After the Accident...

You Can Spend Days With This List of Fibromyalgia Links

2005-09-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

I just tried out a new search engine that's still in it's beta stage. It's called DumbFind.

I Entered "Fibromyalgia" in the Keyword box, and "Health" in the Topic box. And this grand list is what the tool produced. It'll be mighty helpful for any of you dealing with Fibro.

And if Fibro isn't your issue, then go to the home page and search for your own need. This is really a great search resource!

You May Hvae Raed Tihs Bfreoe, But Jsut In Csae...

2005-09-12T14:08:00.000-07:00

Cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? Yaeh, and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt.

What Is Gained from Suffering?

2005-09-06T14:37:00.000-07:00

If you're wondering where hope and healing can be found in the midst of suffering and pain, may I suggest Grieving.org?

The website offers answers to questions such as:

What Does God Know About Grief?

I Have Cancer, Now What?

Does the Bible Talk About How to Deal With Grief?

(each answer is explained on multiple pages, so make sure to click the arrow graphic at the bottom of the pages.)

Can Christians Suffer from Depression?

2005-09-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

From the Internet For Christians Newsletter:

Can Christians Suffer from Depression?
Is depression something that a good Christian should be able to overcome through faith and willpower alone? If you or somebody close to you has ever suffered from depression, you know that not only is it a difficult condition to live with, but it's poorly understood by most people in the church, however well-intentioned they may be. Andy Johnson has written an excellent article on understanding and overcoming depression[1] at Psychology for Living. The site has a great deal of information on many other psychological disorders as well, including conditions like narcissism[2], schizophrenia[3], and hyperactivity[4].

Also worth reading on the topic of depression is "Overcoming Depression"[5] at ACTS International.

-- Links in this story --
[1] http://narramore.gospelcom.net//bk_127_depression1.htm
[2] http://www.ncfliving.org/bk_129_narcissism1.htm
[3] http://www.ncfliving.org/bk_120_schizophrenia1.htm
[4] http://www.ncfliving.org/bk_113_adhd1.htm
[5] http://www.actsweb.org/articles/article.php?i=73&d=1&c=4&p=1

Closing In On Fibromyalgia's Main Pain Issues

2005-08-25T06:48:00.000-07:00

Exploring fibromyalgia's mysteries, researchers look to the central nervous system, gaining deeper insight into why we suffer.

More and more, those who easily dismiss the pain associated with fibromyalgia are looking more foolish than ever.

Think You Know How To Choose A Doctor?

2005-08-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

Even if you already think you know how to best choose a doctor for yourself, read this article about the topic, from MedicineNet.com, and see what else you can learn.

This is a big decision, so invest a little time in order to make sure you choose wisely.

It could mean the difference between feeling relief this month or not until next year. Really.

I'm Back!

2005-08-10T11:49:00.000-07:00

One of the primary troubles with running a blog about one's life of pain is just that...trying to keep up with posting while going through painful days. I just finished a 6 day stretch of extra painful days. Today feels like an oasis in the desert. Yes, I am still in pain, but my pain levels are back to "normal."

I'm so thankful for breaks in my journey here with my compainion. My companion is Pain. And, he's a brat. He plays games on me all the time, and none of them are funny. Oh, he thinks his games are hilarious. It's just that we have different worldviews.

I look at the world as something to savor and enjoy with the others around us. My Pain sees the world as a playground. To him, it's a playground of places to inject pain and soreness, aches and struggles of many kinds.

Well, today is my day to call the shots. I'm feeding myself healthy food, and I took a good walk last night. I even slept better. Those kinds of things tend to put me in charge of the relationship between Pain and me. Sometimes it doesn't matter that I do all of those things, Pain has his way of still getting his games in on the days when it seems like I "should" be calling the shots. It's a mystery. But, I'm simply thankful for the good days.

As for imparting a resource to you today, check out this place for info on wheelchairs. If you are in need of one, might be in need of one in the future, or if you're just curious, check this out.

