New to Parchment and Pen: Michael’s Hapax Legomenon

Michael,

I am sorry to hear about your back pain. And I have been sorry to hear about Michael Spencer and all that family is dealing with too.

Do you suppose maybe your back pain is from grief and associated stress? Those two things can do very strange things to a human body.

Are you feeling any better today?

Michael,

I have had severe back pain since for many years including the tail bone. I have found great relief by practice yoga three times a week. I go months without reoccurring pain. And when it comes back, I have some yoga exercises that ease or eliminate the pain.
Hope your back gets better.

Tailbone pain…. I have it because I fell straight down on my butt while talking with a salesman at Lowes. I rolled off the side of my platform flip-flop. It was not pretty. That was months ago. Since then a friend told me his wife had a similar poolside fall. Her doctor said that a cracked tailbone can take seven years to heal…..and there’s nothing they can do about it. Michael, did you fall on your bum recently?

See an orthopedist!! Get it x-rayed. Buy an inflatable donut-shaped cushion, or something of the sort. I just saw one at Walmart. I will pray for you!

I’m bummed that Dan Kimball will be on tomorrow. My son’s school open house is tomorrow and we also meet with our Life-group tomorrow evening. I’ve chatted with Dan on FB a bit lately about things related to the book he is writing. I like the way he thinks!

Spot reducing…..you mean I can’t make my post-three-pregnancies middle look better than it does now by doing exercises? I was going to try working on that!

Alias. I don’t watch it but there’s a model who goes to our church who everyone thinks looks like Jennifer Garner.

“Most Profound Tweeter” Your kids said THAT? How would they know? They are too little to evaluate something as being ‘profound’. That must have come from your oldest. Isn’t she sort of your ‘mini-me’ in feminine form?

Number 4 is awesome, Michael! Good job!

Re: Michael Spencer,

To lose a fellow brother in Christ who has been so devoted to the cause of Christianity is a hard thing, no matter whether we always agree with their opinions or not.

That is hard for me, because I do not think that Michael’s life is being cut short because he is being judged for his sins. Nor do I think that it is the case with any Christian’s health problems. Scripture says it rains on the just and the unjust. Are we as Christians really able to accept that?

It is about what God chooses in the end, not our personal knowledge or our wisdom or whatever.

I went to the doctor with back pain. Ended up, after many tests and x-rays that the doctor determined that I’m old and fat. I already knew that!

I have to do a bunch of stretching exercises, after which I feel like the rubber legged man – almost can’t walk. But it feels great. I hope your problem turns out to be as simple as this was for me.

God be with you.

COCCYGODYNIA Michael is what it sound like. Dont mean to insult you but this generally occur in women such as after childbirth. Most cases occur from trauma.
Pain almost always is well localized in the midline of gluteal crease ie in between your buttock cheek. Sometimes it radiates “shoot” into the lateral gluteal (side of your buttock) or down your legs which can be confuse with sciatica.
My recommendations: Find a good orthopod. as he will need to differentiate between pain/tenderness coming from sacrococcygeal joint or from adjacent bones or colorectal area not good. In addition neurologic testing of the perineum if he/she suspect lower back pathology. Xray unnecessary generally and required if clinical findings arenondiagnostic. Special test like MRI, bone scan again generally not required unless pain extend beyond the joint.
Diagnosis is mostly from clinical exam, history taking.
Treatment is what you really want: !! From almost non history in your statement with lots of assumption on my part –your case is persistent — Goal: 1) Reduce local inflammation 2) Protect coccyx from further irritation. The bottom line Use hemorrhoidal donut pad to reduce pressure; local corticosteroid injection which aids in persistent inflammation of the saccrococcygeal joint. Worst scenario surgery– coccygectomy !! Side effect: persistent perineal pain !! 🙁

Will pray for your condition.

Oooh, there’s a doctor in the house! I’m only a doctor’s kid 😉

My orthopedic took exrays and mri’s. He mentioned this diagnosis, but seems to think that it is referred pain from my lower back. I have a severely pinched nerve there that often gives me trouble. This pain is just so severe and so different than anything that I have ever had in my lower back. It primarily hurts not so much when I sit, but when I get up from sitting. I can’t get up when I sit down. The muscles connected to the tailbone hurt so bad when I try to stand, I have to use alternate means of standing. Don’t get me wrong, it does hurt when I sit, but most acutely when I stand.

I don’t know. He is done and has nothing but a direct epidural to offer me. I told him no. Should I do somewhere else or just continue to wait for it to heal on its own. That MRI cost me a lot of money for nothing so financial concerns become a factor.

Michael,

I certainly don’t have any medical advice to offer. But one thing we can all do is pray for you. Please keep us updated on how you are doing and as a reminder so we won’t forget to do that, OK?

Praying,

Cheryl

Hi Michael,

I would be happy to discuss this further if you think I can be of help. My email is [email protected].

Thanks Eric. R U a doctor?

On a sidenote, we have a contract on our house! Two years on the market with almost nothing and now a contract!!! Thanks for your prayers all.

Michael, two notes on back pain. My friend Allen has a tumor in his butt — I don’t know a better way to put it. It started out as tailbone pain, also. I hope such is not the case for you.

Also, I think I can understand about the pinched nerve thing. My mother also had a pinched nerve in her spine (L5, I believe). Not a fun thing, for sure. Fortunately a few surgeries made it a lil better.

I will pray.