Patricia,
I'm sorry I do not live by you.  But I would be more than happy to correspond with you via email.  I total understand, before I was diagnosed with arachnoiditis, I thought I was crazy.  I had six surgeries and still had no relief.  It may not have a cure, but at least I know now that I'm not crazy, there is a reason for my symptoms.  I believe in God's healing and I'm praying for that.  He is the only reason I have been able to get through this in one piece.  I know He will heal me when His Timing is Perfect.  But in the mean time I am blessed with many miracles everyday with His Faithfulness in meeting my needs.  How did you contract the disease?
Jennifer

Patricia Graddon <patnoelgraddon@...> wrote:

I have just joined the group and I have had Arachnoiditis since the '70's and would be interested to hear from others especially any who live in Somerset.  I live in Minehead Somerset and would like to meet others.  I have been an inpatient in Musgrove on many occasions and the condition is not known there but they do treat me for whatever I am in for and leave me to do what I am able regarding the Arachnoiditis.

I certainly can understand the pain others have to go through and I think it would help to be in touch with someone who understands,

Hope to hear from you soon.

Patricia

Michael <Sfusion@...> wrote:

Hello Jennifer, thanking for telling your story. I used to have
headaches very bad for about the first five years. But it seemed that
once I had my hardware all removed it seemed to help the headaches a
lot and also the bad cramping pain in the hamstrings unless I did
something to aggravate my problems by doing more than I should.
Sometimes I have thought about just moving to a warmer climate also.
I think I would like Hawaii. Best regards Michael

--- In Arachnoiditis@yahoogroups.com, Jennifer Bartenetti
<jbartenetti@...> wrote:
>
> Michael,
>  I also lived in Washington State, Tacoma and Gig  Harbor.  I had
an accident at a wedding in 1993.  I did not  have my first fusion
till 2000.  I had a ruptured disc in my  neck.  After they did the
fusion.  A year later I had a  ruptured disc in my lower back.  So
they fused that one.   After that I had another disc rupture in my
lower back and three more  in my neck.  I've had six fusions, and I
have all the hardware to  prove it.  My last surgery was 10/04.  My
headaches, neck  pain, and lower back pain is not controlled by pain
meds, but I take a  lot of pain meds every day.  Since I've been
approved for the  spinal pain pump I'm seriously considering it.  I
moved to Va to  stay with my Dad till SSDI came through.  I was
approved  3/06.  But I haven't received my back pay yet.  I'm moving 
back to California for two reasons.  First my daughters stayed in 
California and one is living with her father, we are divorced.  
After two surgeries he said that's it.  It just
>  put to much stress  on the marriage.  But all well that ends
well.  The other  reason I am moving back is for the weather.  I
really love  California.  Yeah I lived in Washington from 1984-1999. 
I  loved Washington, but I don't miss all the rain.  Anyway that's 
pretty much my story.  Daily life is whatever I wake up to.   The
main problem is that if my back is not hurting I may still have  neck
pain and headaches.  Or the reverse.
>   Talk to you later,
>   Jennifer
>
> Michael <Sfusion@...> wrote:        Hello Jennifer, my name is
Michael I have had four surgeries on my
>   back. Two which were fusion's. The others were for mistakes and
>   misdiagnosesis. I would love to hear you story how you got
yourself
>   into this horrible condition. I know that getting the
Arachnoiditis
>   wasn't anything that you did. But what lead up to you getting the
>   fusion's and in two different area's of your spine at that. I had
all
>   mine at the L5-S1 area. I had my first Surgery a spinal fusion in
1991
>   when I was only 36 y/o. I had a spondylolisthesis with a ruptured
>   disc. I knew something wasn't right about one year after. I ended
up
>   with a failed fusion. But, I had to go through 2 more surgeries
before
>   they found it. In 1996 they found the Pseudarthrosis (false
joint) and
>   did the second spinal fusion on me. I was going to have a 360
fusion
>   in 1999 with cages put in the anterior and the plates and screws
in
>   the posterior. But, when the doctor opened me up. He decided not
to do
>   the surgery because of all the scar tissue and he just didn't
feel it
>   would help me. I really was happy even though I knew that meant
there
>   was nothing they could do to help me anymore. But, the thought of
>   another fusion and being cut open from both sides with steel in
them
>   both. I wasn't looking forward to. I was glad to get all my
hardware
>   taken out also. I noticed it helped my leg pain a lot. But I have
done
>   nothing except go down hill since. I too get Social Security, and
a
>   workers compensation pension also. But, I'm never going to be
able to
>   make up for what I have been though. This was the time of my life
I
>   was supposed to be making the most money in my life for the
future. I
>   read that you are going to move to California. Is that because
you
>   feel that the weather will help you down there. My Mother lives
in
>   California. I own a house in Washington State. So that kind of
makes
>   moving a lot more work. But, sometimes I think I would like to
move to
>   a place with a lot more sunshine. I don't know if it would help
>   though. I would love to hear your story if you wouldn't mind
telling
>   it sometime. I take pain medications and I don't thing I could
make it
>   with out them. But it still doesn't help with a lot of the
symptoms.
>   How do you cope with your pain. Are you able to do much. Take
care and
>   have a great day. Sincerely Michael in Washington State
>  
>  
>   --- In Arachnoiditis@yahoogroups.com, "jbartenetti"
<jbartenetti@>
>   wrote:
>   >
>   > Hi my name is Jennifer, I currently live in Virginia, but I am
moving
>   > back to California in a few weeks.  I have had 6 fushions. 
Four in
>   my
>   > neck, and two in my lower back.  I suffer from extreme pain and
am
>   > unable to work.  It took me three years to receive Social
Security
>   > Disability Insurance.  Are any of you guys unable to work as
well?
>   > Medications do not keep from working as much as the pain just
stops
>   me
>   > in my tracks.  I've been approved for a surgery, an implantable
pain
>   > pump.  Does anyone have one of these?  I'm so glad there are
others I
>   > can talk to about this.  I would appreciate any information you
guys
>   > have. 
>   > Thanks,
>   > Jennifer
>   >
>  
>  
>  
>  
>  
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