| When Mike Roman competes in a Sports Car
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| | my new profile as a race car driver to
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| Club of America racing event, it's much
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| | talk with doctors and patients about the
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| more than a sports event.
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| | alternatives to living with chronic pain
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| Many see his endurance as a testament to
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| | in every city where I race," Roman says
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| the human spirit, and the ability of a
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| | enthusiastically. He looks forward to
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| man, like thousands of other people, to
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| | sharing his story with pain patients and
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| win the race against chronic,
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| | local physicians.
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| debilitating pain.
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| | On the Web site, chronic pain sufferers
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| Thirteen years ago, Roman was an
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| | and their families can locate a pain
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| energetic orthopedic surgical assistant.
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| | specialist near where they live and can
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| In 1994, he injured his knee playing
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| | share their experiences with other
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| basketball. He underwent a "routine"
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| | victims of chronic pain.
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| surgery, and, afterward, an infection set
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| | Pain Is a Major
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| in that the team of physicians could not
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| | Health Care Concern
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| bring under control. A subsequent series
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| | An estimated 3 million people suffer from
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| of surgeries--a staggering 33 in
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| | chronic pain so severe that they can't
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| all--could not save the leg, which was
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| | work.
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| amputated in late 1995.
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| | It is further estimated that over 50
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| "I fought very hard to save my leg. When
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| | million patients suffer from chronic pain
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| I realized that I was going to have an
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| | due to back, leg and hip problems,
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| amputation, I thought at least my life
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| | chemotherapy, amputation, diabetes,
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| could get back to some semblance of
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| | facial nerve problems, HIV infections,
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| order," says Roman. "I was wrong."
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| | multiple sclerosis, shingles, and spine
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| After his leg was removed, Roman suffered
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| | surgery.
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| from phantom leg pain, which is very
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| | Iraqi War Veterans
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| common to amputees.
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| | Many veterans returning from the Iraq War
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| Three "revisions" (a surgical shortening
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| | are suffering from chronic pain from
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| of the stump) were also performed. The
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| | various causes.
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| pain only worsened. Like many people with
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| | "These brave soldiers will often require
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| chronic pain, he took powerful
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| | caring pain specialists," says Kevin
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| prescription drugs to treat the pain and
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| | Coleman, M.D., the St. Louis pain
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| eventually became addicted to morphine
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| | specialist who treated Roman with a
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| and other pain medications.
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| | spinal cord stimulator. "There are a
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| After a decade of debilitating pain that
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| | number of ways to treat neuropathic pain
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| rendered him unable to work and led to
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| | that occurs when nerves are injured, cut
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| drug addiction, Roman met a St. Louis
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| | or damaged. Modalities used can range
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| pain specialist who implanted in him a
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| | from oral medications to more aggressive
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| revolutionary spinal cord stimulator
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| | techniques such as spinal cord
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| device. Now he is finally free of pain
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| | stimulation. Every patient is different
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| and pursuing his dream of racing in the
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| | and requires an individual pain treatment
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| Indianapolis 500.
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| | plan."
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| Roman's efforts serve as hope of a normal
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| | Race car driver Mike Roman has found an
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| life for thousands of people who suffer
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| | effective way to relieve his chronic pain
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| from chronic pain.
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| | and pursue his racing dreams.
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| "Now that I have my life back, I am using
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