Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Pain, oh the pain

Several of my friends and family have recently been experiencing shoulder pain, tooth pain, joint pain. There have been cortisone shots, physical therapy, removal of teeth, and major drugs. They are living with pain. It may be short time pain, it may be months of pain. They will handle the pain in different ways; major drugs, physical therapy, toughing it out, and surgery. I have done all of the above. I don't like any of them. My friends have tried most all of these choices also. Some are working, some aren't. I bring this up because today has been very hard. Major back spasms, last night lots of pain. There is no rhyme or reason to why I hurt. I just do.

Every day of my life I hurt. In the early 70's I fell down and went boom. I eventually had to have back surgery. I have have lots of surgery. This was the best surgery of my life. I went into the surgery in horrible pain and little to no feeling in my legs. When I woke up, I already felt better. I could move my legs and wiggle my toes. That happening had been in doubt. But I have limitations, some sound good, some are hard for me to follow.

I was told to never run the vacuum sweeper. Never to change or make a bed. (Those two I wanted a written note for my husband. He still doesn't believe me.) Never to lift anything out of the trunk of the car. Don't lift anything over 10 pounds. Don't bowl. Don't ride a horse. (That was not a problem. Horses hate me and I hate them.) Don't stand for long lengths of time. Don't gain weight. ( Right, I really listened to that one.)

Most days I just carry on. I know as the day goes on I will usually feel better. It is like my joints/discs finally get lubricated and stop grating. But this morning I was in tears from the back spasms. I just wanted to go back to bed and pull the covers over my head. But that wouldn't work because I had been up a lot of the night because I hurt. Being in bed didn't feel good last night.

This is not for sympathy. No "Poor Baby" for me. It is just a rant. So many are in pain. But as bad as my pain sometimes may be, I don't want to trade with anyone. Better the devil you know . . .