# Forced Medical Retirement at 44...it REAL sucks.....



## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Ok..a little back story first.. 1995. i'm a graphic designer. I also take care of all computers and everything related. I'm 29 at the time. in early november 95, my boss decides to upgrade all Apple computers and monitors. Even then we were using 21" monitors..rare in those days. Those suckers weight close to 100pds each. after 2 days of assembling new desk, installing new system etc etc, it was time for MY office finaly. All was done when the office secretary comes in and asks me to lift my monitor so she can dust the top of my brand new desk, SO i reach across and LIFT the monitor with arms fully extended, and CRUNCH...i head a pop..so did she..and i fall on the floor, screaming like a retard, and then the pain kinda stops...but problem, i can't get up. I can barely feel my legs, and when i start feeling them again, the pain comes back HARD. after an hrs or so...i manage to get in my car go to the ER. the Kid Doctor tells me i pulled a muscle in my lower back and leg, since the pain, strangely enough is Burning in my leg and back. he then tells me to take some anti-inflammatory drugs for a week and all will be fine.

After a few days..i feel my back is very swollen, but I don't bother to much with it. 4 or 5 days after the incident, around 10pm, watching tv with my girlfriend and roomate I suddenly start feeling SHOOTING PAINS in my lower back…every heartbeat is like a knife in my back, within a minute i PUKED out my stomach on the floor, both are looking at me like "WTF"…my roommate grabes me and takes me to the ER. I'm told I'm passing a Kidney Store….wow..ok. I'm then introduced to Morphine and Demerole. I stay in the hospital for 5 days getting all sort of test….then, the stone passes….OUCH..hehe. While there my back gets a lot worst and pain is very tough to manage. I decide to go see a Doc I know at the university who works with athlete. As SOON as I get in her office she's like..ALAIN…what happened?...within a minutes she tells me I have a erniated disc and I need to get some CT-Scans right away. Usually with the waiting list, it's a good 6 months to get one. BUT, she calls a Physician she knows and I get to the Hospital 2 days later. By then I can't stand for more then 2 minutes on my feet or I pass out. I get the scan, and the doctors comes to see me directly, that's never a good sign. He looks at me and tells me my L5-S1 disc, the biggest one we have, has totally exploded and fragments are lodged in my siatic nerve, causing me major pain. Problem is…they can't do the surgery right away, my back is to swollen. So I'm put on hard meds and given injections directly in the spine to help with the pain and to hopefully get my back to it's normal shape. 

At the time of the accident…I'm 200pds, at a little over 6.4. in greath physical shape. Finaly, Doc tells me my back is ok to have surgery..i'll go under the knife Febuary 14 1996. it was a long wait. To be honnest., I was scare shitless of the surgery. risk of never walking again were between 20 and 30% since they had to play around VERY sensitive parts. 

I'm 22 days in the hospital and surgery went ok. The difference between before and after is now I can get up…but pain is still very much there, but still a bit less. I'm told I might have chronic pain from now on. But in my mind..it's ok, at least I can resume my life……….huh..WRONG. I will never play any sports again. I will be limited to Nice walks basicaly. 

When I leave the Hospital..i'm 145 pouds..and 6.3". I'm totally depressed. To move things along faster..ahaha. I spend the next 2 years in physiotherapy and massage therapy to learn to cope with the pain, walk again basicaly. One thing I forgot to mentionne is at least, since it was a work related accident, I'm on the CSST, wich is the Provincial agency responsible for work related accident. it's a sort of Employement Insurance thing, but with MORE TEETS. After 2 years my doctor tells me I can not work more then 20hrs a week sitting down or down the road, my back will get very bad, but the CSST has it's own "paid" doctor who sais no no…he's fine, so they stop the inssurance and I got to get back to work. Problem is…my former employer knows I got a bad back, so he does'nt want to do anythnig with me, so, Job Hunting begins. it's not a problem cause I was a very sought after designer basicaly. But I soon realise that I actually can't spend 10 hrs sitting down without heavy pain killers. I'm also taking steroids to help rebuilt my leg and back muscles…problem is I can't do ANY sort of excerice. SO…when I start working again, I weight a nice 320 pouds of pure blob fat. 

from december 97 to early 99 I got trough about 5 jobs. I'm politely shown the door each time because I take to many days off due to pain. BUT…my former boss calls me up, and he wants me back on my OWN terms. SO things are looking good. All seems good on paper, I make my own schedule, i rest when I need to, get a kick ass raise etc etc..but there is one small trick, I got to move to 
montreal to be the lead designer. Ok..i'm game. All is fin when I start for about 4 to5 months. But buisness is growing and I'm back to doing 60 to 70hrs, 7 days a week on pain killers. after a few months of that a friend visits me in montreal and goes totally crazy on me. Telling me I look sick..pale, I'm fat..etc etc. Nice friend hey!....but he opened my eyes. I was basicaly a drug Addict now. Even if those drugs are "legal"…you can become a drug addict. I wake up the next morning, tell my boss I'm done and I'm moving back to Sherbrooke and I need to get my shit togheter, strangely enough, he's supportive of my move. 