The colors are a little tough on the eyes (especially if you go back to their home page -- Wow!), but see if it's helpful for you.

Here's the link.

New eFibro.com Website

2005-08-08T15:11:00.000-07:00

eFibro.com launched a new redesign today. Check it out.

Here's a link to other great online resources for those of us suffering from the painful effects of fibromyalgia.

As I've said in the past, this blog isn't just about fibromyalgia pain, it's about dealing with pain in all of the ways it affects us. So, if you'd like me to find resources for your specific situation and for what you deal with, please email me and talk to me.

Email:
afteraccident at aol dot com

I'll do my best to find the best resources out there for you. You've got my promise!

If You Need A Laugh...

2005-07-27T12:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we just need to laugh about our medication, or else we'd cry.

This time, we'll laugh:

"This morning I took two Ex-Lax in addition to my Prozac. I can't get off the john, but I feel good about it."

- Unknown

Migraines & Extraordinary Treatments

2005-07-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

The local (Chicago) NBC affiliate's news team put together this special report on dealing with migraine headaches. It falls on the level of a "Migraines 201" class as far as the content goes. So, if you haven't studied your options too much, this would be good for you as it might give you another option or two to consider.

If you're suffering from migraines, I think it's worth a read. It's a fairly brief piece.

I hope your headache is minor today at worst.

Let's Look At Pediatric Pain Management Tips

2005-07-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

Here are the top 10 things you need to know about pediatric pain management:

1. Infants do have PAIN.

2. If a child is lying still, pain may be present. Children may not always be willing or able to communicate the fact that they are in pain.

3. When there is pain, there may be nausea. Treat both.

4. Don't UNDERMEDICATE. Children often require more pain medication than adults (in milligrams/ kilogram) do to achieve pain control. Repeat patients usually need more medication to attain the same degree of pain relief.

5. Incorporate the family into the child's care, since family insights are very helpful at all ages and developmental stages.

Read the rest of the list here ...

Conserving Body Energy

2005-07-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

No matter what the weather is on any given day, it's important for those of us who live with chronic pain to conserve energy in our bodies.

Hot days are especially tough because the humidity and heat robs me of energy quicker, so my day becomes shorter -- as far as being able to be active in various ways. Sure, everyone gets tired out on really hot days, but it happens at a higher and faster rate for people like us. Fatigue sets in, and the pain levels rise quickly.

But, I know I'm preaching to the choir here.

Here's a link to a website page that gives some excellent practical ways to conserve energy in your body. Don't miss this one. It will help you make your quality of life just a little better today and into the future.

Have an excellent weekend,
mike

God permits what He hates, to achieve what He loves

2005-07-21T14:14:00.000-07:00

"God permits what He hates, to achieve what He loves."

If God doesn't protect Himself from feeling pain, then who are we, His children, to ask God to protect us from all pain? That's what I've been asking myself a lot lately.

My prayers have been changing too. They've gone from asking God to remove or reduce the pain in my body for a while to asking Him to give me the strength to bear the burden of the pain with His help.

I believe that's how the Bible directs us to pray, but I'm still learning. I can scarcely believe that it's taken my whole life (I'm 32 years old) to understand that God needs to use the things that make Him sad and cause Him pain to allow in order to bring us to places we'd never reach without feeling the pressure needed that brings us closer to Him than ever before.

I encourage each of you to find out what God might be saying to you through this example in my life. I'm not telling you how to pray or what to do in your life, but I am putting out the possibility that God might want us to accept the things that He has allowed in our lives, instead of fighting them. Because I truly believe that our pain causes Him more pain and sadness than we even feel. And if that's true, then we truly have a wonderfully loving Father God in our lives.

