[dshobbies]

Wendriful,

You are depressed and with good reason. You feel like you’re screaming for help in a forest and no doctor is around to hear you. You want your life back, a commonality of all back patients.

With life threatening diseases, you move forward in your treatment and are doing something, however unpleasant, to help yourself get well. It takes time – but you are constantly moving toward regaining your health. With back patients, most movements are small and many are unproductive. We give up hope and without hope, you have nothing. How can anyone help but feel depressed when all they have to look forward to is pain and no life? Please believe me when I say that most of us have been down that road. We know how you feel and why.

I am going to ask you once again to contact Mark. You might ask what can one person do? Let me give you a synopsis of what he did for me and again, many have a similar story.

I was like you – no life – I wasn’t even able to sit at the dinner table with my family. The only time I left my house was for doctor’s appointments and physical therapy. I missed weddings, bar mitzvahs, anniversary parties, etc. I chose no drugs because I like to write and I still had that one thing I was not willing to give up. Doctors offered little help. I discovered ADRs. Those wheels turned so slowly, it only added to my despair, though I still had my hope for that miracle. I found Mark in May, 2005. Within one weeks time, I had an appointment with a top surgeon. I was scheduled for surgery in July and then again in August. My insurance company pulled the plug and I gave up on appeals in September. This whole time I was in contact with Mark and finally asked him for a consult with Dr. Bertagnoli in Germany (I really didn’t want to leave this country), who agreed he could help with a 4 level hybrid, or possibly a 4 level ADR. I was scheduled for surgery in December, three months away. I called Mark. I couldn’t wait yet another 3 months. I had been traveling the ADR road for more than one year, not to mention the two prior years. Another three months seemed like an eternity. After a whirlwind of preparations, airline and hotel reservations, etc., I was in Germany three weeks later.

Please call him. You have nothing to lose. If he can’t help you, he can’t. If he can…

And then, please choose your doctor carefully. Yes, you can most definitely get worse. I don't want to scare you but not everyone achieves their miracle. Your best chances of success lie with your choices for surgeon and procedure. I do wish you every luck.

Dale