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"