Best,
mike

I-PainRelief.com

2005-07-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

This new website officially launched yesterday. I-PainRelief.com

This website provides detailed explanations of pain relief procedures, including specific advice addressing chronic pain and natural pain relief. It also features special sections on relieving pain in specific body areas, including the neck, knee, back and lower back. I-PainRelief.com addresses specific types of pain, including muscle pain relief, with constant updates of new information.

Specifically, i-PainRelief.com provides information about arthritis, back, joint, lower back, neck, sciatica, knee, fibromyalgia, and muscle pain relief.

Bookmark it today and see how useful it will be for you in the coming months.

Comprehensive LIst of Health Websites For You!

2005-07-21T12:37:00.000-07:00

This health site directory is the true "motherlode" of online medical & health information.

Just remember to ask the questions about each site mentioned in my previous blog post.

10 Things To Know About Evaluating Medical Resources on the Web

2005-07-21T11:22:00.000-07:00

The number of Web sites offering health-related resources grows every day. Many sites provide valuable information, while others may have information that is unreliable or misleading. This short guide contains important questions you should consider as you look for health information online.

Answering these questions when you visit a new site will help you evaluate the information you find:

Who runs this site?
Who pays for the site?
What is the purpose of the site?
Where does the information come from?
What is the basis of the information?
How is the information selected?
How current is the information?
How does the site choose links to other sites?
What information about you does the site collect, and why?
How does the site manage interactions with visitors?

Brought to you by: The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain & Fatigue Email Archive

2005-07-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry that I've been a little slow in posting lately, but I'll get back to a regular schedule very soon. Hopefull back to a daily basis.

If you're dealing with chronic pain, especially from fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome, here's an archive of related e-newsletters from ImmuneSupport.com. It's a big list (literally, hundreds of fairly short newsletters), and the topics cover virtually every issue of these pain syndromes.

The archive goes back to 1995!

Managing Your Chronic Back Pain -- Patients Recommend...

2005-07-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

Read through these nuggets of advice from patients of chronic back pain and see what can help you get through today, and your future days.

I also suggest checking out the rest of the Spine-Health.com website. There's some great information there!

How-To Set-up A RSS Feed For Medical Journals

2005-07-07T09:14:00.000-07:00

If you're an RSS feed reader, then this post is for you.

Here's a great, and short, description on how to set-up a custom RSS feed for medical journal information that you want to watch in order to help yourself in your recovery.

Just click here.

Pain Resources @ Back.com

2005-07-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

This is one of the best back pain resources online. If you haven't seen it yet, visit Back.com and check out all of their helpful resources.

Sections include:

Causes & Diagnosis
Patient Options
Exercises
"My Back Tools"
Treatment Options
Find A Doctor
Anatomy
Articles
Symptoms
Glossary
FAQs
and much more!

Don't just sit there rubbing your back ... go get some relief!

Tip: Four Tennis Balls

2005-07-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a tip, buy four tennis balls. Sure, they sell in groups of three, so buy two packages and you'll find use for the other two.

Tennis balls are best because they are firm, but they also give a little when pressure is applied to them. But, you might find racquet balls to be a better fit for your specific pain situation. Heck, I've used hard baseballs in a pinch on real bad days.

The reason I strongly suggest purchasing tennis balls is because of how much they've helped me control my pain -- specifically muscle spasms in my back and neck -- at all different times and places.

I suggest keeping on ball in your bedroom (maybe two, since you have an extra pair of them), then one in your living room, one in your car, and one at your office.

I use them by simply putting one behind me, up against my back and the chair, while I'm working, driving, reading, watching TV, or lying in bed. You can move around a little to really dig into those sore muscles, or just keep it in the same place and increase or decrease the pressure in order to release a muscle knot.

It's a cheap way to really help yourself when your meds just won't do the trick.

I hope this helps you today.

BONUS ROUND: Take two tennis balls and wrap them in an old t-shirt so the balls are right next to each other. Then put them under your neck, with you lying down on your back. It's a great way to massage your neck!

