About Brian

Until I found floating I was very reluctant to speak about my physical challenges, many people in my life were not aware of them. In order to provide a better understanding of how floating has impacted my life it is necessary for me to be open about my condition. I have a degenerative spine condition that has resulted in my having a 5 level fusion (L1-L5) in my lower back. This means I have 5 vertebrae fused together using bone grafts and titanium screws. My first back surgery took place when I was as in middle school, it was less aggressive in the hopes I would naturally grow out of the condition. I had a second, more aggressive, surgery a little over two decades ago in 1998 that resulted in the full five level fusion and about 1 inch in height reduction.

My normal state of being is one of pain. On the one to ten pain rating scale where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you have ever experienced my normal is in the 7 range. My 10 was so intolerable that I lost consciousness, I rarely reach 9 at which point I essentially can’t support my own weight even to make it from the bed to the bathroom. A high level 8 is extremely uncomfortable and difficult to function with, I typically reach that level only a few times a year, but reach the lower ranges of the 8 level more frequently. I have a documented pain tolerance that is off the scale and rely on that as my primary pain management technique. I do not like taking aggressive pain medications; I would rather deal with the pain and have my mental faculties than live life in a fog. I have tried a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional methods over the years, none have had a lasting impact. I do quite well at living a mostly normal life. But, the simple fact is, I had not experienced a moment without pain in nearly 40 years... until my first float...