Firefighter’s victory over pain

FOR three years it was as if there was a hydraulic jack inside his head, pushing out with such force his skull felt ready to explode.

But Rob Boost’s pain went from a 10 to a zero in a matter of seconds when he switched to a treatment that changed his life.

The 36-year-old firefighter was battling a wildfire in the state’s South West National Park in February 2016 when a tree branch struck his head. What followed was three years of constant pain, more than 100 pills a week and sleepless nights.

“I was pretty much between eight out of 10 to 10 out of 10 pain 24/7,” he said.

“I was suicidal probably most of the time, I was withdrawn from my family, I just couldn’t function. I was curled up in bed every day.”

And when his workplace insurer refused to fund part of Mr Boost’s treatment last year, he was forced to turn to the generosity of friends and colleagues. They set up a Go Fund Me page that raised $50,000, which helped the father of two take further steps towards the treatment that in March changed everything.

The treatment involved implanting a device called Intellis Spinal Cord Stimulation, which treats chronic pain by automatically adjusting to deliver the right dose of medication to the right location.

“As soon as it got turned on I kind of just forgot about the three years previous. I’m back at work full time, I’m getting to know my family again.”

Mr Boost has recently been taking his kids Finn, 4, and Freya, 7, surfing, and cannot wait to get back in the water himself.

“My son Finn is about to turn five and he can’t remember me before pain,” he said.

“But now we’re best mates, we just do everything together.”

There are still steps to be taken though, Mr Boost says although his mental health is improving, it’s still a work in progress.

Lifeline 13 11 14, beyondblue 1300 22 4636