I've been scarce around here lately. Here is what happened.

[Kern Dog]

Hang in there Kern Dog! Your response to having to put down Barney certainly sounds normal to me. This is the first time you sustained this type of injury from a fall with this result, right? It's new.
I work as a MH therapist - Allow yourself to experience all of "this" the way YOU are experiencing "this", without self judging. It will really help lower your anxiety.

Neurological symptoms post concussion, can diminish and you return to "normal", but it takes some time. Make sure you report all of this to whoever you saw for follow up. One day at a time!
Hope you continue to improve!

Sorry for your loss KD, my condolences. Sounds like you have a lot going on right now and might be feeling pretty beat up but keep on truckin' and you'll pull through. You seem to be the survivor type.

I am humbled by the kind words, guys.
It just feels weird to have my emotions so close to the surface.
Yeah, I am the survivor type. I don't just sit around and complain, I fight to make things work. I'll get through this. I have plenty of things that I need to do, friends to help, etc.

 

[Richard Cranium]

 

[Hey-O]

I spent my life chasing a buck and my medical doctor and chiropractor both told me there was a sign that I didn't pay attention to and blew by it and I'm paying for it now. I had a small tear in my rotator cuff when I was 24, couldn't afford to stop working. Being a carpenter, when you stop, the pay stops also. I'm paying for all it now and no it wasn't worth it. You don't get redos on your body. Unfortunately I'll guarantee you in 10 years you'll wonder if running when you should have been walking was worth it. This is not from debbie downer, just a fact. Getting old ain't for the faint of heart.

 

[68BabyBlue]

I spent my life chasing a buck and my medical doctor and chiropractor both told me there was a sign that I didn't pay attention to and blew by it and I'm paying for it now. I had a small tear in my rotator cuff when I was 24, couldn't afford to stop working. Being a carpenter, when you stop, the pay stops also. I'm paying for all it now and no it wasn't worth it. You don't get redos on your body. Unfortunately I'll guarantee you in 10 years you'll wonder if running when you should have been walking was worth it. This is not from debbie downer, just a fact. Getting old ain't for the faint of heart.

I have somewhat similar results, but a different history. I beat myself up outside of work, transforming myself from a proverbial 97 pound weakling in high school, putting on 50 pounds of drug free muscle by power lifting during my college days. Folks who saw me in the gym constantly questioned whether I'd had childhood polio, and I had good reason to believe that was the case. I never built leg muscle, even though I squatted over 400 pounds in the 148 pound class. I benched 335 at the same weight. When the club assisted with the weight lifting portion of the PA Paralympics in 1975, my buddies told me to get a wheelchair and lift with those guys, I'd fit right in.

Reading a research paper on post polio syndrome during my first job as a staff writer for a medical newspaper group raised flags. The study dealt with the issues of beating the daylights out of one's motor neurons, in the name of strength building, whether for everyday activities (in the case of severely compromised polio neurons,) or weight lifting, in folks who had normal function. The gist of it was that decades later, you would pay for extreme performance in earlier years. I quit power lifting a year later, when I started driving a truck, a demanding job in its own right. Ironically, this may have helped minimize later consequences.

When I hit my 60s, the debt came due. I was fortunate to be able to work until 69, but my legs were toast when I retired last year. The upside is I have retained good upper body strength and have no ongoing pain, which I see in many others my age. Downside is crutches and a wheelchair if I want to remain active, so I now use both. Hindsight is always 20/20. Would I have done what I did in my 20s, if I'd known the consequences? No, but we're all invincible when we're young, and none of us are immune from aging.

 

[Hey-O]

I have somewhat similar results, but a different history. I beat myself up outside of work, transforming myself from a proverbial 97 pound weakling in high school, putting on 50 pounds of drug free muscle by power lifting during my college days. Folks who saw me in the gym constantly questioned whether I'd had childhood polio, and I had good reason to believe that was the case. I never built leg muscle, even though I squatted over 400 pounds in the 148 pound class. I benched 335 at the same weight. When the club assisted with the weight lifting portion of the PA Paralympics in 1975, my buddies told me to get a wheelchair and lift with those guys, I'd fit right in.

Reading a research paper on post polio syndrome during my first job as a staff writer for a medical newspaper group raised flags. The study dealt with the issues of beating the daylights out of one's motor neurons, in the name of strength building, whether for everyday activities (in the case of severely compromised polio neurons,) or weight lifting, in folks who had normal function. The gist of it was that decades later, you would pay for extreme performance in earlier years. I quit power lifting a year later, when I started driving a truck, a demanding job in its own right. Ironically, this may have helped minimize later consequences.

