I have a lot of pain in my life … it averages between 6/7 … it comes and goes (never below 5); I’ve tried a ton of different medications … no silver bullets unfortunately … Tramadol 50 mg in the morning with a cup of coffee. Since I’m always in pain, my wife tries to keep us busy with friends & church over the weekend so my focus isn’t on the pain. We go on bike rides along the ocean in LA & find a place to eat lunch. I still have the pain but life is a beautiful diversion. I also do a lot of phsyical therapy … it helps me & gives me a sense of controlling the things I can control. I’ve been losing my ability to walk … my legs are moving slower … I used able to walk around the block near my house & now I can only walk a quarter of it. I talked to a neurosurgen at my church & he indicated a laminectomy of my cirvical cord could help offset part of this loss. I’m working on a couple more reviews with other doctors to see if they concur. I had my surgery 28 years ago & my doctor told me that my spinal cord was fragile & it wouldn’t survive radiation. This ius part of the reason I tyriong to get second and third op[inions on future surgery. I’ve talked with 4 people (family/friends) and they’ve had success. The surgery overal has a 90% success rate (probably just depends on the circumstances .. ie fragile spinal cord). I’m feeling good about the future … I just want my walking to stabilize and stay out of a wheel chair.

Good luck to you; try to find ways to stay engaged in life; it’s important to focus things that make you happy. We are only on earth for a short time & I believe we’ll end up in a better place after we pass away with no pain. You kind of in the lottery when you were born in the USA & if you have faith … yiur hope will be eternal. I am a man of faith & having hope is an important thing.