hey Jon, hope all is well! i tried searching the Menards website for the sheet protectors you use but came up short. do you know the exact name for the product? thanks in advance!
The Orange Bat is a WRD product, and the plastic strips are sold in paint departments of hardware stores. www.amazon.com/WRD-OB-300K-Orange-Bat/dp/B07G5HFV5V/ref=asc_df_B07G5HFV5V/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693334113981&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6410521915911118052&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9191681&hvtargid=pla-568805596453&psc=1&mcid=5a41811013863553ba5c290fe2082d4c
The fusion was successful, although a few years later, I needed the next level up added to it. I live in discomfort. Mainly tight or sore lower back. I only take Mobic and Gabapentin. No narcotics or anything too strong. However, I use marijuana in vape, edible, and flower form and it helps tremendously with muscle spasms and inflamation.
Hi Jon, where did you purchase the thin plastic sheet from to make your protectors please? The reason I ask is that I have just purchased a wrd spider and these sheets will become invaluable for me. Can you use the same process with a spider too please?
I buy them at a store called Menards. They are in the paint department. They are intended to be slid between your floor and baseboards when you paint them. I was trying to find them and attach a link, but I was unsuccessful. The brand is "Pro Painter" and they are called "Floor shields" And yes, you can use this technique with the spider. You just need to use an anchor cup or tie your other end to the door latch.
Funny you should ask.... I am almost 1 month post my 2nd fusion. I stopped making videos because I was out, doing well, and enjoying life. Recovery from this L3-L4 feels better than I expected.
@@jonfwalex I hope it's your last and all goes well and leads to a pain free life that we all deserve! What exactly happened that led to that point, if you don't mind me asking? How were you doing with all that muscle spasms and all the pain you mentioned to you SI joint and hips? Did all these ever go away?
Spasms and pain cleared up about 8 months. I got a plan with a chiropractor that I see once a week and he aligns my hips, upper back, and neck. Working out helps a hell of a lot. Keep a strong core and strengthen everything around glutes, hip abductor, and hip adductor. Super important to give yourself a reason to be sore, rather then blame your back. I can't wait until my restrictions are lifted. Oh, and my back is the way that it is because I chose to learn all of the trades rather than sit at a desk. That combined with bad genetics for my spine.
@@jonfwalex Oh I didn't mean that by asking what led to that point. I totally understand genetics, believe me and a desk job is maybe equally bad for our backs. I meant what led to the second fusion. I know about adjacent segment disease but what I really meant was how did it happen for you.
I came across your videos that are 2 years old. Believe me your positivity and honesty helps. I'm 52 and have worked in the hvac trade for 30 years, last 15 years with an nhl/nba arena. Now they are telling me to put away the tools. First surgery was L4-L5 discectomy 6/16, L4-L5 TLIF fusion 6/18, then an auto accident at work 4/20, finally had my surgery for L4-L5-S1 July 12&13/21. I can say this video gave me strength, may not turn wrenches again but with enough years in the trades & nhl I can put my brains to work. Thank you for this and all your videos. 👍👊💪❤
Slow down is key, glad you mentioned that. 4 weeks post-op & off pain meds. Will be in the back brace for 4 more weeks. X-rays are at 6 weeks, and then start with my bone growth stimulator. PT starts after the brace comes off. Glad to see you are doing good. Love your positivity
I had the same feeling about my staples. After they were out I lasted another 2 weeks in the recliner and then I bought a boatload of pillows and a body pull to finally sleep in my bed. This was my 2nd fusion in 3 years. Day one in the front for L5-S1 38 staples, Day 2 L4-L5 revision, two incisions 42 staples & 5 days in the hospital. One month post op, off pain meds and chewing Tylenol. Hope your doing well, see this video is 2 years old. Prayers your fusions were a success🙏
I'm in your back surgery group, and wanted to say thanks for letting me into your personal journey. Hey, if you only make it thru to just one person, then it's all worth it! 👍 I'm guessing that most people are so taken aback with your strength and positivity, that they're left speechless. I'll be heading for an L4/L5 TLIF in 7 weeks and am starting to scare myself shitless. I'm one pretty tough chick (and roll with the same protection as you 😉), but big difference is that I've never been through any type of major surgery in my life at 58 years old. I also have a non-existent core, an already high tolerance to Oxy making pain control a challenge, and will be released from the hospital to a totally empty house, doing recovery 100% alone. Not much scares me in life, if anything, but this is topping my list right now . As a self-reliant and resourceful woman for the past couple of decades, that has always taken care of her own self... not having one single friend or family member here to help me, is gonna be a real trip. I'll take any prayers someone can muster up! Great job with your recovery, and I wish you all the best!! 👍 Oh yeah... one last thing... slow the hell down, and take it easy!! 😉😉👌🇺🇸
I feel ur pain brother, I had front and back fusion heaps of staples in the back and heaps in the front and my back ended up infected and wen they pull the staples out they hurt like crap especially in the raw parts
When I look at the video again I feel like I was being a sissy, but damned those things did hurt. Heck, I got stitches yesterday from a cut I got at work and cussed when she hit me with the lidocaine. I could've sworn I was tougher. Lol!
