Pain Management Center Trinity Regional Medical Center – Main Campus 515.574.6450 Hours Monday – Friday 7:30 am – 4:00 pm

Playing with my granddaughter. My Pain Care, My Trinity.

How many times have you heard “you’re as young as you feel?” For Linda Habben that was just plain old. In her mid-50s Linda was no longer able to do the things she wanted to do like play with her grandchildren, work in her yard or even go for a walk. Instead, Linda was living very carefully and acting much older than she was. Chronic and persistent back pain, as a result of arthritis, was ruling her life. “I knew I was too young to be living like this. I needed to find a way to treat my pain or it was going to ruin my life,” said Linda.

Frustrated with the persistent pain, Linda spoke with her physician about treatment options. It was then that her doctor referred her to the Pain Management Center at Trinity Regional Medical Center. In September of 2008, Linda had her first appointment. “The nurses and doctors were wonderful. They really listened to me and were so compassionate – almost like they had experienced what I was experiencing,” shared Linda. Linda received excellent advice and recommendations from the Pain Management Center staff. One recommendation that Linda took to heart and has done religiously since her first trip to the Center was to create a Pain Journal. Daily Linda tracks her pain – where the pain is located, ranks the level of pain she is feeling and any other events that might have contributed to her pain that day. The Journal helps the nurses and physicians to better treat and manage a patient’s pain.

During that visit Linda received her first treatment, a cortisone injection to alleviate her back pain. The result was amazing – Linda was able to do the things she enjoyed and returned to an active lifestyle. Then, about three months later, the pain returned. Linda went back to the Pain Management Center and received a second injection but this time it did not work. Disappointed, Linda again turned to Dr. Szczepanek for help. That is when Dr. Szczepanek recommended a procedure called radiofrequency lesioning (RFL). This painless procedure uses electrical impulses to interrupt nerve conduction (pain signals) by “burning” the nerve root and providing the patient with significant pain relief until the nerve regenerates – typically six to 12 months, and in some cases, longer.

Dr. Szczepanek performed the RFL procedure on Linda in July 2009 and she has been living without back pain ever since. “Dr. Szczepanek saved my life. If it wasn’t for him and the Pain Clinic I would probably be in a wheelchair,” shared Linda. After reaching the three month milestone, Linda noted in her Pain Journal, “Three months later and my back is still GOOD!”

Linda is back to her busy lifestyle. When she is not working full-time, she helps with her grandchildren. “My daughter is a nursing student at Iowa Central, so I take my granddaughter to daycare everyday and watch her on the weekends while my daughter is at work,” stated Linda. This June Linda is taking her three grandchildren to Disney World for two weeks. “The RFL procedure gave me the confidence to book this trip,” shared Linda. “I know I can go and enjoy myself because of what Trinity’s Pain Center has done for me. Dr. Szczepanek is such a blessing – he is truly a miracle worker. He and his staff have given me my life back.”