I had a similar experience in the early 1970s to do with migratory arthritis (which eventually they established that it was caused by rheumatic fever that I had when I wans in my early twenties. I could not walk--had to crawl to the washroom, and the pain was a new adventure in living. Trust me when I say I'd a paid for the bullet. I went to the hospital with the help of a friend, but because they didn't see any swelling at the joins, they wanted me to go home with the suggestion I take aspirin. Since I have five more days of good behaviour that I promised, I cannot tell you what I said to the doctor. I raised hell in the hospital, and eventually they found me a room at the Royal Vic in Montreal. It took the doc four days of tests to find the problem and a 45 minute session to locate the heart murmur. Eventually I was given about 3 million units of penicillin/day, IV, and I was released in another week or so.

Sometimes ya just don't take no for an answer. It has not recurred, but I am fortunate. I really feel for people who have 'problems' that are hard to pin down or expensive to treat. People who think it's a scam just ain't been on the other end of it. I hope they never are, but maybe along the way they'll pick up a little compassion for folks who ain't as lucky as they are.

BM