My name is Cami, and it has been five years and a few months since I fractured my spine while sledding. Three years later, we found a doctor who was finally able to tell us that the pain I was feeling was this fracture - no one else (in doctor after doctor) was able to figure out why I was in so much pain. Now it made sense. And there was finally proof that I wasn‘t making it up!

Shortly thereafter, my L5 vertebrae and sacrum (S1) were fused. Six screws, two rods, and a cage of cadaver bone! (My disc was damaged, thus needing replacement.)

All went well with the surgery and I am SO GRATEFUL for those who worked on me! I knew some pain was still there (in general - not sure exactly where) but wanted to see if the preceding months would diminish it. Well, it didn’t go away. Two years later, I’m still dealing with it, and we’ve determined it’s my SI (sacroiliac) joint causing this residual pain (also damaged in the accident). I’m desperate to have this gone. I am so blessed to have medicine around, but it has been difficult to access it. Medicaid won’t cover ablations, and I’m not sure why. We’ve done steroid injections, epidural injections, pain medication, acupuncture, oils, salves, massage, yoga (which is helpful, but also painful!) and ablation is the next thing to try. I pray this will help. I’ve had so many years over this. Frustration. Angst to get outside and run - or play with the kids.

I can’t even clean the house without falling apart. Bending forward (I compromise by squatting), lifting, turning about, EVERYthing uses your SI joint!!! It’s a tiny joint with a HUGE job. To help that sacrum flow.

I desperately want to live my life again - without depression and weariness holding me back. I know that if I move, I’ll pay for it later. And if anyone knows me, I LIKE to move! I’ve always been a runner and a dancer and miss those so much. Even if I could just jog across the street, that would be cool .

I’ll take what I can get. But for now, it’s worth a try. To raise the money to see if I could get this done.

If you have the faith, I have it too. The steroid injections have worked, they just haven’t lasted very long.

And those were VERY GOOD DAYS

All my love,

Cami Hall