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@@matthewjamesduffy you’ll have a wonderful time! And thank you!

@@TerryWaggoner it’s amazing!! I hope you love it as much as we did. If you have questions or want suggestions, I would be happy to give you insight!

Awesome. Likewise we are going late December til January. The horseback riding looks great too.

@@mohdroslan2070it’s so much fun! Dingle Horseback riding and they were fantastic. You will have a great time!

@@brianwatkins4203 you aren’t biased about his name at all! 😜 but yes, he’s pretty awesome AND a great name! The trip was phenomenal and I’m so glad we finally got there ❤️ thank you!!

I’m not certain. My connections are no longer breeders.

Ugh! I’m so sorry! If you want help to talk through it or make a plan, please let me know.

@@atrudell007 I’ll be in touch. Ended up in the ER and had an emergency MRI. Now treatment plan. It’s my cervical spine

I am so sorry to hear this. The pain can be debilitating-I panicked every time I felt a sneeze was coming because it would knock me to my knees. If you are having neck pain, is your herniation in the upper part of your back? What methods of treatment have you tried? A large part of my story was getting insurance to approve my surgery after several medical professionals felt it was necessary. If you would like a larger view of what I went through, please check out my Herniated Disc 101 video: th-cam.com/video/xWi-7aIL-t8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=U22iBi6XuZ9mAlUX I also created a document with helpful tips and tools in navigating life with a herniated disc: drive.google.com/file/d/1gqzHC6WVKgPjbrjgLhkvXXzN2WwEcK2T/view?usp=sharing From my experience, my recommended approach is to utilize conservative methods in order to treat the problem, but also position yourself in a way to get the surgery if necessary (namely, knowing what your insurance and surgeon's office require in order to have said surgery). Do you have specific questions? I'm happy to help.

Yeah had the same thing, vertigo, neck pain etc. when I herniated my L4-L5 and L5-S1 discs just a year ago. My left foot was completely numb for some 2 or 3 months from sciatica inflammation. When that inflammation vane down I started to really push myself, first with light exercises (like long walks and some yoga like cobra position and spine decompression), than I switched to heavy ones like Mcgills big 3, pull-ups, push-ups, weights trainings (dumbbells mostly). And now I'm completely recovered, and in a great shape, for me this was a gift of injury. You really need to build those Core muscles (lower back, obliques, abdominals and gluteus) to be better and get yourself from that pain. I exercise almost 2 hours a day, Every Day in order to be well. If you don't like to exercise than the best option for you would be a surgery.

@@PatrickHSB I'm so glad you were able to find your way to recovery and I commend you for your work ethic. Each person that I've related to with injury seems to have a different journey, sometimes in subtle ways and sometimes in big ways. I've always been a big one for working out, from weight lifting and running to pilates and yoga. When I initially injured myself last March, I took your approach as well. When I healed enough to get back at it, I pushed myself and had adverse effects. In my case, multiple medical professionals agreed that my herniation would not absorb back into place because my bulge was too big and the nerve damage would just continue to worsen. I did try many conservative methods, including a heavy regimen of spinal decompression--but there was no avoiding surgery in my case. Each person is different in what may or may not work. The good news is there are several methods to try before you have to commit to surgery. I will say, you are absolutely right about building those core muscles and that is something I will continue to strengthen as my life progresses.

