ANNISSA JOBB first limped into the office of Riam Shammaa, MD, a sports medicine doctor, and pain specialist in Toronto, in 2017. Jobb had been working as an aide in long-term care facilities when her back pain first appeared about a decade earlier. The cause: an undiagnosed herniated disc, which had pinched a nerve. As the pain worsened, Jobb gritted her teeth and tried to keep going. Now she was desperate for help.
“It's been my calling in life, taking care of people,” says Jobb, now 55. But working with frail seniors involves a lot of lifting, bending, and pulling. “I had a drawer full of pain medication. None of it was working. I'd snap," she says. “My husband and I came close to getting divorced.”
By November 2016, Jobb could scarcely walk even a short distance “My doctor finally said, 'You will end up in a wheelchair if you don't stop working there."
Jobb's internist referred her to Dr. Shammaa, who began by administering nerve-block injections, similar to an epidural, every few weeks. They held the pain at bay for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, but then it always returned.
This story is from the May 2022 edition of Reader's Digest US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 2022 edition of Reader's Digest US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
GOTCHA!
We asked for it: What's the best prank you ever pulled?
KITT THE COURAGEOUS K-9
Officer Bill Cushing needed a partner. His dog needed a purpose. Together, they rescued each other.
Let's Dance!
It's good for your body, soul and even your brain
DISASTER ON THE RIVER
Two canoeists struggle to keep themselves and their friendship-afloat
WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL THE STUFF WE RETURN
Think your rejects go back on the shelves? Think again.
Words to Live By
Poems offered me an anchor as I lost my son, so I shared them
LOST, FOUND, HOMEWARD BOUND
A collection of heart-thumping, tail-wagging, zoomies-inducing pet reunion tales
Paging Dr. AI
IF YOU'VE EVER Googled symptoms (and who hasn't?), you've probably scared yourself with a dire diagnosis, with no doctor there to vet the source and put the information in context. But we can't help ourselves. So can AI help?
The HEALTHY WELLNESS FROM THEHEALTHY.COM
A vaccine is finally on the way. In the meantime, here's how to protect yourself from ticks.
How to Speak Like a Midwesterner
FROM THE BOOK A GUIDE TO MIDWESTERN CONVERSATION
