Latest Developments...

First things first, I had a GP appointment this morning, and I am blessed finally to have a doctor that doesn't make me feel like a timewaster or drugseeker...she genuinely does care and wants to do something about my problems.
Along with my chronic lower back problems I've been experiencing a lot of pain in three other points on my back, two in the thoracic area and one in the cervical area at my neck.  After meeting with my pain consultant a few weeks ago, my thoughts regarding pain control were confirmed when he admitted my NHS trust was unlikely to give the go-ahead to prescribe Sativex (a cannabis derived product that provides pain relief without the 'high') due to budget issues...in other words yes, it probably would help to relieve my pain but I'm denied access to it because of beurocracy - my heart truely goes out to cancer patients, MS sufferers and people with other conditions that this drug would help provide some relief, as they have no choice in the matter - due to the postcode lottery system.
Instead I am being tried on everything from Atoxicorb, a little-known anti-inflammatory, to Oramorph, liquid morphine...many of these drugs can be addictive and have brutal side effects, and none of them provide any relief from the constant pain I am in.  Along with that, my pain consultant is arranging for me to have a steroid epidural injection which he cautioned may work for months, days, hours or not at all...reassuring.
My partner and I have received no input from social services at all, but things are deteriorating to the point that my GP is putting through a referral to get us some help - we both have mental health and physical health problems, and it's unfair on my wife to have to cope with everything on her own. Fingers crossed life will be made slightly easier by getting some assistance with day-to-day things.
The tunnel is long and dark, how are we to know if the light at the end of the tunnel is truely the end of the tunnel, or an oncoming train?