Larry the headhunter is getting operated on

[rarnold]

We ALL look forward to seeing you 'N Debbi show up at our campgrounds. It would be awesome to see you in Gillette if it works for you. Keep taking good care of yourself and of Deb. You BOTH deserve a nice change and a long over-due light at the end of your tunnel! See you out there!

Rod

 

[mikeandconnie]

Hello Larry,

We hope to see you at the Cody Ralley....
Mike

 

[Larryheadhunter]

Hi all my Heartland buds,

I can't believe in one month it will be a year since my last lumbar fusion, and I continue to get a little stronger every week. After a few setbacks, I decided if I wanted to heal faster I needed to lose some unwanted pounds. So 4 weeks ago I began my diet and exercise regimen in earnest, instead of just talking about it. I am now walking 45 minutes at a fast pace with my 2 beagles, Stella and Lucy, every other day, and going to aerobic cardiac rehab for an hour, 3 times a week. I have lost 26 lbs so far, and am eating as healthy as I can, mostly fruit and veggies with a little chicken, and an occaisional treat. I went for my 11 month post surgery checkup and xrays at my orthopedic surgeon's last week, and he looked up at me, smiled and told me that I was actually beginning to fuse, very nicely, and he told me it was time for some diligent physical and aqua (pool) therapy! He then reminded me of what bad shape I was in a year ago, and that my dear wife Debbi and I should thank God to be receiving another chance to live a quality life again! He is absolutely right, and my goal is to be under 200 lbs by spring time, and to finish fusing my spine. Dr. Watkins had told me that it would take a year and a half, and I am right on schedule, albeit one step at a time. I am keeping the vitamin and mineral industry in business, too,lol.

I just want to thank all of you Heartlanders for the wonderful support over the last few years, by posting on this thread, emailing and phoning me, as well as Facebook friends. I am secretly hoping that by the end of summer 2012, we will be back on the road again! Dreams are made to come to true.

Keep inviting Debbi and me, one day we just might surprise you all and show up at your campground. I can't wait to personally thank each one of you. RVing is awesome!

 

[bill40]

I believe this is what is called a Happy New Year. I know it's tough but keep up the work it will pay off. Take Care Bill

 

[Larryheadhunter]

Hi Heartland friends,
We are one week away from the 1 year anniversary Feb 8-10 of my last, #3 and most extensive lumbar 360 degree (stomach and back incisions) back fusion, L-4-5, L5 S1, the 2nd fusion was July 2010, and 1st back operation began my oddysey in Aug 2009.
Just wanted to say the last month and a half, I just went for it, and so far I have lost 25lbs. since Dec 17, 2011. I have another 55 lb. to go, but at least I am making headway. I have set up probably the hardest workout schedule in my life, but it is getting me where I want to be, slowly but surely. I have given up all sugar products that aren't natural, and all canned and processed foods as well that have high fructose corn syrup or preservatives like dextrose, sucrose, maltodexin, etc. bread in general, but sometimes can eat some sprouted bread. I have given up red meat, and pork, and if I ever eat any of those staples again it will be grass fed, free range, no anti biotics so all I am now eating is fruits, veggies, nuts, and eggs, brown rice and vegetarian beans, with some boneless, skinless organic chicken. I work out 8-9 hours a week including cardiac rehab(totally cardio), physical therapy (core strengthening and stretching), pool therapy (balance and learning how to walk and get up with 2 lumbar vertabraes fused), and lots of walking. One of the secrets I learned was when you are bedridden like I was for 2 yrs, all my mucles have tightened up dramatically, so I spend a lot of time stretching and groaning, lol.

Anyway, my back is slowly fusing, and all this exercise and good eating is just so I can give living one more shot. I am 90% pain med free, 75% pain free and its been a rough 2-3 yrs, but even in pain I am making great progress. Hopefully by summer, I can talk my DW into buying another Heartland RV. I told her I loved the Mesa Landmark layout, it is just the best, except in her mind it is way too big, almost 40". Can anyone suggest a similar floor plan to dream about in the 30-32" range, Big Horn or whatever, if I can just get my body to listen to me, lol I wanna RV. If there is anyone in CA that wants to rent their or a friends rig for a month or 2 towards end of summer 2012, please get in contact with me.

