Well, I consider myself to be a "tough old bird" but was almost floored when, my Consultant Rheumatologist informed me on Tuesday, that I have a Synovial Cyst on the Lower Spine. Not malignant, "they say" (whoever they are)! Needless to say I have been scouring the Internet for information, I am glad to say, this seems to be the case! Treatment is initially Cortisone Injection in the affected area, Ouch! Should this fail then it`s an operation, Cripes!
Have any of my Blogging Chums or their friends etc come across this condition? Apparently it`s quite rare, any words of wisdom or indeed, comfort, would be most welcome at this time. Maybe old Trubes just aint as tough as she thought she was!
The most annoying thing is that I opted out of BUPA 18 months ago to save £2000 pe year....Now that`s what I call "Sod`s Law". However I have been well looked after by the NHS to date. In Liverpool we have one of the most highly acclaimed teaching Hospitals in the world. I can substantiate that claim as I`ve met Medical Students from all around the Globe during my recent French Studies at the University. That`s something I`ve dearly missed, I had to drop out for a year because of the wretched back problem, Drat! However, I will go back as soon as I`m fixed.
There, I feel better already....... A problem shared is a problem halved.....Voilla !
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Well let's hope that there's light at the end of the tunnel for you and that this is dealt with as quickly as possible.
ReplyDeleteYou're a real trooper, Trubes.
xx
Hi Trubes
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you, sorry to hear about your back problem. Hopefully the medics will have you back on top form soon.
Glad to have mad you laugh with my post, better to answer back than delete I think!
Best wishes
Mrs S.
Kevin darling, Just love the new "cool look" re your picy and thanks for your kind words.
ReplyDeleteI just hope I can take my Lap Top into hospital when I go, so you can have a full pictorial and verbal account of the NHS and it`s workings!
Mrs Smallprint, welcome to my world, tis a bit Sh...y at present but hopefully will improve soon.
Yes you did make me laugh so keep it up !
Trubes.. I am sorry to hear, and I wish for you the very best treatment and a swift recovery. Have you had an MRI done? I was looking it up, and I found this:
ReplyDeletehttp://radiology.rsnajnls.org/cgi/content/full/221/1/179
P.S. Try doing Google 'advance' search - look for pages in the REGION USA. There is a lot more info there than under the UK search (or so it looks like to me, but I am off myself - flu)
This is just another battle you will overcome. xx
A friend's stockman's dalmatian had the same thing. Couldn't scratch behind her ear poor thing... too painful. Had surgery but had to wear a large plastic collar afterwards, still imagine that won't be needed for you. Alright now... can't wag her tail anymore though... not sure if that's pathological, or whether she's just down in the dumps, still that's something else you need not worry over.
ReplyDeleteHope that helps.
... if you do need the operation, don't try and bite the stitches.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that Lady Jane, I`m on the case now.Di xx
ReplyDeleteLucien: Ha ha very funny, your comments had me in stitches. Nice of you to visit my humble blog tho`, call again soon. Di.xx
P.S. You seen anything of Hitch? I do wish he`d get back to Blogging he`s sorely missed.
Hi Trubes ('True Blue' always reminds me of Bedknobs and Broomsticks, my fave movie),
ReplyDeletesorry to hear you are feeling poorly - I have back trouble and sympathise completely. My back pain now is from a road accident and I'm the best I can be I guess from an original injury of paralysed from the waist down so I ain't gonna moan :-) However I suffered back trouble some years before the accident and discovered it was due to pressure on the spine from a benign cyst (can't remember the name they called it, sorry) and had the operation. The problem was solved by the op, it was a complete success.
Best luck with whatever you decide and please, pop by my place and let me know how you get on, it was lovely to see your comment in my humble repository of thoughts.
Sorry, gotta go, poppets are calling,
Pip x
Trubes, try the cortisone injection first and worry about surgery later. It may not come to it. Fingers crossed for you. Have you got a good acupuncturist? Very good for inflamation, pain and mood, amonst other things. If not, you could try a western practitioner rather than one of these high street places, as the Chinese practitioners HURT! It is a different deal. We westerners are much softer than the Chinese when it comes to pain. You are a brave lady.
ReplyDeleteMoning Trubes,
ReplyDeleteYes I'm sorry not to have called in; somehow my link to you always goes to an old post, so I'll correct that!
