Tootle Puffers, Part Three! (The Sequel of the Redux)

[JUMA55]

What year? My favorite car. The 2018 is sooeet . Sure wish I could afford one.

Mine is a 2007 with the power retractable hardtop. It's technically an MX-5 and not a Miata, but since no one knows what an MX-5 is... I ordered it from Japan, which took forever and cost more than I had planned. But it was my over 50, kid out of college and survived heart attack gift to myself. I drive it daily and it has just over 100,000 miles. Maintenance has been good with the exception of the damn streets tearing up suspension parts a few times.

The new ones are very nice. And so are the Fiat versions. That might be the deal if Fiat hadn't replaced the Mazda engine with their own.

 

[Uncle]

Has anyone heard from @ChelsB?

From searching her Profile page - Recent postings - Found these from earlier this month:

June 30, 2018

*waves hello [emoji4]

June 30, 2018

Were your ears ringing?

July 1, 2018

Today is the first day I’ve been able to (wanted to) tinker in my vape room since spinal surgery and I thought I’d pop in and say hello!

 

[listopencil]

Has anyone heard from @ChelsB?

Last I saw her post was in reference to a recent surgery, and I hope @ChelsB is doing well.

 

[ChelsB]

Last I saw her post was in reference to a recent surgery, and I hope @ChelsB is doing well.

Hello all!!!!! Yes, I’m still recovering. I work half days now and will soon be going home to tinker. I’ve been very naughty and have spent lots of money on new vape stuff (I keep rationalizing it saying I deserve it from all I’ve gone through recently).
I’m definitely not a Tootle Puffer any more (I’ve graduated to more powerful tanks/devices since I’ve had to lower my nic intake by almost 90%! Nic inhibits bone fusion), but if you’ll have me, I’ll be back later.
I’ve been missing ECF lately!

 

[Bea-FL]

Hello all!!!!! Yes, I’m still recovering. I work half days now and will soon be going home to tinker. I’ve been very naughty and have spent lots of money on new vape stuff (I keep rationalizing it saying I deserve it from all I’ve gone through recently).
I’m definitely not a Tootle Puffer any more (I’ve graduated to more powerful tanks/devices since I’ve had to lower my nic intake by almost 90%! Nic inhibits bone fusion), but if you’ll have me, I’ll be back later.
I’ve been missing ECF lately!

so good to see you! Bone fusion? Care to tell us what happened? And are you ok?

 

[ChelsB]

so good to see you! Bone fusion? Care to tell us what happened? And are you ok?

Yes, I’ll post here about it. It is semi-relevant due to the effects of nic. On my way home to 3 vape mail packages. I’ll post a little later.
Thanks for asking!

 

[listopencil]

Yes, I’ll post here about it. It is semi-relevant due to the effects of nic. On my way home to 3 vape mail packages. I’ll post a little later.
Thanks for asking!

Sounds good. Looking forward to it. I got my Joyetech Batpack in today and it's pretty nice. I think it will be my new stealth vape. The build quality of the 'mod' is higher than I expected. I primed the first coil that I used and I shouldn't have. I flooded it irreversibly. I plopped in the second coil and just started using it; worked fine right out of the wrapper. I know I'll get around to screwing with it and trying an RTA on the thing even though I'm not supposed to.

 

[corn flakes]

A speedy recovery to you @ChelsB

 

[stols001]

Feel better @ChelsB !

Anna

 

[beckdg]

Vaperstek

In case anybody's in the market for some nic.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Bea-FL]

@ChelsB even if you're no longer a TP you're still welcome here anytime. There are several other vapers who call this thread home who are no longer T. Puffers.

 

[sorrynomore]

@ChelsB ... Get Better Soon!

