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Pain
Lessons: Learning to Heal by Ellie O'Steen, LMT Pain
Management As we can see, each temperament has different ways to cope with their pain. Some temperaments have a stronger ability to set goals and objectives and strive towards those goals without getting way-laid or easily discouraged. Some temperaments have great difficulty even defining a goal much less making some. Goals are NECESSARY if you are going to manage! Any sports enthusiast knows that a team must have a game plan. You and I need a game plan function each day at our optimum. Post your goal sheet where you can see it frequently throughout your day! Helpful Hint: Write out your next day's goals the night before & put it where you'll see it the next morning. I live with a DayTimer! Besides having my patient's appointments in there, I list my goals for the next day i.e. send birthday card to friend; call Gini re: lunch together some day; stop at WalMart on way home from the clinic; call vet for appointment for dog., etc. If I keep these before my mind there is much less pressure to try and remember! And by keeping them in my appointment book, if I do forget (fibro fog days!), I'm quietly reminded as I check off my appointments! If you've not used a DayTimer, it takes some getting used to but it is so helpful ! One of the most difficult adjustments some folks have with learning to use a DayTimer is remembering to keep it in the same place so you won't forget where you put it!! "What are some goals I can set ?" , you may be asking. Here are some which my patients in the pain clinic set for themselves.... *
- walk one block with my wife/husband (don't forget to count coming &
going) Now, these are some physically challenging goals but what about emotional goals? Examples: BE
REALISTIC... BUT DO SOMETHING! As we started our study, it was stated that there are four basic stages of adjustment: acute, subacute, chronic and subchronic. Stage Four - ACCEPTANCE "Pain is inevitable but misery is OPTIONAL!" The first time I saw this statement was in Tim Hansel's great book "You Gotta Keep Dancin'" {David C. Cook Publishing Co., 1985} and it really made me look at the fact that life will have its hurts and painful spots BUT I can choose how miserable I want to be. Life is change; change will bring growth to our lives and with that growth there will be changes. Yes, your life will change with pain as a co-partner but all change is not bad. Remember the statement the young man made ...."I feel as if I've lost all my freedom, Doctor. How can I ever be free without pain?" ASK
YOURSELF .... Here
are some answers I've compiled from my own 20+ years with chronic pain.... The Bible is my source of strength and wisdom. The people of the Bible went through trials and difficulties just like we do today. Paul, the apostle, asked that a 'thorn in his flesh' be removed....but it wasn't. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' " {CEV} Again, Paul says in Philippians 4:13... NIV "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." This has been a long-standing lesson for me to learn through the years and....I'm still learning! But, the Bible also tells me that I don't have to work at this alone.... James 1:2 says..."Consider it pure joy, my bothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt...." NIV Did you catch that word 'whenever'? There will always be trials in Life ! But you don't have to go through them alone. That says a bunch!! Now think about it. If your watch was broken, would you want your car mechanic repairing it OR would you want the manufacturer "creator" repairing it? Personally, I want the Creator who knows me and my temperament and abilities guiding me in my 'repair job' on my mind/body. And, all healing is not just taking away the problem. Some healing comes in the forms of growing and maturing to where you can be of service to others. I don't think that my pain has been totally 'an accident'. Sometimes things happen in our lives that are allowed. Sometimes wedo stupid things that can have dire consequences for the future. Sometimes, there are no answers but faith in God's plan carries us. "Faith Is....Realizing that what God is going to do through me will be on the basis of miracle not man power, His promise not my goodness" {Faith Is...by Pamela Reeve; Multonomah Press, 1970.} encouragementencouragementencouragementencouragement Another great source of encouragement is a suggestion that I found through reading one of Joyce Landorf's books Balcony People { Word Books, 1984.} This little book was given to me by a dear friend who only lived next door to us for two years yet who recognized the problems I was having in adapting to the increased pain and limitations. She read through the book and at different points, would write her comments/encouragements on the page. What a wonderful source of encouragement that has been! {Thank you, Trudy!!!} Joyce Landorf suggests having a list of "Balcony People" to remind us that we can keep on. I made a file and put in it various cards, notes from friends, a photo, an article, an achievement I made, whatever. On those really tough days, I can pull out that file and re-read the encouragements which helped renew my spirit to' keep on keeping on'. encouragementencouragementencouragementencouragement The Joy Box: Barbara Johnson's helpful and humorous book "Stick A Geranium in Your Hat and Be Happy" {Word Publishing, 1990.} first brought to my attention the suggestion of a 'joy box' . Listen to what she says.... "Years ago my Joy Box pulled me through the rough days when I had nothing else going for me. I felt all alone in that dark pit.......collecting poems, cartoons, verses and all kinds of paraphernalia and knicknacks was a way to MAKE myself look for joyful things. It brought me from where I was to where I am now....." Basically, the lesson here is DO SOMETHING POSITIVE to help yourself. "To
do the right thing is COMMENDABLE: To function more completely as a whole person, we must have goals. Notice that I said 'whole person'. You might picture yourself like on of those little stack toys we had as children or, you parents have for your children.... The inner cube is the.... CHILD: cared for, protected, cuddled, playful, relaxed The middle cube is the.... PARENT: care-ing, protective (not too much!), nurturing The outer cube is the.... ADULT: independent, accepts challenge, mind and body likes stimulating environment, utilizes abilities and capabilities... Which
leads us to.....ATTITUDE Does our attitude say "I can do it!"? or, do our abilities attest to this fact but our attitude says by action...."I can't" ? OK! I hear some of you shouting, "She's not being fair! I want to do so much like I used to do but the pain stops me". Realize! I'm not criticising anyone but pointing out some facts that those of us who work with patients recognize. I have this quote taped to my computer to remind myself.... "Pain is necessary to produce long-term emotional health." There will be a tomorrow and a future and we are preparing for it NOW. Remember our story in the beginning? GO BACK and read about how no pain was limiting those people's lives! They were discouraged. They were depressed. They were limited. Yet, they had NO pain because of their disease. Now, if we who DO have PAIN are discouraged, depressed, limited and wish we had no pain and they , who have no pain are in the same mental state, where is the problem? Dr. Paul Brand states, "Pain not only teaches us what to avoid but also hints to the positive qualities the body needs." Let's consider..... Pain..... Studies have been done to show the effects of suppressingthe body's natural pain-killers...ENDORPHINS and how this can have a negativeeffect on the brain. Science is finding that people dependent on pain-suppressors often develop a hypersensitivity TO pain because the brain has shut down its manufacture of the natural neurotransmitters. Some conditions are dramatically affected by these neurotransmitters. Many prescription medications alter these neurotransmitters and enhance their function in the brain. Some conditions are greatly affected by environmental factors i.e. construction materials, carpet materials, carpet shampoos, elements in the drinking/bathing water, pesticides, gasolines, natural gas, medications, fabrics, etc., etc. You and your doctor need to go through to elminate any possible factors. In an abstract on Fibromyalgia from the Life Extension Foundation (www.lef.org) they state that "multiple mechanisms of chemical injury that magnify response to exposures in chemically sensitive patients can include neurogenic inflammation, kindling and time-dependent neurologic sensitization and auto-immune activation." YOU have to be a detective to help your physician find clues to your condition. |
