Originally Posted by JQuezadaS4
I am a nursing student, who is actually just getting started next week, and I have a pinched nerve --most everyone is claiming that it is sciatica.. but my chiropractor disagrees.
I am too thrilled about this forum!!! I am thankful because we needed this badly. Yet I find myself nearly paralyzed to touch my keyboard to write---I'm afraid of what response will come back---OK, take a deep breath.
I'll be 47 in November and have suffered from a cervical injury since 2004 that was ignored and not aggressively treated until 2006 (WC). This injury may require a multiple fusion, but I won't know for sure until I see the neurologist next month. All the prescribed modalities from holistic to traditional approaches have resulted in no improvement. In 2005 I decided to study nursing. I struggled through school to finish my nursing pre-reqs (completed this past June). I can no longer attend school because of chronic pain and the effects of numerous drugs (narcotics/antidepressants...) prescribed to alleve my symptoms.
My doctors told me it was good to continue with my studies, and even encouraged me in my chosen major. Academically I was doing well (I have a 3.5 GPA). I mention this because it was assumed by my doctors (including primary treating to pain management to psychologist) if I could perform this well in school that certainly I was employable and well enough to enter nursing school. But it was always a struggle to perform at school. And my caregivers were made aware of my suffering because I constantly complained that I was getting worse, but all they seemed to look at was my ability to meet the challenges of school. (I made it through sheer will, and my faith in God.) However, physically and mentally I can't do it anymore.
It wasn't until my recent diagnostics showned that my condition had worsened, and I am forced to wear a cervical collar to restrain me from being a bobble-head, I am finally being taken seriously. I may have worked myself too hard thinking it was all in my head since the doctors were saying everything was OK. I believed them despite what my body was telling me. I needed to believe them to keep going. Now, I may have to accept that nursing
may not be in my future, no matter how much I may want it. I haven't given up though, but I do have many unanswered questions, which I hope to find help for in this much welcomed and needed forum for all of us.
If any of you have some insight, suggestion, or encouragement I'd like to hear it. Thanks again, Brian & the allnurses staff for your good work.
Samburu
"Wise make simple." Words to live by.
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