 

[ChelsB]

Sorry I didn’t post as promised yesterday. So this is what happened: late April of this year I very suddenly started having neck and upper arm pain X-ray and subsequent MRI showed disk compression, disk bulging and spinal narrowing. I saw a neurosurgeon who said “you have an impressive MRI” (wasn’t a good compliment!). He did a couple neuro tests which I failed (e.g., standing on one leg with my eyes closed, I started to fall over and not responding to that rubber reflex mallet). The damage was so extensive that conservative measures like physical therapy weren’t an option. I have never had neck problems, this was totally out of the blue. I had to schedule surgery which I had in late May for spinal decompression and fusion in my cervical spine.
Now for the relevant part: He asked about smoking and I said I vaped. He said optimally he would have me off of the nicotine for at least 3 months before the surgery. But there wasn’t time (and I couldn’t have quit anyway. Nicotine has been in my life for almost 30 years). I was at 15 mg strength back then. For 2 weeks after surgery, I was at 1.5 mg. Then when I was off the crazily intense pain meds, I went back up to 3 mg.
So I’ve had to wear a hard cervical collar this whole summer (total of 12 weeks, not including time weaning off of the collar as my neck muscles have surely atrophied ). Not fun feeling like I have a scarf around my neck in middle of summer! Nicotine (and apparently ibuprofen) greatly inhibits bone fusion. If I wasn’t a nic user, I’d only have to be in hard collar for 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!
My lifting limit is half a gallon of milk; I really miss picking up my son. Sleeping is difficult with this damn that thing, but rest is essential to my recovery
Today I have an X-ray to see how my bones are fusing. I hope to be out of this collar by end of August.
This has been a complete nightmare, but the worst is over.

 

[Maytwin]

Take it easy @ChelsB and get well soon

 

[Bea-FL]

Sorry I didn’t post as promised yesterday. So this is what happened: late April of this year I very suddenly started having neck and upper arm pain X-ray and subsequent MRI showed disk compression, disk bulging and spinal narrowing. I saw a neurosurgeon who said “you have an impressive MRI” (wasn’t a good compliment!). He did a couple neuro tests which I failed (e.g., standing on one leg with my eyes closed, I started to fall over and not responding to that rubber reflex mallet). The damage was so extensive that conservative measures like physical therapy weren’t an option. I have never had neck problems, this was totally out of the blue. I had to schedule surgery which I had in late May for spinal decompression and fusion in my cervical spine.
Now for the relevant part: He asked about smoking and I said I vaped. He said optimally he would have me off of the nicotine for at least 3 months before the surgery. But there wasn’t time (and I couldn’t have quit anyway. Nicotine has been in my life for almost 30 years). I was at 15 mg strength back then. For 2 weeks after surgery, I was at 1.5 mg. Then when I was off the crazily intense pain meds, I went back up to 3 mg.
So I’ve had to wear a hard cervical collar this whole summer (total of 12 weeks, not including time weaning off of the collar as my neck muscles have surely atrophied ). Not fun feeling like I have a scarf around my neck in middle of summer! Nicotine (and apparently ibuprofen) greatly inhibits bone fusion. If I wasn’t a nic user, I’d only have to be in hard collar for 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!
My lifting limit is half a gallon of milk; I really miss picking up my son. Sleeping is difficult with this damn that thing, but rest is essential to my recovery
Today I have an X-ray to see how my bones are fusing. I hope to be out of this collar by end of August.
This has been a complete nightmare, but the worst is over.

Wow, wow, wow! A nightmare indeed. I'm glad the worst is over. Now do tell us what you are now…since you are no longer a tootler

 

[ChelsB]

Wow, wow, wow! A nightmare indeed. I'm glad the worst is over. Now do tell us what you are now…since you are no longer a tootler
View attachment 756837

Here’s a pic to give you an idea. I shudder to think how much money I’ve spent on vaping in the past month (I’ve amassed about 205 flavors in my quest for the perfect juice!)But in my defense it had been a while since I had bought any vape gear. I really like all the set ups pictured here except for that NRG tank that leaks like a sieve.

 

[DavidOck]

I hope to be out of this collar by end of August.

At least it isn't one of these

(Although it might feel about the same!)

