The History Of My Back Injuries. Herniated disc at 16 to lumbar fusion at 41.

[@sdduford]

I know I was there for most of this ride, but hearing it all put together hits hard. You are the strongest man I know. Throughout all of this struggle you became a dad to 2 beautiful girls, created a home, switched careers, and worked so hard everyday for us. And you never complained. Upon retrospect I think maybe you should have so I would have known exactly what you were going through. Reading your response to the other comments on here was hard. I am thankful every minute of every day that you pushed through for us. I never want to imagine our family without you. It makes me feel ill to even type that. Thank you for being the man that you are and the amazing husband and father we need. The girls and I are so proud of you.

[@buildingdadbod2.0]

You and the girls are my world. I would do anything for you. I'm thankful you were there with me, giving me the strength to persevere. I would have crumbled without you. I am insanely blessed to have you and the girls.

[@heydaysonny]

❤love, love love that you shared this again ! I also love that you got a new chance at a better life and persevered through. That’s why I laugh when someone says “ego lifting” on here. If they believe that, then they don’t know you. I see what you do now as a celebration 🎊 🎉 and an example of that same determination. Keep pursuing your best life! It is worth it. You inspire me.

[@buildingdadbod2.0]

Thanks for always being there for me through all the ups and downs over the past 20+ years. I couldn't ask for a better friend. 🫡

[@spencergraziano6840]

Thank you for making this video! I’ve seen most / all your videos but this really fill in the blanks. Absolute legend!!! The strength it must have taken to work that week when you couldn’t even get out of the car. Many people wouldn’t have lived through that nerve pain and all those setbacks let alone persevere. Did they have you on the gaba all the way up to the 2020 surgery or was it off and on ? The first incident was really the football hit, and then you sporadically would have incidents from there on out to retrigger, like you were working with a broken foundation from there on out. I’m so happy the nerve pain has subsided after the back surgery. It really puts it in a different perspective watching the hesitation off the boxes or a deadlift off the ground. To be able to come back to do any of this is amazing. Let alone put in all those long work hours for the family !

[@buildingdadbod2.0]

I appreciate your kind words and encouragement Spencer. I was only on Gabapentin for a short time in the spring of 2020 because of my shoulder. At that time my left foot was always numb and had some nerve pain, but I could handle it on a daily basis. It's just the episodes where I would get the jolt and hit the ground. The back spasms were unreal. If I laid down it would take me about 3 hours of laying on my stomach and slowly stretching against the spasms, (I would push my chest up and arch my lower back) fighting against the muscle contraction to be able to stand up. At my worst I didn't want to live, but I knew I had to for my wife and girls, I couldn't let them down. I'm thankful that I'm still here for them, and thankful that I can do so much more with my girls now. The PTSD from it all is real for sure. I don't like to think back in too much detail, it was a low time for me. I used to keep a piece of climbing rope in my gym at my worst and I would go out to my gym at night for my workout and stare at the rope and I would remind myself over and over how amazing my wife and girls are and how blessed I am..... I'd convince myself that they needed me. I'm super thankful now to be where I'm at with my back health and strength levels.I may never lift insane weights, but every time I squat or deadlift, I'm thankful.

[@spencergraziano6840]

@@buildingdadbod2.0😢 amazing! You are doing it. Hard to see the light at the end sometimes. I haven’t been dealing with nerve issues anywhere as long as you but can understand some of what you say for sure. I remember they were trying to get me on the table for a scan, and I was like uhhh no. We gave you the maximum dose of morphine you should be able to get in any position, uhh yea all you did was make me high I can’t get there 😂. We gotta try to keep the lesson learned, forget the experience. See you out there later ⚔️🐉

[@buildingdadbod2.0]

Man, i had an experience like that, too. They pumped me full of morphine and figured I'd just get up and walk. Morphine does not touch nerve pain. Hopefully no more experiences like that for either of us. 2025 will be a great year for both of us.