Kasey's Story

I am a 32 year old female from Michigan. I had a bi-lateral laminectomy of L5-S1 in June of 94. Lots of pain for a year or so and then I started to get better. I went through therapy and steroid injections, not to mention a myleogram that left me on the couch for 11 days due to a ruptured membrane in my spine, or so they say. I started to feel better and thought I would seek employment. I had a chance to work finally after raising my kids and still am, but they were both in school all day now and it was moms time to do something. I began working for a dentist in 1996 and was doing great. I finally had a career , made pretty good money and was feeling good about myself. THis continued for one year. Then the dreaded week came when I was short staffed and running the office basically by myself. I had a delivery come in off gloves that had to be put into the storage room. I thought nothing of it and lifted the 25 pd boxes up over my head and put them on the shelf. I dropped to the ground in pain and here I am.

I then tried the steroid epidurals and had no relief. I went to numerous doctors to find out that I re-injured my back. I was devastated. My life was wrecked now. I knew and could feel it that I was headed for surgery again. The first one was an emergency, I had no choice. This time I went through all the bull they put you through for over a year. PT, tens unit, MRIs, Cat scans, meds, steroid injections, to numerous to count and then finally the disco gram to make sure it was a needed surgery. WELL it was positive to say the least. and the worst experience of my entire life.

I had a anterior spinal fusion in Feb of 98 with cadaver bones and my left hip grafted also to make the screw to fuse my back. After the surgery I did feel wonderful. FOr about three months then it all came back, along with a hernia from the incision in my abdomen. I had that fixed and it reruptured again and this time they put in a mesh basket along with a total reconstruction of my abdomen. (i also developed a latex allergy just before I left the dental office, so needless to say this made all of my procedures very difficult and the more I am around latex the worse the allergy gets). After that last surgery on my abdomen in July of 99, my back got worse. You would think it would be better now, but it continued to get worse. I have bad days and good days.

I am now on Oxycontin 40mg twice daily and Motrin 800mg around the clock, and bacoflen for muscle spasms around the clock. I have been through everything you can imagine and the pain is still here. If I didn't have my pain meds, I would not be able to function. I also now have Osteoporosis of my back where they did the fusion and of my left hip where they took the graft..(makes you wonder) So I am being treated for that. My neck started hurting something horrible about 6 months ago. I finally am going for a MRI of that at the end of the month. I have all over body pain and they have also diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. I can barely move in the morning until my pain meds start to work. I cry allot through the night from the horrible spasms in my back. Some times during the day I get a hour or so that I really feel good and I try to take advantage of it and it normally gets me into trouble.

I went to a new neurologist this past week who diagnosed me with "A" and said that I have Chronic Pain and need stronger meds, better muscle relaxers and a MRI of my neck done, an EMG of my arms done, and PT for my neck, etc.... I did not tell him that I was a work comp patient and I believe that if I did, I would not have gotten the treatment and listening that I did get from him. I feel as though he didn't' think I was crazy or couldn't figure out why I had the pain. He really listened to me. I have a massive amount of scar tissue around the S1 nerve root that is causing me allot of my pain. Work Comp will not cover any of my medical treatment anymore, due to their evaluation doctor stating that basically I am ok.. and that my surgery was unnecessary. What a joke!!!.

Its funny how the two other doctors that they got for me, which are very good doctors, stated that I need the pain clinic and that I have chronic pain and can't hold down a 40 hour a week job, that I am basically disabled. Now I have had 5 doctors opinions since and before this work comp doctor evaluated me and they all agreed with my diagnoses.. that I had chronic pain and such. I ask myself how they can take the opinion of one retired doctor that doesn't practice medicine , over 5 very well respected doctors. I guess when we go to trial, all will be told.

That is my story and I am still awaiting some type of relief or cure to come along and take away this back pain. I also experience horrible hot flashes and sweating all the time. Headaches seem to have found their way to me also.

Take care,
Kasey