FERGUS – Pain is killing Dan Hofsink, vertebrae by vertebrae, and he’s reaching the end of his rope.
And the Canadian health care system hasn’t been able to help.
The Fergus man is not actually dying.
But he’d sure like to know what is causing shooting pain up his legs – the kind of pain that drugs can’t seem to touch. The kind of pain that takes more mental energy to cope with than he knew he had.
He’s hopeful a clinic in Florida will be able to perform a laminectomy – surgery that removes a section of the vertebrae to ease pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots.
Hofsink’s medical saga began in 2013 when he had a workplace injury to his leg that severed a nerve.
He had two surgeries, “and it was somewhat fixed,” he said in a phone interview, adding he wore a brace and orthotics to keep his foot in position. He was able to return to work.
In 2018 he threw his back out and after six months of chiropractic treatments, it got better. In 2022 he threw his back out again. He did physiotherapy this time “and I was good for about half a year,” he explained.
But in September of 2023, Hofsink experienced shooting pain down his legs, and they would buckle when he was walking.
He’s had two MRIs and is receiving injections to help with the pain. But the medication affected his mental health and he’s been weaning off the pain meds.
The photo accompanying this story, of Hofsink with his wife Rachel and their three children, was taken on a hiking trip near Owen Sound last September.
“It was significant to us because that’s where my wife and I got engaged,” Hofsink said.
“But that day, I nearly couldn’t do the hike. The pain was becoming unbearable.”
He had to quit his job and has been largely bedridden for the past year. At 34, he’s too young to feel so old and weak, he said.
Doctors haven’t been able to pinpoint the problem, so Hofsink began casting about the internet to see what he could find.
What he found was a clinic in Florida that performs laminectomies. He was told he was born with a narrow spinal canal and the surgery should help.
They do small incisions for this surgery – “minimally invasive” is how Hofsink described it. But more surgery may be required.
“It’s possible I’ll need surgery again,” he said. “All I know is I’m fed up with the pain.”
Upon reflection, Hofsink thinks there may be a genetic component to his injuries. His father had back surgery and one of his daughters has spina bifida.
“I do think there could be a genetic issue here,” he said.
He’s sent off his blood work and paperwork and hopes to learn in the next couple of weeks when they can schedule surgery.
But after the double whammy of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 27 and Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9, Hofsink isn’t sure if the clinic is doing surgery right now or if he’ll be able to find accommodations if it is.
And then there’s the cost, which at $20,000 is prohibitive.
Since he’s not currently working, he and Rachel turned to GoFundMe hoping family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers can come to their aid.
And they have.
Since opening their page in early October, the couple has collected more than $32,000 of their $40,000 goal.
“I am shocked,” Hofsink said. “It’s such a huge boost. I don’t even know how to say thanks for this.
“Honestly, I don’t have the words. I’m very thankful. People have been so generous.”
He’s hoping it can happen quickly if it happens at all and that with rest and physiotherapy afterwards, he can regain some strength in his muscles that are atrophying due to his lack of activity.
“It would be the best Christmas, to be recovered,” he said. “I look forward to being able to function again.”
For more information, visit gofundme.com/f/s23nre-help-dan-get-his-life-back.
