joint injections, and when they fail, leaving you addicted to morphine and oxycodone, and other powerful painkillers. The sickest part of this story is that once you decide to go through with the spinal fusion, most of these idiots, even the famous ones, desert you, as they failed to inform you that they don't have hospital privileges, and release you to search and hopefully find a caring physiatrist who will work with you post-surgery, to resume your life, especially RV'ing. It became clear that keeping up and building my strength by continuing physical therapy during the rehab process was by far the hardest part, but saved me. When tested for strength, he was pleasantly surprised that I was almost at full power due to my continuing painful therapy, and a smile crossed his face and he gave me a big thumbs up. The doc told me that most patients like me just lay in bed enduring pain and suffering, and lose their power forever. Once atrophy occurs, you are in a world of s**t, that at age 55 and up, it is virtually impossible to regain lost strength.
Now the difficult part. My receptors were full of all those pain meds, and I had to dedicate myself to slowly, but surely, remove myself from their powerful addiction. Thanks to all of my fellow Heartlanders, who stayed on top of me, and called, emailed, PM'd and just plain encouraged me, it is working. I can now say I am completely off of morphine, yea, and am being weaned from methadone for the long term pain, and oxycodone for the break thru pain, due to the eleven inch cut in my lower back, that is almost completely healed. No more shooting pains down my legs, or my back, just a bad charlie horse in my left leg that will eventually go away, and the superficial burning in my back, as the crushed nerves slowly but surely, are showing signs of life, thank you very much. Hooray, I say, there is a God. In 2 more weeks I will be off of methadone, which I must admit, helped me kick the morphine habit, and the oxycodones will be replaced for a couple of weeks with vicodin. Within a month, I have been promised to be totally pain meds free, as long as I continue the physical therapy 3 times a week which releases endorphins easing the pain, and walk, walk and walk some more. Today I walked around the block for the first time, and I am ready to throw the walker away, thank you Randy. The neighbors must have thought I was crazy when I threw my fists up in the air and declared victory is mine. Well, maybe not yet, but I do see the light at the end of the tunnel. I had to give up BLT's, (bending, lifting and twisting) for 6 months, but that is a small price to pay to have my life back. My kids are so proud of me, and all my local buddies can't believe all the improvement.
SO THANKS EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. AWESOME IS THE WORD. I COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU AND YOUR ENCOURAGING WORDS. HEARTLANDERS ROCK! NEXT UPDATE WHEN I AM OFF PAIN MEDS AND PAIN FREE, OR AT LEAST DOING MUCH BETTER. LOL
For those of you who are to chicken to go through spinal fusion, please check with me, it's not worth living in pain all the time. I mean you Rolling Home (Tom Aldridge), it is worth it. The secret is to work hard in physical therapy to keep and build up your strength, and believe in yourself. Go to a neurosurgeon who has performed spinal fusions hundreds of times successfully, and go for it, then spend another week in a rehab hospital working your butt off! Thanks again for making me your mascot, and believing in me. I have read all 53 of the posts on this thread hundreds of times, and it has given me the strength to continue on.
See you all at my 2nd Annual So Cal Fall Rally in Buellton, CA Oct. 15-17th, 2010, where you will see me walking erect and upright, for the first time in a year, without any physical support, except my 2 feet.
jmgratz
Original Owners Club Member
Hi Larry...it's evident from your update that you are really in charge of your recovery and for this you will succeed!! You have your goal square in mind and you know what it takes to reach it. You have a plan!!! And thankfully you were able to get what seems to be a very knowledgeable physiatrist... addiction to pain meds is very serious and your body is not able to handle quitting them cold turkey... methadone is the drug of choice for opiate withdrawal.. and it takes time. Rehab too takes time. In about 5 weeks I am going to start going to rehab to get my knee function back...and I have been down this road before so I know it's going to take determination and hard work (and some pain) to get that function back.
Keep up the good work and best of luck over these next few weeks. We'll be looking forward to future progress reports!!!
Keep up the good work and best of luck over these next few weeks. We'll be looking forward to future progress reports!!!
Recovered from 25-May-2010
Recovered
Great update Larry. Congrats on your progress to date and best of luck on the next phase of completing "kicking the habit" and continuing the PT.
See you in Buellton.
Jim
See you in Buellton.
Jim
SouthernNights
Past South Carolina Chapter Leader
Larry, thanks for the update. I was wondering how your withdrawls for the meds was going.
Our prayers will continue and hope to get a chance to meet you one day.
Our prayers will continue and hope to get a chance to meet you one day.