So, I'm back in Sherbrooke in 2001, totally broke, clinicaly depress, sold all my music gear, and everything of value to live on. I soon realise I can not work in an office anymore due to the pain. So, after a 9 month break, I start getting back working part time here and there in different add agencies. slowly I built my own clients and in 2004, I finaly make a decent living, nothing compared to what I was making before, but at least I'm working. 

ALL seems fine for a while, I stop taking pills and managing the pain with more natural things thanks to my girlfriend. But in early 2008, the pain is getting more and more intense at time. in August, I decide to see my doctor and get a scan. The results are not good. The disc under my operation is almost totally done. Because I could'nt follow the actually doctor's order of no more the 20hrs a week sitting position, the disc degenerated almost totally. Since the disc is moving around everytime I change position, it's hitting the sciatic nerve on each side, pain is constently changing side. He tells me I have to stop working right away. So, he filles the forms so I get back onto CSST..the inssurance thing. They are legaly obligated to me because of this surgery, but like any inssurance type of place….they fight again'st you, EVEN if it's a Government agency.

The CSST sends me to see a bunch of THEIR doctors to contradict every test I'm taking basically. This will last until January 2010. In the mean time, i get almost no income, I used almost all the little retirement fund I had, and do small design work that does'nt require much time on the computer. Finally in january 2010, the have to accept my doctor's request because a Neuro-Surgeon makes a full report on my condition and he's the highest doct in the food chain basically and he can not be opposed.

NOW..ok, that was a long read, sorry, but back stories are often needed.. SO, they accept my request, but the law sais..We will pay you the same income you were making in 1995….**** ME. at that time I was single, small appartment. BUT..it's better then no income I suppose, but it's 33% of my last income basically. Thankfully me and Sophie have no dept or credit card, only thing is the house mortgage and it's pretty decent.

Now, the problem is my Doctors are telling me I will not be able to perform any work sitting down from now on……WHAT… My situation can not be fixed. So what the hell do I do, I'm 44, I don't want to spend my days watching TV!!!!.. I know, I make guitars from time to time, but that's like a hobby, not something I can actually live on. Other problem…I can not stay up to long without moving, otherwise the pain comes back the same way. 

So, like my title sais… forced medical retirement SUCKS. I can't do SHIT sport wise, I like TV has much as the other guy, but man, it gets old fast. I WANT to work..i hate doing nothng, but what on earth can I do with a ****ed up back?..a job where I don't need to sit more then 20 minutes at a time…not standing still to long, no physical requirement!...Over the year, like some might have noticed, I developped one HELL of a problem with anger management due to the pain and lack of ability to take pain killers. And it sucks. I got to bless my wife for not taking my shit at home, she will put me in my place fast and snap me out of it..

SO…any idea what kinda WORK someone like me could do?...ideas?...


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

man, you are the poster child for the very reason americans don't want socialized medicine. sorry to hear about the way things are going for you. 
so you have to be standing up when you work, right? is there any possibility of just not sitting while you are at the computer? raising your workstation? getting one of those weird chairs that are ergonomically designed for your back? i dunno, you probably already thought of that stuff. since the original injury was a worksite accident, i would think now that it's been proven permanent you might have some legal grounds to a settlement? i hope things work out better for you.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I'm really sorry to hear about your situation. That really sucks. I have a friend that had a similar circumstance as you but not near as bad. He was able to sue for a big settlement and was pensioned off for the rest of his life. Not sure why you had such a hard time from CSST.
The only thing I could suggest is to spend your energy perfecting your guitar making. Its an interest you have and something you'd most likely enjoy. Once you build a reputation it should supplement your pension. I'm not sure how it would fit in with your health issues. I would think that if you can't sit for more than 20 minutes at a time that could greatly affect getting any work done in a timely manner.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Thing is..i have a 1500$ chair..and does,nt change a thing. We tried working on a raised up desk..but i can't stay still either...it has the same effect sitting down basicaly. 

As for a settlement...the CSST does'nt do that. they give me a small biweekly check and they watch me like i'm a crimial.


