Race Against Pain Coming to California( Inspirational Pain Survivor Turned ...),Health

Inspirational Pain Survivor Turned Race Car Driver Promotes Educational

Initiative Devoted to People in Chronic Pain

LAGUNA SECA, Calif., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The Race Against Pain is coming to the Monterey/Salinas area this weekend when Mike Roman competes in a Sports Car Club of America racing event at Laguna Seca Speedway. Roman, whose right leg was amputated 12 years ago, will race Saturday, September 29th @11:00 a.m. and Sunday, September 30th @1:35 p.m. This will be his final racing event of the 2007 season. Thus far, in 11 races around the country, Roman has won twice and finished in the top three five times.

What makes Roman different? His story is much more than a sports event. It's a testament to the human spirit, and the ability of a man, like thousands of other people, to win the race against chronic, debilitating pain.

Thirteen years ago, Roman was an energetic orthopedic surgical assistant. In 1994, he injured his knee playing basketball. He underwent a 'routine' surgery and afterward, an infection set in that physicians couldn't bring under control. A subsequent series of surgeries -- a staggering 33 in all -- could not save the leg, which was amputated in late in 1995.

"I fought very hard to save my leg. When I realized that I was going to have an amputation, I thought at least my life could get back to some semblance of order," Roman recalls. "I was wrong. My life became worse after the amputation."

After his leg was removed, Roman suffered from phantom limb pain, which is very common to amputees -- especially the new wave of Iraq War veterans. Three "revisions" (a surgical shortening of the stump) were also performed. The pain only worsened. Like many people with chronic pain, he took powerful prescription drugs to treat the pain and eventually became addicted to morphine and other pain medications.

After a decade of debilitating pain that rendered him unable to work and led to drug ad
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