Chris, a dedicated Vice Principal at Amherst Regional High School in Nova Scotia, first noticed minor lower back pain in 2016. At 35, his doctor attributed it to the natural aging process, long hours of driving for work, and playing hockey several times a week. The pain would come and go, prompting him to try chiropractic care and physiotherapy, but nothing provided lasting relief. Eventually, the pain subsided, and he continued with his daily routine.
Three years later, the pain resurfaced and became persistent. Once again, he sought help from his family doctor and attempted chiropractic care and physiotherapy. His doctor prescribed a series of medications, escalating from over the counter to stronger pain medications. None alleviated the pain. Despite numerous treatments, the pain remained, and Chris was left feeling increasingly hopeless.
After repeated visits to his family doctor, he was referred to a Pain Clinic at his local hospital. There, over the course of a couple of years he underwent several surface injections, epidural injections, and infusions. None of these treatments provided relief. One particularly frustrating moment occurred when a doctor at the clinic attempted to inject his neck but couldn’t due to Chris’s severely restricted range of motion. The doctor ultimately admitted,
“Well, there’s nothing we can do.”
Overcome with frustration and pain, Chris broke down in tears. Even the nurses at the clinic were puzzled, wondering how someone so young and seemingly healthy could be in such agony.
By late 2023, his doctor at the Pain Clinic, at a loss for further options, finally referred him to a rheumatologist. This was in fact suggested early in his journey by Chris himself; however they didn’t think it was worth the referral.
Despite being considered an urgent patient referral, the wait time to see a rheumatologist was 16 months. At this point, Chris could barely walk, was hunched over, had almost no neck movement, and lived in constant, debilitating pain. Encouraged by his family, he sought treatment in the United States, desperate for answers. The search for a diagnosis quickly became costly.
Finally, the breakthrough diagnosis.
Armed with a long list of symptoms, including night sweats, significant weight loss, extreme stiffness, and unrelenting pain, Chris arrived at the Cleveland Clinic. After undergoing X-rays, an HLA-B27 test, and a physical examination, doctors quickly diagnosed him with Ankylosing Spondyloarthitis (A.S). They were shocked that it took this long to be diagnosed.
The Clinic prescribed a biologic that could slow the disease’s progression. However, another challenge arose – Chris needed a Canadian rheumatologist to authorize the prescription. While he waited, he paid out-of-pocket for this life-changing medication. By the time he finally saw a rheumatologist, he had already spent a significant amount of money.
The effects of the medication were nothing short of miraculous. The pain disappeared, and Chris frequently found himself crying tears of joy.
For the first time in years, Chris was pain-free.
He played hockey for the first time in six years. He ran a 1K run with his entire family. He even took up skiing and goes weekly. But most importantly, he could finally be the active father he had always wanted to be. His young children had only ever known him as “sore old Dad.” Now, they were amazed to see him lift both of them over his head at the same time. He could get on the floor to do puzzles, read books cuddle in bed, and engage in activities he had once felt too much pain to do.
Even daily tasks that had once felt impossible, like loading the dishwasher, doing laundry, and getting dressed, became manageable again.
The simple act of standing up from a chair without excruciating pain felt like a miracle.
Reflections on the journey to diagnosis and moving forward.
Looking back, Chris still feels frustrated on how long it took to receive a proper diagnosis; his AS had gone undiagnosed for so long, some of his vertebrae fused, permanently limiting his range of motion. However, despite this, his quality of life has improved dramatically. He can sneeze without pain. He can lie flat in bed. He can move freely.
The mental and emotional toll of this journey was significant. In early 2023, Chris saw a psychologist to process the grief and frustration of living in constant pain. The pain had even forced him to leave his Vice Principal position in favor of a classroom job closer to home, as the commute and the demands of his previous role were unbearable.
Throughout it all, his wife, Virginia, and his family provided unwavering support. Their encouragement kept him going through the most difficult times.
Now, Chris sees his rheumatologist every six months and self-injects his medication, something that initially terrified him but has since become routine.
He remains extremely grateful each day for this second chance at life. While he still reflects on the years of unnecessary suffering, he focuses on the present and the joy of simply being able to move, play, and live without relentless pain.
To anyone struggling with unexplained pain—Chris urges them to keep pushing for answers. Advocacy and persistence saved his life, and they could save others too.