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

I'd be interested to hear what suggestions you get. I too had an L5S1 herniation that was operated on. (oddly enough around the same time as you). I got about a dozen relatively pain free years out of the surgery but in the last couple years it has come back in waves (A couple of really bad attacks and months of annoying nerve issues). I'm now at a desk job and often wonder how long I can hold out doing what I'm doing. I feel your pain... sometimes literally.
Do your best to keep your weight in check. I found if I go over 200# things get bad pretty fast.
Hang in there bro...


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Hamstrung said:


> I'd be interested to hear what suggestions you get. I too had an L5S1 herniation that was operated on. (oddly enough around the same time as you). I got about a dozen relatively pain free years out of the surgery but in the last couple years it has come back in waves (A couple of really bad attacks and months of annoying nerve issues). I'm now at a desk job and often wonder how long I can hold out doing what I'm doing. I feel your pain... sometimes literally.
> Do your best to keep your weight in check. I found if I go over 200# things get bad pretty fast.
> Hang in there bro...


yeah..i was a while with not to much pain as well. As for the weight, man, that's hard. last summer i was a t 280...now i'm 245..but even with a 5 day workout on my eleptical machine...it's getting hard and harder to loose weight.


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## geezer (Apr 30, 2008)

My older brother did a backbreaker(we were watching All Star Wrestling) on me when I was 12 and damaged 3 discs.
I have suffered with numbness and pain ever since .I was told I would end up in a wheelchair if I didn't have the lower 
vertebrae fused(that was more than 30 years ago) I didn't have the operation and have kept active and have had a fairly physical
job all these years.I know everyone's situation is unique but I can't sit down for more than 15 min. @ a time but I'm
ok if I stand up in one place and have a raised box that I can rest one foot on and then alternate to the other when the pain gets too bad.


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

al3d said:


> yeah..i was a while with not to much pain as well. As for the weight, man, that's hard. last summer i was a t 280...now i'm 245..but even with a 5 day workout on my eleptical machine...it's getting hard and harder to loose weight.


Not sure what you've tried diet-wise but Atkins did wonders for me.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Hamstrung said:


> Not sure what you've tried diet-wise but Atkins did wonders for me.


what's Atkins's diet?


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

No Carbs! Meats cheese loads of fats, no breads, no potatoes, no carrots or corn in the beginning, no fruit. Meat, Eggs, cheeses.....


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

al3d said:


> SO…any idea what kinda WORK someone like me could do?...ideas?...


Alain...So sorry to hear of all your suffering and difficulties.

Have you ever asked CSST to send you for a psycho-vocational assessment? 

Have CSST offered any form of retraining ?

The above sometimes happens with the same agency in Ontario (i.e., WSIB)


Dave


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

Starbuck said:


> No Carbs! Meats cheese loads of fats, no breads, no potatoes, no carrots or corn in the beginning, no fruit. Meat, Eggs, cheeses.....


That's it in a nutshell. There's obviously much more to it than that. I'd recommend getting a copy of the book or look it up on line. At first it seems counter-intuitive to eat a lot of fat but without the sugar it's a whole different ballgame. The key is NO sugar and very limited carbs.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Starbuck said:


> No Carbs! Meats cheese loads of fats, no breads, no potatoes, no carrots or corn in the beginning, no fruit. Meat, Eggs, cheeses.....


huh!...that's not healhty..that's a crash diet..those never work. that basicaly leaves salad all day..LOL


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

They did'nt offer any reassessment yet since my condition is not settled. As for retraining..they have a list of usually about 5 jobs to offer..all minimum wages. for exemple..working in garages pomping fuel....student job basicaly.



greco said:


> Alain...So sorry to hear of all your suffering and difficulties.
> 
> Have you ever asked CSST to send you for a psycho-vocational assessment?
> 
> ...


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

al3d said:


> huh!...that's not healhty..that's a crash diet..those never work. that basicaly leaves salad all day..LOL


I thought that at first but once you understand how it works it makes sense. Also, I think you mis-read Starbuck's assessment. The diet essentially relies on eating a lot of protein (meats of all kinds) and healthy carbs (vegetables) and staying away from all refined carbs (anything made with white flour) and sugar. It's much more properly balanced than it gets press for.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Hamstrung said:


> I thought that at first but once you understand how it works it makes sense. Also, I think you mis-read Starbuck's assessment. The diet essentially relies on eating a lot of protein (meats of all kinds) and healthy carbs (vegetables) and staying away from all refined carbs (anything made with white flour) and sugar. It's much more properly balanced than it gets press for.


