Chronic Pain…

What is Chronic pain and how do you live with it?  In my own phrase chronic discomfort is pain and distress in a constant state.  As stated by google chronic pain is, “persistent pain that lasts weeks to years.”  The reality is that whenever you are suffering in chronic pain or a disease it remains stressful.

How can somebody with chronic pain handle it?  The response is not considered to be a single-step fix.  What does work for one individual’s pain might not work for others as well.  I am under no circumstances a medical doctor therefore I do not have all the answers, and neither can I diagnosis someone, but I may share from my own personal experience with chronic pain whatever is working for me.

I make it first by faith and God’s strength.  February turned out to be a month packed with extreme pain.  My left-ankle that was replaced Aug 20th, 2019 developed tendonitis and my right- ankle the one that the bone is now deteriorated has currently become deteriorated into the soft tissue in the foot as well, therefore the cortisone injections will no longer be an alternative for pain management.  Being born with several congenital abnormalities has been a challenge along with pain throughout my life.

But I place my trust in God I know he never leaves me nor forsakes me and somehow, he has provided me with the ability to thrive mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  Trusting God gives me strength and grace to face each day knowing I’m not alone.  He also gives me wisdom to know when to rest, use ice or take medicine.  Pain can affect your thoughts, emotions and outlook on life if you let it.

I choose to look at the good things in my life even though I’m in pain.  I refuse to feel sorry for myself.  Self-pity only makes it hurt worse because you become focused on the negative and the pain increases it seems.  And sometimes tears do help to relive the stress so long as we don’t remain in it.  Chronic pain may vary in degrees of pain one-day hurts you realize that it’s there, however you shelve this ache to force through. Other days its incapacitating pain and cannot be pressed through to accomplish, so you get some rest.

Some of the different ways to deal with pain are prayer, mediation, rest, relying on the grace of God, support systems of family, friends and support groups, medication, exercise, physical therapy, massages, electrical stimulation, chiropractic care, stress management, counseling, acupuncture, surgery, dietary changes etc.  This is just a small list of ways to help deal with chronic pain they don’t elevate all the pain, but they help to cope with it. 

I prefer to look at the good things in my life even though I’m in pain, I also select the option to activate my will to focus on reaching out to others through phone calls and text and now blogging.  I’m not able to move around like I’m use to for now, but I do know God’s with me and can give me opportunities to show His love right where I’m at.  If your feeling that you no longer have a chance to do something because of your chronic pain I can assure you when you trust God, he’ll provide you with opportunities no matter where you are too.