Nursing with a back problem

[cherokeesummer]

This is gonna seem like a crazy but I'm hoping I'm gonna be ok! I'm almost done with nursing school YEAH! I have one more semester after this one, and this one all we have left is our final exam on thursday.

Anyway, 10 years ago I had a back surgery when I was 20 years old b/c of a fall that injured my back, herniated disks. I healed and did fine.

Earlier this year the pain came back on the other side, I got checked out and turns out I now have bulging disks. The doc said that those surgeries (what I had 10 years ago) last about 10 years so I'm right on time there. I've tried PT and meds but the pain is not getting better. We did the cortisone shot in the back and that helped for a few weeks but I can't do it again b/c I'm diabetic and the shot just totally messed me up - my blood sugars went absolutely crazy (as we expected) so I can't go through that all the time.

Doc said surgery is an option, going in and removing a piece of the bone.

Problem is - I am not ready for it now! I don't want to take off a semester plus I have a 13 month old son who is cruising and not yet walking and he is 31 lbs so I can't be trying to have surgery with my son needing me!

So I think I'm gonna wait and do surgery once I grad. The recovery time is about 4-6 weeks so I can study for the NCLEX then.

I'm just wondering is it possible to be a nurse with back issues! I don't want to give up my dreams!

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Yes - pretty much anything is possible. I'm a NICU nurse and have very little to worry about in regard to back injuries.

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

I moved this thread to the Nursing Career Advice Forum for more responses. Good luck to you.

[sassyRN73, RN]

I also have a bulging disk in my back and fortunately the pain comes and goes. I take meds and do back exercises. The best exercise I have found for this pain is yoga zone yoga for a strong and healthy back. This dvd has literally saved my back and I notice if I get too busy and haven't done it in awhile my back knows it. Hope this helps and good luck with that last semester and surgery if you get it.