Help Someone

2005-06-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

One of the most consistent ways that helps me feel better (physically, mentally, & psychologically) is by helping someone.

Often, it's just a little way where I was able to do something for someone that they alone were not able to do for themselves.

Sure, these opportunities don't come your way everyday, but if you look for them in the right place, they're always available to you.

Here's one place you can bookmark and return to anytime you want to help someone you'll never meet. It just feels good to help, and that's good for the entire YOU!

Wiki How
The How-To Manual That Anyone Can Write or Edit
http://wiki.ehow.com/Special:ListRequestedTopics

Learning How To Say "No"

2005-06-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

Living with chronic pain, or even in a period of pain, gives us less energy to work with than those healthier people out there. In fact, it's often the healthier people who ask us for their help.

It's not easy to say know, and it's even harder to know when those times are when you absolutely have to say no. Some of us might feel guilty when we turn down a request for help -- but it doesn't have to be that way.

At this time of your life, with the pain and exhaustion you're dealing with, you NEED TO learn the art of saying "No."

How To Say "No."
from To-Done.com

I hope this helps you in some way today.

WebMD.com's Pain Management Health Center

2005-06-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

Bookmark this page on the WebMD.com site for your current and future pain management questions.

It's an excellent resource for both you and your caretaker.

Try Pain.com's Pain Library

2005-06-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

Why is My Fibromyalgia Spouse So Difficult?

2005-06-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

If you have Fibromyalgia, or know someone who has it, this is an intensely accurate protrayal of what is going on inside someone who has it.

This (below) might seem to be an exaggeration, but this is not. It puts into better words the picture I haven't been able to paint until now...

Why is My Fibromyalgia Spouse So Difficult?
The sum effect of all of the problems of fibromyalgia can leave the sick partner almost intolerable, but one must remember that they are intolerable to themselves also and need lots of understanding, love and support. They will probably need more love than any other time in their life.

Often the sick partner will yell, be unreasonable and in more severe cases loose the ability to communicate on a rational basis. This is because their nervous system is on overload and they can’t function as a normal individual no matter how hard they try.

In lesser cases your spouse may just appear mean, they to have the same problem just to a lesser degree.

The symptoms that make the more severe spouses appear unstable usually resolve early in treatment.

Consider this, a person with fibromyalgia has impulses from all over the body being sent to the brain in a similar way to a heroin addict, who is withdrawing from heroin. This may vary from person-to-person in intensity. In addition to this the fibromyalgia patient will have their sympathetic nervous system being stimulated constantly giving them the feelings similar to a person who walks into a dark home thinking they're alone and has someone grabs them from behind. This sensation continues night and day without relief in the fibromyalgia patient. This constant stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system also causes a shutdown of the intestinal system, which causes irritable bowel syndrome.

The adrenal glands being stimulated constantly produce adrenaline until they become damaged and quit functioning properly. Further, the emotional centers are affected, causing depression ranging from mild to overwhelming, many patients actually explaining they feel waves of depression. To make matters worse, the stimulation to the nerve roots sends signals to the muscles to contract leaving the patient with constant muscle spasms. This can be located in the neck and shoulders, the low back and sometimes the entire body at one time. Some patients will even experience spastic type paralysis, especially when arising.

If you can imagine awaking every morning on the battlefield with horrible feelings of anxiety and marching with severe pain from wounds you've already experienced, not having slept for days and wondering how you can possibly live through today, that's what fibromyalgia patient lives with everyday.

Read more from Dr. Whitcomb's website here.

Help Me Help You

2005-06-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

What topics would you like me to research and write about?

I want to know. Leave me a comment or email me. Thx.

Taking Care of the Caregiver

2005-06-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

That person who helps take care of you can easily get burned-out. It's so important to keep in open communication about how each of you feel each day.

Read this article to learn more about keeping this relationship strong, and keeping your caretaker full of all they need in order to be there for you.

