Hi.  I am 39 and live in Texas.  I have been married for 18 1/2 years to my high school sweetheart.  We have two boys 16 and 17.  I have been dealing with chronic neck/upper back, right shoulder and arm pain for two years now.  (Actually have had symptoms for 18 yrs but it wasn't severe until two years ago.)  I had an anterior cervical discectomy with fusion of C4/C5 on Nov. 27, 2006 for a double-herniated disc with two tears and nerve entrapment of the C5 nerve root.  It was supposed to be my magical "cure".  Unfortunately, my pain has come back near the level it was before surgery.  My neurosurgeon says it can take the nerve up to a year to heal.  My neurologist thinks I have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and doesn't know if it will ever heal.  I am dealing with the uncertainty that goes with chronic pain.  I am still working at this point.  I am a registered nurse.  I am developing a new program at our hospital for breast cancer patients.  I love what I do but am finding it hard to make it through an 8 hour day.  I have more doctors on my case and am taking more meds than anyone my age should be.  My family is very supportive but none the less can not fully appreciate or understand what it is like to be in pain 24/7.  I know you all can and do.

 

Cricket