Thanks! And I’m not even surprised! 😜

@Sondan1988 thank you for your response--and so much of what you have said I agree with. In an attempt to not make this video longer than what it is, I did not give my full back story. When I was 15, I was in a horse accident that hairline fractured my spine. I've been destined for back issues to progress ever since. To help keep me strong, I've consciously done your typical eating well and working out with a focus on core strength. Over the last 10 years, I committed to seeing my chiropractors at least once a month, if nothing but for maintenance. I love chiropractors and I believe they do a world of good. I also believe they should be approached first in regards to back pain--just as I did for this instance. I'm not sure if you watched the full video, but I did in fact do 6 weeks of decompression therapy (3 days a week) with a chiropractor after I was officially diagnosed. As per you explanation, my research showed me this was a far more effective approach to resolving my herniation than physical therapy. I have no regrets in doing it, other than I wished I would have been diagnosed and done it all sooner. Unfortunately, my bulge was too big and my chiropractor agreed that surgery was the only way out for me. The perspective I used in this video was how to navigate insurance in order to better manage your own health. I was told that because of going to two different chiropractors consistently and doing the decompression therapy AND waiting the three months from diagnosis AND the two failed epidurals, I "shouldn't have a problem" getting the surgery if/when the time came. Wrong. Even thought the date was set, insurance got to dictate that is wasn't "medically necessary" for me because I hadn't done "conservative treatment" (in their book, this means physical therapy). I think this is something we both agree is incredibly wrong. I collapsed after I was denied--literally. I was only hanging on long enough to get to the surgery after all my other attempts had failed. My body couldn't take the pain anymore, nor the mental turmoil that there was no end no in sight. I had to quit driving because my foot was going numb and I finally started taking prescription drugs, which impaired my judgement. I was so furious with our messed up medical system that I chose to make this video in hopes of helping others not get raked over the coals by insurance like I did. So when I say "play the game early," I do mean to take care of your health by seeking medical professionals such as yourself, but know what steps you have to take if surgery ends up being your only hope. As you are going through something like this, you are piecemealed information each step of the way and are at the mercy of scheduling or whatever. If you can see the whole picture, you can be more proactive in fast-forwarding your timeline. I do not take insult to your comments because I feel they are valuable too. I will likely have more back problems, simply because I use my back for a living and in my hobbies. I will tell you, though, I have learned many valuable lessons on this journey and money is not worth my health. I'll pay for the imaging when I need it. And, more than anything, when I feel a problem I will address it, rather than nonchalantly putting it off like those did when I sought medical attention at the beginning of this ordeal. No one will care about your health as much as you do. Thank you for your insight and keep helping people stand strong.

@@atrudell007 even with all your problems thank you for your video. I am sorry you have had all of these problems but if you were that active in your own care, I would call you a dream patient. As to our 'messed up medical system', I agree with you again. I actually stopped taking insurance at my office because so many patients dictated their care off of what insurance would cover and not the actual facts I was showing them. Amanda Trudell wrote, "I will tell you, though, I have learned many valuable lessons on this journey and money is not worth my health. I'll pay for the imaging when I need it. And, more than anything, when I feel a problem I will address it, rather than nonchalantly putting it off like those did when I sought medical attention at the beginning of this ordeal. No one will care about your health as much as you do." --- AMEN !!! Of all that you have said I wish people would understand this the most of all. Thank you for taking the time out of our busy schedule to respond. A horse friend of mine posted your video and sadly, it is a video/story I have heard more than once. That you made this video to try and help others shows character in you !!! Good luck

When four medical professionals say you need it-you are absolutely not wrong.

Hang in there Josh and thank you for sharing. I do have an inversion table but my bulge was just too big. I actually had my surgery today and, while I’m groggy and sore, I think my nights of crying myself to sleep are finally over. After I go through this phase a little bit I guess I have to work on video part two. Have you talked to your primary care physician yet about getting some prescriptions to take to help with the pain? I’ve been on gabapentin, hydrocodone and baclofen. While I was still in pain through the last leg of my journey, it definitely took the edge off. I hated taking the drugs, but it definitely helped. I’m glad you’re doing your physical therapy to get that over with and hopefully it does help. If it doesn’t, make sure you get a good surgeon and get it taken care of. I also hope that the injection helps you in the meantime. Sometimes getting that injection will help relieve the swelling and relax those muscles enough to allow that herniation back in. And don’t be afraid to go in for shot two and three because sometimes those can make all the difference by doing it in stages. Most insurances will cover three Cortizone shots in a year. Hang in there friend, stay strong and you can do it. I’m sure your daughter will be happy to have her daddy back. ❤️

​@@atrudell007what surgery did you have?

@@joshmccarty1983 a microdiscectomy. It’s a smaller incision and they basically use a microscope to navigate inside and shave off the bulge.

​@@atrudell007how are you feeling?

@@joshmccarty1983 I’m doing great. I sleep a lot or just lay in bed kinda out of it but I’m so much happier to move without pain. Sure my back is sore, but it feels like a bee sting compared to a lightning bolt. The nerves healing seem to be most annoying part. I’ve had a lot a little jolts and tingling sensations but nothing I can’t handle. Also, thanks for watching my video. Obviously it’s been super frustrating and if I had known then what I know now, I don’t think I would’ve been in this mess. I just can’t believe how hard it has been to get care for my back when they hand out artificial joints left and right. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Also, the weakness sometimes takes a mental toll but I keep reminding myself I’m not even a week out yet! So overall, no complaints here. I have a wonderful support system. How are you doing?

Thank you. Things are on their way to get better ❤️

Thank you so much on all accounts! And thank you for watching.

Thank you!

Thanks Dan! I’m glad I could give you a glimpse but I do hope you get the opportunity to see it in person. It’s totally worth it!

Welcome home!