OH..i tought she met NOTHING of the items she mentionned..


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

I've tried it and can't do it. Some people have great success with it, you lose about 10lbs of water in the 1st couple of weeks which is pretty motivating. The Dr bernstien and South Beach diet are very similar. But really, see a nutritionist if you can, learn to properly balance your diet and really tried to cut out refined sugars and bleached flours. Whole grains, protein, complex carbs and lots of fibre is where it's at. Walk lots if you can. I know you'll poo poo this, but yoga is a great way to keep yourself flexible and strengthen your core, it may seem very passive but it works! It may also help with your anger problem.. Good luck.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Hamstrung said:


> Not sure what you've tried diet-wise but Atkins did wonders for me.


I am a person that has done extensive research on diets and have tried them all. Anyone given long enough will come to the conclusion that diets do not work. In particular the Atkins diet is not a healthy one. And thats what it comes down to. You should always place healthy choices at the top of the list. And instead of diets you need to make lifestyle changes that you can stick with for the rest of your life. 
Given the OP has a big challenge in that mobility is severly restriced, he'll have to somehow figure out how to expend more calories than he takes in. There are many things you can do with your daily diet to boost your metabolism. Eating 5 or 6 small meals through out the day works well.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

al3d said:


> huh!...that's not healhty..that's a crash diet..those never work. that basicaly leaves salad all day..LOL


You got it. Fats are ok and needed. But you have to make sure its the good fats. Carbs are also needed. I've done the no carb diet and it is the worst I've ever felt in my life. You SHOULD NOT restrict carbs. But again its the right kind of carbs.
Also it looks like Starbuck has some great advice.


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## xuthal (May 15, 2007)

Is it possible to work at home?Try finding a low laying bed or sofa and laying on you're stomach if you haven't tried it already.Or try to make a rig so that you can work on you're back while laying in bed.That's all that comes to mind when i hear of you're situation.Laying on you're back seems like the best way to go if you can work from home.If you look around and with newer lightweight monitors a rig that can hold a keyboard and monitor suspended while in a laying position might work.
Hope it works out,maybe you can try what cheezyridr suggested if all else fails.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

It is hard for me to imagine this option has been overlooked, but have you tried any anti-inflammatories?

There are some kinds of chronic joint irritations that are hard to avoid, or rather hard to recover from, because it is near impossible to NOT use that part of your body on any given day. I currently have some repetitive-strain pain in my mouse finger. I have to tape up the finger each day to restrict movement so that I can't use it (and consequently *don't* use it), in order to have any pain relief. And the recovery has been slow because I don't tape it up every single day.

So how are these two linked? Simple. When a joint becomes super-irritated, it takes very little activity to maintain the irritation and produce pain. If the joint is something you cannot avoid using for ay reasonable period (and I suspect you could not lie immobilized on your back for weeks at a time, just to reduce irritation build-up), then the alternative would seem to be to turn the clocjk back a bit by deliberately reducing inflammation, so that whatever reduced use you can manage is helpful and can contribute to reduced overall irritation.

I've had 7 kidney stone attacks in my life, and the turning point came around the 5th when a med student interning at our family doctor gave me a prescription for Voltarin suppositories. I, um, "applied" one, and within 2hrs was completely pain free. It was also the first time I successfully passed a stone instead of just shifting it around. Reducing the inflammation reduced the further irritation of the stone on my kidney. The vicious feedback cycle was stopped, and the stone passed. Sometimes, the solution is simply reducing the irritation so the body can do what it needs to do, and is capable of doing if given enough time.

But again, that is the perspective of a naif. From the perspective of someone who got a Ph.D. in aging and adult development, I can tell you that those folks who are forced out of the workplace by health are every bit as miserable as you. Retiring before you're "ready", even IF you can afford to, i generally the worst-case scenario.

As I see it, there are two paths to pursue. One is to rethink what sort of work you can do under your current physical condition. The other is to see if your current physical condition is remediable, which in turn would suggest a broader range of career options.

Employers ARE required, by law, to provide "reasonable accommodation to the point of undue hardship" for persons facing legitimate disabilities. The dilemma is that any work which would compensate decently will be of the sort where the employer needs to be able to know you will be available. Maybe not EVERY day, but at least more than 1 out of 5, and I imagine the tribunals and courts would see it that way too. There WILL be employers who might not care if you're there every day, but those are not the sorts of jobs that would pay very much.


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## LowWatt (Jun 27, 2007)

cheezyridr said:


> man, you are the poster child for the very reason americans don't want socialized medicine.


