A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
Back in December, my left leg was in a lot of pain. It started with a dull pain and got to the point where I couldn’t walk on it and sleeping was difficult. I didn’t bump it, didn’t hurt it. I have no idea what caused it. I just started hurting A LOT and went away in about 4-5 days. Luckily, I was on leave at the time.
I just returned from a trip escorting my Brigade Commander and Command Sergeant Major to three of my offices as they visited the troops. On Monday and Tuesday, I had no problems. On Wednesday, my leg was sore but I thought it was a result of jogging in cold weather. Throughout the day, as we traveled to different offices, it got more and more sore. Thursday morning, I woke up and could barely walk again. The pain was excruciating, but I had to Soldier on until the mission was complete. It just meant a lot of hobbling around. Again, I didn’t get hit, didn’t bump into anything.
So, on Friday I braved the Army medical services and went in to have my leg looked at. The Doc told me that it could be a nerve issue. The subject of my back injury came up. He asked why I hadn’t had an MRI yet and that my leg issue could be stemming from my back injury (new readers may not know that I was injured in Iraq). While the military health care system sucks, I have a GREAT doctor.
Much to Emily’s delight, I was issued a cane until the MRI is scheduled. It wasn’t he fact that I was issued a cane, but the fact that the cane had to have four inches sawed off!! Plus, the fact that it makes me look older, which makes her look younger. The kids think only old people can have canes, but they like to play with it and run off with it when I need it. Anyhoo, I’m feeling a lot better today – sex makes the pain go away. (Did I say that out loud? Gotta work on my inner voice!)
(11) Readers Comments
Leave a Reply
![[UPDATE] The “Face” of Military Dating Scams – The Wall of Shame](http://militarygear.com/asp/wp-content/themes/LondonLive/thumb.php?src=http://militarygear.com/asp/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/2.jpg&w=53&h=41&zc=1&q=100)
Anatomy of a Military Dating Scam
For Rachel Green: I do believe that was a scam. Military men do not n
CG of 3rd Infantry Division Targeted in Nigerian Scams
Ladies, beware, Sgt Calvin Clerance is also Paul Graves, Sgt51 on MyDa
[UPDATE] The "Face" of Military Dating Scams - The Wall of Shame
Hi all, I was contacted mid-Dec 2011 via facebook by a man claiming
[UPDATE] The "Face" of Military Dating Scams - The Wall of Shame
Why would you ever point out what they are doing wrong, it is like tra
California Concealed Carry Stupidity
he doesnt know ray just another hippie that is about growing weed and
Machelle
I hope its nothing too bad. I was diagnosed with sciatica. After the car crash in 2003 I was left with an untreated back injury because the pain didn’t begin to surface until a later time. I started having really bad leg pain. I had a cane from when I shattered my knee so I kept that by my bed for the longest time because I needed it to walk because the pain was so bad. I wasn’t able to move when I was in bed because of the pain. I finally went to the doctor and they diagnosed with me with the sciatica. They said a disc slips in my back and presses against the nerve causing the pain or somethin…
Miss Ladybug
Hope the pain is easily and permanently remedied, CJ. And you are so naughty – just wait ’til Emily sees what you said…
Isaac
What happened to you in Iraq CJ?
Anyway, I hope you get better soon.
Carole
I hope you feel better soon CJ.
Tracy
Ouch CJ! I hope the find the cause of your pain and are able to treat it.
LOL on sawing inches off the cane~I come from a family of “vertically challenged” people (at 5’3″ I was taller than both my paternal grandparents!) so I know what ya mean!
CJ
Isaac, check the war journal archives. Here’s a shortcut to actual post:
http://www.soldiersperspective.us/2005/03/23/23-march-2003-the-day-of-my-back-injury/
Grumpy
CJ, I can really relate to you about canes. I had real bad time with seizures in Nov ’99. Riding in cars was out because, for me, it caused seizures. I was on medication and the seizures SEEMED like they were under control. Nov ’99, my body had a FLASH message for me, WRONG! I had taken a long walk and was trying to get home I went down on concrete many times. I had a long walking staff at that time with a crutch type tip. After replaying this process many times, I was able to get home. I just laid down on the bed and went to sleep. Say I went to sleep, mid afternoon Monday, I woke up in the evening of Wednesday. People who have keys to the house came over when they heard about it, they tried but could not fully wake me up. I would wake up a little and they asked a series of questions, which I answered correctly. They would let me go back to sleep. They decided to call the VA and 911, I wound up in the local hospital to be stabilized and then sent to the nearest VA Medical Center. I had a really neat doctor. I DO NOT GET ALONG WITH DOCTORS! He had a sense of humor. When I was being released, the issue about a cane came up. My response, “Sir, if you don’t mind I would prefer the staff. It is longer, stronger and is a self-adjusting cane.” He accepted my suggestion and I was discharged from the hospital.
When I got home, friends saw me up and about, we all talked. I have a small group Viet Nam era vets who are friends and have been for 50 years. We all went into the Military at the same time. There was this one day in the winter time, there was ice and snow all over the place. Yes, I went out in it. I have a set of elastic straps, with studs on the bottom for walking on ice. After cleaning a path out, I was walking and one of these vets came out and yelled, “Moses, deliver us from this stuff!” At the time, I had a full beard. I responded, “You know better than that, it just doesn’t work that way.
I figure you have already done this, but if not, please consider it. Make sure your health care provider is aware of the events noted in your 23 Mar 2003 post. This benefits you, your family, the troops serving with you and the Nation. Honesty and transparency is paramount. As I have read your posts you have been straight forward. I have made many mistakes. I just don’t want you make the same ones.
Grumpy
Terri
I had a chuckle when I got to the part about having to saw off 4 inches of the cane. A certain someone in Las Vegas would really get a kick out of her favorite “vertically challenged” 1SG having to have his cane adjusted. LOL! I won’t touch the last comment except to say that you and SNAFU have apparently been conspiring.
Seriously CJ, take care of yourself and keep us posted on what the outcome of your MRI is. You’ll be in our thoughts.
Donna
CJ,
I hope that your leg gets better soon and they find out the trouble. I too couldn’t help but laugh about the sawing of the cane, please forgive me! Also your last comment gave me a huge laugh. You know that my husband had a back injury and strangely enough, his pain went way too with sex. Do you suppose that it’s a conspiracy Ha!
Anyway, get well soon CJ and please take care of yourself ! Prayers coming your way!
SK
Ha! Even I didn’t need 4″ sawed off my cane!! lol
Adam
I’ve spent over twenty years of Soldiering through pain, but if you are not careful, there is a price to pay for neglecting your health. My first lesson was shortly after I ETSed in the late 1980s. I had knee problems that were treated with therapy and pain killers from the military medical staff. The ligament damage had been overlooked and my knee eventually collapsed. It took four screws and a tendon to repair my knee. I’ve also recently suffered another knee injury with similar symptoms as yours. I can’t identify the particular incident that caused the pain, but a tumor was discovered in my knee on an MRI.
BLUF: The Army is great, but we have to put our hooah attitude aside and take care of our bodies, because one day we will leave the Army. I wish I would have put my ego aside when I was 20 years old. I could have avoided a knee injury that has forever changed me.