Yup, the raw on the front really sucked. Worse was when they talked about leaving a few in and then said no, take them out, we'll glue the steri-strips on. I feel his pain
You are doing so much better than I am. I am 9 weeks out and it’s hard. I have massive muscle spasms that hurt and numbness in my feet that I did not have before. You are lucky.
It all still comes and goes. I have days and weeks that are absolutely impossible, but I can't let this back ruin my life. Best wishes. It will improve.
jon It’s been 3+ months and I’m not improving... bedridden with increasing pain, muscle spasms and debilitating state. I’m seeing doctors for revision surgery. I wish I had never got surgery in the first place. My surgeon is denying my outcome which is a nightmare.
I hope to have my 33 staples taken out next Wednesday. Compare the pain scale from 1-10, with 10 being the worst. Was it more sensitive towards a certain section the most? This is my 3rd bsck surgery but first with staples.
3rd surgery and first with staples for me too. On a 1-10 it may have reached a 6 on a few of them. More sensitive in the middle. However getting them out was a huge relief of the discomfort the staples themselves were causing. Best wishes for a great recovery.
@@jonfwalex what level was your fusion? I had surgery to remove a fractured screw at L4. Was previously fused at L4/5 and L5/S1. This surgery extended fusion to L3. I felt a little bit of my instrumentation after surgery, not a lot though. Just enough to let me know it was there if I stretched or turned too far. However, now that my rod has been lengthened, I feel the entire thing from top to bottom. Sometimes it is painful and sometimes it is annoying, but sometimes it prevents me from sitting. Did you experience that at all?
How are you now man? I am looking at the same surgery - almost no back pain but insane bilateral sciatica! Reading things online just freak me out. Greatly appreciate any feedback! Thank you. - Mike
So it has had it rollercoaster of ups and downs but I work 40 hours a week on cars, I workout 5-6 days a week at the gym, and still have an active sex life with my wife..... I would say that has all been worth it. I felt like total crap around the time of my 1 year post-op, so I didn't end up updating my RU-vid, but I am probably going to do an updat within a month or so. BTW, expect that your sciatica will likely disappear immidiately. If it doesn't, just make sure to remind yourself that nerves are slow to heal. Best wishes buddy!
Fully recovered, yes. As far as no more pain...... I feel pain and discomfort almost daily but as long as I try to make smart decision about how I move and what I do, I have to say I am better than I was before.
