| Greg had a low-back injury over ten years ago. It | | | | Greg continued to have the "strokes," several a day, |
| caused sciatica-like back pain and, later, disability. | | | | every day. |
| We know that people handle pain in many different | | | | Upon insistence of family members, Greg asked his |
| ways. Some realize that pain is a passing thing, or can | | | | family doctor for referral to a neurologist. That |
| be treated naturally. They understand that their body | | | | doctor said, "You need to get more exercise." His |
| wants to be well, and sometimes just needs a little | | | | diagnosis was off, probably because he also looked |
| help to get back to where it feels good. | | | | at a record of prescription drug usage instead of |
| Others, like Greg, may have a low tolerance for pain, | | | | symptoms. He did not order new tests. |
| or an addictive-type personality, or some other | | | | Family members insisted on seeing the original |
| reason to rely on pain medication and muscle | | | | neurologist who said, "I don't know what this is, but it |
| relaxants long-term. Some become dependent on the | | | | is definitely not TIA's. TIA's do not act like this. They |
| drugs. | | | | only occur randomly, once in a while, not every day, |
| Unless one is dying in hospice, dependency on pain | | | | and certainly not several times a day." He wanted to |
| medications is never a good thing for many reasons. | | | | refer Greg to University of Michigan Hospital for |
| But can it mask a more serious problem, such a brain | | | | further testing. |
| tumor? | | | | But Greg still trusted his family doctor, who had said, |
| Over the past couple of years there were times | | | | "I'll take care of you, buddy." |
| when Greg seemed over-medicated. His eyes were | | | | That last visit to the neurologist may have been too |
| half closed, his speech was slow and so were his | | | | late anyway. |
| thought processes. The family always figured it was | | | | The family always figured his symptoms that looked |
| overuse of prescription pain medication, although | | | | like drug overuse were drug overuse. But they had |
| Greg always denied this. His doctor would only | | | | concerns about these "TIA's" which still continued. |
| prescribe the pain-killing narcotics and muscle relaxers | | | | Gregs' speech became garbled last week and he |
| in amounts that would last for two weeks. | | | | ended up in the emergency room of a hospital. He |
| Greg started having something that seemed like | | | | was transferred to Oakwood Main in Dearborn where |
| seizures or mini-strokes about a year ago. He stayed | | | | there is an excellent neurosciences department. |
| in a hospital for several days while tests were run. | | | | The biopsy showed an incurable, inoperable brain |
| The neurologist said, "This seems to be seizures, not | | | | tumor. |
| strokes." His family doctor, the one who had him on | | | | What if Greg was not using prescription medications |
| pain medication, said, "Don't worry, buddy, I will help | | | | for his back pain? The symptoms would have been |
| you and you will never have another mini-stroke | | | | very clear. No one would have thought, "It's just too |
| again." The family doctor disregarded the diagnosis of | | | | much medicine causing him to look and act like this." |
| the neurologist. | | | | Could this tumor have been successfully treated by |
| Greg went home and continued on his pain | | | | surgery a year ago? Two years ago? |
| medication. The family doctor also treated him with | | | | The medication for chronic back pain caused family |
| typical medications to prevent mini-strokes, also called | | | | and even doctors to overlook the obvious. |
| TIA's. | | | | Greg is in hospice now, dying. |