[ian]

The thing about chronic pain is, that unless a person has experienced the same thing, that have no way of relating. I love it when people tell me about the time they broke their arm, or cracked a rib and how it was the most painful thing they've ever experienced. I just roll my eyes. Unless you know what it's like to wake up with pain and go to sleep with pain, day in and day out, you have no idea what it feels like.

My girlfriend, who is a national caliber professional mountain biker, has had 4 knee surgeries and her ankle is basically fused. She eats pain like candy. Seriously, I don't know anyone who can absorb more pain. But she also deals with constant pain off the bike and wakes up every morning limping. She understands what I deal with, and it helps to have someone who doesn't dismiss what I'm going through as being all in my head

I've been racing mountain bikes for a while, and cyclist like to talk about suffering on the bike during a hard ride or race like it's a badge of honor. I just walk away from these discussions because it'll just piss me off if I have to explain to them that I'm in pain before I get on the bike and 30 minutes into a ride I can't feel my left foot. They think enduring pain is fun because as soon as they get off the bike the pain stops. When in my case the pain really begins after the ride is over.

But enough of my whining. Keep searching, Drewad, you'll find relief at some point. Just don't give up.

Originally Posted by drewrad

Hardest part is how nobody relates to what you're going through. The wife, while supportive, just has no clue. And Kaiser is absolutely disappointing, from their spine 'specialist' to the PTs to my GP. They just don't even seem very educated at all.

Looked at my friend's MRIs yesterday who is my age(45) and was disappointed to see all his other discs look really bright and tall. I thought perhaps they would be deflated like mine and that mine were more the norm. Not so.

Will be nice to get the Euros to look at my MRIs/X ray and get feedback from them.