# Wear and tear



## Jeep (Aug 5, 2014)

Ok, I looked for the thread about getting older and junk. Did not find it. Read about RPD and his surgery. I felt the need to revive the thread I could not find. I am doing so out of being selfish. I started my journey with the VA in April of this year. 7 years after my last discharge and 21 years after my first discharge. 

I was told at 0830 this morning that I may have some degenerative joint disease, yeah oh well. Everyone I know has some bad joints. 

I am scheduled for an MRI 11/17 to see whats my issue. To be honest I do not want to know. Then at 1300, this afternoon I buy my big BOB. And never consider for a second that I can not ruck this thing if I have to. I still plan to load her up and see what I can do. 

For the medically inclined it is my Lumbar Sacrum, that is getting scanned. But all in all I am ready to ruck this new bag, at max weight to see if I am a dead duck or not. I got 20 bucks on ME


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Well, I can share your miseries. Bad lower spine, L2,3,&4 are collapsing and pinching the nerves. Some days are ok, some suck. Doctors say nothing can be done. Gave up the idea of a back pack BOB years ago. That's why I won't bug out unless the water is coming in the back door. Please don't laugh too hard, instead I have a small 2 wheel cart to pull behind me. I started with small, wheeled carry on type bag but the wheels were too dang small. Cart has 6" wheels. I hope you get some good news from your MRI. I'll say a prayer for you, if that's ok? Screw it, I'll do it anyway.


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## CWOLDOJAX (Sep 5, 2013)

The VA takes care of my hearing aids.
20 percent disability for my lower back. I can lift heavy thing too but raking the yard will tilt my pelvis.
But it was my knees that halted my jogging. I can still walk hours.
Age requires of us a certain finesse to humbly accept new limits without accelerating new problems. 
I ain't no doctor but if your sacrum is below your hips you could probably handle the weight of your BOB... I too will pray for you upcoming appt. It's on my calendar.


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## Jeep (Aug 5, 2014)

Screw you both, I can't handle sentiment, well I can but you know....

thanks for the thoughts and prayers. I never been under the knife and that worries the crap out of me. But at least I won't shit on the table.


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

The VA is currently evaluating me for........well,.....stuff......I'm a mess.  hang in there. I was assigned a a service related disability in 1991 and I'm still waiting for some closure.


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## thepeartree (Aug 25, 2014)

I suspect I've got you all beat for too many reasons to list. As someone once said, "Getting old sucks, but consider the alternative". Some of us have had to consider the alternative. We are ALL under a death sentence and none of us get any chance of a governor's reprieve. So we wake up every morning and bitch for the first half hour or so. Then we go get 'er done for another day. Which doesn't mean we can't fight back. I know I keep up on anything that may help me or my wife. There's progress every day, though more some days than others. I've found watching Dr. Oz on tv a big help. He's not afraid to consider experimental treatments or alternative medicine and he doesn't just parrot what the drug companies say. Of course this makes prepping difficult. You have to try to figure out how to stockpile stuff that doesn't keep well and you have to fight the system just to get any to try and keep. That part I'm still working on. I wish I knew a way to keep meds fresh for a longer time than my current system. Having you guys around helps, too. Even the smartest people can't think of everything and, remember- there's always somebody worse off out there...

Sometimes help comes in strange forms. Jeep, you might want to read a science fiction book for a little moral support. It's called Time Enough For Love by Robert HeinleinyoHe was a wise man and spent a lot of time considering what the meaning is of love, life, and survival. He even had things to learn from in the way of prepping. It's not a small book, but every bit of it has something to say. I'd bet that your wife would enjoy it, too. I wouldn't be surprised if either you've never heard of Heinlein or discount him because of the trainwreck called 'Starship Troopers' that Hollywood cranked out after his death. The only connection between his book and the movie was the title and a few of the names inside. I would recommend that you vets read it, but I'm pretty sure that you've already learned the lessons it has to teach. Yeah, it's true- I'm not a vet. I would have been, but I got nailed pretty early by injuries and the army said [I quote] Sorry, but we don't want to be stuck with your medical care for the rest of your life. That kept me out of Vietnam and similar snafus after that. But, I had that book and I learned a lot. I hope that after whatever form of SHTF gets us that we manage to hold on to books. I plan to do whatever is required to protect a computer, a printer, and a supply of ink and paper. That will keep books from disappearing.

Back to sleep (I hope). I go back to surgery Monday morning, so I wanted to share as much as possible. It's important to look at a problem and say 'why not' rather than 'why'.


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Those aches and pains are a sign of a life well lived. My prayers are with you none the less.


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## Dalarast (May 16, 2014)

Jeep.... did you get orders prior to getting out to say your allowed to get old? 

But Inor is on point.... "aches and pains are a sign of life well lived". Remember pain heels and chick dig scars..get well Jeep! We need you at least 74% efficency for your run for President... ha


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Prayers headed up for all those afflicted.


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## DerBiermeister (Aug 15, 2014)

Jeep said:


> Screw you both, I can't handle sentiment, well I can but you know....
> 
> thanks for the thoughts and prayers. I never been under the knife and that worries the crap out of me. But at least I won't shit on the table.


Jeep -- I actually think that IF they find something repairable -- something that surgery will fix -- that in a few months you will be able to lug that pack around all day and laugh at it. I have had both of my knees replaced and I can state emphatically that those two joints are the best part of my body. At the end of the day, when every other bone and joint in my body aches or is tired -- my knees are in good shape.

So -- keep a positive attitude about this phase. AND rehab like a son of a bitch after the surgery. And if you are not already doing this -- then engage in a serious walking program. You'd be surprised how this one activity will help back issues. I have had a bad back for some 40 years now and years ago I suffered greatly with it, but ever since I started my walking program (24 years ago), I have had very few acute episodes -- very few. I now average about 1100 miles per year, used to average more. I walk 365 days a year, or damn near - probably count on one hand how many days I miss. I used to do 4-7 miles per day, now I do 3 miles per day. My original goal was to walk the circumference of the world (25,000 miles). I have surpassed that and am now aiming for doing it twice. I am not a jogger -- don't like it and it is not good on the joints. Walking is the most perfect exercise God invented.

Anyway - do with the advice as you will, I am off my snake oil sales pitch. :lol:


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## Ragnarök (Aug 4, 2014)

I fell down the stairs in high school and fell on my lower back on the last step and then crumbled and hit my head on the radiator on the wall in front of the stairs. i could not feel the lower section of my body for about 10 seconds..crawled with my arms through the hallway..was a scary ordeal. every now and then when im working my back will give out..im sure from that fall. in short back pain sucks the big one..best of luck


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