How to Choose a Doctor

2005-06-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

You may have already guessed, but this is an article about how to effectively choose a doctor for your specific needs and situation.

A New Perspective On Pain To Consider...

2005-06-22T08:42:00.000-07:00

Going through and living with all of this pain has only drawn me closer to God. I know some people curse Him for pain and hurt -- but I can only see it one way. That is, to draw closer to the One who is stronger than me and who is omniscient (yeah, I've tried, but I still can't tell what my future holds). I believe God knows what is to come. And, I believe that God is not mean/cruel/etc. I believe He is loving and just, yet merciful if we turn to Him.

As for the topic of pain, and living with it, may I suggest this passage from C.S. Lewis' book, Mere Christianity (book III,Chapter 12). I hope it's as encouraging to you as it is to me.

God's work in our lives can be painful, but his ultimate goal is to transform us into something better.

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and soon. You knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.

But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.

You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage, but he is building up a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself.

(I saw this at PreachingToday.com this week.)

HUMOR: A Laugh For You Today...

2005-06-21T15:31:00.000-07:00

How did I do this? With this great tool...the Polaroid-o-nizer.

An OTC Resource for You...

2005-06-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

Got questions about over-the-counter (OTC) medication?

Find answers to many of your OTC med Q's with these A's.

Are You Rich?

2005-06-21T07:39:00.000-07:00

If financial struggles from medication, treatments, and legal matters are stressing you out, try out this tool that will help put your financial situation into perspective.

Thanks for the link, my favorite drummer, Jeremy Thiessen (Normal Rockstar).

Tips for Managing Chronic Pain

2005-06-20T13:37:00.000-07:00

There are probably hundreds of articles like this out there online and in print, but this is one of the better ones.

It's a bit of a long read. But, if you print it out, you'll be able to read it in the space of taking your next dose of medication until it begins to work. It'll keep you busy and distracted until the meds start helping you.

I hope this helps you in some way today. I care about you.

Here's a sample from the article. I'm clipping this portion of the article for you to read not to depress you, but to help you understand a few of the hurdles that nearly all chronic pain sufferers go through. I want you to know that you're not alone, and that being aware of these myths can help you work through them to get to a place where you truly can make significant improvements. It's so important to find a doctor who will work with you and believes in you. If you don't have that now, then go and find that doctor that's best for you.

The clip...

Three myths of chronic pain
The first myth of chronic pain is that pain is easy to treat. Primary care physicians often believe that medication will completely alleviate pain. The reality, however, is that long-term significant pain relief and a return to work each occur in only about half of patients who receive treatment for chronic pain with comprehensive multidisciplinary pain rehabilitation (9,10). Complete relief of the symptoms of chronic pain is rare.

The second myth is that as pain improves, disability and depression will resolve spontaneously. This may be true if the levels of disability and depression are mild. Typically, however, depression and excessive disability must be addressed simultaneously with efforts to reduce pain symptoms. Moreover, undertreated psychologic symptoms can reduce motivation to adequately comply with treatment recommendations.

The final myth is that patients who have pain are easy to manage. In reality, even the best-staffed medical practice often finds the management of patients with chronic pain difficult and time-consuming. Recognizing the complexity of caring for these patients can lessen staff burnout, and appropriate expectations of treatment can help reduce excessive demands for complete symptom relief.

(This article is from Postgraduate Medicine Online.)

Stretching... (groan)

2005-06-20T13:14:00.000-07:00

I hate stretching because it hurts so much to do it.

When my major muscles are taut and already in pain, the last thing I want to do is to attempt (often, that's all I feel I accomplish, an "attempt") to loosen them. Simple stretches that you and I used to do without pain -- it even felt good in our "past life" -- is now something that makes my eyes water and forces me to set aside time in order to "recover" from stretching.

You probably have print-outs of various stretches to help your painful areas. But, here are a few stretches, for your back, that you may or may not have seen before. I really hope they're helpful for you.

