Please welcome Jen

Please welcome Jennifer Singleton of Canada. Jennifer's email address is Jennifer@pacbrake.com and she welcomes your email.

Jen says:

"Hi My name is Jennifer and I have had Arachnoiditis for 2 years maybe more. I was in a dramatic water skiing accident 12 years ago that resulted in a burst fracture of my L2,3,4 (I think) I know I have a multi level fusion, my hardware was taken out as it annoyed me and I broke it (I don't really sit still). I was 10 years doing fairly well I knew when I had to rest etc and I looked after myself I have a great support group and family. Gradually the pain became more intense in my lower spine and legs so my GP put me on a waiting list so I could see my surgeon (I live in Canada and the wait lists are long at least 6 months or more) during that time i was in another water skiing accident where i hyper extended my back at 35mph and all i heard was a large crunch, I was scared and sick. I went to hospital and they said my xray is so messed up they could not read it and to go back to see my surgeon as I had nothing unstable..So when I finally got in to see my surgeon I!
had so many things wrong I think i confused him and myself!..he did an MRI and said that I had advanced Osteoarthritis and he could do Facet joint injections to diagnose what worked. I worked with him for a year doing injections 3 times, when my pain became worse and i was crying and losing control. He said he had never seen me like that and so he believed me and he researched further finding i had a badly misaligned vertabrae on top of my fusion that he would need to fuse and he put me on the wait list for surgery (he moved me up to 3 months..that's fast for here he felt bad he missed this and it is more likely from my second accident)..fast forward to now..one month later.i am in emergency with severe leg and lower back pain that i cannot get under control...he comes in I tell him my leg pain is intense he shrugs his shoulders tells me my MRI is fine and he does not know what to do for me..he was very cold and kind of jumpy..he also told me that the vertabrae above my !
fusion was not a badly misaligned as he thought and he is rethinking t
he fusion (that made me laugh because in his office he was jumping around and could not believe it when he saw it and he gave me no other option but to fuse it) he was truly acting strange..but i know he is busy..so he said you have Arachnoiditis, I have known for 2 years (he had to tell me because at that point other ortho staff were looking at my MRI and attending to me because emerg thought i was a true spine emergency as i had bladder retention and leakage and my BP had spiked), I saw it on your first MRI..i said what??is that arachnophobia..what?? I was laughing..cause that's just me.. but he was not! not this time..he said it so fast and he would answer no questions just that it was inflamed and he would not operate or do anything for me and said..i am sending a neurologist down to see you..and that's when i was told..the neuro guy was great! he was kind and helpful and he gave me his card to come in any time and see him with any question I may have...and now that i have!
e been on researching i have lots! and I want my MRI..

I am disappointed in my doc (surgeon) he should have told me when he knew, it is my body, and he should have known that i would never have blamed him..the water skiing accidents are all on me! my fault 100%..he saved my life..anyone that looks at my pre surgery accident jumps up and down and says you should be in a chair..with a diaper..i looked up to him..and then this..I am left confused.

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to tell my story! I sure appreciate it..so i am new to all this..and i am a feisty little thing so..we will see what happens..I do not know what stage or level i am at..Thank you again Jen"