Rooted In Real Talk

By Regina Thomas

“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.” Maya Angelou

Introduction

Chronic pain doesn’t just hurt — it steals.
It steals sleep, focus, movement, and peace of mind.
It lingers for months or even years, turning everyday tasks into uphill battles. And when something constantly disrupts your ability to live fully, it doesn’t just affect your body — it begins to wear on your mind. The connection between chronic pain, depression, and anxiety isn’t just common; for many, it’s inevitable.

The Diagnosis

The Results: November 6, 2017 X-ray

Procedure: Lumbar Spine (AP, Lateral, L5-S1 spot)
Findings:

• Mild curvature in the thoracolumbar spine
• Degenerative changes with osteophyte (bone spur) formation
• Disc space narrowing at L5-S1
• Facet hypertrophy in lower lumbar spine
• Arthritic changes in the left hip

Impression:

1. No compression fracture
2. Arthritic changes
   Primary Diagnostic Code: ABNORMALITY, CORRELATE CLINICALLY

It would be six more years, and several physicians later, before I was granted an MRI.

The 2023 MRI – What They Finally Found

• Disc desiccation and mild disc height loss at L3-L4 and L4-L5
• Endplate osteophytosis (bone spurs)
• Conus medullaris terminates at L1-L2 (normal)
• Mild bilateral facet arthrosis at L2-L3
• L3-L4 disc bulge with right foraminal protrusion
• Mild to moderate central canal stenosis and bilateral lateral recess stenosis
• L4-L5 annular disc bulge with severe bilateral recess stenosis and bilateral L5 nerve root impingement
• L5-S1 disc bulge and further stenosis

My Treatment Journey

Physical Therapy & Beyond

PT consisted of a machine to stretch my back, dry needling, and heating pads.
Some days, I left feeling worse than when I walked in. Not exaggerating.

Then came Battlefield Acupuncture — tiny earring-like devices placed on specific points of your ear to relieve pain.
Yeah, I’d never heard of it either. But listen—when you’re in pain, you’ll try almost anything. If someone had handed me a mojo bag to ward off the pain, I’d have been first in line. Y’all they sent me to see the Social Worker, who taught pain management through the use of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and then off to Podiatry, again.

The Mental Toll

While my body was hurting, my mental health was unraveling. I was holding my life together by a thread.
The weight of chronic pain is hard to explain unless you’ve lived it.

It doesn’t just change how you move — it changes how you think, feel, and connect with the world.
My depression hit levels I hadn’t seen in years.
I felt invisible, overwhelmed, and hopeless.
Each day felt like a marathon… and I was running on fumes.

The Breaking Point: June 9, 2025

I went to my appointment with symptoms that had become constant:

• Tingling in my lower back
• Crawling sensation up and down my legs
• Tingling on the bottom of my feet
• Pain around my ankles and pulling in the back of my feet

I told myself this was the day — I would advocate for community care. When I finished my spill on why I should be referred to community health, the doctor looked at me and said: “Your only option is more PT… and back to podiatry.” I can’t send you for community care, our protocol states, if we can treat you, we can’t refer you.

“On this day my spirit broke…my heart broke…my mental health and my resolve broke

I pulled out my soap box, stood in the middle of the floor, and said:

“8 years. 8 years I have been coming here asking for help while the VA minimize not only me but my pain. You say you’re trying to help, but help comes in non-help, substandard care and me not being seen or heard and I have had enough…I am literally fighting for my health, my life, my mental well- being as my quality of life is going downhill. There is no me in this system and I can no longer afford to idly sit by as this system kills me. So, today it ends…And I got up and walked out…”

When the System Hurts More Than the Pain

This is what chronic pain looks like filtered through bureaucracy:

• Denied referrals
• Recycled treatments
• Protocol over people
• And a system that makes you feel like a chart number, not a veteran

The Final Verdict

Before I left, I turned back for one final statement as I said to him:

“There are veterans who don’t have private insurance, or the resources to leave this system. My voice today—it’s not just mine. It’s for them. For every vet forced to accept broken protocols and dismissive care. For every one of us buried under red tape and disregarded and while I do have the resources to leave, I pray that the next veteran that walks into your office you will have enough compassion to advocate for their care.” THEN

I walked out—not just for me, but for every veteran who deserves better.

As women, and especially as Black women, our pain is often minimized, scrutinized, and denied.
But today, I took a stand. For those before me. And for those that will come after me.

What I Found Out:

 I have discovered that if my 2017 X-ray had been followed up with an MRI when I first reported numbness, tingling, and stinging in my legs, my treatment plan would (and should) have been completely different—because those symptoms are classic signs of nerve compression, which an X-ray cannot detect.

What the MRI Showed vs. What the X-ray Missed:

Finding	2018 X-ray	2023 MRI	Why It Matters
Disc bulges/protrusions	Not seen	L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1	Causes nerve irritation (radiculopathy)
Nerve compression (L5 roots)	Not seen	Severe at L4-L5	Explains leg numbness/tingling
Spinal stenosis (narrowing)	Not seen	Moderate (L3-L4), Severe (L4-L5)	Can lead to chronic pain, weakness
Facet arthritis	Mild	Mild (L2-L3)	Confirmed, but not the main pain driver

What Should Have Happened (if MRI was done earlier)

• PT focused on nerve glides, core stabilization, and postural alignment
• Epidural steroid injections to reduce inflammation
• Surgical consultation (e.g., laminectomy for stenosis)
• Multimodal rehab plan addressing root cause, not symptoms

I was subjected to protocol and substandard treatment, while the VA was putting the equivalent of band-aid fixes on serious health conditions with no consideration as to the effects they were having on my life. And as my condition worsened over the years, to find out this information angered me. Then I blamed myself because I knew how to advocate for my health. But when you’re in pain and your mental health is taking a hit, it silences your voice.

Closing

This is my story. Not every veteran’s story.
But when we talk about advocacy, we need to talk about the truth—and my truth is this:

As veterans who’ve served this country, we deserve better.
We deserve dignity, quality care, and to be heard—in a system not only designed for us but  built for us.

Because when we’re ignored, dismissed, or buried in protocol, it doesn’t just hurt…
It dishonors the very service we gave.

And that.
That’s unacceptable.

As I reflect on this journey to gain control of my healthcare needs, I hope my story will help you advocate for your health, tell your story, and push the narrative for quality health care. Please leave a comment.