I have wrestled with myself whether or not to post this due to the appearance of self pity, and I hope no one takes it this way.
Many of you don't know me personally as I have not been a very active person on the national scene due to family and work constraints. I have participated in a few national championships and have been our state LMSC chairman for the past 2 years. I have been somewhat vocal on this board when issues discussed have been brought up where I thought I could post an opinion that made sense. With that being said, let me tell you my story, thanks in advance for taking the time to read this.
I have been swimming Masters now for about 5 years after taking a 10 year hiatus from collegiate swimming. I love working out and feeling better in the water more importantly, out of the water. I think all of us can relate to how great it feels to swim and the friendships we have in the pool. I love the sport and I truly feel my swimming background has contributed so much to my success out of the pool with my family and career. Swimming teaches us you get out of it what you put into it, and that there are no shortcuts to success.
I have been bedridden now for the past 5 weeks because of a chronic back problem in which I can't walk due to a pinched nerve in my lower back. I have had 3 prioir operations for the same issues and since I have been swimming have had very few problems. This is the main reason I got back into swimming and am so anal about working out.
After trying all other methods to avoid a 4th operation, it is obvious that surgery is inevitable. At only 36 years old it scares me a lot as to what the next 50 years of my life will be. Will I be dealing with operations or will this be it? Needless to say, being out of the pool has been one of the hardest aspects of this. (Not being able to play with my kids and do things with my wife has been the worst.)
We are probably travelling to Houston next week (we will know more after I speak to the physiatrist here) for the operation and I hope to be in the pool relatively soon after. Every doctor/health professional we have seen have been dumbfounded as to why I have these problems, however all of them agree that swimming is the best therpy for my condition. I am sad in the fact that I might not be able to compete again, but do hope for the best.
Please understand that this message is not one of self pity, but one af asking for your encouragement, thoughts and prayers. Even though I don't know most of you personally, I consider you friends because we all share the same passion for this sport.
This message is so hard for me to post, and asking for help is not easy, especially from people I don't know. However, it is somewhat therapeutic (sp?) to tell my story with these words and on this board.
Again thank you for your time and I will let you know how everything goes in the next weeks/months. I hope to see y'all in the pool very soon!
Former Member
DONE!
Had the operation Thursday and was home at 6:00 pm that evening. The surgeon does open back surgery on an outpatient basis if you can believe it.
He said the detachment of my disc "was huge" (whatever that means) and there was no wonder I couldn't walk from the pain. He is certain that the leg pain should go away very quickly and the neurological damage will heal in good time.
The important thing is he said I can start swimming in 6 weeks and skiing in 4 months. I can't wait to strap on the old cap and goggles and get back in!
Again thank you so much for all of your positive responses, thoughts and prayers. My goal is to be at Mission Viejo this summer, it's great to have something to shoot for.
Hey Sam, I just finally got back on line and just read your post. I would love to hear what other surgeries you have done and what steps you have taken up to this date. I'am sure you don't know me and for the last year I am going thru the worst back injury in my life. I was put in the hospital last year for a week due to L-3 L-4 L-5 S-1 and lost the whole use of my left leg. Needless to say I was scared since my good friend died a year before from a brian tumor at 40 (love ya Deb Riker) I'am sure you didn't get the privledge of meeting her. So I'am now 41 and am an Ocean Lifeguard in Fort Lauderdale but as of now no longer can do my job and am waiting to see a nuro surgeon on Monday a.m. to see my next steps. I wish you nothing but the best and look forward to seeing you at a meet. (That's if I'am ever back) best of luck. If you'd like to email me you can at
TracieMoll@hotmail.com
good luck
Tracie:cool:
Originally posted by 330man
Good luck to you!! Today's top doctors are miracle workers and your seems to be optimistic; that's a good thing. Houston seems to be a hub for cutting edge medicine. A friend of mine is currently undergoing cancer treatment at Anderson Hospital in Houston.
Sam,
I might not know back pain, but I do know how it is like not being able to swim for a long period of time. In 1992, when I was 13 1/2 years old, I was diagnosed with Glaucoma (an eye condition, that if not treated will destroy your optic nerve, leaving you totally blind) which I found out was in it's advanced stages, due to a negligent opthamologist when I was younger.
As the years went by, my Glaucoma progressed, my body got used to the six different types of eye drops and the oral medicine that left me cold and a loss of appetite.
In the summer of 1996, I had my eyes operated in Houston to ease the pressure build up. Times were bleak for me during this period of my life because it would be ten years (1994-2004) until I got back into the pool.
It took me a while til I realized that swimming played a major role in my life. Now at 26, life has improved since my operation, nearly a decade ago.
Best wishes to you on your road to recovery. We (and I speak for all of us in this thread, including myself) hope to see you swimming again soon.
Godspeed, Sam... Godspeed.
Hey Sam, if you do choose to email me I gave you my wrong address in my other post.
Correct email address Tracie Moll is:
TAMoll@hotmail.com
Glad to hear everything went well with the surgery, wishing you and yours happy holidays.
Tracie :cool:
Tracie we all look forwards to you getting better. Can't wait to see Sam at our long course nationals in sunny Kalifornia. In fact, everyone is invited to the land of Arnold; Kalifornia. As great as Savannah was, Mission Viejo is trying to be the best nationals ever.
For those of you who do not know Tracie Moll has been one of the greatest Masters swimmers ever. I know a lot of women who will miss racing her. Get well !
The one constant I know of in Masters swimming, is overcoming injuries. My first nationals was Oregon in 1986. I had one day off and volunteered to time that day. I was amazed that in just my lane, hundreds of swimmers had huge scars on their backs, legs, chest etc. So I started asking, they were all swimming after major surgeries, and swimming had helped them back into a wonderfull world of improved health and great new friendships. I fit in just fine, in 1984 I had 2 hours of knee surgery. I have been holding off shoulder surgery for 16 years! As long as I can still swim breaststroke, I can stand some pain.
I really like the response of gull80 Of course the next best thing is finding a doctor who trained in Houston
I am a firm believer in finding Doctors who understand us. I have been lucky, for my knee surgery, my Doc had the same surgery as a football player. For my shattered left arm, I had the head surgeon from the 1984 Olympics. If they turn up the sensitivity, I set off the airport alarms with the titanium screws and plates.
This was a great thread to find NOW!! I am so happy to read the beginning to the (near) end of a successful journey. What a wonderful Christmas (or other Holiday) present for you Sam!
I have been very athletically active all of my life and am genetically fortunate to be strong and agile. I started having some unexplained back pain about 2 months ago and was quite devestated to learn that I have degenerative bone and joint disease (arthritis I suppose that means) and worried myself sick until I was able to see a sports med doc. I suppose I can be considered "fortunate" in that surgery is not warrented, and this "condition" is one that come with age (I am 63) and to someone who has been an active athlete and may have had injuries somewhere along the line.
My doc says it is a great thing that I have been active and have been working out just about my whole life, because this has strengthened my spine and joints. He says -- keep on doin' what I'm doin' and I am taking his advice. But I did have a scare at the beginning and can relate a little to the worries you have had.
Bottom line -- I am truly happy for you and for the active life you now know you will be able to continue.
Nancy
Thanks for the kind words, I hope my out come is as good as Sam's. Sure do miss seeing you all at Nationals. Hey if your out there Karalyn Pipes-Neilson will ya email me. I try the one you gave me but never works.
TAMoll@hotmail.com
Tracie :cool:
