Today I found out what they stuck in my back.

[shilala]

They put rods and a strut and screws and grafts.
I took a pic of the actual brand of hardware with my cellfone, but didn't send the pic to myself yet. That's a bit challenging for me.
Below is a pic of the hardware, it's just a different brand, and I only had two vertebrae fused and strutted.
In four weeks I'll be allowed to drive, in three months the Doc said he'll allow me to bungie jump.

edit:
I should have mentioned that he took all the broken pieces out and threw them away, too.
It's all fixed and I'm golden.

[Genetic Defect]

vide the jump
looks like a lot of hardware. amazing how fast recovery is these days

[boonedoggle]

OMGosh. That looks insanely painful!

[bobarian]

Wow. Harrington rods have come a long way. I had mine put in over 20 yrs ago. They are stainless and longer than a pencil!

So how are you feeling?
My wife had the same type work done on her back this summer.
She still has quite a bit of pain but is slowly recovering.
Thank God for decent health insurance, the bill totaled over $300,000.
Treat yourself to a good smoke.

[Thaplumbr]

Man Scott, that looks like something you might build!!, but it would have fans and lights, and be all blinged out.......lol
Glad your back is doing better Brother!

[Jason]

Have mercy, do take care you heal up right man, then lookin good to go!

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Dennis569

So how are you feeling?
My wife had the same type work done on her back this summer.
She still has quite a bit of pain but is slowly recovering.
Thank God for decent health insurance, the bill totaled over $300,000.
Treat yourself to a good smoke.

I feel great. I have zero symptoms from the broken back, all I have now are aches and pains from the surgery.
I stayed very active through this whole mess, and I was up walking a couple hours after they rolled me out of surgery. This last two weeks has been hell trying to hold still while I heal.
After seeing what's in there yesterday, I'm no longer worried about what I might do to hurt myself, so I'm going to ramp up my exercise and get a lot more active while this thing heals.
I'm going to make a cup of coffee and go for a walk right now so it'll loosen up.
I sure hope your wife comes around soon!!!

[fissure]

Great to hear you are doing good scott

[Don Fernando]

my dad had something like that in his back too, they installed it when he broke his back.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

my dad had something like that in his back too, they installed it when he broke his back.

I'm amazed at how many people have this stuff in them.
Fortunately for me I didn't have this done 20 years ago. From what I understand it'd damn near kill a guy.

I'm glad they took care of you my friend. Here's to a speedy recovery!

wow ... its actually pretty cool in some way. only thing that matters is that your okay, and im glad for the fast recovery! cheers!

Glad to hear you are doing well Scott.

It's really neat what they can do these days, and I can only imagine what it will be like in another 20 years.

Originally Posted by shilala

I'm amazed at how many people have this stuff in them.
Fortunately for me I didn't have this done 20 years ago. From what I understand it'd damn near kill a guy.

My mom's friend got it about 15 years ago and now her back is so bad she has to walk with a cane. Really nice lady, she ****ed up her back from hauling her wheelchair bound son in and out of his wheel chair/bath/toilet.

[TripleF]

So, so, so glad you hear you are doing better.

[Cenookie]

Glad to hear that you are up and moving, take it easy with the workouts. And here to a complete recovery.

[Don Fernando]

Originally Posted by shilala

I'm amazed at how many people have this stuff in them.
Fortunately for me I didn't have this done 20 years ago. From what I understand it'd damn near kill a guy.

They removed the hardware from my dad's back about a year later, when the broken bones were healed. Will they get yours out too?

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Don Fernando

They removed the hardware from my dad's back about a year later, when the broken bones were healed. Will they get yours out too?

Nope, I get to keep this stuff forever.
My buddy had a rod pulled out of his hip that they put in there a lot of years ago, he was in a car wreck. The rod started working it's way out of the bone and it was killing him.
I think that "put metal in and take it back out" stuff is a thing of the past.
Only reason I think that is because I work construction and guys get hurt bad all the time, be it at work, home, or out drinking.
I just never hear about docs putting metal in and taking it back out anymore.
When I was at my appointment Thursday I saw a whole bunch of models with bone repair hardware screwed on it. I was pretty impressed at all the stuff and all of it was permanent.
I know they sometimes do the "halo" thing when breaks are so severe that they have to build a framework outside the body and a guy has to lay strung up in a hospital bed for months.

[replicant_argent]

Keep those things moving or you will sound like the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz, Scott!


Sounds like you are on the way to being very happy with your recovery, and I hope you have great success with your new hardware.