# Next.



## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

_"We do not stop playing because we grow old; _

_We grow old because we stop playing."_

_~Ben Franklin_






A month ago I'd not have given much thought to the words above. I'd have been too busy putting gear away from one weekend trip, or plotting/planning/packing for another to give it much thought.

That was a month ago.



In the intervening four weeks I've learned more about my cervical spine than I ever thought I could, or would.

My summer effectively ended that Sunday morning, when I woke with intense neck/shoulder/arm pain and then spent the next few weeks digging deeper (chiro, MT, PT, DO, acupuncture, etc...) until an MRI gave the answer: 2 herniated discs in my neck, causing a chain reaction of muscle spasms and pinched nerves that continues to this day.

All likely due to decades of being hunched over handlebars with my 8# bean suspended out there for too long with too little rest.

I seem to have arrived at mid-life. Or maybe it has landed on me.

The most poignant single phrase that has been uttered to help me understand this new reality: _This bell cannot be unrung._

Among other things, to me that means that denial and bargaining ended pretty quickly. Time to figure out the new normal.



A recent weekend saw Jeny off with the girls and Fang on his own summer vacation, giving me reason to attempt to ride, fish, camp for the first time with my new limitations.

Riding, so long as it was at an old man's pace and on 5" tires, was OK.

Fishing was also OK.



Sleeping in the dirt will need some adaptation. And maybe pain meds or muscle relaxers.

The main thing I came away from the weekend with had little to do with any of that: I missed my family. Each activity seemed lacking in meaning without Jeny and Fang there to share it.



And while that's not exactly true, it speaks volumes about where I've been and where I'm heading. If you knew me 2, 5, 10 years ago you'd be nodding your head in understanding.

Onward.​


----------



## riderx (Jan 6, 2004)

Sorry to hear that. As my own creeks and pains start to creep in I want to keep pushing the same as I always have. Reality is, we will all slow down at some point. Figuring out how to come to grips with that is probably the hardest. Good luck in finding the right balance and continuing to enjoy what you do.


----------



## leeboh (Aug 5, 2011)

Chin up, pedal on. Don't sleep on the dirt. Get a hammock. Best sleep ever. Lightweight ones too.


----------



## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Sorry to hear that. I hope you find a balance you are happy with and your body finds sustainable.

I couldn't use my left arm for 5 months after a tough bikepacking trip. Then I had 2 months where I couldn't walk due to arthritis in the same 12 months. Suddenly losing the ability to ride my bike for months was a huge shock. Eventually I got my health back, but I'll never take my mobility for granted again.

Take your time figuring stuff out. Don't rush it and don't assume your current limitations are the way it has to be. It may be temporary while you figure out what to do and while your body heals/adapts.

In the meantime fly fishing and some fatbike cruising ain't awful.


----------



## seedub (Nov 16, 2005)

*Dude - You are not alone*

I'm 52. At 39, lower back issues. Recovered. 45 found me in the ER, L5 ruptured, L4 severely herniated, L3 not much better. MRI turned my stomach. PT, patience, walking and bikes gave me sanity and fitness back. It was a looong road to recovery. So many similar storys in here. You will be back. Believe it.


----------



## 1speeder (Aug 2, 2005)

I turned 50 last December. This spring I discovered I had 2 herniated discs in my cervical spine pressing on my occipital nerve causing debilitating pain in the back of my head. Hospital stays, MRIs, neurologists ensued. Only 3 weeks of physical therapy got me back on track. The interesting thing was, they said bending my head down was what caused the herniations in the back of the vertebrae, not the typical heads up position of a cyclist. That was the good news. My guess is that mobile device use caused me to look down a lot. 

I've since added a mountain unicycle to my stable. Getting older shouldn't mean the end of having fun and learning new skills. It just requires more finesse and patience, and a bit more work to maintain what you think your baseline level should be. I learned that from being a 3-time blood cancer survivor. 

Take some time to address what ails you, then you'll be ready to go on that next adventure! 

