My first Dirtweek/Spodefest missed since 97

[High Lord Gomer]

Just found out...I have a large herniation of the disc between C7 and T1 that is pressing on the spinal cord and nerve root to my arm. Looks like surgery so I've got to use my one week of vacation for that. :|

Y'all have fun!

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Say it aint so :(
We'll save the marshmellows for ya, see ya next year :cool:

 

[OKKX'er]

We'll sure miss you! But, heal up and get back to normal.

 

[WaltCMoto]

Dang Gomer,
Whats a little spinal cord damage? Did ya crash? again? Gonna miss ya bud

 

[a454elk]

Speechless my friend, damn it.

 

[mx547]

:( too bad.

 

[BSWIFT]

:( too bad.

Heal up soon!

 

[High Lord Gomer]

Dang Gomer,
Whats a little spinal cord damage? Did ya crash? again? Gonna miss ya bud

Yeah, came up about 5' feet short on a 70' double New Years Eve....bounced once then landed on my head with the bike following me. I finally got it looked at.

 

[DougRoost]

Bummer for us but especially for you. We'll be thinking of you. Heal up and see you next year.

Doug

 

[YZ165]

Sorry to hear that Gomer, I was looking forward to meeting you. Matt

 

[BEEF706]

Speechless my friend, damn it.

yup me too

 

[Jeff Gilbert]

Should I tell Tigger to leave her stick at home? She keeps it in the RV to remind her of you ;) A few months ago someone saw the stick in the RV and asked what it was, Tigger said "It's a poking stick, more specically a Gomer poking stick."

 

[shiftless]

Gomer, I am really going to miss you. You are so much a part of dirtweek and you will be really missed by all. Hope all goes well with your surgery. I am sending you a big hug!! Take care.


Joy

 

[tx246]

mike,

i had a similar crash on a mtb this spring. do you have every pain imaginable going through your shoulder and arm? ive had dislocated my shoulder several times and i swear the pain was as bad but without the weakness. then my forearm hurt, my hand went numb, then shooting pains everywhere. i thought it was something with my shoulder until i just happened to put an ice pack on my spine between the shoulder blades. in 30min the pain would dissappear. then it clicked that something was compressing that nerve bundle coming off the spine and into my arm. you can put the lightest pressure on my spine and my arm would go numb. i iced that thing everyday for a month and it has gradually gotten better. the ice reduces the swelling enough to give relief. most of the pain has gone away but i still have numbness at times.

try ice on that spot. i was eating advil like m&ms to deal with the pain until i figured out where to put the ice. hope that will give you some relief.

gonna miss yall. dw will NOT be the same without you and family.

 

[Jaybird]

Hard news, Mike.
Take care and heal up real fast!
Look forward to seeing you next year!

 

[ChopperDave]

Thats a shame Gomer. I was looking forward to meeting you, since I have family in Columbia. Hope your surgery and recovery go well. We will have to get together when I go to visit my family. I have a nephew that loves to ride at TNT(he rides a 660 raptor[ACK!!!], but I don't hold that against him, not to much anyway).

 

[motometal]

bummer. Any way you can negotiate for more vacation?

 

[Fred T]

Gomer

I just got through that very same thing, but I had to fuse C6 & C7. PM me for my e mail address and I'd be happy to talk to you about it. Get it fixed, my life is much better now and I am about to get back to riding after about 5 Months. Last time I rode was April 8th, I had the surgery on April 21st.

www.spinehealth.com is a good resource too.
Fred

 

[High Lord Gomer]

Thanks, everyone. I was looking forward to meeting / seeing so many of you guys, too. :(

Jeff, lay on the ground with a goofy grin and tell her she can poke you one time. Then give her a hug for me!

Mom...maybe you guys can swing down here this winter when it gets cold up there and nice down here?

Gene, thanks...I'll try that. The herniation is rather large for such a small disc that repair apparently isn't really an option and the misalignment of C7 (forward and down) needs to be corrected, too. It looks like I'll probably get the surgery.

Dave...please let me know when you get back down here. 2 weeks for Daytona Bike Week?

Scot...I used all of my vacation (and several more weeks they paid me for) when Lori was in and out of the hospital two years ago. Since then I've been using it as fast as I get it for kid stuff and lawyer visits (still trying to find Ricky). That's why it took me this long to get my neck looked at. If I showed up for DW I couldn't keep myself off the track, either.

Fred...Thanks, I'll look at that. I'm luck that it is C7-T1 since there isn't as much movement there and the disc at C6-C7 looks good. Let me know how it goes when you do ride.