ot (back to work, after 7 months off)
 

well guys my time off healing up has come to an end.
i took off november 12 to have back surgery. 3 fused vertebray with 10 screws and 3 stainless rods in lower back.
iv spent my time growing a big garden,
the wife works for the local school and will be off work when my boys get off for summer in a few weeks and will be able to pice my purple hull peas, corn , okra , tomatos, squash, and such.
im letting my boys sell peas to make them some summer money and keep them out of trouble .lol
but iv healed up good just need to be smart and take it easy.
in my time off i got some thing done to my truck.
new breaks all arround, greased slip spline on drive shaft, fixed oil leak. new rims and tires.
i did get a chance to spend the day with a fine brother from here,
muskster took out of his time to drive over 100 miles one way to come visit and check on me after my surgery.
if you get a chance to meet him i can say he is great person and an asset to this forum. i was amazed at how much he knows about our trucks. after taking a ride in his truck i felt worse about mine.his is really nice and fast.
i have to go see the company doctor this evening for a checkup and back to welding in the morning, i have to say iv got soft and about half lazy with all my down time.
but im ready to get back to normal and back to work.
worst of all i have not shaved in 6 or 7 months and wish i could keep the beard, iv always worked in chemical plants and could not grow one.lol
http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1306255521
any way thanks for all the good thought while i was off .
if you guys dont mind say a little prayer for me that all goes well. this was my 3rd back surgary, 2 last year in 8 months. i would hate to have go through that again. not to fun.:(

That is great Don....Get back to watching the yellow light.....Welding some stainless today as well.

cool barry.
i talked to my boss about a month ago, he told me that he had a new pipe job come up for me. my fitter is drawing it up and has 400 feet of 4inch sch 10 stainless for me to weld up. so ill be in the shop for a while.
but im not looking forward to installing it all.lol

Glad to see you going back to work, Don. Take it easy for a while.

you know it rick. easy does it
i just got back from company doc and he released me to full duty work.
so its back to goodyear welding in the morning.

That's awesome news Don!!! Like you said, take it easy, but here's a thought too: what about some stretching etc. in the morning to help you loosen up? I had an "AM\PM Yoga" dvd that was GREAT for getting you loosened up or relaxed down as needed. May seem a little foo-foo but I tell you what, if it adds strength and flexibility to your core (stomach, lower back) it will probably help you avoid another surgery. Just a thought, but I'll be sending some good vibes your way too.

papadelogan.they can call it foofy or what ever if i dont stretch out when i get out of bed in the mornings i cant get my boots on. lol
my physical therapist gave me a paper with a bunch of things to do.
its amazing how much tight thigh muscles will roll your hips wrong and make your lower back ache. even on a healthy person.
im not doing my stretching like i should be ,but i know ill have to do more. most days i just roll out of the bed and on the floor, hold my knees to my chest and a few other stretches .
i did 3 months of therapy. it was all stretching type yoga.
i thought it was bull corn at first but i slowly started to feel better, now im sold on it.
if i do it every other day i almost feel normal.

Great news, Don. :-jammin I hope that I can make it back your way again. I really enjoyed our visit. :-drink Thanks for the kind words. Maybe we can get together when you're ready to do some more mods. :-X22
Take care, brother! :)

roland you or very welcome. i would enjoy another gtg and see if maybe we could catch rick (millerfeed) on a day off.
well i got my first day down. only 24 more years to go lol
i was showing my boss my new tires and wheels on my truck after work, and he ask me to do him a favor and not try to rotate them just take it to the goodyear store and have them do it for free.
last march i tried to rotate them and picked one up 35x13.5x18 and was off 3 months with surgery then november again. 10 months off over what could have been a free rotation.
that one rotation cost me about FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS in medical bills.
but taday was ok . they took it easy on me and let me stay in the shop and weld.
all i have to do is make it thursday and friday, we have monday off so i get to work 3 and have 3 off.

Nice to hear you are good to go again. Soooo did the surgery fix everything? Was it worth it? the reason i ask is my wife is schedualed to have back surgery in a few months but is having second thoughts.Roy

hay roy.
ya now i feel better than i have in a few years.
the one in may didnot help at all, it was a lamonectomy where they just shave off the ruptured out part of the disc.
the bottom 2 disc ended up splitting and had to be taken out and 3 vertebray fused.
now i have no nerve pain in my legs like i did before.
wish i had this surgery first, but you know hind sight.
i cant bend over to good anymore and im sure ill hurt and be sore for a little longer.
but all in all it was well worth it to me.
i had a good doctor in houston texas who only does back surgery's.
and alot of prayers .
if you or her would ever like to talk about what to expect or how i delt with it please let me know , i dont mind.
i know i would have liked to talk to someone before hand to ease my mind.
again ,i dont mind just pm me for my cell# if i can help.

My wife has been in constant pain in her left leg, sometimes both , for over a year now and life is too short to be in constant pain. Too me it is a no brainer if you can get rid of the pain and the drugs. I know surgery is always a gamble but i would take some stiffness over pain any day. I appreciate the offer and might take you up on that. I wish you well on your recovery. Roy