I hope that you do accept me into your small group of friends. It would be an honor.

My story eh? Got a few hundred years? lolol Well here goes nothing! I am a single mom to 3 great kids; ages 14, 10 and soon to be 8. I have been separated from my ex for 3 years. We broke up, because he didn't or couldn't deal with my chronic pain and all the other problems that comes along with it.

I didn't really have any back problems until during the pregnacy of my 2nd child(my daughter). While in my seven month I threw my back out. I just dealt with it then and sort of put it on the back shelf. It happened again about 8 months later. From there on it became more and more frequent. During the pregnancy of my 3 child the pain came, and never went away. And progressively got worse. AFter the pregnancy, I went to my Gp on a regular basis stating I was in an unsurmountable amount of pain. I was put through a gamit of all the regular tests; and was told they really couldn't find anything that would be responsible for what I was stating was a lot of pain. I was told to go home and get on with my life! :-( I'm sure we've all heard that one? :-( I was persistent and my gp first sent me to a local hospital to see a specialist. I was to stay in the hospital for a week visit so they could really work me up. By this time, the depression had started to set in. I was really beginning to think it was all in my head as I was being told. I was still not being given any type of relief from the pain, and it became unbearable. The doctor's there again told me, it was in my head; go home and get over it.

Why would a young girl like me, be in so much pain. I was making it up!! I always wondered to myself, why would I put myself through that???? From there it was home again, and in and out of the local hospital for depression; thoughts of suicide and trying to deal with the hyterectomy I had to have.

I finally was sent to the Pain Management Clinic close to my home and started the process all over again. I have to say the doctor's have been great to me there. Some of the specialists they sent me to, of course gave me the run around; but the Pain Doc's perservered. I ended up being diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, sacorilliac disease, myofascal pain syndrome, arthritis and a ruptured disc all at the same time. I had surgery on the ruptured disc which was at L5 S1, and it relieved the pains in both my legs for 3 three years; but they have since come back; which has the docs worried. And I'm about to start the gammit of rounds to the specialists again. I have regular treatment both narcotic and steroidal at the Pain Clinic on a weekly/ monthly basis. And it helps to put some relief in my life. Without it, I would have lost it along time ago. It has helped that I have met other people with the same types of problems as me.

It's a tough road for sure; and there's lots of people who don't believe what you say; but I just struggled through it. With the help of some friends. I sure wouldn't have made it without them.

Hope to share and be there for others like me. I don't go out at all, as my pain keeps me at home. I craft, read and write to penpals all over the world to keep me sane.

Thank you for listening to my story.

Hugs, Kim Stewart

7/20/99