I agree with you that:
- About his condition: L5 L4 S1. Although I’m not sure what it means. You have proven yourself to be a worthy source so I gather you know what you’re talking about.
- He was undergoing PT, but as someone else mentioned earlier on this thread, although PT can do a lot for L5 L4 S1 something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. Plus, like someone else mentioned it’s better to undergo this type of surgery now than at an advanced age.
- That he was experiencing a pinched sciatic nerve beforehand but this time he experienced a compressed Sciatic nerve. Therefore I stand by what I said before that the pain of a sciatic nerve would’ve been so intense that he would have had to be numb not to feel it, so he wasn’t going to be become paralyzed. I was discussing this with a few people I know and they agree with me on this. Not unless he’s one of those who gets a kick out of being in pain. It’s like when you have to have an appendices out. The pain is so excruciating that you were never going to ignore it or be told by some Doctor Death that ‘it’s nothing’. Having to have your appendices out is more serious than Bono’s condition because you can actually die if it bursts. There was a girl at my school who once was taken into hospital during the middle of the night because she had to have her appendices taken out. She spent a few weeks off school but when she came back we never treated her as though she was ‘vulnerable’ or that she was going through a death sentence, and she was still the same girl as we knew.
I disagree that:
- There is some kind of conspiracy going on between the record label, Livenation and the rest of the band. Funny how your theory has many comparisons with what happened to Michael Jackson, who lets not forget, has been a multitude of problems for many years. In order to lie to doctors about the pain you’ve been going through either means you’re suffering from Clinical Depression or you are plain stupid. Jackson was probably suffering from depression after all he had gone through. I’ve known people with depression and they are co-morbid. After 9/11 Jackson made out that he was dying from exposure to anthrax poisoning. Do you want me to bore you by spelling out the many differences between Bono and Michael Jackson and why I don’t think Bono will allow some bigwigs at Livenation to bully him into going ahead with a series of concerts if he had to take strong painkillers in order to get on stage?
- If he did manage to convince doctors that ‘it was nothing’ then he’s only got himself to blame for this whole sorry mess, hasn’t he? If you get cataracts but instead of keeping an appointment to get removed by a doctor because you thought keeping a business meeting then you’ve only got yourself to blame if you go blind. Going blind through cataracts is unnecessary just as dying from skin cancer just because you chose to ignore the fact your mole was getting larger, changing colour and was itchy, and so eventually the cancer spread to your lymph nodes and by then it was too late, and you died form a treatable disease. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a rock star, a footballer, a world leader, an aid worker or you work in a shop, you’re main priority always your family and so you have to look after your health so that you can do things with them.
I agree with LastUnicorn with this. I’m sure Bono would have sought the opinion from doctors in Ireland and that clinic that you mentioned in Miami. Ali would have made sure that he did this. Sometimes doctors make mistakes, big one’s. Maybe before only part of the disc had broke and crumbled on the other side or at an angle that they couldn’t spot on a scan. Dr Muller did transfere him to be treated at another specialist back clinic, so his ego isn’t that much that he’d treat a patient himself even if he thought he isn’t the best surgeon in order to perform a back operation.
For instance ,When the disk pops, putting fragments into the spine , it can and did in this instance , compress the nerve(s) . The Edge even said, he couldn't walk was when they understood the seriousness, and it could have easily been permanent " .
So lets use person x as example. They have been treated with conservative methods for some time. Something happens at training camp , or just so happens the disk finally blows , causing nerve compression.The fragments would be the cause of s-1 compression . Person x can't feel his legs , or the usual sign of S-1, serious compression would be loss of bladder or bowel control. This is an emergency situation, and time is of the essence . Continued or prolonged compression on the nerves can cause permanent Paralysis.
In someone with a history of back problems, one in which they have been in treatment for years, there is a reason they are there in the first place. They don't just treat it in case it happens . They treat it as they see a problem with the hope that they can avoid a bigger problem down the road. Someone could do exercise as a way to maintain back health, but a Dr isn't going to treat a potential disk problem when one doesn't exist . I don't take asprin for a headache I may have next month for instance. be it falling off a stage, or something else later ( 2003) he was in long term treatment or something relating to back problems. In general it would fit, cleanly with an old injury, and or the resulting degenerative disk disease. If there is no history of injury, it is very common for people as they age to have mild to moderate levels of Spondylosis, aka osteroarthritis . Some more severe even in their 30's. But he had a history of injury and back problems.
I didn't say that LiveNation forced anyone to do anything . Why would they? What I said was that the Physicals that the insurance companies that ALL tours have, are very, very extensive. He had back surgey, they would have looked. If someone was on drugs, they will check. They are typically 2-3 days and cover everything. They are risking great sums of money, and the insurance companies are not going to take someones word for it.
At the same time though, and what I am saying when refering to MJ , is how the hell did he get through a Physical? It was common knowledge he was severely on drugs, a zillion of them in huge amounts, and walking around asking people for Propofol openly. Seeking it in hospitals . He was a walking time bomb , and everyone knew it. You know how hard it is to spend millions of dollars at Pharmacies? And not get caught ? He had help . So how did they sign him?
I don't believe that this was the case with Bono. I believe he believed his Dr . Period. There is no way that someone being treated for a history of a back injury, who had an MRI over the last few years, did not see this possiblity. MRI's can get to any angle and are very good to spot this. . Also, He was in treatment already. he was trying to prevent this.
Dr Muller is not a surgeon .
Experience tells me that is not convincing the Dr it is nothing, the norm is that the Dr has to convince the patient that there is a problem. Especially as obvious as a disk. Dr's are not the ones in denial, it is often patients. This is a general statement, and not related to Bono.
Lance Armstrong is a good example. Do you know how long he rode around with a little buddy as big as a grapefruit, coughing up blood before his wife had to drag him to a Dr ? Over 5 months. He tried to ignore it. it is not normal to have something that big, with that much pain, and coughing up blood , but he convinced himself it was nothing .Lance bombed at the 96 Olympics because of this. Everyone but him saw something wrong . Scotty Hamilton, same thing .
Then he finally goes to a Dr at M.D Anderson, who tells him " we are basically going to have to chemo you to near death to save you , and you will never be physically active again, as the drugs will destroy your lungs". You know what he did ? Hightailed it to Dr Einhorn at Indiana U, he scoffed and said " I will treat you so you can have the chance to ride again" . He did, the rest is history. Which Dr was the better choice?
I have patients with severe issues, and when I tell them, they never come back, thinking it wll go away. It doesn't. It would surprise you to know hgftrttow many people chose to ignore a problem... for whatever reason. It is a lot of people who chose this, or find someone who will tell them what they want to hear.
I like the appendix analogy. There are not 50 different ways to treat it when it becomes infected. There is
one way to treat it . it is removed as if it burst, you have a much more serious, life threatening problem. It is the only way to treat it.
Back surgery has a couple of options early, but once it is set, the surgeries have a couple of small options , but most of those options are is standard . All over the world, they for the most part do it the same way . If F and Y are the issue, treatment is 95 % plan C as example.
Don't discount patients being difficult, or wanting to ignorea problem. it is very, very common. I am addressing that in general. Not specifically to a person.