I reckon that the name of this condition is slightly longer than the procedure! You'll be fine anyway; getting small holes made in persons is really a doddle these days! The people at the NHS Hospital, (small one - rather like a Cottage Hospital with air conditioning), where they allowed me to resume my hobby of gesticulating at expense-wasting politicians were fantastic.
Much of your understandable concern is allayed when you walk in, and once they have you on your back, (and I'm just typing this with slightly more er ...passion...), you really are taken under their wings, and in a few moments, you don't care a damn!
Cortisone is an injection presumably, looking at what the Synovium does on Wikipedia, it could be the easiest way to get rid of it anyway. I'd do exactly what you're doing!
If you have any trouble, let me know, and I'll turn up with the Black and Decker, a small saw, a roll of Sellotape and a bottle or three of Champagne, and we'll really get the job done - at no extra cost to you ;0)
Don't worry Trubes, you'll be fine; I'll look after you!
Hello Trubes,
ReplyDeleteLooks like you found me out on my new blog (but then you were the only person to connect "Jonathan" with "Lakelander" before!)
I'll have a chat with a certain real Dr and will be back in touch later.
Hope you're feeling better soon.
trubes i wish you all the luck in the world with the shots...never heard of this particular problem before and cannot give any additional information...sorry...
ReplyDeleteperhaps this is telling you it is time to take a break and just sit back and enjoy life for a while...resistance is futile my dear as it will only cause more pain at this point...
give yourself time to heal and get over this...then the old bird i know will be back in her flight and soaring all the higher...
hugs to you darlin...
Trubes,
ReplyDeleteNothing for you to worry about, but I think you need some friendly advice re: your blog and the security of your real identity.
If you want to e-mail me on:
j.lakelander@btinternet.com
I will keep this e-mail address live for 2 or 3 days.
Hi, Trubes. So sorry about this- I never heard of it before. But let's hope the injections work. I can understand your annoyance at having opted out of BUPA - that's the sort of thing that would happen to me! - but I'm sure you'll get excellent care now you are "in the system". Thinking of you here in Sicily x
ReplyDeleteHi Trubes, so sorry for what you're experiencing right now with back pain. I had back surgery in 1986 wgeb they removed one disc and a lot of bone spurs that had grown all the way around my sciatic nerve. I now have stenosis of the spine (last CT was '04) but lately I've been having a lot more pain and numbness in my legs when I'm standing too long in one spot. I've been thinking it might be time for another CT scan to see if anything else is happening there or if any nerves have been caught again in the bone.
ReplyDeleteI tell you this so you understand that I can certainly empathise with any back pain. I do hope you'll be able to be relieved by the injections so you don't have to go through surgery. It is a tough one, and takes a long time to recover, although you do recover and are far better off. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Poor trubes. What a croc of a thing to have happened. On reading it, I am not so sure that it wasn't a hitchian curse. I have heard from fellow bloggers he can be a pain in the backside. I of course do not believe anything bad of the hitch (MWAH!) and instead suspect a NuLab conspiracy. Take care my darling and always carry a cushion.
ReplyDeletePhillipa, Lilith, Scroblene, Lakelander, Daisy, Welshcakes, Leslie, Mermaid.
ReplyDeleteThank you all so much for
your kind, funny and supportive comments. You`ve all, in your own imimicable styles, have cheered me up so much. Sorry that I`m late in replying. Tìs the medication you know !
I`m truly blessed to have such wonderful Blogosphere chums.
Di. xxx
Trubes, wishing you well too, take good care.
ReplyDeleteTrubes!
ReplyDeleteBrave girl you...
You'll be fine, and now the others are rootin' for you; well; you've nuttin' to fear!
Ah could still do a little hands -on if you wanted..., no religion, just makin' ya feel good...
Why have I turned American...?
;0)
Elle: Well thank you Ms Ellie for your kind wishes I am spurred on with all the messages of cheer. At present I`m venting my venimous "synovial wrath" at the Nulab Trolls on Guido`s Blog. Eeh aye lass it works at treat ! (that`s me Yorkshire dialect) if you didn`t but know.
ReplyDeleteMust pop over to yous site to see what you`re up to.
