I am basically a realist, I try to keep everything in perspective. That meaning, I don't believe everything I hear. I like to seek the truth for myself. Too many people are quick to form their opinions, that can be disastrous. I love to make people smile and laugh. I love to laugh, I live for it. I consider socially conscience. Everyone should help others in real need, this world would be even a better place. Politically I am an Independent, sharing both conservative and liberal views. My back issues first surfaced in my 20's. One time falling 20' from a barge onto a 3' concrete wall, flipping onto the ground. Another time I was hit on my bicycle by a semi truck turning into a parking-lot. Once more delivering drywall material to a construction site. All of these instances were inevitably cleared by the perspective doctors. From that time I have had numerous times I have had days of debilitating back pain. I cant even imagine how many back flare ups I've had and just pushed through to keep working, so not to lose my job. After the spider bite I have never been my physical self again. The infection was located on my right leg, mid-right side calf. I was treated initially for staph*, but after three visits in four days I was hospitalized. The Doctor in the ER suggested it was a infected spider bite, and that surgery was needed right away. I was hospitalized for ten days. During my hospitalization, I found that I could hardly tolerate the morphine that was given to me; I felt I was going to go into a seizure or coma. It took several months to be able to get around while my leg had a huge hole in it. Ever since, my back pain and muscle tension reach a new level. I just could not take it anymore, the nerve pain was not going away that time. I sought out a Neuro-Surgeon and was told I needed a discectomy on my lower lumbar (L-5 I believe). I had the surgery, and for awhile my back felt better. I never lost the muscle tension and eventually (@ a year) my lower back pain has come back. I can hardly walk without feeling like i'm going to fall. I didn't want to keep repeating surgeries and go through recoveries, and I felt as though the Neuro surgeon wanted to micro-manage my back, so I sought out a different kind of doctor. I had to decide between an orthopedist or a rheumatologist. I remember an ER Doctor once told me from my x-ray that I may want to see a doctor for arthritis in my back. Considering that I chose to see a rheumatologist. During my visit with that doctor, he diagnosed me with fibromyalgia (FM). I had not relative idea what FM was. I thought I would have to get yet more testing to find out I have arthritis. It has been a long journey, but at least I know now what I'm faced with.