Living with Degenerative Disc Disease

In June 2003 I was on a large family holiday in Spain and generally played golf most days. On this particular morning however four different members of our families had shoulder pains, aches etc.so that days golf was cancelled. As I was not one of the people stiff or sore I sought other ways to enjoy the day. A group of nine, consisting of my brother,a daughter,nieces,nephews,etc. were going karting,and being foolish I agreed to go. First and last time.

We had been at the track for a number of hours and were having a fabulous time when I clipped a safety tyre and shot through and collided head on with a cement stanchion which was holding the chains which defined the circuit. The impact will be forever in my mind. More than forty minutes later the ambulance finally arrived but unfortunately they had to come round the back of the track to get in. They had to cut the fencing after coming through the fields at the back which was a sure sign that they never thought something that serious could happen.

On arrival at the hospital in Figuras,and after X-rays etc. I was informed I had multiple femur breaks, burns on my arm from contact with the cart engine and minor scrapes and bruises. I did complain of pain in my back but the very nice doctor did tell me he wasnt surprised I felt pain after such a horiffic impact. This was a Wed. afternoon and three medical staff and the doctor put my leg in holding plaster until the Friday morning when they brought me to theatre. I have to say when they showed me a picture of what they had done I was like a meccano set with all the pins and screws etc.but the savage pain I had been in had abated and I felt reasonably good again. A week later I was released from hospital and after lots of hassle at the airport in Barcelona and after having a fax verified by my surgeon allowing me to fly I returned to Ireland.

For the next fourteen months I was out of work and I thought my limp was a legacy from my accident and despite numerous X-rays to check on the knitting of all the bone cement etc. I thought the time had come to return to work. I began in time to try and take up a normal life again and even tried to play golf again. I put my inability to play well again down to lack of practice and kept trying. Eventually my hands,shoulders,and back were giving me such pain I returned to my G.P.and after tests etc.was told it was rheumatoid arthritis not necessarily because of Spain but probably having a connection. In Sept.06 while on one of many visits to Waterford Regional my rheumatology consultant spoke to me about my posture and on examination and measure check told me my right leg was a lot shorter than my left which would certainly explain my back pain as well. I returned to Kilcreene and my orthopaedic consultant confirmed my right leg to be 5/6cm. shorter.

He told me it could be fixed by surgery but that it could take another possible 18mnths. before I would be near right and that a number of those months would be on traction. The alternative was raises for all my footwear. This I undertook by having 4cm. added to all my footwear (not 5/6cm I was advised in one go) I had been going well for 12mnths. when my back began to give me more trouble. My G.P. sent me for a CT scan and MRI scan. The CT scan says osteophyte formation at multiple levels,minor central disc bulges at L3/4,4/5,L5/S1. Broad based disc protrusion at L4/5 up to 8mm with probable impingement on L5roots in lateral recesses.Mild canal stenosis.

MRI says at L3/4there is disc dehydration with broad based disc bulging. There is facet joint hypertrophy and ligamentum hypertrophy. At l4/5 level there is more marked broad based disc bulging with narrowing of disc space and spinal stenosis due to the presence of facet joint hypertrophy and ligamentum hypertrophy in combination with the broad based disc bulging.At L5/S1 there is central disc bulging. There is fatty marrow changes of the modic type present.

All of this doesnt mean anything to me yet but in 2 wks I go for an epidural in Cork and I will have some improvement D.V. Thank you for listening to me and the moral of the story is maybe DONT GO KARTING