Make sure you check with your therapist or doctor to make sure these stretches are best for you and your personal injury situation.

New Priorities & What That Means To You

2005-06-20T09:18:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed how intense pain re-orders the prioroties in your life? It's not just the pain messes-up your life in many ways, it's that pain forces us to constantly put ourselves first in our life (in order to seek pain relief, deal with flare-ups, etc.), and we weren't created to be at our best that way.

We're created to be at our best when we consistently put others before ourselves. Sure, some people might disagree with that, but I don't believe any of those people can prove me wrong. Short-term, sure, but with life experience comes the maturity of knowing that life isn't about pleasing the short-term period of your life -- it's about taking time today to create a better person for tomorrow. And when we are forced to put ourselves first, we lose out on a lot.

On my worst days, I do my best to force myself to put my friends and co-workers first. I consistently fail miserably, but sometimes I get it right. During those "right times," I understand best that this life is not about pleasing myself at all costs. I get my endorphins going when I'm able to put aside my own needs and desires for a moment in order to take care of others first.

True, then I go back to watching out for myself -- but we as chronic pain sufferers have to do that. Developing the practice of being able to put others before yourself in the right moments is something that will help your relationships, which will help your health, which will help your mental state of mind, which will help your physical state of being.

This is something very important that I've learned. And, do you want to know a secret?

This way of going through life isn't just for those of us who are in constant physical pain. We were all created to live at our best this way.

Try it out today, and make it a habit in your life!

Is There Purpose In Pain? Very Perhaps.

2005-06-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

Whether you're a Christian or not, when intense pain enters your life, it's normal to cry out or even to curse God. Intense pain is God's megaphone that brings Him into the picture every time.

Here's a passage from C.S. Lewis' book, Mere Christianity (book III,Chapter 12). I hope it's as encouraging to you as it is to me:

God's work in our lives can be painful, but his ultimate goal is to transform us into something better.

Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and soon. You knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised.

But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards.

You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage, but he is building up a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself.

#######

Now, how many of us thought about that possibility? How many possibilities are there out there that we might not rightly understand because we are in intense pain and/or because we are simply human?

Think about it. All you know might not be 100% correct. I think you already knew that. What else might be truth for you out there.

Perhaps pain is more than just pain. Perhaps there's a purpose -- a profound purpose.

If you ask me, there better be a purpose for what I'm going through. I don't want this time, of recovery and learning to live my life all over again in a new way, to go to waste.

I recommend reading the above passage again so you are left with those words, not mine.

Finding Adequate Words To Paint My Picture

2005-06-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

If I were to adequately write a song about how I'm feeling about my recovery, my future, and my desires, it would sound a lot like the fourth track off of Jaci Velasquez's new album, Beauty Has Grace.

It's called, "Lay It Down." Click on the little icon next to the number of the track on this page to hear a sample.

I don't have the lyrics to type out for you -- I should've saved the press kit. But if you get a chance to listen to the complete song sometime, I recommend it. See if that's you as well.

I recommend finding words that others have written to help you put your thoughts into more complete word pictures. Doing that has been an important thing in my recovery process.

Don't wait until you have the words to express yourself -- you might be waiting a while. Others are further along than you are, use their words and experiences to help you through your own journey.

A Few Things That Have Helped Me...

2005-06-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

For a while, a while back, I gave up on being positive about expecting good health/low-pain days when I would go to bed each night. I did that because I was so often left down. Enough of those days together drove me to depression.

There's a delicate balance you'll need to find for yourself that finds the midpoint between optimism and setting yourself up for a fall.

I lead with that though in order to make this one. Remember this always, most treatments & medications work for someone people, but there is nothing out there that works for everyone.

I've had a policy of trying new things. Whether it's a new medication that the doctor recommends, a juice to drink, a gel to rub on my painful spots, or whatever, I've tried things. Sure, "this made my cousin Marvin get relief from all of his pain. He's a new man today!." We've all heard it, and everyone and their sister has a success story about everyone and their sister.