This seems to be about the problems of our workers compensation structure not our health care system. The real damage was done when the CSST doctors screwed Alain into working a lifestyle that the Canadian health care community specifically told him would cause severe damage.

Alain, it sounds like CSST's penny pinching and misdiagnosis, which went against the recommendations of the Canadian medical community, are mainly what hurt you physically and financially. Is there and legal action you can take against them?


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

The Atkins diet?


Gretsch and lots of practice.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

xuthal said:


> Is it possible to work at home?Try finding a low laying bed or sofa and laying on you're stomach if you haven't tried it already.Or try to make a rig so that you can work on you're back while laying in bed.That's all that comes to mind when i hear of you're situation.Laying on you're back seems like the best way to go if you can work from home.If you look around and with newer lightweight monitors a rig that can hold a keyboard and monitor suspended while in a laying position might work.
> Hope it works out,maybe you can try what cheezyridr suggested if all else fails.


i can't spend 10hrs a day on my stomach..hehe.. i'de die basicaly. and working in bed is not an option..there is a limite to what i will do..i still have BIT of digntity..LOL


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

I have been on anti inflammatories meds for 15 years now..the dose is so high got it to work..any normal person would puke it's guts out. If i take more then a week's worth, I puke Blood basicaly. So i have stopped taking those for a while. i will only use them when i REALY can't stand it anymore.

For the Kidney stones..man, i fell ya..i had 15..LOL in the course of 4 years all due to my back basicaly. Everything connects to it. As for a career..i've tried everything possible to continue mine..but i work in a dead line oriented feild...Special FX for TV and FIlm and some advertising a bit. So if i tell a studio YES..i can do this withing a week..and suddenly my back gives out...wow, i am in DEEP SHIT..it happened once in 2008..that's when i realised i could'n fonction anymore basicaly. 

SO..now it's time to rethink what i can do career wise.



mhammer said:


> It is hard for me to imagine this option has been overlooked, but have you tried any anti-inflammatories?
> 
> There are some kinds of chronic joint irritations that are hard to avoid, or rather hard to recover from, because it is near impossible to NOT use that part of your body on any given day. I currently have some repetitive-strain pain in my mouse finger. I have to tape up the finger each day to restrict movement so that I can't use it (and consequently *don't* use it), in order to have any pain relief. And the recovery has been slow because I don't tape it up every single day.
> 
> ...


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Hi Alain,

It's a pretty heart-wrenching story you've got. I wonder if there are any freelance careers you could embark on. Writing maybe? That way you could conceivably submit work when it was finished without the fear of missing a deadline. A career in art might work out too, if you have a talent for it. Contract work designing guitars might be something to look into too. I don't know, really, but you have my sympathy.

Matt


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Hamstrung said:


> Not sure what you've tried diet-wise but Atkins did wonders for me.


Me too. I'm down 50 lbs and have started putting some carbs back into my diet. Haven't felt or looked (relatively) this good in years. I started last September and lost most of the weight, about 30 - 35 lbs by Xmas and have just controlled it since then. One other amazing benefit for me has been the complete freedom from antacids like Zantac etc. I was a one a day guy for many years but I haven't needed ANY since I started watching carbs. I swear by it now.

Alain, really sorry to hear about your situation. My sister has been through something similar and has only just started receiving benefits.


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## sadowsky13 (Feb 26, 2007)

Hey Alain, so sorry to hear about your situation, I wsih you the best of luck and hope you find something that works for you. As for the diet, man I wish I had an answer I could use to lose a good 60 lbs. I guess it's the nature of getting older, I don't burn the weight off as well as I did when I was younger.


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## bickertfan (Feb 23, 2006)

I've done Atkins before and it is effective for weight loss, but what you gain in weight loss you may pay for later in heart problems. Eat to Live (Joel Fuhrman) is healthier - tough and eye opening, but well worth checking out.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I don't want to make light of al3d's problems, but a momentary smile here could help a little.

If you've had 15 attacks, then you know what they feel like. The legend is that they are commensurate with the pain of labour and delivery. When I was awoken by my first attack at 5:15 AM some 18 years ago, my first thought was "If I was a woman, is this the sort of thing I would hold against men forever?", and the answer came back "Hell YEAH!!". Happily, the hospital was only across the street, so I dragged my sorry ass over. They ran a bunch of tests, only to confirm what I told them when I arrived.

During my last attack, about 4-5 years ago, I left work early, and took the bus home. Sitting there, grimacing in pain, I tried to distract myself, and started looking up at the ads. The first one my eyes landed on was an ad for a pro-life organization that asked in big letters "Think you might be pregnant?", and the answer came back "Hell, YEAH!! And I'm gonna drop right about here and *now*!".

