A night to Relax

Sitting at my cousin chris's house playing the new Wii Resort Game, we have a lot of fun doing this!! Right now were in a heated battle in the basketball challenage! This is a nice distraction from my pain, and the stress were under right now!

Marriage Issues Related To Chronic Pain

Below is the article I wanted to share, after living with RSD/CRPS now for almost 11 years, my husband John and I have had our share of problems, and have we've even discussed divorce a few times. Life with RSD is not easy for us with it, but I think we do need to try and remember to be more patient with those we love. I hope you enjoy this, for more information see their web site http://www.families-and-chronic-pain.com/index.html

Marriage issues are one of the most important issues for a couple dealing with chronic pain. Couples are together more and ‘my time’ and ‘my space’ is disrupted. You are used to things as they were and everything has changed.
The love is there, but the space is gone. You ultimately spend more time together now and with the chronic pain. It makes a significant change in the relationship that wasn’t there before.

Marriage issues arise in many different ways. I know every relationship is different but there are some factors that need to be considered.

Due to the chronic pain, the effect on your relationship will be due, to the intensity and frequency of the pain as well as the severity of the disability. For someone with the occasional migraine headache, the impact is minimal.

Those that sustain a severe injury and are in constant pain, this is different. Things are very different. They are unable to work, they feel like they have let their family down and the pain is a constant reminder. This can cause a significant change in your lifestyle.

Remember that, no two couples will cope with the same situation in the same way. Some will find it more than they can handle and question whether, they will be able to cope with the stress this will bring on them and the family. Others will take it all in stride and adjust to the changes with ease. It just depends on the couple.

Communication in marriage is so important for it’s survival. Without it , the silent treatment will occur and very little can be accomplished. An unhappy marriage is always fixable. You can get couples therapy, visiting with your clergy, individual therapy, bend a friends ear or just sit down and have a good cry.

Having a church family to depend on, also helps. Friends in a church family could be the ones that will help you the most. They are good listeners and will do anything to help. They will hold you when you cry and rejoice with you in times of victory.
TALK, TALK, TALK
Never, ever let communication be used as a weapon. Silence is not golden in this situation, unless divorce is the outlet you want to follow.

No one really has the right answers to marriage problems but, chronic pain will surely test the strength of a marriage.

Encountering Barriers on the Road to Pain Management

Pain is the top reason people seek medical care in the Despite all we now know about pain, many people continue to suffer needlessly.
Wednesday August 12th, 2009



(NewsUSA) - That's because there can be "road blocks" to effective treatment. These can come from a variety of sources - including healthcare professionals and even patients themselves.



While controlling pain hasn't always been a medical priority, the healthcare industry has made great strides in recent years to address this - including the establishment of pain as the "the fifth vital sign." Nevertheless, people seeking treatment may still encounter healthcare professionals who do not take pain seriously, or who do not understand how to provide proper pain management. This can result in inadequate treatment.



"It's important that people with pain find a healthcare professional who understands their needs and is willing to work together to determine what treatment option works best," says Penney Cowan, founder of the American Chronic Pain Association. "With the right care and direction, you can live a full life."



One of the most challenging barriers to adequate pain relief also can come from the people with pain themselves. Some may resist taking pain relievers because of fears of side effects associated with strong prescription medications - it is important to discuss these concerns with a physician. Attitudes toward pain and suffering also may play a role. For instance, some people believe that "good patients" don't complain, or that pain is inevitable.



Individuals should remember that pain should not be brushed aside or ignored. Here are some steps people with pain can follow to overcome barriers to effective pain management:



* Don't suffer in silence: report your pain to your healthcare professional.



* Stay involved in your pain management plan: it may take a few adjustments before you are comfortable with your treatment.



* Educate yourself: you will better understand your pain and what can be done to relieve it.



* Learn how to better communicate with your healthcare professional: this may mean keeping a pain diary to illustrate the details of your pain - where it hurts, pain intensity, and what time of day it is worst.



* Don't settle for inadequate treatment: if your health care provider isn't successfully treating your pain, ask to be referred to a medical professional who can.



One of the resources available to those living with pain is www.partnersagainstpain.com. The site contains a wide array of information on various pain conditions, resources such as pain assessment and measurement tools, and links to pain education and advocacy groups.



Partners Against Pain is a national education program provided by Purdue Pharma L.P.

Today I feel like

Image by janusz l via Flickr

Not feeling so good today, so just hanging out in bed, and watching FOX NEWS...

Also try to get to a long list of emails, and updates... I hope you have a chance to read the story I posted earlier. Here is a quote from one of the young ladies
"Different things work for different people," Jill said. "Be open to the possibilities." I know for myself as an adult dealing with the daily pains of CRPS/RSD daily is trying at best for me! these young ladies show that friends, and team work go along way!

