[trkdoc714]

Justin,

I hope relief comes your way soon. I've been dealing with back pain since 1983 when I was rear ended by idiot in 1971 Buick LeSabre (voted drunk driver car of the year 4 years in a row) that folded my car in the shape of a tent. That was followed up by a head on with a drunk in 1986.

I have a very high threshold for pain. I've taken as many as 12 sutures without anesthesia on a few occasions. I was at work the day after the Buick collision. I have NEVER experienced the kind of pain as I have in the last 3 years from the back problems. This is the first time I've had to take opiates for pain. It never seems to end and with the limitations of the doctors I've seen, no end is in sight.

The things that keep me going are my wonderful wife, my beautiful 2 year old son, my grown children and grandchildren.

These great things I've been blessed with are well worth any pain I have to put up with. I had a great example when I was growing up. My Grandmother was an arthritic cripple since she was 9 years old. She raised 5 kids (one of them mildly handicapped), helped raise some of her grandchildren, always had a clean house, hosted Sunday dinners beyond belief and prayed every morning and night for her blessings. I never heard her complain once that her fingers, toes and joints were almost useless and constantly giving her agonizing pain.

I completely understand your agony and wish a miracle could happen for you to be healed.

The great thing is that even through all of this, you continue to offer support and knowledge. When you become a practicing physician, you will be a great one. You'll be able to understand and treat with deep compassion patients like us that have constant pain. I have every confidence you will be an integral part of a breakthrough treatment to relieve pain via a procedure or cure for your chosen field.

Maybe God chose these afflictions for us to help us appreciate life. I truly believe He doesn't put more of a burden on us than we can handle and you've been a great example for a lot of people, both in person and on this (and that other) forum.

Keep the faith Justin. This too will pass.

Bob