‘Pain was robbing me of any quality of life.’

My pain started with an injury in my knee. The pain I felt was much more than you would expect with an injury of this type and it didn’t go away. Instead, it became progressively worse. Meanwhile, I couldn’t find anyone who could help in the medical field.

Some even suggested that my pain wasn’t as bad as I was making it out to be, which made it hurt even more. I was told things like, “You need to stop limping and get over it,” “There is nothing physically wrong with you, it’s all in your head,” and “You’ll just have to live with it.” In fact, it took doctors three years to just diagnose my confusing condition. It was Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

I went to twelve different specialists in an effort to find relief from my pain. They prescribed a lot of medication and administered steroid injections, but these treatments not only didn’t take care of my pain, they also brought their own unpleasant side effects, including panic attacks.

The pain was robbing me of any quality of life. It affected little things in my life like not being able to sleep on either side. And big things that affected work and family situations. We wanted another child, for instance, but I was afraid to become pregnant with all of the pain medication I depended on to manage my Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. And as far as anything fun or recreational, that was completely out of the question. What made that even more sad was how much I knew my daughter wanted me to take her to Disney World.

Also, I am a teacher and was unable to work consistently due to the level of pain I was experiencing. I had to use crutches and still couldn’t walk far. I had almost become resigned to applying for full-time disability.

Finally, someone referred me here. This is a very different kind of pain treatment center. They really took the time to listen to me. I asked them about other options to better, more consistently control my pain from this Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. That very day, I went home with a TENS unit and the hope that if it provided pain relief, a more permanent solution might also be a possibility for me. I did feel relief and my medical team moved forward quickly with the trial of a spinal cord stimulator – which was also effective, so I had surgery to place a permanent stimulator. Within a month, I was off all medications. My pain level dropped dramatically from an 8-10 to a 0-2. And my pain has been under control ever since. After three years of getting worse, this team had me enjoying life again after just a few months.

Now that my pain is under control, everything is different. I am once again able to sleep on either side. I’m back to my full-time teaching job. And I have gone from being a person who couldn’t even walk from one room to the next to someone who uses an elliptical machine for exercise: from needing crutches to go a few feet to taking regular walks to the park down the street.

Most importantly, my family situation has taken a wonderful turn for the better. My daughter now has a healthy new baby sister. And yes, I finally took her to Disney World– and walked for 10 hours!

When people comment about the difference in me, I tell them about my experience here. The staff here listen to me, believe me, and really care about my well-being. Plus, they’re always there for me, involving themselves with my progress every step of the way.

I have the peace of mind knowing that if my pain level increases, they will see me right away and help find a solution that allows me to keep me living my life. After all, I have TWO little girls to keep up with now! Start gaining control of your pain and get back to living life.