Thanks again for everyone's support, it has been awesome and inspiring and I hope that my recovery keeps chuggin along, so we can take up all the camping offers around the country so I can meet and thank each Heartland friend one at a time. Also, I hope that my long story has helped anyone suffering from back problems. Feel free to PM or email me if you need some advice or just want to share.

Peace,

Larry and Debbi

 

[boatto5er]

Glad to hear you are coming along so well Larry. It's my understanding that Heartland is coming out with a new 3010RE Bighorn soon that will be arond 35 feet long. It has the stand alone kitchen island like the Mesa but is a rear entertainment setup in the living area.

 

[dieselsweetheart]

Larry, so happy to read your progress...you are certainly a success story....awesome that you have changed the way you eat (and what you eat!) and that is a big reason why you are able to shed those pounds...along with exercise. We all need to read those labels and we too can change our eating habits. Good for you!!! Thanks for the update and here's to the next year of good health!!!! See you down the road!

 

[ziggy]

Good Job Larry! That is a harder program than I could handle since work gets in the way. Stick to it and you will fell great while being pain med free and close to pain free. Kristy

 

[porthole]

Sounds good Larry - you'll be ready for that new Ford any day now.

 

[Larryheadhunter]

Hey Duane and everyone,
Well, my one year 2nd fusion anniversary has come and gone, done by Dr. Robert Watkins, the same doc that operated on Peyton Manning last year. I am still down to 5mg each of Vicodin and Methodone 3 times a day, and struggling to drop even 2.5mg of Vicodin per day as I am busting my butt, literally, to get healthy and pain free. I appreciate all the shoutouts from everyone, it's awe inspiring to me, especially when I am doing my cardio and light weight lifting for 75 minutes 3 times a week, besides the 6 hrs of physical therapy and 2 hrs of pool therapy. I have now dropped 35 lbs., and just won the Cardio Rehab 6 weeks weight loss contest. Hooray! I feel like shaking some of these heart patients as they do the minimum exercise, and just don't understand they are fooling with their lives. My whole family is following my healthy lead and DW Debbi has lost 15 lbs as well. Every MWF I eat a lot of protein, oatmeal, egg whites, one yolk, and 10 grams of whey protein, before my cardio, then within the 30 minute golden time afterwards I drink a boatload of carbs Coconut water mixed with 20 grams of protein, so the carbs will rehydrate and recover me for the physical therapy an hour later. I have become their little mascott as I do 2 hrs of core strengthening and stretching, groaning and sweating but never giving up. I must take 25 different supplements every day, plus whatever Dr. Oz recommends to lose that tummy fat, lol. I have gotten rid of 8" off my waist since Dec., but losing more weight and inches is becoming more and more difficult as the weeks and months go by. I just wish the pain in my quads and IT bands and lower back would go away so I could quit these darn pain pills forever.

Look forward to hearing from some of you again, and hoping that Debbi and I can rent a rig this summer and go on a one month trip maybe even to the Gillete rally, so if anyone knows of someone interested in renting their truck and rig let me know please.

Btw Duane, if and when I buy a truck it will be a GM American made `1 ton even though I keep looking at that beautiful glossy pic of your bucking Ford. I hope your Debbie is feeling better as well, back problems are horrific just ask me and millions of others, including my good friend Ziggy, who I hope has made a complete recovery!

Thanks again for all the support. I will sweat an extra gallon this week thinking of all you folks planning your next awesome RV trip.

 

[ziggy]

Hey Larry!

Glad to hear you are doing well. I'm not surprised to hear you are still in some pain as hard as you are working yourself. Remember that backs heal slowly and it can take 18 months to two years for recovery. Even then, you may still have some pain. I'm doing fine and just about done with my formal PT so now I have to find someone to help me train who knows what they are doing. I don't have all the self discipline you do when it comes to exercise.