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk


----------



## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

I have had issues with c4-c6 discs since I was 30 (46 now). I woke up one morning, at work offshore and found I couldn't move my head and had the shoulder, arm pain you are describing.
I was told that I would likely need to have them removed and the vertebrae fused, surgery etc. The osteopath and chiropractor who put me back together (over 3 months) told me not to rush and that it was manageable and they were right.
We are all different but I can quite safely say that it has had no impact on cycling, I was told in no uncertain terms that running was out, sports that involve repetitive rotation / twisting such as tennis, golf etc were not recommended. (but I've also had a fractured L4 vert before).
Cycling along with light low impact martial arts were recommended, 

Biggest lifestyle changes I have had are:
- Sleeping position - I use an orthopedic pillow and sleep on my back, ( hammock or air matress and inflatable neck support bike packing)
- Work I use laptops with a docking station, monitor at eye level properly supported external keyboard. I make sure that these are supplied to me as part of my contract.

Since the late 90's I have performed neck stretching and strength exercises daily, along with another exercise program o keep my back and core muscles strong. every 2 or 3 months I head to the chiropractor for minor adjustments, and annual X rays / MRI etc - it has got no worse

Nowadays there are also double cervical disc replacements available that have none of the movement restrictions that removal and fusing verts has. (I have a riding buddy I met at the chiropractor who has had his C4 / c5 discs replaced)

So I fully understand it doesn't look great from where you are now, but with some minor lifestyle changes (and a slight change to your bike packing sleeping arrangements) cervical disc injuries are most definitely manageable over the longer term.


----------



## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

5 years ago I twanged my leg somehow and went to the physiotherapist. She treated me like I was being a baby, made me do exercises that hurt, then the next day I couldn't walk. She quickly shifted me off to a sports medicine doctor. He pushed and pulled on my leg which caused excruciating pain which intensified over the next few days. Then the atrophy in my quads started. Became totally crippled, unable to walk and eventually unable to even use crutches. Unable to care for myself, had to move in with my mom on Vancouver Island to take care of me.

Went to see a different sports medicine doctor over there who insisted despite my protests on pushing and pulling on my leg. Treated me like a whiner. Pain was excruciating and again got worse for the days after. Total invalid. I did lots of internet research and having taken pre-med courses I knew my way around. Doctor had zero interest in listening to what I had to say. Sent me to a nerve specialist in Victoria who did tests and discovered I had femoral nerve damage. They were all freaking out that I had spinal cancer despite me insisting that this was an injury and not located in the spine. Sent me for a bone scan which loaded me up with radioactive Technecium 99, not too happy about that! I kept telling him I was pulling the nerve, I could feel it happening, but he just responded saying that "there is nothing to pull". Amazing that a sports medicine doctor has never heard of nerve entrapment, one of the more common ailments of athletes.

After about half a year of this living hell with internet research not bringing up any previous instances of this malady, it finally dawned on me to stretch my hamstrings which were really tight. Within a couple days the worst of my symptoms disappeared and I was walking again.

I was so happy that I pushed myself too hard and destroyed my patellar tendon since it had atrophied so bad. On crutches again for another 4 months. Finally was able to get back up to speed again and regained my athletic abilities to 99% of their previous glory.

I learned:

Do not trust doctors. They are too busy and overwhelmed to give you the individual attention you need, and often times too arrogant to listen to the patient's own insights.
Do not let doctors push you around and do things that you know are painful and damaging. They are only people.
The internet can help you figure out a lot of your own problems if you know how to use it wisely and aren't a hypochondriac.
In the middle of it I thought I was going to die, the pain and atrophy was so severe. But I fully regained nerve, muscle and tendon function. The body has an amazing ability to heal, beyond what the doctors think possible, if you take the right steps.
Apparently my neuroma has never been documented before, too bad my doctor was such a prick or I might have let him write me up in the journals.

All told I was out for a year with major disability but it took another year or two for all the pain and nerve symptoms to go away.


----------



## Matterhorn (Feb 15, 2015)

Hope you get to feeling better and more perhaps more importantly make peace with your new situation. From the photos all does not appear to be lost.


----------



## seedub (Nov 16, 2005)

*Relevant as I (we all) age.*

Not mine, stumbled upon this while Googling a route possibility.

