Joe

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“I started noticing numbness in my legs. It became so bad that I couldn’t feel the floor beneath my feet. Once, I fell coming out of a store. I didn’t hurt myself, but from then on, I couldn’t stand or walk for more than five minutes. I couldn’t even make breakfast. I couldn’t stop and talk with my neighbours when I was out getting the mail. It was too painful and I just knew a fall would happen in a matter of minutes. At night, I was getting at most four hours of sleep, and then I couldn’t wait to get up because it was so painful to be lying down. When I worked, it took me twice as long to do anything.

 

As it got worse, I tried physiotherapy and acupuncture, but nothing helped. I had two operations: one less invasive procedure because I had a heart condition, and another operation less than a year later; neither fixed the problem. We tried medication to manage the pain but they didn’t work at all. There was only so much my doctor could do, so he referred me to Dr. Quartey. From there it was a matter of weeks before my neurostimulator implant surgery was scheduled, and within less than a year, I had the operation.

 

I didn’t think something as small as a pocketwatch could make such a difference in my life. I’ll never be 100% pain free but I am 100% better than I was, and I can’t tell you how good that feels.” – Joe

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Right now, you can ensure everyone in our community receives the best care possible by giving to the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation. 

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To make a donation to the current campaign in honour of someone you know or someone you want to give special recognition to - a loved one, a frontline worker, the healthcare team, a volunteer -  click the ‘Donate’ button below. On the "Donation Amount" page, select "I am supporting: Current Campaign”.