@Brent, I'm no neurosurgeon, but I do remember Cauda Equina Syndrome being very serious stuff. One of the big deal diagnosesyou need to consider to avoid major problems. That WebMD link looks pretty accurate and detailed, maybe so detailed that the important thing gets lost. The big thing is that it can quickly lead to permanent nerve damage, resulting in permanent loss of bowel and bladder control, or paralysis of the legs. Which would be bad. Really bad. I 'm really glad you caught it and treated it quickly!

@Jim, hope you feel younger today! I am older than anyone in our circle, and older than anyone here that has 6 year olds. That makes me feel old. And my knees hurt when I give them a piggyback ride. And when I play soccer with my son, it's hard to run and change directions, and he says 'I hate to take advantage of an old man' and cracks up. Which is actually kind of funny. But hey, my life is more stable than any of them, my career further along, my experience and life knowledge, on and on. I feel like Yoda ... slow moving, but quick when I need to be, and more patient wiser than I was 20 yrs ago. I imagine you to be the same. But some days, I just feel old. and tired. Just like Yoda did.

Edited October 20, 201114 yr by jvlgato

Got up at 4am to feed/change Benjamin (which was awesome, made me feel a whole lot less useless). I then went to work where back to feeling useless because I have not managed to find work for best or second best guy (issues with export control and not having a green card) and we are going to have to lay him off. Totally f'ing sucks because he's very good, very hard to replace and just had a second kid about a month before me.

@Jim: Feel young

@Shelly: I hope you can fit the surgery in and get it fixed, your health is more important than conferences

@Brent: Really glad they caught it. Sounds serious.

Edited October 20, 201114 yr by Dreadhead

Sorry for the bad news, Shelly. Is the surgery an arthroscopy procedure? If so I'd go for it instead of rest, cortisone and PT.

Brent, it's really great that they operated you before the serious complications started. Compression of the cauda equina, as Jvlgato said, may be quite disabling. I'm glad things went well for you

Sorry to hear you need surgery and down time Shelly, Good luck and I hope it all works out well in the end.

That was an extremely nasty diagnosis Brent, I'm glad that it seems will be living your normal abnormal life again afterwards. Hope things have been getting progressively better still.

I made an appointment to have my hip looked at today because it was so uncomfortable last night (and right now).

Good luck, Al! Hoping it's nothing serious!

Guys our entire team is falling apart. What's up?

.

Edited October 20, 201114 yr by blessingx

Best wishes, Al. Looks like we have an epidemics of traumatology-orthopedics problems

Goes to knock on wood.

Guys our entire team is falling apart. What's up?

Easy. None of us are getting younger.

Guys our entire team is falling apart. What's up?

Our hobbies of drinking, listening to music, and spending time online and shopping may not be very healthy it seems. When was the last time most of us visited the doctor for a check up? (rhetorical question)

Certainly hope everyone heals well and feels better soon. Should we start a HC Segway thread just in case?

Just as long as nobody invites Noel Lee!

Good luck Al!

Sorry for the bad news, Shelly. Is the surgery an arthroscopy procedure?

Yes. Seems like there is still a long recovery time because of the lack of blood flow to that region. I have been looking around and seeing a lot of variations on how long they expect you to be on crutches, how long you have to go without driving... etc. I don't want to be an invalid for 8 weeks. Also having to sleep on my back for several weeks makes me tired thinking about it. I guess I will be on a lot of drugs... maybe I will be able to sleep better. Sigh.

Guess I will have to get that Segway after all.

Edited October 20, 201114 yr by shellylh

Best wishes Al!

And Shelly! I would go for the surgery as well. Since it is only one side, I would think you would be down to a single crutch in a short time? Can't remember if that was easier for me or not. Didn't matter cuz the ortho kept me out of work the whole time anyhow

If it is your left hip/leg, you should be cleared to drive faster.

Edited October 20, 201114 yr by Pars

Good luck Al!

Yes. Seems like there is still a long recovery time because of the lack of blow flow to that region. I have been looking around and seeing a lot of variations on how long they expect you to be on crutches, how long you have to go without driving... etc. I don't want to be an invalid for 8 weeks. Also having to sleep on my back for several weeks makes me tired thinking about it. I guess I will be on a lot of drugs... maybe I will be able to sleep better. Sigh.

Guess I will have to get that Segway after all.

Problem is that a surgery removing a cartilage which gives stability to the articulation, leaves it less secure and not adequate to charge your whole body weight until some firm healing is obtained. Then you'll need to increase your muscular strength to provide more stability. That takes some time, but it's the ticket for a stable articulation and normal life. You'll be good

Just had quite a jolt from a quick earthquake.

Unconfirmed magnitude 4.2 centered in Berkeley. Hopefully it won't amount to much because today is the 20th anniversary of the Oakland-Berkeley Firestorm.

Edited October 20, 201114 yr by Voltron

Just had quite a jolt from a quick earthquake.

Unconfirmed magnitude 4.2 centered in Berkeley. Hopefully it won't amount to much because today is the 20th anniversary of the Oakland-Berkeley Firestorm.

Didn't notice it up here,

But the USGS did

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqscanv/FaultMaps/122-38.html

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Quakes/nc71667366.html

That is where I saw it as 4.2 a couple minutes ago, so they must have revised it.

Best wishes Al!

And Shelly! I would go for the surgery as well. Since it is only one side, I would think you would be down to a single crutch in a short time? Can't remember if that was easier for me or not. Didn't matter cuz the ortho kept me out of work the whole time anyhow

If it is your left hip/leg, you should be cleared to drive faster.

Unfortunately it is the right.

How long were you out of work? I hope I wouldn't have to be away for more than a week. I do have a pretty anti-(labor intensive). I could get a recliner put in my office. I think Brent is right, a cane and vicodin is definitely the way to go.

Edited October 20, 201114 yr by shellylh

Well, I can't say I'm all that certain what is going on with my hip after seeing the doctor. She seemed pretty certain it was trochanteric bursitis but then switched to gluteal tendonitis, even though she wasn't certain that pain both in the groin and on the opposite side of the hip could be caused by the latter. She said that some anti-inflammatories would be the first step in either case. I guess I will see if this does anything, and it is going to really hamper moving into the house if this remodel is really done this week.

@Shelly + Al... maybe we should all pop Vicodin, get canes (already have mine), and go as House for Halloween. (There's a girl I work with who begged me to go as him... the popping Vicodin part works, the cane plays, not much different than usual here). You should get a sword cane, Shelly. Cold Steel makes one with an entertaining video as well.

or

@Al Hope the AIs help. Glad you got czeched out, though. And look on the bright side... gives you a good excuse to hire the movers to carry you in on a sofa while you direct them from your Throne Lounge.

**BRENT**

Boot Full Of Meat has got to be my favorite. Maybe Shelly should just borrow Larry's sword cane in case she comes across any turkeys hanging from meat hooks while convalescing.

A sword cane would certainly keep her students' attention during lectures.

Edited October 21, 201114 yr by Augsburger

Another 3.9 Felt it this time (at home)

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Quakes/nc71667591.php

Best wishes to all, for body and quakes alike.....

Just boring work stuff for me, nothing to see here