Robin W*

Robin describes herself as an ordinary 61-year-old Florida resident. But those who know her understand that her battle with chronic pain was anything but ordinary—pain which Robin has overcome she says, thanks to the treatment called neurostimulation.

Robin is no stranger to chronic pain. As a girl, she suffered migraines. In the early '90s, she was in a car accident that led to chronic pain in her right arm and shoulder.

In 2004, she injured her right knee. By 2007, Robin had developed burning chronic pain in her left knee and both legs. The pain in her legs forced her to use a cane.

Despite her extraordinary pain, Robin was determined to live her life. "I don't stop just because I hurt," she explains. "I have a bit of a hard head." She continued to work, but pain prevented her from being productive. "For every step I'd take forward," she says, "I would take three steps back."

Robin sought various treatments for her pain including steroid injections, nerve blocks, and surgery. "No surgery would work for me," she says. "I had a successful nerve block for my legs. But it wore off, and I could hardly walk."

More determined than ever, she sought additional treatment options from her pain management physician. "I'm a positive person and fully trust my physician," she says. "When he first suggested spinal cord stimulation (SCS), I had no reservations."

Robin had her Eon SCS system implanted in early 2008 and loves the all-around relief her system provides from her shoulders to her toes. Robin claims that it delivers an amazing 80 – 100 percent relief most days. In fact, only two days into the trial period, which allowed her to assess the system's effectiveness before having it permanently implanted, Robin spent over three hours walking unassisted at an art fair. "I only used my cane at the end to get back to the car faster," she jokes. "When people see that thing, they get out of the way real fast."

Robin is busy at work and is again productive, a result she attributes to her neurostimulation. She recommends SCS to anyone considering it. "It gave me my life back. If you have a chance, try it," she says. "Some people dwell on whether a treatment option is going to work or not, but you can't dwell on it. You have to live."

If you are considering spinal cord stimulation and would like to correspond with Robin, email her at RobinW@sjmneuro.com.