When I hit my 60s, the debt came due. I was fortunate to be able to work until 69, but my legs were toast when I retired last year. The upside is I have no ongoing pain, which I see in many others my age. Downside is crutches and a wheelchair if I want to remain active. Hindsight is always 20/20. Would I have done what I did in my 20s, if I'd known the consequences? No, but we're all invincible when we're young, but none of us are immune from aging.

You my friend, and you are my friend, are a book of knowledge on the subject, unfortunately. You're right and getting people to understand that living for the day is a suckers bet. With luck they will be a tomorrow, but will we be there. I wish you the best!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

 

[demonram]

I had a phone appointment with my Primary care Doctor this week.
Right after the fall (and concussion) I had slightly blurred vision, some memory loss, I'd mispronounce words and say things that I just said moments before. I've since recovered to the point where I think that I am back to normal in those situations but.....
Oddly, I've been more emotional.

View attachment 1497225

Things that would usually bother me a regular amount have me holding back tears. It feels strange to have to fight stressors that I can usually just shake off. Last week, we had to say goodbye to one of our dogs...

View attachment 1497226

Barney was a once very healthy guy but he developed a spinal issue that eventually led to his back legs failing. We had to let him go and it hit me hard.
I always dread those days we have to deal with but this one affected me like the first one we let go in 2009.
The negotiations for buying a house and selling this one had my stomach in knots from anxiety.
I'm not made of stone but I used to handle this stuff much better.
Another weird issue....I used to LOVE the taste of Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Coke...regular soda. Now, it tastes really sweet as if the sugar content had doubled.
I told the Doc...she was as puzzled as I am but thought that maybe the concussion caused it.
The upside? The steep cutback of soda intake will surely result in weight loss and an overall improvement in my health.
I'm half embarrassed to admit some of this on an open forum but it is the truth.
I do feel like some of the emotional nerves have faded a bit. It isn't as if I cry when those Sara McLaughlin abandoned dog TV ads come on....

View attachment 1497227
I know that some men get more sensitive as they get older but I don't feel old yet!

When I had my last concussion, I lost all taste and smell. I have a lot of it back, oddly enough, it’s the bad odors that are still missing for the most part. It’s been 4 years, I still have vertigo depending on my head position. I haven’t been back to the doctor in probably 3 1/2 years. I was told I may not ever get full taste or smell back. I’m sorry for the loss of your pup! Who wouldn’t get emotional when a family member passes?

 

[demonram]

I spent my life chasing a buck and my medical doctor and chiropractor both told me there was a sign that I didn't pay attention to and blew by it and I'm paying for it now. I had a small tear in my rotator cuff when I was 24, couldn't afford to stop working. Being a carpenter, when you stop, the pay stops also. I'm paying for all it now and no it wasn't worth it. You don't get redos on your body. Unfortunately I'll guarantee you in 10 years you'll wonder if running when you should have been walking was worth it. This is not from debbie downer, just a fact. Getting old ain't for the faint of heart.

When I was younger I beat the heck out of myself. Between sports, work and a few other things, I was a very lucky guy. My shoulders were dislocated too many times to count. Two surgeries later, my doc told me if I didn’t stop doing what I was doing, I’d lose the full use of my left arm. Never had the surgery on the right one. I’ve got to say, he was a great doc. I don’t have problems with either one. The only problem I really have is neck issues from the past. A good crack attack when needed is good for quite awhile. Never any pain pills, never felt the need. A few advil or Tylenol (very rarely) does the trick.

 

[Hey-O]

When I was younger I beat the heck out of myself. Between sports, work and a few other things, I was a very lucky guy. My shoulders were dislocated too many times to count. Two surgeries later, my doc told me if I didn’t stop doing what I was doing, I’d lose the full use of my left arm. Never had the surgery on the right one. I’ve got to say, he was a great doc. I don’t have problems with either one. The only problem I really have is neck issues from the past. A good crack attack when needed is good for quite awhile. Never any pain pills, never felt the need. A few advil or Tylenol (very rarely) does the trick.

I've heard it all, I'm Superman. Even Superman had his kriptonite. Thanks for sharing!!

 

[demonram]

I've heard it all, I'm Superman. Even Superman had his kriptonite. Thanks for sharing!!

In this case, it was stupidman! Again, I’m a lucky guy, and had a great doc.

 

[Hey-O]

In this case, it was stupidman! Again, I’m a lucky guy, and had a great doc.

Stupidman would have been never stopping till it was to late, big difference, good for you!!

 

[demonram]

Stupidman would have been never stopping till it was to late, big difference, good for you!!

Thanks for the positive input. Honestly I was pretty stupid. That was the tip of the iceberg, sir. Take care.

 

[moparedtn]

Allow yourself to experience all of "this" the way YOU are experiencing "this", without self judging. It will really help lower your anxiety.