Blog Lacunae: Regretted, Adumbrated | The Logging Road Cyclist


----------



## tim208 (Apr 23, 2010)

how old are you?


----------



## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

tim208 said:


> how old are you?


45 going on 65, or so it feels as this drags on and worsens.


----------



## tim208 (Apr 23, 2010)

46 here, I am wondering how many more solo elk hunts I got in me, but damn it is so much fun to keep being adventurous, we just need to sit down a touch sooner than in the 30's. but keep getting after it, to early to slow down now.


----------



## Smithhammer (Jul 18, 2015)

I'm sorry to hear that, Mike, and I wish you the best for a good recovery. I'm 47, with 6 screws in my left ankle, a number of other broken bones, and I'm currently recovering from a broken wrist, dislocated shoulder and a torn AC joint, among other things. There's really no convenient phrase that changes the fact that recovering from injuries, and dealing with long-term pain/limitations, simply sucks. But equally true is that adventure is where we find it, and it starts with an attitude, and as long as that attitude thrives, we continue to feast on the marrow of life. I've dealt with some limitations as I've gotten older and sustained various injuries, but I'll be damned if I'm going to let that keep me from living life to the fullest, saying "yes" to the opportunities for risk and extending my comfort zone as they come my way, and loving those close to me. I figure as long as I can sustain that, I will have no regrets. I hope you continue to get outside and you continue to enjoy the wild in whatever way you can, and that you continue to share your adventures with us.


----------



## NDTransplant (Feb 6, 2012)

Sorry to hear about your troubles, mikesee.

I've been struggling for over a year now with a persistent 'kink' in my neck, and occasional numbness in my fingers; recent MRI didn't look real favorable- pinched nerves, etc.

Have about run the gamut of treatments now before surgery; chiropractors that crack a lot of bones, chiropractors that crack only a few bones, acupuncture, massage therapist, physical therapist, latest trick is epidural injections.

Motorcycle riding is out of the question at the moment, but still OK on the bicycle, so that is really good news.

I sure hope you can start working towards an effective solution, because being in pain gets old in a hurry!


----------



## jamesjbigler (Apr 26, 2004)

*Chronic Back Pain*

I have been living with back pain for a long time. I have been to every kind of doctor and specialist and alternative therapist I can think of. Some things help for a while but the enemy always finds a way to adapt.

I also like to come up with wacky ideas of my own to try and see if they help.

Our office moved to a new location with a gym. I have been using the elliptical machine every day after work for several months. When I feel sore and tight before working out, I do feel looser and more relaxed after this type of exercise.

One day on the elliptical machine I had the idea to drop the seat on my mountain bike and just try standing up the entire ride. My thinking is that the position would be similar to the elliptical machine but the scenery would be a lot better.

I have been doing that the last couple months. I can't ride for as long or as fast as before, but I can ride mostly pain free. I also find myself having to get off and push more, and the walking seems to help stretch things out and give my back a break.

When I saw in your post that one of the causes you attributed the pain to was hanging your head out over the bars it made be think about my choice to stand more upright on the bike and I wondered if it might help you as well.

I hope you find something that works for you.


----------



## baltobrewer (Apr 22, 2015)

MC, hope your recovery is better each day. Just turned 46 last month, and can't help but feel the inevitable creep of age into my body with the passage of time. I sense it mostly in the nagging stiffness that seems to work its way in to my back and feet and knees when I least want it to. Being on the bike is my therapy, as I'm sure it is yours, so it must be tremendously disheartening to have to be off of it for any length of time (the Fatillac is such an amazing looking steed). 

Keep at it, keep persisting in your recovery, and above all keep optomistic. No matter what the docs say, your body is yours and no one knows it like you do. Keep us posted.


----------



## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

baltobrewer said:


> MC, hope your recovery is better each day. Just turned 46 last month, and can't help but feel the inevitable creep of age into my body with the passage of time. I sense it mostly in the nagging stiffness that seems to work its way in to my back and feet and knees when I least want it to. Being on the bike is my therapy, as I'm sure it is yours, so it must be tremendously disheartening to have to be off of it for any length of time (the Fatillac is such an amazing looking steed).
> 
> Keep at it, keep persisting in your recovery, and above all keep optomistic. No matter what the docs say, your body is yours and no one knows it like you do. Keep us posted.


