nerve damage and lifting

hello..back in november i had surgery for a herniated disc in my
cervical spine. there was damage to the nerve, resulting in left side
decay, so to speak. my pec,delt, and especially tri all went to shit.
the surgeon told me the nerves should heal in a year or so but i spoke
with another guy, a sports medicine doctor, and he said it may be a
year, 6 months, or not at all.
anyway..you can imagine my frustration..so many years of being in shape
and built reduced to, essentially, half a man. i still bust my ass in
the gym and i see very small gains in strentgh over time...but i worry
it'll never fully return.
has anyone here had similar issues? if so, how was your recovery/did you
regain your old form etc.?
also, my diet is still that of a heavy lifter.should i alter it? i still
get a lot of protein but now im wondering if its being wasted trying to
build muscles that have bad nerve connections..
anyway, any insight is appreciated!

In article <27749-47D085CD-162@storefull-3254.bay.webtv.net>,
averama@webtv.net (mike avera) wrote:

> hello..back in november i had surgery for a herniated disc in my
> cervical spine. there was damage to the nerve, resulting in left side
> decay, so to speak. my pec,delt, and especially tri all went to shit.
> the surgeon told me the nerves should heal in a year or so but i spoke
> with another guy, a sports medicine doctor, and he said it may be a
> year, 6 months, or not at all.
> anyway..you can imagine my frustration..so many years of being in shape
> and built reduced to, essentially, half a man. i still bust my ass in
> the gym and i see very small gains in strentgh over time...but i worry
> it'll never fully return.
> has anyone here had similar issues? if so, how was your recovery/did you
> regain your old form etc.?
> also, my diet is still that of a heavy lifter.should i alter it? i still
> get a lot of protein but now im wondering if its being wasted trying to
> build muscles that have bad nerve connections..
> anyway, any insight is appreciated!

Injuries are always frustrating - nervous tissue especially so. But we
are talking a few months only. You are hardly out of the first stage of
recovery.

Rather than exhorting you myself I will give you the words of Vasily
Alexiev, the first man to clean and jerk 500 lbs and still one of the
top superheavyweights ever, 30 years after his peak.

"It seems to me that some of the talented athletes lack one thing-- they
haven't had an injury. That's right! An injury that will put them out of
commission for a year during which time they'll have a chance to weigh
every- thing. I, too, would not be where I am if I had not injured my
back. I suffered for a year and a half thinking everything over ...
After a misfortune, people pull through and become, if possible, great
people -- and sportsmen, in particular. Those who are stronger find
their way out and to the top ..."

Certainly was his case. He set dozens of world records after the injury.

--
Keith