Prayers for complete healing and success Gosia! :-)

I have work I have to do but I think this has to be said. I have suffered 2 broken backs, 1 of which needed a complete reconstructive surgery. I was a heavy Machinery Mechanic. I had wrenches that weighed 3 stone. I obviously could not do that line of work anymore. For 7 years I was riddled with chronic pain and nerve spasms, not muscle (I could be so lucky) Nerve spasms. I finally fell into a job that every Doctor would have gone completely against, bartending, I am on my feet for 14-16 hours a day, tossing cases of liquids weighing 3-4 stone a piece and from heights over my head. Then we get into the beer kegs. A 56L beer keg weighs in at 182.6lbs. I would stack these 3 high. I say 99.8% of bartenders wouldn't do more than 2 and even then they would avoid it at all cost. You have to work smart and not hard. How do you think Egyptians moved those gigantic blocks or the tribes that moved those 30' high easter island statues, by working smart. I was told I had to always wear a lifting belt when at work as I wouldn't listen to the doctors, they said I would end up paralyzed again but this time for good. They are paying my bills, they are just more worried about being sued and cutting into their golf game. YOU know your body YOU know what you can and can't do, all their advice is nothing more than educated guesses off of case studies that have little consistency. You should dictate your actions and future, not someone who has no direct effect on your day to day living. 14 years more passed and I just happen to have a USA Doctor filling in my usual doctor at a pain clinic. He knew nothing of my back history (excuse the pun) and nevermind the 10's of orthopedic specialist I saw or the 46 neurosurgeons I saw, this doctor after 3 visits finally diagnosed me correctly with a super rare nerve deterioration disorder. Something like 1 in 200 million have this and upon testing, he was bang on. 21 years 2 surgeries and Canada's high rated doctors could not figure this out. None o them listened to what I was telling them and this one doctor listened who was only here for a new procedure he was teaching.

So here's my advice to you. Never stop searching for a viable and proven diagnosis. You know your body, listen to it. Stay away from pain meds at all costs. Nothing worse than being in pain and having to kick a medication addiction that the doctors gave you. Where I was paralyzed for 19 weeks, I lost so much core muscle, the best place to start at getting it back is at your posture. I was a professional athlete, I thought I had good posture, I learned very quickly I was wrong. Don't sit on a couch, get a dining room chair, do not use the back of the chair except to rest for brief moments. Use your core muscles to hold you up. It took me 4 years to sit properly and to build enough core muscle to support my own body weight and I am a very trimmed and toned body type. The last thing you want is to end up paralyzed or in a wheelchair or a scooter even. Finally when it comes to structural or muscle of the core body, get at least 4 different opinions before having a surgery. Be proactive, this is YOUR life your talking about, your going to have to live it.

Unfortunately, my condition has no cure and it will only get worse as time goes on. I can not stand still or sit now longer than 5 minutes without searing and shooting pain and no matter what I did before would have changed that so I am glad I never listening to the doctors and kept snowboarding, drifting cars, sailing, rock climbing because now, just getting to my medical appointments is a big task and that's why I am here at the WA, I will not settle for a fixed income on disability sitting around watching TV all day. I will live my life on my terms until I can no longer do so. At least I have no regrets in life or wasted it away by the order of some textbook quack, just my two sense...see what I did there...eh....something to think about. I wish you all the best love. I am sorry you have to go through all this it sucks I know. here's sending you positive energy and prayers on angels wings to you.

-Jair.

If you ever need to talk, vent or need a laugh, no better person than a professional bartender! That's me btw lol or was at least.

I wish you a full and complete recovery first of all...The national health program considers this to be an elective surgery (although to me it is not)...That is tough...

I hope that you have some backup means of making some cash, perhaps using Fiverr or similar you could do some one-off gigs that will provide some extra income?

In any case best of luck and hang in there...Sometimes things seem to be the toughest before a breakthrough comes along...

Cheers!
Dave : )