Di.xx
Scrobs: Well Praise de Lord an Halleluliah, I`s truly need de layin on of de hands, God bless you Brotha Scrobs...Praise de Lord.
ReplyDeleteWhere`s dat Brotha D Love Hitch when aars needs him ? he shoulda be a prayering down at de Tabernacle for Ol Trubes`s Daylivarance.
Bles ya agin Bro. Scrobes.
I am so sorry to read of your back pain and the dx but at least you now know your enemy. My father had something similar removed by surgery. He was in bed for ten days and found that tedious but it was worth it at the time.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope the injections do the job for you. And I am sure Liverpool will provide the care you need.
Trubes- I am sorry that you are going to have to have some treatments for your back.
ReplyDeleteI have been suffering with chronic pain for over 11 years. This is due to a car accident that I had. I was up in Cape Breton. i had a premonition in the morning that ,if i did not get out of Cape Breton before noon. Something awful would happen.
I was driving on a winding road around Kellys mt. when I was hit by a Suette Wind ( hurricane force winds that blow over the Highlands). Hit a patch of black ice and went up and over the guard rail and plunged over 60 feet up side down a cliff face. then rolled the car another 100 feet down the mt. slope.
I remember a trucker stopping and telling me to lock the car. It was a wreck. Next I woke up on a back board in a hospital in Antigonish.
you know the irony of it all. I was selling accident and disability insurance. My mother- in-law came to the hospital and said to me " Son the Devil looks after his own" So I patted her hand and " Thanked her for looking after me."
It was my sense of humor and faith that has helped me get on with life. I take pain killers every day. Even with them i still have to suffer with pain scale
of 7. ( 10) being the worst.
The cortisone injections do work wonders. It does get easier and after dropping almost 60 lbs. I have my life back although i am not able to work any more and do have to watch what I do.
Good luck. Should you wish to talk I am on skype and would be happy to listen.
That sounds nasty. I hope the injections work and there's no need for an op.
ReplyDeleteLatin (from your previous post) - I said last year that I wanted to learn Latin but stalled somewhere along the line. I must try to pick it up again.
Shirl: Thanks for your kind words, I dearly hope the Cortisone injections will do the trick and they won`t have to resort to surgery. I`ve had injections for Rheumatoid, in my hips, wrists and finger joints and they were quite successful. Fingers crossed !
ReplyDeleteHope you are keeping well.
Di.xx
Hello Old Tarf. Good to hear from you again. As you will see from my previous post to Shirl, you`re quite right about the Cortisone injections.
ReplyDeletePhew ! You had a lucky escape re rolling your car over, falling all that way and recovering. Despite the fact you still suffer from chronic pain, theres no substitute for life is there ?
I seem to have struck up quite a rapport with your girl "Merms", we communicate by e-mail and she`s been so supportive. You must be very proud of her.
love to you and yours in Canada.
Di.xx
Hi Liz, welcome to my humble blog and thank you for your kind comments.
ReplyDeleteI`ve still not been able to track down a Latin Tutor yet but I may wait until next Autumn and combine a Beginners Course in Latin and Level 5 in French Language at Liverpool University. This can then be merged into a Combined BA Honours Degree Course. I had to abandon my French studies last year because of the dratted back !
Di.xx
Di.
Trubes- Mermaid- is fluent in Latin. She has an A level. i am quite fluent in French. CDN- french that is.
ReplyDeletethe offer is there. You can get my email from MM.
truborama! How are you chicka? What's Tarf been telling you? It's all true about his back probs, he has in the past threatened my boyfriends with his walking stick.
ReplyDeleteI do speak latin, boringly enough. I like going into restaurants and ordering "solana tuberosa in modo gallica fricta" (french fries).
I am a geek.
Hi Merms: I`m still chugging along, thanks. Been outa driving and shopping in my new motor today. Unescorted and "stickless".
ReplyDeleteI like shopping alone, can`t do with DT breathing down my neck, doing his Victor Meldrew, ("I don`t believe it") impersonation. Can`t tell you the times I`ve nearly "chinned" him in a shop for commenting about the price of food. I wouldn`t mind he eats the bloody stuff, with relish, I may add, he has a gourmet meal most evenings, prepared, lovingly by yours truly. Must admit, I do have a passion for cooking and enjoy a little drinkie or three, (Bibo,ergo sum) listening to the Archers whilst preparing.
