History of John Smith Griffin
page 92
La Canada 1968
Between his back pain and Parkinsons Disease, John's health was worsening. His own account of his health situation through the years is recounted by him in a letter which he drafted in 1969 requesting further back surgery, and in a statement of his health condition written in 1968:
"Early in 1958 I developed a nagging bachache, especially on my right side. I dod nothing, thinking that it would go away. It did not, so I consulted an osteopath. I obtained no relief, and at his suggestion I saw an orthopedic surgeon. He diagnosed my trouble as a herniated disc. I consulted another orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Alonzo J. Neufield who made the same diagnosis. After trying to relieve the pain with various treatments, Dr. Neufield gave me a mylogram and operated two days later, on July 19, 1959. I was told that he removed two discs and fused my spine.
"I remained under Dr. Neufield's care for a year during which time I continued to have pain in my back, down my right leg, and numbness in my right foot. He took x-rays and said that the operation was a success and that the pain would disappear in time. It did not.
"In 1960 I joined the Kaiser Foundation through a government health plan. Later that year I noticed a burning-like pain inmyrightchest. Aboutthesame time I noticed increased difficulty in writing andwalking. I was referred to Kaiser's neurosurgeon who diagnosed my troubleas Parkinson's Disease but could not account for the pain. I went to physical therapy where Itook exercises most of which I still do. The neurologist at Kaiser referred me again to the neurosurgeon who took a myelogram (August 1962). He reported that the channels were clear and that he could find nothing wrong.
"I took most of the drugs prescribed for Parkinsonism but obtained little relief. My worst difficulty was not being able to initiate action (stuck to the floor).
"Through a friend I was referred to Dr. Frank M. Anderson, a teacher of Neurology at U.S.C. Dr. Anderson gave me an examination on March 23, 1964. He confirmed the fact that I had Parkinsons Disease but could not account for the pains. One of the Kaiser doctors suggested that my pains might be cause by my gall bladder. An examination found some stones and so in February 1965 I had my gall bladder removed. I was in the hospital only four days and have had no difficulties since. The gall bladder, however, was not the cause of my pains which continue.
"As my Parkinsons Disease continued to increase I was constantly on the alert to find some medicine or procedure that would help me. During the summer and fall of 1966 I heard of a cryothalamectomy that was administered by Dr. Robert W. Rand of the UCLA medical school. I also heard that he would only take a few of those who came to him. I thought I was very fortunate that he agreed to take me and on November 14, 1966 I entered the hospital for this surgery. The surgery was unsuccessful, and in fact left me with some impairment so that I find it difficult to concentrate and to work with figures, and to read.
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