Wishing you all pain free days & nights

Carol

"Different things work for different people,

Two girls lean on each other for support against a rare disease By Ryan Stotts La Crosse Tribune LA CRESCENT, Minn. - Sarah Kratt lives with pain every day. "A lot of people don't get it because I'm always smiling and happy," she said. The 14-year-old, who lives with her family on 20 acres outside La Crescent, was diagnosed in May 2007 with the rare and mysterious complex regional pain syndrome - a chronic pain condition resulting from a dysfunction in the central nervous system. A chance meeting with April Tillinghast, 15, of Kingwood, Texas, who also has CRPS, sparked a friendship that has helped Sarah handle the pain in her left leg and back. Sarah's leg began to hurt in April 2007, said mom, Jill Colbert. It got bad enough that Sarah couldn't walk and her leg would turn purple. Doctors were perplexed. Despite physical therapy and pain medications, Sarah's condition worsened. First she was on crutches, then a walker, then a wheelchair. Finally, she was bed ridden. "It's so hard to see your child go through something like this," Jill said. "You feel so helpless." Sarah saw more than 20 doctors, but as time wore on, nothing worked. "Sometimes I wish I could've given the doctors my pain, so they would know what it's like," she said. In December 2008, a ray of hope entered their lives in the form of kinesiologist Dr. Alan Trites, who has an office in La Crescent. "He said Sarah was like an onion," Jill said, "peeling back each layer and working through her body's issues, slowly getting her body back to where it would work with her again." Then, in June 2008, while at a month-long pain rehabilitation program at Mayo Clinic, Sarah met April. The connection was almost instant. "She's really a positive personality," April said, "but there's also this really deep understanding of each other." April's pain was in her right foot, with secondary pain in her head. She had been living with CRPS since 2006. The girls remained close and continued to communicate via Skype, the online video and phone service, as well as by text messages and e-mails. "It took that friendship with April to understand and to help Sarah get through all this," said Sarah's stepdad, Tom Colbert. As the girls became closer, so did Jill and April's mom, Susan Tillinghast. "I lived in my own shell, taking care of Sarah, finding different things to do," Jill said. "So it was interesting meeting other parents going through the same thing. You have a connection there. It feels so good." In July, Sarah spent two weeks in Kingwood. April also came to La Crescent for a week. "It's easier to deal with everything when I'm with her," Sarah said. "If I hadn't met her I don't know where I'd be right now." Susan, who spoke on the phone from Kingwood, said the girls have formed a healthy bond. "The greatest thing is the happiness they seem to share," Susan said. Both girls are grateful for simple things and want a normal life. "I hope I can do something good with this and help somebody else," April said. While April would like to volunteer at places like headache clinics, Sarah can see herself becoming a nurse. "The doctors would breeze in and breeze out, but the nurses were the ones who would take care of you and comfort you," Sarah said. There isn't a cure for CRPS, Jill said, but she wants people who might be suffering from pain to know there is hope. "Different things work for different people," Jill said. "Be open to the possibilities." http://www.rsds.org/5/news/2009/August/LaCrosseTribune_5_193.html This E-alert was made possible by the contribution of the members of the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association (RSDSA). To learn more about becoming a member of RSDSA, please click here.

I feel like an old beat up rug,

I used to love it when the temperature outside was over a 100

The hotter the better was my thinking! Now anything over 75 is treading on dangerous grounds for me, and with the heat we've had in the Pacific Northwest this week with the temperatures in the 100's.
The stress and depression I've been under lately has not helped.
Our son Brandon, his girlfriend and their 1 year old son are living with us. Brandon just today after almost a year of unemployment, starts a full time job tonight! All I can say is, its about time, now I hope he can keep it together and find a house for him and his family.
I love having Colton (my 1 year old grandson) here, but there are days when I feel more like his mom than his grandma.
I try may be a little to hard to be understanding and fair, most of the time feel like an old beat up rug that one day will be tossed aside. In addition to supporting our son and his family this last year, we lost our home.
Were currently living in a home that was I kind of loaned to us for a few weeks, (Until Aug. 10, 2009) looking for some place to move with little to no money is not an easy task. Johns looking for full time work, but in this economy he's finding little success.
I know this is some random crazy thoughts, just stuff that is coming out as I try to type with one hand, as my CRPS/RSD in my left arm is really flaring up,


my arm is really hurting, so this is the end of today's post. I will try to post more daily items-much like a journal in hope of sharing more of what my life with this never ending pain is like, and how my family and I deal with this daily.