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Five years ago, Janice Holtby didn't have to lie around in her liv- ing room on a mattress to ease the pain that knifes through her back and down her legs. It was five years ago that she slip ped on freshly waxed stairs and tumbled onto a cement floor. Her back hurt directly after the fall, of course, but after 20 minutes or so the pain eased and never Janice Holtby is starting up a support group for those who suffer or have suffered from back problems. 193 QUEEN ST, PORT PERRY (416) 985-7306 ALL LINES OF GENERAL INSURANCE VICTORIA L185 ano Grey Since I844 10% 5 Year Annual Interest 10% Semi-Annually Rates Subject to Change without Notice 150 Water St. Port Perry COUPON 30 Large Pizza 4%. X-Large Pizza -- ONE COUPON PER PIZZA -- FREE DELIVERY IN PORT PERRY Open to 4 A.M. Thurs., Fri., Sat. re EE GE CHI GEE GEE GEES CHE GEN GENE GHED GIES CED GEN GE SEND GE SE bothered her again for about a year. It wasn't until her son was born that the pain crippled her, literally. "I couldn't even get the groceries. The pain travelled down my back and into my legs, it was so bad," she says. "People don't realize until they hurt their backs how it hurts their legs as well." Janice couldn't stand, sit or walk. She tried everything she could think of to alleviate the pain including physiotherapy, drugs and surgery. The operation, however, did not work and left a mass of scar tissue around her lower spine which made the pain even worse. Finally, after seeing specialist after specialist and undergoing a battery of tests and treatments, a second operation brought major relief. She is still not completely pain-free, but she doesn't expect to be. : "I don't think I'll ever get rid of the pain totally," she admits. Throughout her years of suffer- ing, the one thing that kept her go- ing was her friendship with a Blackstock area woman who also lived with back pain. The two talked on the telephone for a long time before they even met, and Janice credits her long distance friend with giving her enough support to keep her going. "I don't know what I weuld have done without her," Janice says thankfully. Having support from fellow back patients is important, Janice stresses. Who knows better the in- visible pain that surrounds back problems better than a person who has back problems? While family and friends were supportive, they couldn't fully ~o- preciate the amount of pain she was feeling. "They can't see your pain, they can't feel your pain,' Janice says. "So they don't believe it." After talking to her telephone friend, Janice began to realize she was not alone. "Now," she says, "I know I'm not crazy." She considers herself lucky to have come in contact with a person who shares her problem, and she's PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, November 11, 1986 -- 15 Support group plan for back pain sufferers afraid many people with back pain don't have anyone who "really understands." Because of this, Janice is in- terested in forming a back pain sup- port group for people of all ages who share back problems. Basically, the group would get together on a fairly regular basis to discuss common ailments and ways of either living with them or dealing with them. Sometimes, Janice says, doctors don't have the time or the full resources to go over every possible treatment, but people in a group at- mosphere can trade ideas or have access to information they might not otherwise have. Janice is hoping to have connec- tions with the Back Association of Canada, a group formed in 1980 made up of back pain sufferers. Originally, the group was looking for answers. Members knew if they could find out more about back pain- -its causes, its diagnosis, its many treatments--they would be better equipped to deal with their own. Their first project was to develop -- (7) "J QD (X] x on HWY. 401 OSHAWA 300 TAUNTON RD. *CANADA"S LARGEST GARDEN AND CRAFT CENTRE * UNHEARD OF SELECTION of WHITE ROSE Quality Christmas Trees, Garlands, Ornaments, Tropical Plants, Crafts, Yarns, Buri and Rattan Furniture, Basketware, Pots and Planters, Artificial Flowers, Garden and Lawn Care Accessories, Trees, Shrubs and so much more ... *WATCH FOR OUR SENSATIONAL SAVINGS AND SUPER GRAND OPENING SPECIALS! * FREE DOOR PRIZES * LUCKY DRAWS * DOOR CRASHER SUPER SPECIALS WEEK AFTER WEEK, MONTH AFTER MONTH ... WE PROMISE YOU AN UNHEARD OF SELECTION AT UNHEARD OF WHITE ROSE LOW PRICES! ... QUALITY .. VALUE ... ... SELECTION ... a forum for educating Canadian back pain sufferers, Back to Back, the association's quarterly newspaper, now in its sixth year of publication. Since 1980, their horizons have ex- panded. They have addressed the need for preventive back care education among young Canadians by sending Back Track posters and Backgrounder booklets to more than 3,000 schools. They have helped industries set up back care classes and better working environments for their employees. Through media campaigns, members remind the public that more research into back pain is necessary if they are going to conquer this debilitating ailment which strikes more than 80 per cent of the North American population. But as well has been talking to people who presently suffer back pain, Janice is also interested in meeting those who are now pain- free, to learn how they overcame their problem. Those who are interested in know- ing more about the support group can call Janice Holtby at 985-9146. White Rose 0' RITSON RD. TT --~ "