Diane Hardman and David Bolnick

Please welcome Diane and David. Their information follows.

David Bolnick of Nevada, email bolnick@kkb-law.com. David says:
"I had a left-sided hemilaminectomy, foraminotomy, and medial facetectomy at L5-S1.

I had a great deal of left radicular leg pain after the surgery, which pain resolved 6 months after surgery, but for only 3 weeks. The pain then returned and got progressively worse.

I am now 8 months post-op. My surgeon says that the continued pain is caused by a disc which is impinging on the nerve root and denies that it is caused by E.F., although my post-operative MRI states "minimal epidural scarring and fibrosis along the left lateral aspect of the spinal canal extending out the L5-S1 foramen."

I am now on ibuprofen, lyrica, amyltriptyoline, welbutron, and hydrocodone, and the pain is worse now then it was before the surgery.

I read all of the biographies of the co-founders of your organization and I commend you all for your bravery and fortitude in the light of your very painful ordeals.

Kindest regards.

David Bolnick

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Diane Hardman of Pennsylvania, email hardman3@netscape.com. Diane says;

Article or Research to Submit?: "No, but I have been looking into the fact that allot of us have had Depo-Medrol used during spinal operations."

"I had a Laminectomy on my L3/l4 and L/5 a partial discetomy in May of 08. That was after having gone through P/T and then they tried Epidural shots in my spine but I had a bad reaction. Only 1 other time did I have a reaction and that was through oral presidone but we found that I am allergic to all Steroids only other option was surgery. First surgery I thought went well my legs didn't fell as bad as they did when I first came in 2 days after op went home that night noticed leakage and started to get headache, I was told that I may have some so didn't pay attion to it. Next morning I woke up saturated in what looked like pink fluid, called husband at work then called doctors office no one called back they were gone it was a weekend, finally had one of my Dr.'s associates call me and said if it bothers me to sit up then to have someone take me to hosp. ER, Hubby came home and off we went. ER was busy and I was about to faint when they let me in to lay on one!
of their tables, after that I woke up in hosp. room. They didn't fix it till 3 days when my dr. usually does operations during that time I was on strict order not to move and not traveling to bathroom. Long story short he had to reopen suture tear in spinal cord clean up field and close. When I was allowed to get up pain was 100X worse than the beginning. Did the P/T thing again 1st in water which helped than land and water, land sucked. after awhile @4-5 mos. told dr. that something must be wrong felt like back wants to break in 2 pieces. He ordered a new MRI then said there was nothing much he could do and dropped me. Well I was still in severe pain went to see a neurosurgeon and he sent me out for a series of tests MRI,xrays of spin forward and backward and a Spect Scan. That's when I was diagnosed with all these things now wrong with me. I have lost 60 lbs., can hardly shower and change myself, new trick my legs give out and I fall alot (just broke ankle 2 days ago) and my arm strength is nill cannot pick or pull myself up anymore.
I feel like my body is wasting away, my eyesight is shot can't get a right script for glasses, my fingers and feet fell pins and needles and bunched up socks on my toes that even without socks and I do not trust my doctor anymore it seams he and the first doctor use to run a practice together and the last time I saw him he said not to make any appointments unless my Pain Management doctor orders it. Sorry about the book I must go and lay down now this was way too long.
Diane"

Rebecca's Provider

Rebecca Lockley, email; lockleyhouse@yahoo.com, would like to suggest her provider:

"I am currently a patient of Dr Todd Sitzman in Hattiesburg Ms and I would recommend him to anybody."

Welcome Michael and Deb

Please welcome Michael Soares of Colorado. Michael's email address is scoares@yahoo.com. Michael would like to suggest a provider, Dr. Scott Hompland, DO, of Denver, Colorado for pain management.

Also welcome Deb of California. Her email is dophindeb@sbcglobal.net. Deb says:
"I am new to absorbing the reality of my arachnoiditis diagnosis, and my new doctor is avoiding giving me information. My entire lumbar spine is fused after 3 surgeries that started 7 years ago. My challenge is trying to get my needs met with my "insurance coverage" with workman's comp. So, I'd appreciate any contact with someone experienced with work comp barriers. I was also just "awarded" Social Security Disability money that I'll be living on the rest of my life.....and it's not very much. I have no one to move in with, live alone in a big house on 14 acres, and am scared on so many levels."

From LWA: Please visit our members page and reach out to other members for more information. Also be sure to visit our Facebook page.

Michelle needs our help

Welcoming New Members:

Michelle Knapp of Connecticut. Michelle's email is jmsns1989@aol.com. Michelle says:
"I am looking for any and all information I can collect about what I have been diagnosed with. I am confused, because from what I have read, all of the treatments that I have been put through seem to make things so much worse, yet doctor after doctor seem to make me repeat all of the same things over and over again. October 13,2009 will be one year that I have been experiencing my symptoms.

I suddenly awoke at 3am to being completely numb from the waist down, once I changed position, I got "pins and needles" and the feeling came back slowly. I went back to sleep and when I woke up that morning I was struck with some of the worst pain I ever felt in my life, to this day I am still in pain, there seems to be no relief ever.. I am afraid of becoming depressed.. I have so much difficulty even doing simple daily tasks like laundry for my children, I am no longer able to go out for walks and play with my kids.. I am losing hope.. I am scared, and feel very much alone.

My husband of 10 years is very supportive, although I still feel that no one understands and I need to hide my pain so as not to upset my family. I have been taking pain killers for months, I try to limit myself taking them so as not to become dependent on them. However; there are days that I simply cannot muster the strength to get out of bed without them.

I do not understand how or why this happened to me, I went the majority of my life without ever having any sort of serious injury or illness. The most I have had was a common cold and an occasional flu. How does one simply wake up with this one morning?

I am going to start a third round of physical therapy tomorrow. I am afraid of it, because the last two rounds caused me to become so overwhelmed with pain I lost conciousness on more than one occasion. My life is falling apart, my children are suffering right along with me because they do not have the mother that they did one year ago... and they do not understand where she went! I feel I am going to become more and more of a burden on my husband and parents. I have always been an active self supporter, very upbeat and positive.. and now I feel as though I may be heading towards a serious downward spiral. I need someone who understands what I am going through, someone to tell me how to regain my spirit. Please help me!"

From LWA: Michelle, please go to our members page and reach out to other members. Also sign up on our Facebook page. You are not alone.