I'll be honest with you and tell you that I haven't felt as good as I did at 3 months post-op. My lower back and hip joints hurt every single day. I do work again, full time, and my job is pretty physical. I have good days but nothing as good as the way I felt for months 2 and 3. I am sorry that I stopped making videos, but when things started feeling like crap again I didn't feel like sharing anymore. Maybe I will again at 1 year post-op. That will be Nov. 5th
2 months post 3 level fusion. l5 was shattered. im having severe hip pain. specially in bed trying to role over. sliding my hips to roll over feels like my hip is broke but xrays are normal. dr wont help ofcoarse. is this normal? did you go through it? no one has seen me but once and my php cut me for shouting on the phone to the frontline. my surgeon is a stranger. I take no pain meds at all.. nothing could ever help the severity of the the hip pain anyways. surgeon says all went well so end of story... but is it ok to be in this pain at this point? I will never see a response through youtube please if inclined respond at tileandstoneinstall@gmail.com
I’m glad your doing so well people will be laying in a hospital bed watching your videos for years too come believe me I’m just got out of the hospital bed and was watching these videos
Jared Cart i just had a 3 level spinal fusion 8 days ago and the m dealing with killer spasms when I lay down. Was there anything that helped you through this? Thanks in advance!
Thank you for your work on the videos. I will turn 61 in 10 days. 220 lbs. Working all my life. About a year ago I was working 2 jobs 17 hrs a day for four years. Had to stop that. Looking at getting fusion surgery L2345. Been on hydrocodone 10/325 for ten years. Just been getting worse, depression, thinking about suicide. But I trust in the Lord. I here you and can side with what you say. I hope my outcome is as good as yours. It will be hard to live no money at all except for my job.
I hope that your fusion goes down perfectly, but also that the God helps you with getting off of the pills when the time comes. I would imagine that is going to be a rough ride. Best wishes and God Bless.
Thanks for watching. I should be doing a 6 month video coming up on the 5th of May. It's a lot to go through, but I'm doing pretty good and there's no reason you won't too.
@Jon ? (Did they put any screws and medal plates?) I had 4 back surgeries and I had my last back fusion July 2018. I still go to the gym but I’m not the same. I can’t bend forward or backwards, Non the less jump. I still have to use my cane. I’m walking 3-6 miles a day for cardio because running will cause severe pain and usually machines for strengthening instead of free weights. I’m 44 going on 45 years with 12 years of military service and 2 as BPA. Had to leave BP because of many reasons and one being in extreme pain. The pain down my legs have subsided almost completely.
Yeah I have 3 screws and rods. No plates. I hope you start gaining a lot more relief and get some flexibility back. It's great however that you are in the gym and not laying around at home in pain.
You definitely have my well wishes for a great surgery and a speedy or at least a timely recovery. There are still some tough days, but I am starting to understand my limits better.
You replied to my comment.Thanks. 1st off if I went in 1n 1/2 the shape you are in I would be more positive. I was in l/e and flew helis at the time when my rt leg started getting weak The l5/s1 decline was quick. I went from 5'11, 160 to 220 within 2 years. Also turned type 2 diab due to inactivity and the weight. They set my fusion 3 yrs ago and my agreement was to stay on the opiates until the point came I could no longer climb stairs/drive etc. Bad/worse days but I long ago reached the tolerance of my "highest point" of opiates I am allowed. Also the law changes force me to drive 1x a month to speak to my "pain Dr". It is a $200 consultation to scribble a script. I changed to a insulin and lost 10 pounds in 1 month with a goal of 180. All the lower disc are black and a few areas rub so I am afraid even with weight loss bottom line is they are simply worn out. Your positive outlook is appreciated especially when when my latest mri 2 weeks ago confirmed a slow steady decline from 3 years ago. Being told, Yup, your back is worse. Thats $800 please.
I am on here for the reason of reaching out to others with something positive. I am sorry for the decline that you have gone through, but I can say that having my fusion was necessary and has given me my life back. My discs were flattened and appeared black on the MRI as well (with bone on bone). It didn't help that I had the 2 double laminectomies / double discectomies 11 months apart and was still released back to a very physical job both times. In my decline I had gone to a pain and spine clinic and I wasn't able to get on pain meds for the same laws that you speak of limiting your prescriptions. I fought the pain for years. I would gain weight and drop weight for no reason it seemed. When I did finally have my game plan for the fusion, I did everyrhing in my power to at least go in at a lower weight and with as much core strength as I could get (despite my spinal instability). Trust me, I went through a chubby stage (bouncy titts) and I know that the worst thing I can do is to get fat again and to let my core strength slip. I have no doubt that you will face more shitty days, but there is hope after the fusion. Trust in God my friend. He didn't create us to suffer.
