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From: Orville.Bullitt@f36.n135.z1.fidonet.org (Orville Bullitt)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: back Injuries and Water Beds
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Date: 17 Jan 91 14:27:21 GMT
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[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference on Fidonet]

 Hello, all. I'd like to get the advice of anyone who feels like offering it. 
Back in May of '88 I severly injured myself doing a wheelie on my son's moped. 
Before this I had a Spondololisthesis (sp?) at L5-S1. In the accident, I broke 
my left collar bone, my right 10th rib, all my left ribs in two (2) places and, 
the worst part, vertabrae C2 in my neck! Well, someone upstairs must have been 
watching over me because I am not paralized at all! I did not have to have any 
surgery. I was in the hospital only 12 days. I just spent eleven weeks in a 
halo vest. I didn't have any of my ribs set ir my collar bone.
 In June of '90 an MRI discovered that I have an "impingement" on the spinal
cord at T8-T9. This was discovered after I complained a lot about back pain 
when laying on my back to my general physician and he finally referred me to 
the Neurosugeon who was in charge of my halo vest.
 I also am unable to lay on my left side for more than several minutes and
when laying on my stomach, I have pain near both of my lowest ribs. It often is 
a real challenge getting to sleep!
 My question is this to anyone who who has back pain caused by either nerve 
damage or broken ribs: Have you tried a water bed and did it help a lot as 
compared to a regular firm matress?
 Thank you,
 Orville

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