On a more productive note, kidney stones form for different reasons. In my case, I basically don't drink. The family is guzzling back litre after litre of ginger ale over supper, meanwhile my last drink was a coffee around 10:15 that day. But those little spikey devils can form for other reasons. Gotta wonder if the same source of the 15 attacks is not producing similar stones elsewhere, like between your vertebrae. Possible it's gout-related? Have you ever had lithotripsy for stones?


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

After a few ones, i saw a Urologist...and it was a woman..and he told me the same thing..Kidney stones are the closest pain a man can have to labor..ahaha..so every man should have one at some point..LOL



mhammer said:


> I don't want to make light of al3d's problems, but a momentary smile here could help a little.
> 
> If you've had 15 attacks, then you know what they feel like. The legend is that they are commensurate with the pain of labour and delivery. When I was awoken by my first attack at 5:15 AM some 18 years ago, my first thought was "If I was a woman, is this the sort of thing I would hold against men forever?", and the answer came back "Hell YEAH!!". Happily, the hospital was only across the street, so I dragged my sorry ass over. They ran a bunch of tests, only to confirm what I told them when I arrived.
> 
> ...


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Alain, that's a tough story. I wish there was something I could contribute. I can understand your frustration and your anger as I have a similar (but different) story when it comes to the workplace, health, and government agencies and how they can alter your life forever and leave you standing there alone. But this thread is about you and your situation and all I can offer is; Be strong brother, you're not alone.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Helpless bystander syndrome here. I've got no advice beyond what has already been offered, but I do wish you well and hope something comes up to make things more bearable. 

12 years ago I left a great paying but extremely high stress job, lingered on stress leave for a year or so and then decided to play to my strengths and get back into music (though I had always been playing in bands). That's why I teach private lessons now. I'm on my ass way too much but I can get up and walk around the studio whenever I want, schedule my breaks whenever it suits me, and I don't leave home unless I want to. The odd time that my back acts up (I abused it bad when I was young), at least I can keep moving.

I hope you keep us up to date, there are lots of folks here who care.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Jimi D (Oct 27, 2008)

cheezyridr said:


> man, you are the poster child for the very reason americans don't want socialized medicine. sorry to hear about the way things are going for you.


Ya, 'cause the superior American system would have seen you left in the same shitpile, only bankrupt by now and without any recourse to employment insurance... 
9kkhhd

Anyway Alain, I don't have any advice to give but hold on... It sounds like you've been fighting back for a long while now - you just gotta keep putting one foot in front of the other one day at a time until you find your new balance... It will happen... eventually... 

good luck...


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Guys.i'm actually VERY greathfull for our medical system..it sure ain't pefect...we sometimes have to wait for things...but i had a friend check in the US how it wold have costed me so far in medical fees and the 2 surgeries i had!...i'de be close to 300 000$ so far in debt. not counting the twice a week physiotherapy i have been having since the surgery.


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

Not a great story. Back pain has got to be the most frustrating thing in the world. I herniated my L4/L5 about 6 or 7 years ago. Not nearly as bad as other stories on here. 3 months off work doing physio. Still take anti-inflams occassionally but I'm usually fine as long as I don't overdo it. Like you, too much sitting, or too much standing still causes some stiffness and pain.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I've had several co-workers and an uncle whose back problems and the chronic pain made their respective lives a living hell. In all cases, they had to go for back surgery, and in all cases it made a noticeable improvement in the quality of their lives.

While the care provided by our health system is, to my mind, as good as it gets, in the grand scheme of things, "mere pain" always takes a back seat to life and death stuff. Would that there was enough resources to go around, but when there is a line-up for the O.R. or the MRI machine, and the system has to make a choice, they bump the folks with bum hips, knees, and backs to the end of the line.


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## copperhead (May 24, 2006)

sorry about your trouble Alain .. from may 2009 till Dec 2009 i changed the way i lived back in may i started not feeling so good so i changed my diet & exercise 5 nights a week i lost 100 pounds i was always a physical guy being a logger ,slinging a power saw for years but the last few years i been running heavy equipment running a mulcher" sitting on my ass" but now i feel electrified ,ask the wife, f__k all night HAHAHA . but what helps me about carbs is my 4 year old son is a diabetic hes had it since he was 15 months old so i know every thing about carbs .....anybody mention kraft dinner just walk away that stuff is the worst.... keep on building fine guitars man i salute you


