Welcome to Ehabme!

Welcome to the initial Ehabme article!

Ehabme.com provides the information and inspiration you need to live your best live regardless of pain. Written for, and by, professionals and people who deal with many of the same challenges you do: pain, suffering, disappointment, failure.

Let me tell you my pain story.

I grew up in California's upper deserts near Death Valley. My first pain memory occurred at age 6 when my dad was building us a fort in the back yard. I did something that hurt and cried. My mother hugged me and told me I didn't have to cry over every little thing. Later, I fell head first 2 feet out of the fort onto the tree stump we were using to climb up into it.

It hurt! I remembered what Mom said and choked back the tears while I looked around for her. She needed to see I was being a good boy, but she was inside the house. My older brother asked if I was OK and then started laughing at me.

I learned how my family was supposed to act when we had pain. We were supposed to be stoic like our Western and Northern European ancestors. Suck it up, rub some dirt in it and get back in the game. My sister jokes our family motto should be, "Suck it up!"

It would be my motto for living with pain for most of my life.

Chronic pain runs in the family. Back and leg pain. Rheumatoid arthritis. Chronic daily headaches and migraine. All the usual things. I have seen what it takes for a son, daughter, spouse, friend to live a normal life when you have moderate to severe pain on a daily basis.

I have a spinal condition where the opening for my spinal cord is smaller than it should be (stenosis). When I stand and walk, the spinal cord doesn't get enough blood and oxygen, so I get pain, numbness, tingling and weakness in my legs that can be severe. If I squat, bend, or sit the pain goes away in under a minute and I can get back up for about the same time, but a little less. It kept me from doing many of the things I love in the out of doors and playing sports. Heck, it kept me from going on walks with my wife and kids because it was too uncomfortable and draining!

I did the best I could for about 20 years and then I started having nerve damage in my legs. I had one surgery that worked fantastically for 10 months, but then went sideway necessitating a lumbar fusion. It has helped the leg pain, but the nerves haven't recovered. Overall, I am glad that I did it to preserve my ability to do things, but there is still pain.

I am a physical therapist who specializes treating chronic pain and the spine. I am a -certified specialist in orthopedic physical therapy with advanced training in pain neuroscience education. My patients like that I have pain because I get what they are telling me about what they are going through. Everyone's experience is unique, but things sound familiar to me.

As I near the end of my career, I want to share what I have learned as someone with pain, as a son, spouse, sibling, and as a friend of someone with pain, and as someone who was specialized in helping people with persistent pain get better.

It's going to be a great time of learning and growth for all of us. And for learning to live your best life despite pain.

Cheers!

Roger