Question
My daughter was shot last August.  She is described as an incomplete spinal cord injury at T12/L1.  The surgeon was able to remove the bullet and fragments from her back, and rebuild the myelin sheath surrounding the cord.  This surgery took place 8 days after the incident, as they had to wait for the swelling to go down to operate.

All told, she is very lucky.  She spent several months at the hospital, then several with a wheelchair, then a walker and now she is self-mobile, but in a slow and labored way.

She is 25 years old and in good health otherwise.  She is on baclifen, lyrica, percoset, several oxy's, coumadin, ativan and ambien to try to sleep.

She moved back in with my wife & I after the hospital & it has been quite interesting to watch her progress--she has already accomplished a greater recovery than was anticipated.

Now, my question:  She is never pain-free.  From the upper thighs down in both legs, knees, feet.  She sometimes describes it as a mild parathesia--tingling and only slightly discomfortable.  But the bad days are like charlie horses that you can't rub out.  She lays and just cries because it hurts so bad.  Tonight I just held her while she cried until she finally fell asleep.  Many times it's the lower legs.  Other times the upper legs.  Tonight it was her knees.

When she's complained to her supervising doctor, he is sympathetic but firm in the idea that she's just got to learn to live with it.  She tries to accept this, but after 10 months of no break her body is exhausted and her mind numbed by the ordeal.

Are there some resources that we can tap into to try to help her?  Pain specialists we could see?  Medical books we can read?  Any ideas will be welcomed and appreciated.

Thanks,
---Brian (Dad)  

Answer
Hi Brian,

The following web site is a good source of medical information. I hope this helps, I know how hard it must as a father to watch your daughter go through this. I will keep good thoughts for both of you.

Sincerely, Ken

www.medicaldoctors.us.com.