Well, thank-you for your kind words.
Yes, I can now go in the spa, and I can't wait to do so. I may go in later this morning in fact. During the last few months I couldn't get in mainly because the pain level was so high as I tried to get into the tub and get back out. Doing so, I would trigger muscle spasms. Forget the water-board, they should use muscle spasms in a person's back to get information out of terrorists!
I was so sure that the hot water would do me good that I tried it three times, with bad results all three times. Finally, the neurosurgeon said it was time for the knife.
This all started when I had an accident with the family ski boat on my birthday, Sept the eighth. Nothing big: I just bounced it over some large waves at full throttle. Two other people clearly remember getting airborne, but were not hurt. Just a matter of the exact wrong impact at the exact wrong angle. Blew out the L4-L5 disc very thoroughly. It began with the spasms, but progressed to an amazing pain in my right leg which kept me in bed for all these months.
I have been flat on my back ever since. Well, up until I had a 'micro discectomy' on December the 4th, and it was amazing! I awoke with no real pain, spent just one night in the hospital, and I walked out to my daughter's waiting car the next morning. I have been gaining strength since then, I am off all pain meds, and I can't tell you how blessed I feel to be able to sit at my computer, walk, get out away from the house, drive, and do all the things that we take for granted. Yesterday was my first day back at the store.
Thanks for asking!
Hot Water should be good for the remaining small soreness from the surgery. Very minor, sort of like I bumped it or something - it tends to get just a little sore if I let it get cold, so I'm looking forward to the tub. I was told prior to surgery that the tub would help with the muscle spasms - but I just couldn't get in. Also, if I had been able to get in, the buoyancy should have eased the pressure on the sciatic nerve and helped me feel better. Man was I bummed to have the tub out there and not have been able to enjoy a little relief!
I have used the tub for the normal back pain and strains which come with an active lifestyle for many years, and of course I sell the things to people who report major improvements with soaking - and here I couldn't even get up and go look at the thing, let alone climb in and get relief. It has not been fun, although I did some serious growing throughout the whole situation.
Also, I realized I am surrounded by people who have had similar experiences. But there are also plenty of people who have not been able to get the amazing results I have been blessed to have, and they struggle through life with nagging or even debilitating pain. I admire any of you folks who deal with any type of pain on a daily basis and yet manage to keep on going.
8-)
