Well, It Happened...

Phillyrube

Phillyrube

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Geez, look at me. 72 years old. Fireman in 1968 to 1970, volunteer and then paid. Whoops, along comes the draft. JoiN the Navy. Become a helo crewman. Jump out of helicopters rescuing people ( never needed to but practiced a lot). Made 4 Med cruises and a lot of smaller ones. Fought a flight deck fire that killed 14. Did 20 years in the Navy.
When I was ashore I was a volunteer firefighter and EMT. Got my paramedic cert. Jumped a lot of stretchers up and down skinny steps. Pried fat old ladies out of bathtubs and from around toilets.
Got hired by the cops and retired after 24 on the cops. Worked another 4: years in the ED. Humped more stretchers and still did 911. In 2017 I hung up my Littman. 45 some odd years.
Now look at life. Jumping out of good airplanes. Fighting fire, humping patients around, riding and dumping a couple along the way. Skiing and falling down a couple mountains, weird sex.
A year ago I started having pain in my right gluteus. Pulled muscle, who knows. Couldn't lift my leg enough to get on my bike for daily rides. Now I had a hip replaced in 2020 so maybe the other hip is crapping out. My surgeon gets X-rays and says no changes since 2020, I can't help you. So I go to two pain docs who try PT, dry needling, and 3 cortisone shots. They do an MRI and guess what? Synovial cyst, L5-S1. Of course there's some age related arthritis and stenosis but fortunately no damage from lifting. So I gotta get some bone removed so they can get the cyst that is pinching my sciatic nerve so I'm going to get some high temp titanium rods.
Document ANY tweak or pain you get. I e hurt my back a few times and reported it all. Being an EMS dinosaur I've got medicare and Tricare to pay for all this but you kids don't. Watch your backs ( and the rest of you.)
 
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I had my first laminectomy/ discectomy when I was 32, I hope not to have another before I come off of the line. I recovered fast, but was also 10 years younger and 10 years fitter. GL
 
Only other bit I have to the “youngsters” is medical benefits is a real thing. Yes, age takes its toll, but you never know when. Proper mechanics is imperative as is proper health and healthcare. Stay safe, all.
 
I have a saying.... Lift with your firefighter not with your back.

This PSA brought to you by a third service medic.
 
VentMonkey said:
Only other bit I have to the “youngsters” is medical benefits is a real thing. Yes, age takes its toll, but you never know when. Proper mechanics is imperative as is proper health and healthcare. Stay safe, all.
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And if you’re in a union, it’s better to forgo that .15 raise in order to have better medical/retirement. Vote Smart.
 
Well I'm.back. went in Monday at 1000, but didn't hit the OR until 4. Got ripped off, didn't get preloaded. On with the mask then someone said becomes propofol. Didn't get back to the room until 2130 or so. Had wicked sore throat and a big incision on my back
I don't know what they positioning me but I'm bruised on stomach and tops of both legs. That's the painful part of all this. Back just had some pulling sensations and pain in the butt is gone.
Wednesday.
Not so good. Sats low, pulse low. BP low, temp at 101. Flurry of activity: blood draws and CT,then nuclear scan. Nothing. Got a really good Nigerian ARNP on the floor, thinks it was some left over anesthesia and inflammation. Some more chemicals and I peed like a racehorse, all the IVs they shoved in me came pouring out. By Thursday things were normal, a couple Robaxin and perco et during the day. Urine is good, would love a good dump so also getting miralax. Home health and PT came by today, all looks good.
My docs assistant is a former paramedic, came off the street and worked in a ED. A couple years later PA schools and pulling down over 100k.
More to follow.
 
Ok, if anyone needs surgery and anesthesia, tell them you're scared and claustrophobic. Don't tell them you're in the business. The me Now I'm a 40 year medic, CC,tactical, and some nursing school. I know things. So I'm all prepped out, talking to nurses etc. Anesthesiology comes in, standard questions. I get rolled to the OR, they plop a mask on my face and someone says here comes your propof...........
WAIT A MINUTE!! Where's the versed? Where's The fentanyl?? I'm guessing they figured I was good with everything, no anxiety, so I missed out on a nice buzz
Caveat emptor.
 
It's common practice to avoid benzos in older folks. In that population their effects tend to be less predictable and last longer, but more importantly they are associated with an increased risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction, which is already a much higher risk than in younger populations.
 
All of this to say you had surgery to have something removed from your butt, and you don't know how it got into your butt, but it's not your fault it was in there.

How's your healing going? You are being prayed for.
 
This is a great community. 4 weeks out Monday,no surgical pain, no sciatic pain. Discharged from PT. Still have the back brace and see the surgeon next week. Incision looks like he used a laser to open it. Beautiful. Hope to be back working at the range in two weeks.
Thanks again for the good thoughts.
 
6 weeks out, life is good. No pain. Still wearing the back brace for another month. Back to work, but no shooting shotguns or trap Doc is conservative, doesn't want me twisting, hence the brace.
 
Phillyrube said:
6 weeks out, life is good. No pain. Still wearing the back brace for another month. Back to work, but no shooting shotguns or trap Doc is conservative, doesn't want me twisting, hence the brace.
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Maybe it's time to check the sights on that old .22.
 
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