Thanks to the team at Port of Spain General Hospital

THE EDITOR: In 1979, I injured my back while working in our family’s concrete business. Upon seeing many doctors, chiropractors, and having therapeutic massages, I was told I had a herniated disk or a disk bulge.

There was moderate spondylotic changes with osteophytic lipping of the vertebral bodies and disc desiccation at the L2/L3, L3/L4,and L5/S1 levels. This according to my MRI report.

This injury began when I was 20 lifting heavy things incorrectly. I have lived with pain for the past 45 years, sometimes very severe pain.

Pain medication became my acquaintances – Lyrica, Gabapentin, Motrin, Advil, Pregabalin, Neurobine, Flamar X, you name it, I would probably have taken it. I was very scared of surgery.

I was a patient of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope and it was there that I was encouraged to join the Neurological clinic at the Port of Spain General Hospital. I followed this advice and was given a date for surgery in six weeks.

On April 27, I put my faith in the hands of the docturs, surgeons and other staff at the general hospital and underwent surgery. Today I am feeling much better.

With the many negative news about our public health system in recent times with the tragic deaths of those babies, I thought it fit to write to the newspaper in order to highlight a bit of good news.

I would like to thank the team of neurosurgeons, nurses, cleaners and everyone else who made my stay as comfortable as possible both before and after surgery. Everyone diligently attended to us. And by "us" I mean the various patients on Wards 15-16. Thank God, for you all annd your tremendous service to mankind. May the Lord Jesus bless you.

David Berment

Via e-mail