[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by DTQ_Blue

I just learned this week that I have a bulging cervical disk. I had suspected this and stopped umpiring a couple of weeks ago to see if my symptoms would lessen, which they did, and to wait for my insurance company to authorize my MRI, which they did after a denial and appeal.

I will see the specialist in a couple of weeks and discuss my options with him, but I wanted to know if anyone has had to deal with cervical disk problems and trying to continue umpiring.

Yes. I remember it well. It was the first Saturday in June, 1999, and I was making the toss for the first summer league basketball game of the season when I compressed the discs in my neck and I lost the use of my right arm. Since I was not a big name superstar athlete by the time I went to my family doctor, an orthopedic surgeon, an neurologist, and then a neurosurgeon, it was almost three weeks from the time of the injury until I was told on the first Friday in July (and I still did not have use of my right arm)that I would have to have neck surgery on the following Tuesday. Over the weekend I regained almost 90% usage of my right arm and avoided surgery by 36 hours, but I still was not allowed to do any running or officiating for over 4 months. But other than that I am still umpiring baseball and fastpitch softball, and officiating basketball.

MTD, Sr.