Best and Worst - An informal poll

[CindyLou]

1.) What was the best thing that happened to you during your spinal ordeal? If there could be a best, it would be the ongoing support my husband has provided me thru all these years of pain, dr.'s appts, etc. And certainly, I am extremely grateful that we were in a financial position to pay for it out of pocket. Lastly, but what could have been most important, is the compassion and understanding I have developed for people in pain and suffering.
2.) What was the worst thing that happened to you during your spinal ordeal? Battling chronic pain is not only exhausting, it lead me to suicidal thoughts. Battling for insurance coverage was a close second.
3.) What did you find was the most helpful in your recovery? This ADR site, hands down, was a God send.
4.) What was the least helpful in your recovery? The ups and downs, the roller-coaster ride towards wellness. Doctors that either don't understand pain management and/or are paranoid about writing scripts for heavy duty pain pills, because (they either think they're gonna get sued?) or every single person they do write a script for is going to end up a junky.
5.) Is there anything you wish you did or wish you were able to do before surgery that would have made life easier during recovery? Hmmm, not really. I didn't have any over weight issues. That's the main culprit I think of, that someone could work on, if they were over weight, prior to surgery. But again, if you're in unspeakable pain, nothing is easy.