One thing we realize is when people have cancer, they are treated with respect and dignity, but people with severe back pain are told to "learn to live with it".

When something like CES happens to us it is a terrible and confusing time. We have all felt this way. At times it would be easier to have a true spinal CORD injury, at least everyone would know what was wrong with you. With CES, people do not understand. Everyone just says "Oh yea I've had those back aches too", or "When are you going back to work?"

It's not their fault and of course you don't want to go into your bowel or bladder or sexual problems with THEM!!

Before this group was started and before we had a place to talk to others with these same problems we felt so ashamed and embarrassed about all of these "bathroom" problems. Now we talk about this stuff without blinking an eye, it is wonderful, because we NEED to be able to talk about it. It seems impossible that something like this happens to people and we've never even heard about it before. But it is happening more and more often.

When our members feel like talking, REAL time talking, it is nice to be able to log onto either AOL Instant Messaging or Yahoo Chat and find another member that understands what we are going through. Another person who has "BEEN THERE, DONE THAT!!"

Both AOL Instant Messaging and Yahoo Chat is FREE and easy to download. Simply click on the links below and follow the downloading instructions. Then, once you are a member of CESSG, you will have access to a list of member's buddy screen names through the private group.