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From: Cindi.Bentley@f26.n228.z1.fidonet.org (Cindi Bentley)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Pain
Message-ID: <16455@handicap.news>
Date: 26 Jun 91 04:12:01 GMT
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Index Number: 16455

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference]

Hi Keith,

This is Cindi, I'm Tom's wife....

So far, Tom has had 3 epidermal steroid injections directly into the
spinal column...His main problem now is a ruptured disk....He also has
arthritis which is becoming more advanced in his upper spinal column...

His pain difficulties may involve some nerves as it runs down one or both
legs at times, and he also has frequent migraine headaches....

The reason he wants to consider surgery is that after 3 months of shots
and physical therapy, he can barely walk some days....and he wants to go
back to work rather badly....I think he rushes way too much, but I try to
understand...the thing is, it would be better to have patience now and
eventually get back to work than to rush in where only fools tred and
have him pmanently damage his back so that he can NEVER work again...

The comp people are now considering retraining him for some other type of
employment, although I don't know what he could do....If he sits, stands
or moves about for 2 or more hours, the pain is incredible the next
day...We just got back from a 3 day convention that required long hours
of sitting (at least it was for Tom and our 5 year old son)....he could
hardly get out of bed on the second day....and he wasn't able to sit
through the entire program any of the days....this tells me he is in no
condition for a desk job, either.

He works as a diesel mechanic for a private fleet of garbage trucks
(Waste Management)....I don't know what to do for him most times....I
know this echo is really about physical pain, but those of us with a
loved one who is suffering experience pain along with them, even if it is
only emotional or a severe case of feeling totally helpless....

Got any suggestions?  Read anything that might help?????

Cindi Bentley

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