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Brain Over Body
Can your brain overcome your pain? It's a great start, and for many, a great alternative to pill-popping. Read on and discover the mental war behind the physical one...
Jeanie - with RA, Fibromyalgia, and "a temporary carbon monoxide poisoining condition which OF COURSE affects the first 2..." - writes:
In a hypno session probably 15 years ago, a therapist talk to "Jeanie's Pain." Very New Age, at the time. Jeanie recorded it...since she was in a trance and wouldn't remember.
"So why are you hurting Jeanie," the shrink asked The Pain in a concerned voice.
"I'm not hurting Jeanie," The Pain answered in a relatively cocky tone. "I'm helping Jeanie. Jeanie won't slow down. With me she HAS to."
At the time I was running two businesses, a divorce and a schedule that is typical of the Type A Control Freak personality. Slowing down wasn't an option at the time. Winning was.
As the RA raged, I continued running...then limping...at the same pace until the morning I woke up with an 8 1/2 inch scar over the top of my left knee four years ago. C3PO had nothing on me...or at least my left knee.
And suddenly, despite the crunching of the bones and joint lumps that grace my knuckles, I had an excuse to stop. A reminder that there was NOTHING, no battle more important than me. I hung up my Don Quixote armor and took a deep breath.
I learned the art of walking (not limping) away from battles that were once important. Winning was no longer an issue...not in business, in relationships, even with the disease.
I choose my battles with more discernment...the RA doctor (now there's an editorial); business and relationships that only bring joy. I no longer worry about money...and it's alway there.
And I don't "deal with the pain." It's a fact of life...like my greying hair.
Physically I haven't "slowed down" but in my brain, I'm ambling through life as opposed to charging. When I get the urge to Type A I look at that 8 1/2 inch scar which gives me the right to not give a damn.
And, damn, I feel okay!
In case you were wondering, Jeanie assures us that her CO poisoning was not the result of any "mouth-to-tailpipe" activities. (Hey, she said she feels okay!)
Ellen Court - with Osteoarthritis - writes:
I practice Yoga and imagine my pain drifting away. Plus, I take Celebrex and use topicals. Now I am considering acupuncture. Any insight on it?
Well, if anyone has any feedback for Ellen, or on any of our other stories, please Let us know!
Debbie Tawton - whose daughter has RA - writes to Seth:
[My daughter Jenn] faces the challenge of not being accepted because she doesn't look "disabled!!" We have learned that PATIENCE and EDUCATION and REPETITION, REPETITION help. Jenn has completed her first year of college and looking forward to the end of her work placement in three weeks. People like you and Jenn are to be heralded for not letting life interfere with YOUR LIFE. I look forward to sharing this website with Jenn and her college counsellors. Wishing you a prolonged remission.
Wow, thanks for the compliments! I'm glad that CreakyJoints can help and inspire!
James McCaughern - with RA - writes:
I use my mind in two ways: first, I use creative visualization. When I have a flare-up, I focus on the sights of the pain and concentrate on seeing myself in the joint physically stopping the pain.
Second I fight back by learning. Know thy enemy!
I studied rheumatic diseases in every way I could when in college, and eventually got my masters degree in biomedical science specializing in immunopathology. It's just my way of getting back at "Arthur" for the years of hell. It can cripple me physically, but it will never stop me from using my brain!
When my Uncle Arthur comes to visit, I try to visualize whirled peas. (Nothing like a little humor to chase the baddies away...)
Cindy Goetz - with RA - writes:
I was diagnosed at 42 yr old. I knew I had RA before I was diagnosed. My daughter was only 3 years old and I had so many things to do in life. When my daughter was 1 yr old, I went back to school to become the Nurse I always wanted to be. Right now I am an oncology (cancer) nurse. I have an increasingly hard time getting around and being a mother to a very active 6 yr old, but I like to look at the bright side of things. Many of my patients have a limited time left here on earth. I, on the other hand, have a much brighter prognosis. Even as my physical limitations increase, I can change things in my life to make my life easier. With all the lemons I have, I am going to make the best lemonade going! Drug therapies are continually making life easier for arthritic people. I believe that people should not be in pain. As an oncology RN, I give out pain medications (morphine, oxycodone, codeine, methadone, etc) like they are candy. If I could give one word of advice, it would be that NO ONE SHOULD EVER BE IN PAIN! We all have good days and bad days, but I believe that for the bad days (flares) there should be pain killers. No one that ever had pain ever became addicted to pain killers. If there is a need for pain relief, then go to a pain specialist. The stress that pain creates does not allow the body to rest and heal. Rest is essential in RA and other related athritis's. Many doctors do not want to prescribe pain medications for fear of addiction. That is from the old school of thought. A good pain management specialist will educate the patient. Use of a pain scale is necessary (0=absolutely comfortable, 10=the worse pain imaginable). With this tool and the right doctor, every arthritis sufferer should find relief.
There are those days where you need a little help... Get yourself a positive outlook and a big glass of lemonade!
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