Some people think they are tough. Some are.

I have had to date, three surgeries at UPMC Southside Pittsburgh, 5-1-00, a 5 1/2 inch incision on my left shoulder, 12-4-00 a 3 5/8 inch incision near the left shoulder blade, and 3-19-01 a 4 inch incision on my left rear neck, for injuries of 11-1-1991. I only had Novocain for the incision, while fully awake during most of the surgery. I had been sedated for part of the surgery, but was fully awake for most of the surgery for re-constructive repair in critical areas. I had to let the surgeon, Dr. N. A. Nystromn know if he was working near the 'Trigger Point' location, if the pain increased or decreased {I had to sort through existing pain and surgery pain}, if he was accessing the damaged sites deep in the muscles and if I still had feeling, or loss of feeling - ANYWHERE. Three surgeries down, and probably five more to go with the same procedure, awake without Novocain. Yes, it did hurt. But I suffer pain on a regular basis to the point of having 'The Shakes' {the body going into shock} and to the point of being nauseous. Opiate pain killers are reasonably effective most of the time, but sometimes are not so effective.

Quite frankly, I would prefer NOT to have to be Tough. High levels of pain for long periods of time does a lot of not so good things to the body............... I don't think I will ever be pain free, but if the level can be reduced to a level of just sore, and a reduced area of pain, I can live with that. I was only 32 when the work injury happened. I was hit from behind with a piece of machinery. No warning at all. The operator must have been brain dead or in a coma at the time. The insurance company simply calls it "A momentary laps of concentration". What do you think??

 

jeff