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## copperhead (May 24, 2006)

diets dont work .for get that crap just get off your ass, last summer i worked 40 hours a week i built 4 guitars .after work i would be out in the shop till 10 or 11 if my family never had plans 11 to 12 on the tread mill up at 7 am & repeat i was not on any diet i ate my guess was a dumptruck load of mini carrots im eating them rite now haha


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

Sorry to hear about your back pain and your situation. I've been going through something similar for the past 3 years. I was off work for about a year - during which time I almost went insane! I managed to find some relief through some alternative therapies in BC. Some of them were kinda scarey (getting needles directly into my spine and directly into my SI joint - ouch!) but they worked enough to get me back to work. I'll likely have to retire about 10 years earlier than I initially planned to but at least I am back to work. Don't give up on yourself on your situation. I found that losing weight and exercising helped a lot. It was very difficult to exercise but I did anyways and it paid off. I still have another 50lbs to lose and I'm working on it. Here are the two Dr's that offered me the most relief:

Steven Helper, MD - Vancouver Spine Doctor - Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery

Chronic Back Pain Clinic

Not sure how similar out conditions are but if you have any questions for me, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Right now guys i'm working out 5 days a week on my eleptical machine. from 15 to 25 minutes...can't do more realy, i'm a smoker, not a heavy one. but still one..LOL i kno0w..it's not good for me, but it's the ONLY pleasure i have left, i don't drink, i stopped treats, and i use to have a major kick for cookies, cakes and suche after my surgery...just nuts. Now i try to avoid it has much as I can. but it's tought. 

Stratin2traynor, i had those needles inserted into my spine many times, unfortunaly they don't work on me. Cortizone has almost no effect for some reason, and i'm kinda glad, that shit is SO bad for the system it's just curring one thing to **** something else.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Diet accounts for a lot in terms of weight - I cut out a lot of carbs out of my diet last year, and I dropped 40lbs. Now I've been slacking on what I eat for the 8 or so months, and I want to lose 14 lbs - if I eat right and work out a bit, it shouldn't be too hard .

Best of luck Alain, you'll figure something out.


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## cptheman (Oct 15, 2009)

So sorry to hear about your story. Have you considered teaching graphic design? It sounds as though you have a fair bit of experience in the field. Maybe you could find a local college and you could work a limited number of hours. I don't know if the committent is too much with your pain but it might be worth looking into. You would probably be able to move around or sit as needed. Best of luck!


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

cptheman said:


> So sorry to hear about your story. Have you considered teaching graphic design? It sounds as though you have a fair bit of experience in the field. Maybe you could find a local college and you could work a limited number of hours. I don't know if the committent is too much with your pain but it might be worth looking into. You would probably be able to move around or sit as needed. Best of luck!


It would be my dream job actually..but to teach in college you need a University Master in teaching. Wish is just dumb in my feild...in my days, teachers were experience designers...i went to my college last winter, and all teachers have those cool teaching degrees..but ZERO experience in the real world of design and avertising now.


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

South beach diet gave a co worker a heart attack. DR said it was directly related to the change of eating and the high fat content.

A gal I used to know did editing at home on her own schedule, your basicly reading anything from flyers to books. Your graphic work may be an asset to that sort of thing.
Photagraphy may also help, not the picture taking but the editing.
Web site design may also work but it means lots of time in front of the computer, make a table that can raise to your standing level and back.

Hell start making stuff and find something everyone wants and no one has, put your mind into that and it may pay off and keep you busy.
Lots of great stories of people making amazing money for not much more than a do dad.

Just don't give up, that is the worst thing you can do.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Any work in front of a computer is now out of the question...sitting..or standing. it just hurts like crazy doing it.



Bevo said:


> South beach diet gave a co worker a heart attack. DR said it was directly related to the change of eating and the high fat content.
> 
> A gal I used to know did editing at home on her own schedule, your basicly reading anything from flyers to books. Your graphic work may be an asset to that sort of thing.
> Photagraphy may also help, not the picture taking but the editing.
> ...


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

al3d said:


> It would be my dream job actually..but to teach in college you need a University Master in teaching. Wish is just dumb in my feild...in my days, teachers were experience designers...i went to my college last winter, and all teachers have those cool teaching degrees..but ZERO experience in the real world of design and avertising now.


You should move to Ontario where you don't need a fancy teaching degree to teach college, experience is what matters most.


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

cheezyridr said:


> man, you are the poster child for the very reason americans don't want socialized medicine. sorry to hear about the way things are going for you.