@@jonfwalex hello Jon ... You are seriously an inspiration .. please post your current state of recovery and fitness progress ... It will be helpful for lot of people .. 🙏
@@ramcotex I was just talking with my wife about how I don't have the same positivity that I had shortly after surger, but she reminded me that I am still quite active and that I should share a video again..... I will. I'll put together something here real soon. I hope you are condition has seen some relief or improvement.
Thank you! ❤ I'm 4-weeks post fusion of the same, L4-L5 and L5-S1. The day of my surgery, I was 245lbs. Today I am 228lbs! 😊 I suffered severe chronic pain for 18 YEARS before anyone figured out that maybe seeing a neurosurgeon might be a good idea. He told me I was essentially "inoperable" as the damage was far too extensive at that point, and that the chance of a good outcome from surgery was pretty slim. I begged him and explained that the pain had gotten to a point where I was suicidal at times, and that I had lost so much of my life. He promised to TRY...but made it clear that beyond that, he made no promises. 4 weeks out now, I can say that I am SO incredibly grateful that he agreed to TRY. The pain is down significantly and though It's still early days and I've still got a LONG way to go, to heal...videos and stories like yours keep me motivated and allow me to stay positive. Healing from these surgeries is no joke...it's definitely not the most fun...but so far, I have zero regrets. Thank you so much for motivating and inspiring others! There IS life after lumbar fusion! ❤
Heck yeah! This is why I am sharing. I love that I can give someone more hope, all while I look at others on here for the same inspiration. As long as we don't approach this recovery with a "victim's mentality", we will succeed. There are going to be bad days, but they will pass and become fewer and farther between. I got a personal trainer to collaborate with my physical therapist and we put together a workout regimen that would work best for my situation. Now I am finally making strength and body gains for the first time in several years. I wish you an even better recovery. God bless!
Thank you for that!! Our marriage is a strong one that is based off of being best friends before all else.. Also, Thanks for coming on over and watching some of my videos. Please subscribe and click the little bell icon and you'll get a notice when I post my next one. I see that you commented on another video about wanting to know what excercises I do. I will get into that with my next fusion update. I'm still trying to put the right steps together.
Wow, that is awesome, I appreciate your invite to watch. I would like to see what exercises you're doing, maybe I can follow along, guidance is what I'm lacking so again I really appreciate it
love the video title. Puns are the best. It's great to hear you're still feeling good and getting your range of motion back! I don't watch them right away, but I always look for yours when I am on youtube!
Good days and bad days, accomplishments and setbacks - a lot has happened in the past three months, but I must say that the big picture of your progress and attitude is fantastic. Stay motivated, stay positive and remember that I love you!
What can I say to you that would ever express how much I love and appreciate you??? I will forever love and be loyal to you honey. You have been the strength for us both at times when I've had none.... I love you!
Man I can't believe you you are doing this good after only three months, it's nice to hear about successful surgeries . God bless you and hope to see more videos
Thank you for watching my video and commenting. I am doing pretty well for only 3 months...However I do have to keep reminding myself that it's only been 3 months. There are days that I feel so good that I momentarily forget to be cautious. I am still very susceptible to horrible spasms from just the wrong movements. The other day swapping out a load of wash made me hurt for 2 hours. I heated, iced, and took my Aleve. I wasn't instructed to wear a back brace, but I have this one that I really like, and I will wear it tightly when I am doing questionable activities. It's more of a reminder to make better moves.
You should know how much I appreciate your support through all of these surgeries. You are an important part of my life and a very strong pillar of this family.
Keep up the good work! There are going to be good days and there will be days that are nothing but a challenge, but we got this. You are going to come out of this so much better than ever!