 

[englishmick]

Sorry I didn’t post as promised yesterday. So this is what happened: late April of this year I very suddenly started having neck and upper arm pain X-ray and subsequent MRI showed disk compression, disk bulging and spinal narrowing. I saw a neurosurgeon who said “you have an impressive MRI” (wasn’t a good compliment!). He did a couple neuro tests which I failed (e.g., standing on one leg with my eyes closed, I started to fall over and not responding to that rubber reflex mallet). The damage was so extensive that conservative measures like physical therapy weren’t an option. I have never had neck problems, this was totally out of the blue. I had to schedule surgery which I had in late May for spinal decompression and fusion in my cervical spine.
Now for the relevant part: He asked about smoking and I said I vaped. He said optimally he would have me off of the nicotine for at least 3 months before the surgery. But there wasn’t time (and I couldn’t have quit anyway. Nicotine has been in my life for almost 30 years). I was at 15 mg strength back then. For 2 weeks after surgery, I was at 1.5 mg. Then when I was off the crazily intense pain meds, I went back up to 3 mg.
So I’ve had to wear a hard cervical collar this whole summer (total of 12 weeks, not including time weaning off of the collar as my neck muscles have surely atrophied ). Not fun feeling like I have a scarf around my neck in middle of summer! Nicotine (and apparently ibuprofen) greatly inhibits bone fusion. If I wasn’t a nic user, I’d only have to be in hard collar for 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!
My lifting limit is half a gallon of milk; I really miss picking up my son. Sleeping is difficult with this damn that thing, but rest is essential to my recovery
Today I have an X-ray to see how my bones are fusing. I hope to be out of this collar by end of August.
This has been a complete nightmare, but the worst is over.

I had that same deal 10 years ago. Except it didn't start suddenly. I had pain in my arms then started losing the use of my right arm. The doc said it had started damaging my spinal chord, but it was at the stage where it could still recover. I had 4 vertebrae fused. I asked what caused it and he said they didn't really know but it was probably hereditary. The prognosis without the surgery was pretty horrific.

I had to quit smoking for a month before and 3 months after. On my last pre-op visit I pulled out my cigalike to show the doc, he laughed and pulled one out of his own pocket. He said it was the CO that stops the spinal bones from healing not the nicotine. I spent a fortune on cigalikes and swallowed vast quantities of lozenges but I made it through the 4 months.

Got lucky, I only had the collar on for 2 weeks.

Good thing is though, once I got through the 3 month recovery period I never had neck problems again so there's light at the end of the tunnel.

Good luck and hang in there.

 

[ChelsB]

I had that same deal 10 years ago. Except it didn't start suddenly. I had pain in my arms then started losing the use of my right arm. The doc said it had started damaging my spinal chord, but it was at the stage where it could still recover. I had 4 vertebrae fused. I asked what caused it and he said they didn't really know but it was probably hereditary. The prognosis without the surgery was pretty horrific.

I had to quit smoking for a month before and 3 months after. On my last pre-op visit I pulled out my cigalike to show the doc, he laughed and pulled one out of his own pocket. He said it was the CO that stops the spinal bones from healing not the nicotine. I spent a fortune on cigalikes and swallowed vast quantities of lozenges but I made it through the 4 months.

Got lucky, I only had the collar on for 2 weeks.

Good thing is though, once I got through the 3 month recovery period I never had neck problems again so there's light at the end of the tunnel.

Good luck and hang in there.

That’s what was so weird about this. It was totally out of the blue (at first I thought my arm was sore because I had been playing a new game on my phone a lot). I know that most people suffer for years before they get the surgery. I suppose I should consider myself lucky in that respect. I got my x-ray done this afternoon and on Monday I see the neurosurgeon. All my fingers and toes are crossed that I have fused correctly!

 

[ChelsB]

Oh, and apparently it didn’t matter that I vape nic (and don’t smoke). Nic in ANY form inhibits bone fusion. It’s pretty much the only thing you’re supposed to avoid post surgery (except for lifting and bending, of course). Every website I looked at trying to see if there were any studies with contrary findings (couldn’t find any), all said to avoid nic.