As it happens, thing escalated dramatically and I ended up in surgery yesterday. Removed the offending disc, installed a new one (bionic?!), glued me back together. Not having had many surgeries it's kind of eye-opening (<-pun alert) how they roll you in there conscious and then you wake up a few hours later, in a different place, unaware of any time having passed.

Sore and tired today, but those should pass quickly. They tell me this problem is solved, and in 6 or so weeks I'll feel better (neck and shoulder and such) than I have in years.

Which means I have 6 weeks to get all my excuses down about why I'm still so slow and unskilled on the bike...


----------



## byknuts (Aug 9, 2008)

For some reason, there is a minute magnetic attraction between my new bionic disc and the left pedal, it's throwing my cadence off!!


Glad to hear you're well on the mend!!


----------



## mdilthey (Dec 15, 2014)

I couldn't run from the age of 16 until 22. Four foot surgeries later, the vein malformation was subdued enough that I started jogging, then running, then half-marathon running. 16 miles was my record. Three months after that amazing impromptu distance run, the pain was back. I'm going in for my sixth surgery this winter. I'm now 25, and I haven't ran in two years.

I didn't know what I was missing until I had it. So I bike. I bike all the time, I mountain bike until my foot screams, I road bike when I can't handle the flat pedals anymore, and I commute religiously. I've lived in this town for two years without setting foot on the bus. 

Pain sucks. Limitations suck. But there's a little victory in getting out and doing it anyways. There's courage in looking disability in the face and saying "Not me."


----------



## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

mdilthey said:


> I couldn't run from the age of 16 until 22. Four foot surgeries later, the vein malformation was subdued enough that I started jogging, then running, then half-marathon running. 16 miles was my record. Three months after that amazing impromptu distance run, the pain was back. I'm going in for my sixth surgery this winter. I'm now 25, and I haven't ran in two years.
> 
> I didn't know what I was missing until I had it. So I bike. I bike all the time, I mountain bike until my foot screams, I road bike when I can't handle the flat pedals anymore, and I commute religiously. I've lived in this town for two years without setting foot on the bus.
> 
> Pain sucks. Limitations suck. But there's a little victory in getting out and doing it anyways. There's courage in looking disability in the face and saying "Not me."


Really well put. And, good on ya. Perspective isn't forced on us, it is a choice.


----------



## blkqi (Oct 15, 2015)

Thanks for the video, Mike. What rod are you packing? Is that the Cabela's Stowaway?


----------



## BikesFloat (Jul 27, 2015)

leeboh said:


> Chin up, pedal on. Don't sleep on the dirt. Get a hammock. Best sleep ever. Lightweight ones too.


Like the (wo)man said - get a hammock. hammockforums.net is a good place to start.


----------



## BlackCanoeDog (Jul 26, 2003)

loved the video!!


----------



## mikesee (Aug 25, 2003)

blkqi said:


> Thanks for the video, Mike. What rod are you packing? Is that the Cabela's Stowaway?


Yep. Used to have a 7pc but snapped the tip off in a careless moment. This one is a 6pc, 4wt. Lots of fun with a 28" fish!


----------



## joeduda (Jan 4, 2013)

mikesee said:


> As it happens, thing escalated dramatically and I ended up in surgery yesterday. Removed the offending disc, installed a new one (bionic?!), glued me back together. Not having had many surgeries it's kind of eye-opening (<-pun alert) how they roll you in there conscious and then you wake up a few hours later, in a different place, unaware of any time having passed.
> 
> Sore and tired today, but those should pass quickly. They tell me this problem is solved, and in 6 or so weeks I'll feel better (neck and shoulder and such) than I have in years.
> 
> Which means I have 6 weeks to get all my excuses down about why I'm still so slow and unskilled on the bike...


Good to hear they got you fixed up. I had to laugh at the excuses comment, I've had medical issues for the last couple of years and have every excuse in the book! :lol:


----------

