The True Story of Sam

About the Book

I was an avid bicyclist and racer whose cycling career was abruptly terminated by PUDENDAL NEURALGIA and my life uprooted. Pudendal neuralgia (PN) is damage to the pudendal nerve which originates in the pelvis. Pain and suffering can be horrendous. Bicyclists are among the most vulnerable because of constant pressure placed on the nerve. I wrote this book primarily to HELP OTHERS AVOID PUDENDAL NEURALGIA WHICH CAN DESTROY THE QUALITY OF LIFE. My experience over a SIX-YEAR timeframe has taught me that few in the medical profession have any understanding of issues related to the pudendal nerve. The number of misdiagnosed or undiagnosed cases is large. It is my sincere belief that by telling readers lessons learned about protecting the nerve, I can help keep them from veering off course and going down a PN path.

About the Author

I was born in Lancaster, PA. In my youth I spent many, many hours biking the roads in rural Lancaster County. In the late 1960s I moved with my wife and family to the Williamsport, PA area where I discovered the thrill of bicycle racing. I developed a deep passion for the sport. I was introduced to the sport of racing by my son Richard, who ultimately raced with the cycling team at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. My first real experience training with Richard in the mountains surrounding Williamsport was not a good one. I quickly "pooped out" and needed a rope tow by Richard back to our transport vehicle. I quickly learned, as a result of this event, that excellent conditioning is a prerequisite to successful bicycle racing. For about thirty years I competed in many racing events. Such included local area races, state and national United States Cycling Federation events, state and national Senior Olympics (now called National Senior Games) and team triathlons. I always finished near the top of the competition field and never lost my passion for training or racing. I believe my greatest cycling accomplishment was winning a 20-kilometer time trial during the 1993 National Senior Games in Baton Rouge, LA. Competition was with 65 competitors in the 55 to 60 age group from the United States, Mexico and Canada. I continued to actively pursue racing until 2005, when at the age of 70 I experienced severe pain, first in the buttocks and then later in the lower back. I describe the approach to dealing with these ailments in subsequent sections as well as my continuing motivation to set new goals for self-improvement.