Some great advice there - if one approaches such experiences as one who will be "reporting" them to someone else
(say, a doc) later on, you detach yourself from them just a bit - makes you more of an observer sort of.
You're kind of doing that here with your posts now Greg - relating events, how you're doing, etc. as a sort of
reporting of same. Take it from me - it's quite therapeutic to do so, if only to see your own thoughts organized
in writing.

As an aside, with dogs God truly granted us one of His greatest gifts!
But...and this is just me talking here....
He also pulls one of His most dickish moves by only allowing them to live as long as they do.
Sorry, that's the way I feel about it.

 

[Kern Dog]

I absolutely agree. The good ones don’t live long enough but the annoying ones seem to.

 

[WileE]

When I had my last concussion, I lost all taste and smell. I have a lot of it back, oddly enough, it’s the bad odors that are still missing for the most part.

Hey, you're a good person to be around. I can fart all I want & not have to worry about it !

 

[demonram]

Hey, you're a good person to be around. I can fart all I want & not have to worry about it !

Yes sir, my guys can’t wait till I get it back. Don’t they know, I won’t tell them?

 

[eldubb440]

sorry to hear about Barney...... it's the worst

 

[Kern Dog]

Good news.
Six weeks ago was the fall. Today I had another series of X-rays.
The doc said I was healing normally and on schedule but that the muscles have atrophied a bit. He suggested some stretching exercises, some light free weights and rubber bands to recondition the deltoids, trapezius, biceps and rotator cuff. I am free to do whatever I can with pain being the limiting factor.
This is excellent news. I needed to hear a good bit of news for my own sanity. Injuries have a way of making you feel vulnerable. Each time I have strained my back, I wonder if it is possible that THIS time, I'll be screwed up forever. It always subsides though.
Back to regular life for the most part.
Oh, here is something the Dr said that I didn't know....
When the X ray shows the break, the area in between has cells that die off. The body absorbs and erodes the dead bone fragments which can appear in later X rays as a widening of the break. This is normal. The body is cleaning out the dead and allowing a healthy restoration of bone tissue to return. I was worried last time because it looked like the break had widened. This explains the confusion.

 

[demonram]

Good news.
Six weeks ago was the fall. Today I had another series of X-rays.
The doc said I was healing normally and on schedule but that the muscles have atrophied a bit. He suggested some stretching exercises, some light free weights and rubber bands to recondition the deltoids, trapezius, biceps and rotator cuff. I am free to do whatever I can with pain being the limiting factor.
This is excellent news. I needed to hear a good bit of news for my own sanity. Injuries have a way of making you feel vulnerable. Each time I have strained my back, I wonder if it is possible that THIS time, I'll be screwed up forever. It always subsides though.
Back to regular life for the most part.
Oh, here is something the Dr said that I didn't know....
When the X ray shows the break, the area in between has cells that die off. The body absorbs and erodes the dead bone fragments which can appear in later X rays as a widening of the break. This is normal. The body is cleaning out the dead and allowing a healthy restoration of bone tissue to return. I was worried last time because it looked like the break had widened. This explains the confusion.

I had weeks of therapy after my shoulder surgeries. The last one, I was in a sling for 4 months. Just take your time and listen to your body. If you feel like it’s uncomfortable, take a break. Don’t do what I used to do and beat the heck out of yourself. I was much younger then. I keep warning my wife, she’ll be pushing me around in a wheelchair, cause it will all catch up with me one day. Take care of yourself sir, and let it heal.

 

[Richard Cranium]

The doc said I was healing normally and on schedule but that the muscles have atrophied a bit. He suggested some stretching exercises, some light free weights and rubber bands to recondition the deltoids, trapezius, biceps and rotator cuff. I am free to do whatever I can with pain being the limiting factor.

Sounds like he's telling you to ..........

 

[Kern Dog]

I haven't been injured many times in my life so this experience has opened my eyes to a lot of things.
I'm healing up and getting back to normal but one nagging thing I'm dealing with is diminished energy and endurance.
Usually, I can work all day and slowly get tired as the day wears on. By quitting time, I'm tired but not wiped out. The drive home often served as a "recharge" for me and once I was home, I often went out back and tinkered in the shop.
Since this injury, I get tired more easily. I do rest and recharge but I get tired again faster than before. My shoulders sometimes feel like I engaged in a tug of war with an Olympic athlete.
I'm learning that this is supposed to be normal when the body is healing from an injury. There is a limited amount of energy that the body has and if 30% of it is being used to repair and regenerate tissue, that leaves less energy to do things.
It sucks though!
I am used to going about my tasks without feeling tired. Feeling mortal is a blow to my confidence level.
Today I went back up on the roof.
YES I did....

KIDDING!

I'm fine. It felt GOOD to be back at it. I've been painting and cleaning stuff inside the house and that stuff is boring, man. I like to build things.
I'll be back at it again tomorrow!