The woes of a laborer

[goosefish]

I'm only 33 but my back is killing me and I've got some nasty varicose veins--from standing they say. I need to put on these stockings every morning, which keep the veins from bulging out. These stocking are a huge pain in the butt. Ah but the spine and my job, bending and lifting, sorting and stacking lugging hauling and heaving--and only 33!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BigFish]

Injured my back when I was 24 years old. For three years I was a concrete cutter and part of the job was to swing a sledgehammer to knock over or out the slabs of concrete that I had cut....well my weapon of choice was a 20 pound sledgehammer and I don't know if you have ever swung a 20 pound sledge both vertically and horizontally, but it takes quite a bit of power to be able to both swing the sledge and make the impact worth swinging such a large hammer! Well, needless to say after three plus years of swinging this monster hammer, one day my back goes "POP"! Compression fracture to two of my lower vertabra and a bulging disc for my trouble! Never had surgery, lots of physical therapy though. Out of work for three years (too bad I was not into fishing at the time)! My back still bothers me quite a bit, I just got used to the discomfort! It hurts pretty much 24-7! And when I am fishing with eels....after a few hours of heaving those babies out there, my back is in excruciating pain. See what happens when you think you are invinceable???? So do all those things people tell you, lift with your legs and all that, and don't overdue it! Good luck and later Goosefish!

[goosefish]

Yeah after an hour standing in the wash my back is shot. Cant even have a plug bag slung over the shoulder. The pain has made my revise where I fish. Jetties and rock..........Can't wade and fish. Point Jude is out and so is Deep Hole. One thing I did find that is helpful, or can stall the pain, is to shift the rod from underneath my right arm to underneath my left. This has helped. But i am happy with what I have in life, my condition is minor when i look around this world, loads upon loads of suffering.

[Slipknot]

Just wait til you're 43 and have had a ruptured disk in your lower back at 37, talk about fun

better do some stretching and keep those muscles in shape is all I can say.

[Moose Nuckle]

Hey Slip,
I'm 41 with a ruptured disk in my lower back. I don't want to get cut open so I have been going to the Chiropractor three days a week. I feel great after he does the traction thing on my back. I have been out of work since Sept. Good luck all.........

[fishaholic18]

I'm in the same boat. I'm 37. I've had a pinched siatic nerve for about 5 years now and have been going to a chiropractor ever since to keep it under control. In September I heniated a disc and have been out of work since. Did 2 months of therapy but it's still not 100%, maybe 60%. My job as an auto tech involves a lot of bending and lifting, so I'm screwed if this thing doesn't get better. I'm going back to the orthopedic doctor next week to talk about an epidural block. I've talked to several people who say it worked great. I hope so.

[Got Stripers]

I feel your pain, looking forward to another day of it today, early to rise early to bed, wife says the pains all in my head.

[bassmaster]

lower pain here.
I can swing a 20 You just got to know how, But still its work
22 years being a %$%$%$%$%$%$g truck driver and 9 in precast
concrete sucks

[Flaptail]

Education is the key. Construction is a young man's game. Being a laborer is no picnic. I hyave been involved in the construction game off and on for over twenty-seven years now. I am 48 with no back, leg or other ailments. The key was going back to school and working my way up from grunt electricians apprentice to estimator, project manager, using my construction background to became a facilities director in charge of new and renovation construction for several school districts over the last 12 years as in-house project manager/monitor and paid consultant. Long time ago an old and wise electrician told me the key was education and using that education to find the right position and work smart not hard. I follow that dictum everyday. Getting paid for what you know not what you do is the way to go and I am lovin' it.

[capesams]

Well I'm president
vice pre.
director
sexratery
draft person
estimator
laborer
go fa
clean up man,,,,,,,,an I don't make squat...construction sucks. people are always trying to cut your price down..they think you can live on corn flakes.

[TheRattBoy]

Me , 36, Mailman,
Back kills espically this time of year lifting , lugging #^&#^&#^&#^& up and down the hills.F'N people letting their mutts run loose, they want to eat you for lunch.Yell at you when you shut off the mail.People not shoveling out after snow stroms, expect you to walk up stairs that they don't shovel, cause they just drive into their F'N garage,tough #^&#^&#^&#^& if you fall.Again, yell when they ain't getting their mail and I got the F'N yuppie section of town, you know what that means, the bigger the house the less consideration they got for you,don't shovel, leave the trash out IN FRONT of the mail box (on post), no matter how nice you ask they just put barrels on other side of driveway.Hottest days they don't think of asking if you'd like something cold to drink,coldest days they think nothing of letting you know yer "late". Yeah, they get the new Lexus every 1 1/2 yrs but do you get anything at Christmas, RIGHT.F'N people SUCK...I won't even start on the office ALWAYS being short staffed,yeah try and get a saturday off (plugfest, have fun),can anyone tell what kind of day I had????? johnny "the Ratt Boy"

[Slipknot]

[capesams]

Slip//// u make boxes,,can ya make one fa me about 6' long an wide at the sholders? o yeh an can ya make it a little higher soz my belly will fit an won't squash when they slam the lid shut.. an make the bottom wide too, I wantta take me plugs with me.. black walnut please..

[RIROCKHOUND]

How about from just being active? I've got tendonitis in both knees and shoulders from a couple of years as a competative powerlifter, what was I thinking
Shoulders are good for casting for a couple of hours, then I swich rords (spin-convech or vise versa) the slight different motion keeps my shoulders going..

Flap education is key.. thats why I hide in academia as long as they'll pay my research salary and tuition... I might be broke but I enjoy it...

Still crawl through bilges and engine rooms painting/scraping in the spring, cant get away from that too much...need to get dirty is still strong lol

'hound

[Bernzy]

Ruptured disc and lamenectomy at 20 ( L-4 ) I'm 49 now. Been dealin with it for 29 years. Chiropractor and magnetic therapy keep me going, along with a few brewski's and some Blu Stuff.
Everyday I can get out of bed and stand erect is a good day.
But I still get grumpy.

Bernzy

[shore manic]

cape, forget the box from slip!! if you're taking all your plugs with ya i'm thinking you'll be needing a shipping container!! you can take all your woodworking tools too!!

[mrmacey]

you guys are in rough shape!!