My Race Against Pain and Survival

 My story begins in Florida in the summer of 1993. I have just exzited my service in the United States Air Force. In very good health after years of sports and a military career I decided I was not through with sports and enrolled in a Junior College North West Florida. At age 23 I was an elder for the team with coaches that were nearly the same age.

 Although I made the team by walk on I new I was missing a step or two after such a long lay off. One afternoon practice we were taking flyballs in the out field. It was my turn and the ball was hit deep, I turn right looking back over my shoulder to pick up the ball and that is when it happened. It felt like I had just been struck by lightning in the back! Immediately I could not move my right leg. Everytime I tried to pull my right knee forward to take a step, lightning.

 I was sent to a local doctor that served as the team doctor. I'm guessing he was a general practitioner. He proceeded to take X-Rays and asked me to do several movements (All rediculously simple and useless in really determing my issue). He said there was nothing wrong and sent me back to the coach with orders to return to practice after a night of rest. I will admit the pain did completely subside and I never thought of it again.

 Fast forward to 1997, I am now driving a truck for a living. During this period I have two severe falls while working. One accident tore the ligaments in my ankle but noticeable problems otherwise. I continued driving for six years.

 Fast forward to 2002, I am now working for a Government Contractor in the Missile Defense business. We work in similar situations as military personnel. It can be strenious at times and I begin to have regular problems with back pain. During work one day I felt the same bolt of lightning I had on that baseball field so many years ago. This time it was different. It did not get better. I decided it may be serious so I called a Neurologist and spinal doctor to have them look at it. At this point I am hurting so bad I can barely walk on my own or ride in a car. The doctor takes x-rays and once again the same thing. Nothing wrong! No nerve issues! Doctor dismisses me as if I am making it up. No referals, no medication, nothing. In fact he actualy treated me as if I was completely fabricating the whole thing. Totally devistated I go home and lay on a coach for three months in excruciating pain. Finaly the pain subsides and I go back to my job in which I have lost everything. Without a doctors support for my pain it is treated like it was me and not a real problem. Even by family. The words "Lazy" were even spoken.

 Fast forward to 2009, I am still in the same position I was in before. Now I have had several recurrent problems with my back. "Lock Ups" were I can not walk or move without excruciating pain. Once a year, then 3 times a year the five or six times a year. Now this has become a serious life changing type of problem. Still, I forge ahead in the name of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

 July 1, 2009, Lightning crashes again but this time it is different. The pain is no longer just my back. It is shooting down my right leg. You think it cannot get worse, I promise you it can. I still forge ahead working for two more weeks with pain so bad I had to get on my knees to work at my desk. I had to put a pencil in my mouth to bite on while I was driving to and from work. One time I almost passed out while I was driving. After two weeks I could not take it anymore. This time I go to a very reputable Orthapedic Surgeon. I get an MRI this time. Finaly something shows up! I have a herniated disc between my L4 and L5 vertebrea. In a wierd way I was very excited that there was something wrong with me. Finaly evidence of years of pain! The doctor says "if it is alright we would like to do a Lumbar Discectomy on you. It is a fairly simple surgery with a 90% success rate." I practicly begged for the procedure. 3 days later I was in surgery excited about putting this all behind me.

 Not so fast my friend! I come out of surgery and at first everything seems fine. The doctor comes in and say's "we had a little problem during the surgery. I'm very imbarrassed, but I accidently punctured you Dural Sac during the Operation. It was sealed up quickly and other than a slight headache you should have no problem." I say ok and and begin to recover.

 I'm laying in the hospital bed about 4 to 6 hours post surgery and all of a sudden an unexplainable amount of pain that can only be described as lightning and fire going through my body and coming out the top of my head! I was rushed to surgery for a "blood patch". The 3 surgeons there refused to do it. At this point I am passing in and out from the level of pain. I heard one of them say "This guy is a level 10 of the charts, we arent touching him!" Last I remeber is the nurse giving me more and more morphine. She said, "I can't give him anymore without killing him!". I finally passed out. I woke up with the pain gone. My surgeon treated me like I made it up. What? How could I possibly have faked that! At this point I'm dejected and angry.

 Upon follow up with my surgeon I continualy tell him that not only am I not better but the pain is worse than before. After several appointments where he finaly tells me I need to see a physicologist I am destroyed. I have nothing left in the tank. I am sent to thereapy for the second time. It is canceled because just as in the first attempt I am in to much pain for therapy to be useful.

 At this point I call and beg Dr. Roddie Gantt at the pain Center to help me. We go through a few epidural injections with no result. Then I am introduced to the Precision Plus System. This is it, my last hope. If this does not work I'm looking at a life as a cripple living on welfare and foodstamps. I pray, a lot.

 I go through the trial period and have a lot of success and I have hope again. On January 12, 2010 I had the Precision Plus System put in. What an answered prayer! The only thing I can compare the syatem to is the stimulation therapy I recieved during Therapy. Only this is way better. It is always with me. I can turn it on and off as I please. I can change the simulation simarly to a Tens Unit. The strength of the stimulation is as much as you can tolerate. It's up to you! I have a local representative that is fantastic and anytime I have a question or need an adjustment to the stimulation that I can not do she gladly gets with me to make the adjustment.

 I will be returning to work on Feb 1, 2010. All I can say is thank you for this technology, it has given me my life back.