I fail to see what this has to do with socialized medicine. He was getting the proper care and doctors advised him not to work more than 20 hrs a week but it was the PRIVATE INSURANCE COMPANY (CSST) that forced him to go back full time and cut off his benefits. So, I would say it was the private company that screwed up his care, not the public system.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Powdered Toast Man said:


> I fail to see what this has to do with socialized medicine. He was getting the proper care and doctors advised him not to work more than 20 hrs a week but it was the PRIVATE INSURANCE COMPANY (CSST) that forced him to go back full time and cut off his benefits. So, I would say it was the private company that screwed up his care, not the public system.


Not to get things confused....the CSST is not a Private Insurance company..it's a Provincial Goverment establisment. it's the minestry that manages work related accident basicaly. we pay a premium on each pay check.


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

al3d said:


> Not to get things confused....the CSST is not a Private Insurance company..it's a Provincial Goverment establisment. it's the minestry that manages work related accident basicaly. we pay a premium on each pay check.


It sounds exactly like what we have in Manitoba - Worker's Compensation Board (WCB). It's not a government agency, but I believe they have to run on a no-profit basis. Still, they can be vicious in their treatment of injured workers with their own doctors and medical staff who seem to know better than your doctors and specialists who are actually treating you. They're especially bad when it comes to injuries that are not clearly workplace accidents - such as repetitive stress, or ones like yours where it happened in a workplace where your job is not a physical one.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Thats a really sad story, I hope things turn out for the better for you soon.
It makes me feel very lucky, that I for the most part havent had many serious injuries compared to some of my former hockey teammates and acquaintances who have had back problems, knee problems, hip problems. A couple microtears in 2 rotator cuffs and a minor concussion, and lots of bruises, thats about it, even now as I wind down my 30's.

Diets: I know a lot of ppl have success with the low carb diets. I couldnt do it. I love carbs too much. But I did lose about 20lbs last winter by doing my own version of the GI Diet. The basic idea is still eating carbs, but really cranking up the fiber content in your food. I found it very filling and at the same time it was energizing and I got moderate results in a reasonable amoutn of time. And hey, we could all pretty much use some more fiber in our modern diets.

Al, are there any educational opportunities available to you? Do you qualify or are you able (physically or financially) to undertake some courses/programs towards a new career? More and more of us these days are having 2-3 careers in a lifetime. Perhaps you could see what is available at a local college? I work in management consulting, but just for fun I did some night school courses in a college in welding. Who knows, if my career tanks, maybe I'll start building Choppers or something for a cable tv program, but make more money selling overpriced t-shirts and then marry a bigtime movie starlet and have some affairs with tattoeed strippers and....


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Diablo..the issue is not been able to sit down for more then 30 minutes TOPS at a time..going to school would be VERY tought. I want to look at remote classrooms if possible, but the Problem is in order to continue living..i need $$$..and if i would say..OK..gonna take THIS classe and it's not in the CSST list, they will basicaly Cut me. and their "list" of work is stuff like working at a Gaz Station...minimum wage crap basicaly


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## Peter (Mar 25, 2008)

For the career, have you considered teaching graphic design / whatever else your skillset is? You'd be on your feet moving around a bit I think.

For the pain, ever tried smoking pot? In all seriousness.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Peter said:


> For the career, have you considered teaching graphic design / whatever else your skillset is? You'd be on your feet moving around a bit I think.
> 
> For the pain, ever tried smoking pot? In all seriousness.


i can't teach in Quebec, you need a University Degree now just to teach. as for Pot..yeah..but that would mean divorce..LOL


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## Pneumonic (Feb 14, 2008)

Alain, I might be able to help you out financially with an opportunity. May help you out health wise too. Must be open minded about this. PM me if interested. 

Cheers, Kerry


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

al3d said:


> i can't teach in Quebec, you need a University Degree now just to teach. as for Pot..yeah..but that would mean divorce..LOL


Not necessary alain, you can teach DEP and DEC with a good working experience! Seriously take a look at your local CEGEP and Professional school! It's all about selling yourself and I'm pretty sure you can be really convincing! 

Seriously your situation sucks! That's why I love CSST and Working INsurance, there's always people in needs with no help and people who takes advantage and never get caught! Damn system!
I seriously wish you good luck with your futur projects, hope you gonna find something pleasant and usefull for your situation!


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

man that's brutal...I'd consider taking the govt to court & suiing, seems the malpractice of their paid docters has caused the permanent damage you are now stuck with?


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

bolero said:


> man that's brutal...I'd consider taking the govt to court & suiing, seems the malpractice of their paid docters has caused the permanent damage you are now stuck with?


If i was in the US.i could..but here..no chance in hell of doing that


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