I bet you didn't think you would make it this far a year ago! You will be even better a year from now.......

kristy

 

[Larryheadhunter]

Hi everyone,

I want to thank everyone who has stayed in touch with me since my last lumbar back fusion in Feb 2011. In Aug of 2012 it will be 18 months post surgery and I know for sure my lower back is finally fused. Hooray! With it comes quad, IT band and lower back pain, so I see a neuro muscular massage therapist over 4 hours a week, who tortures me, trying to relieve all the trigger points that refer pain everywhere. It appears to be working slowly but surely, and I was able to stop taking Vicodin a few days ago. I am still taking 5 mg of Methadone 3 X a day, and it will probably take me another year if ever to finally be pain med free. Oh well, everyone lives with pain, so I am just happy to be upright.

I would love to be RV camping today zooming around the country, but I don't think I will be physically ready for another year or so. Hopefully Heartland will have a Landmark Mesa in a smaller rig. That would be awesome.
I hope everyone is doing great and don't forget to keep in touch.

Larry

 

[mikeandconnie]

Hi Larry , so happy to read your progress. We are in Myrtle Beach for the summer and hope to make it back to Califorina this year. It would be great to see you at a Rally with a Mesa. Tell Deb Hello...
Mike

 

[ziggy]

Keep it up Larry. You will get there!

Kristy

 

[bill40]

Progress sometimes seems to be slow and then one day you get to say Hooray. Look forward to meeting you on the road.

 

[rarnold]

It's been a long and painful road for you Larry, but the end justifies the time & patience. Hang in there and good things will finally happen for you & Deb. We look forward to meeting up with you sometime in the near future on the road or at a rally. Hang in there buddy and keep on keeping on.

Rod

 

[wdk450]

Larry:
Your location pin says that you are in Temecula. Are you going to make a "personal appearance" at the Lake Skinner rally?

 

[rick_debbie_gallant]

Hey Larry, take it easy bro!

 

[Larryheadhunter]

Wow thanks for all the kinds words, my Heartland friends, it has been a long and tough road for me, and your support has helped me emotionally to get through these trying times. It is so true about the ups and downs of recovery from all these painful fusion operations and rehab. Right now you guys are really lifting my spirits because the last 3 weeks have been really, really long and barely tolerable. Because of my coronary artery issues I tried to undergo non-invasive EECP (External Extracorporeal Counter Pulsation), which in laymen terms is lower body space suit compression of air squeezing the lower body forcing the blood through the heart expanding blood vessels and making breathing easier. I was supposed to go thru an hour every weekday for 35 treatments, but after 24, I could barely walk, so hopefully in a few weeks I can resume my rehab workouts and walking. It seems back fusions don't take kindly to this kind of treatment. Anyway, I was setback at least 2-3 months, but at least I am on my way back, not going the other way. I must remain positive if I am to make a comeback once again.

Debbi and I live in San Clemente, CA so I am sorry my pin says Temecula, so I will fix that. I don't think I am up for a trip to Temecula for this SoCal Rally that I love so much, our memories will have to do for the time being. So good luck Cranky Bob and all you SoCalers. Maybe I will feel much better by then and make a surprise visit if possible Bill.

Back to the rehab on my back and Words for Friends for my brains. Thanks again everyone for thinking of me, it means a great deal to me. Debbi and I send our regards to all our Heartland friends out there. I have not given up! I will be back, as Arnold says with conviction. Hopefully next month I can report improvement in my condition again. Never say never!

 

[rarnold]

Larry,

Happy New Year to you & Deb. Hope things are back moving in a positive direction since your last post in Sept. Just wanted you to know we are all thinking of you & Deb and hoping to see you both this next summer, out "n about.

Hope the exercising is going well your meds and pain are decreasing.

Here's to a very lucky "13" and the year of recovery (no political pun intended) !

Rod