Hello CGautereaux,

Welcome to this wonderful forum and the great people who post and try to help others.

It really sets me back in my chair when I read about the back pain you as a 20 year old and others of similar age have and are suffering. It is difficult to deal with DDD at my age of 71, but at 20 a much more difficult matter.

You are full of mental and physical ENERGY. You want to REALLY LIVE LIFE.

AND YOU CAN!!!! In ways you have yet to explore. Yes different from what you dreamed before your injury, but you CAN still dream AND accomplish NEW GOALS.

What does it take to do the above? A positive attitude. An attitude that lets you rise above your current situation.

A story if I may - A couple of years after my Dad started a business he lost his right hand in a machine. I was just a baby then.

My Dad was a starting player on his high school football team. He was VERY active. And played the guitar (which I never was able to hear).

The loss of his hand of course was a setback in his life. It required immense patience with himself. Patience to heal the wound, both mental and physical. Patience to learn to write with his left hand. Patience and determination to continue forward with his life.

CGautereaux, my Dad did just that. I never saw ANYTHING that he could not do, though her may have had to do things a bit differently. He continued in his business for 50 years. He was active in the community and the church. AND he also had DDD just as you and I do.

SOOoooo CGautereaux, it is time to pick yourself up by your bootstraps and climb the mountain of life. You can do it, I know you can, just as my Dad did.

Now first give yourself the patience to let your surgery heal well. Follow your surgeons recommendations. As time progresses and you learn the things that you CAN do, DO them. Slowly with proper medical guidance keep your body and mind active as appropriate.

CGautereaux I wish you the very best. Please give us an update on how you are doing now and then.

Take care.

RichT

have You been to your physiotherapist lately? you can have some strengthening exercise.. Don't feel lazy, just take one step at a time.. you can have progress when you are exercising.. start with minimal exercise like walking for 50 meters then just increase it..

My suggestion to you is to get on a good Physical Therapy Program, Strengthen up your back muscles, have your Doctor send you to a good Sports Rehab Therapist. In my Younger days, I ran track, played Football, wrestled...... Probably what killed my back all together...

I always blew off the back pain, never sought out help till it was too late.....

I too now have DDD was Diagnosed in my late 30's, now at 42, I've had 1 fusion and about to have another of two levels to decrease the severe pain and numbness in my lower back and legs.... I 1st opted for Artificicial Disk Surgery, was rejected by Insurance, then had the 1 level fusion, which helped 2 other levels above it to wear out faster over the next 2 years. Now I have DDD and a Pars defect which causes instability and rules me out for any other ADR surgery.

Dont let it go as long as I did, get on a good program, do you homework. listen to the Dr's and get better, both mentally and physically......

John