I also prepare Cat Chloe`s raw fish supper and, our Rabbit, Rocket`s supper of, fresh basil leaves, apples and a carrot. Also Chico the Cockatiel has a slice of apple, whilst all this is going on.
Will e-mail you soon.
love Di. xxx
credo pater mea edax piscus ...er... rawus...
ReplyDeleteHey Trubes how are you? Just popped by to wish you well and ask how ya doin? BTW the OU do a latin course and I'm going to be teaching my babes Latin as soon as I can catch up with assignments (babes been poorly, not been on the town) there's a beginers/childrens course from Amazon called 'Minimus' which I'll be using. Hope that helps. But mon dieu! Can't help with french as it's been a while - I was called on to help with some programming and couldn't get my head around a new language and then realised I couldn't remember a thing of those I'd learnt! It's been 15 years!!! Crikey, how time does fly.
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling well Trubes x
Evening Trubes,
ReplyDeleteLet's see if this "anonymous" post gets through okay....
Lakelander
Testing, testing, 1 2 3 1 2 3
ReplyDeleteOui, ca marche bien maintenant je crois.
A toute a l'heure....
Trubes: Thanks for getting you comments section sorted out. Now we can all join in the fun.
ReplyDeleteGrumpy granny's French seems to be a bit rusty; she titles herself "Angry granny" which I am sure is not what she meant. Grand'mere morose is much more accurate (but don't let on that I speak French rather better than she does!).
Hope your back continues to improve. When I was a sproglet my mater (uncountable years ago!), had slipped disc and had to wear a steel ribbed corset thingy for years which, judging from its weight alone, must have been very uncomfortable. Keep cheerful; we'll be around.
just wanted to stop by and see how my friend trubes was...i miss seeing you...
ReplyDeleteGrumpy Granny and Grumpy Grandpa, Thank you for your kind words. I hope to be inspired enough soon, to write something more interesting than writing about
ReplyDeletehealth issues. xx
Phillipa, Hi. Still no further on with the search for a Latin tutor. Hope you`re studies are going well. xx.
Daisy. Nice of you to drop by. "Back" problem still about the same. Can`t have further treatment until the Morphine dosage is slowly reduced. Apparently, it is so addictive, that you have to be weaned off it. Needless to say the pain is returning, with the reduction, so, initially I will have Cortisone Injections (ouch), if they don`t work, then an operation will be required (arrgh).
Hope you are well and happy.
Di.xx
I did something to my elbow/arm muscle just before Christmas. Don't know what it was but it was painful, so I went to my doc who gave a (painful) cortisone jab right into the muscle. This caused my arm to swell for about 3 days, but after it went down I was 100% again. So here's hoping you get the same outcome. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteGrumpy Granny: "Fingers crossed". The horrors I have about an injection in my spine will require, I should think, to have my legs crossed too!
ReplyDeleteI`ve had them in my hips(not too painful). I had 3 injections in the middle finger ofright hand, that hurt like hell. I acidentally kicked the Radiologist when he did the 3rd jab. Hope he`s not doing my spine, could be "pay back time", ouch !
00ps: Typo....Accidentally !
ReplyDeletetruuuuubes, we miss your blogging. How is everything going? Is there nothing in Scouse-land to declare your passion about? Cmon! xxxx
ReplyDeleteBlimey, Trubes - you sound like pin cushion!
ReplyDeleteDid you ever see that Tom and Jerry cartoon were Tom gets shot full of holes and rushes over to take a drink and all the water sprays out of the holes in him?
Mustn't laugh but that was the first image that entered my head when I read your comment.
Eyes, knees, legs, feet and fingers all crossed in anticipation!
Di, just wanted to wish you a happy birthday! I hope you have a great day for yourself! I know it is hard in the present situation...just remember...we have to do what we have to do, before we can do what we want to do...it will come darling...just give it time...xxLisa
ReplyDeleteDaisy: Darling thank you so much for your kind words. I`m still 'chugging along', and looking forward to my birthday treat with DT at a lovely Country Inn, complete with log fires a Four Poster bed, good food, and rolling Lancashire countryside. Tried and tested.....Perfect...
ReplyDeleteHope you are well and happy.
Di. xx
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ReplyDelete