Dancing w. the Stars--Jennifer Grey and spine problems

[Katie]

I'm surprised that no one has started this topic yet. I don't watch the show much, but the few times I have, Jennifer Grey has always been complaining about the pain in her back. From looking at news clippings, it seems that she had a fusion done around C5/6 last fall, and then yesterday before the final show, she announced that she had 'blown a disc' in her lumbar that morning.

In one or two other episodes, it seemed like she was full of pain medication, to be expected. But not last night. She said that the disc had herniated yesterday and she didn't think she would be able to perform last night, but the doctors 'did what they had to do and fixed her up'. She didn't seem to have any problems last night, and if I remember correctly, I wouldn't have been doing those moves right after I had herniated a disc, pain medication or no

What is everyone's opinion on this? Does it give us a bit of a black eye? Especially when a loved one or a friend asks why we aren't up and doing things like Jennifer did right after blowing a disc? Let alone doing a dance like that....

Personally I'm frustrated. I'm certainly not saying that she didn't have the surgery (along with a thyroid surgery for cancer that was found at the same time), but I have a hard time believing her performance last night after what she said happened. Maybe she's just more stoic than I am? Or maybe I just needed to find that team of miracle workers....sigh.

[Hooch]

She twinged her back. Harden the **** up Jennifer Grey!

[Cindylou]

I knew about the C5-6 fusion and the thyroid surgery, but did she really blow a lumbar disc? I don't watch the show, but funny enough, we did watch the season finale....my husband, of all people, said it was on and wanted to watch it. She was nothing short of amazing in her final dance. Just breathtaking. Don't know what to make of the blown disc story. I loaded up on pain meds just to get my cornbread dressing made yesterday. Laid down for 2 hours with ice on my back. Got back up and made my 2 pies. There's no dancing going on here. But a helluva lot of baking! Happy Thanksgiving to all the Americans! CL

[Katie]

Yes, she told her story at the end of the show, about herniating a disc that morning and the docs doing their 'thing', what ever that was. Maybe it is on UTube? Like I said, if it is true, she is a lot tougher than I am

[Katie]

Oh, I forgot to add...Happy Thanksgiving to all of you 'southerners'!

[KanRunMo]

Thanks for the "Happy Thanksgiving". We had our Thanksgiving Dinner at our house on Tuesday due to our kids conflicts. It was great and I have certainly felt free since then and watched with a smile on Wednesday when the grocery stores were packed and people were panicing getting last minute items.
I have only caught glimpses of "Dancing with the Stars" but I suppose with lots of pain meds and maybe a back brace she might have been able to continue dancing. Of course, not all bulging discs are painful.

[ajj1001]

When I first started having prolapses I was able to medicate and keep going "through" them, it took a few episodes for me to be totally floored by them. Maybe she just had a minor prolapse?

[dalhousie]

I didn't watch Jennifer Grey but the UK equivalent is "Strictly Come Dancing" & we also have an ice skating programme called "Dancing on Ice" & I do wonder if SOME of these medical incidents are overly dramatised for television to enhance viewing figures.

I'm not saying the Jennifer Grey incident wasn't 100% accurate but to experienced, suffering spine patients it can make it hard to credit.

[helmut]

I read that Andre Agassi played a championship match with a herniated disc after getting fixed up by doctors with some nerve root injections etc.

[Carson]

As Alison mentioned, a prolapse can mean a lot of things. Some fortunate people go lifetimes unaware they have one. As a recent prolapse it's likely it wasn't causing her any major preventative pain. Probably could have saved herself the additional complications by not dancing on that level but you only live once and maybe a moment in the sun was worth the chance for her. Definitely not a chance I would have taken.