My recommendation is to try different treatments and medications and see what works for you. Make sure they're safe to try, and then allow yourself to get zero relief and be okay with it. That's just one more treatment you won't have to wonder about -- you've tried it.

If you expect every treatment to help you, and you try new things often enough, then you'll be depressed in no time flat.

This recovery of yours is not a sprint. We want it to be that, but it isn't. You know that in our heart. This is a marathon that you are running but never trained for -- that's why it's so tough to get through. You're learning as you go -- so don't try to do it alone. Others are farther along in the process than you are, so lean on us a little.

You may not feel like you can get through the day. But can you get through the next five minutes?

If so, then live your life five minutes at a time, and you'll start feeling better about your day very soon.

These are a few of the things that have helped me, and I hope you'll be helped by them as well.

Now What? Does That Prayer Thing Really Work?

2005-06-16T11:11:00.000-07:00

Personally, I only have two prayers that I pray regarding my health/pain. They are (not in these exact words, but with these ideas)...

1. A lot of things had to happen for me to be in the exact place at the exact time for that truck to hit me. This is only considered an accident here on earth --But surely not in your realm. So, Father, please don't heal me until the things are accomplished in my life that you want to happen. I don't want all of this pain and all of this time to be for nothing. Make all of this worth something before you heal me. And help me to be better for it.

2. Lord, I'm only asking for a little relief today. Nothing I try helps one bit. I guess that's the universal sign that only you are sovereign. And because of that, I turn to you for my peace. Please send it soon, if only for an hour or two.

If you're not a Christian, you may not pray words like this. But most non-Christians I know have told me that they would pray if the right situation arose.

Prayer isn't like asking a magician to make a trick happen. Pray is simply telling God that you realize that He is stronger than you, that He is the one that's sovereign -- not you, and that you are willing to submit to Him.

It's not a spooky, intimidating act. It's simply knowing where your help is.

The only caveat is that you need to ask and then recognize that God was the one who answered your prayer. Thanking God for the answered prayer is just as much a part of prayer as asking for your requests. Sometimes that answer comes later than we wish, sometimes it comes in a different way than we asked. But, God does answer a heart that humbly comes to Him. And, hindsight shows me that God's ways truly are higher than my ways.

If you want to wait until you'll tried everything yourself and can't get any pain relief, then do that. God isn't going anywhere. Or, you can bypass all of that and ask, in simple English (or whatever language you feel most comfortable speaking in - out loud or in your mind). And you'll find that God is approachable. He promises that when He said that all who sincerely seek will find.

You're not out of options. Just talk to Him like you'd talk with the person you're most comfortable with.

And if I'm wrong about this, then please write me and let me know. I won't preach, but I love to listen.

Dealing With All Those Feelings

2005-06-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

This is a great article -- the best I've read on the subject of caring for someone while they're working on recovering from an injury or illness -- and it's also written for you, the one in pain, as well.

The content is solid...

excerpts:

Some of the feelings that carers often say they experience are:

Feeling overwhelmed, confused, and shocked by:

The diagnosis of illness or disability, especially at first.
Finding yourself caring and realising the changes this will bring to your life.

“I never expected this to happen. I didn’t know what had hit me …”
Feeling guilty for:
Believing you bear some responsibility for the disability, injury or illness
Not wanting to be a carer
Lost tempers and harsh words
Being embarrassed by the person being cared for
Not being perfect
Not doing enough
Needing a break from caring
Placing the person you care for in respite or residential care
Feeling love and commitment for:
The person you are caring for and the relationship you once had
Creating a new relationship with your family member, that reflects the changes in your lives
Your children, who need reassurance that life will go on
Yourself – for wanting to care

Feeling frustration and anger at... (Read the rest of the article here.)

The Auto Accident Resource Network

2005-06-14T14:50:00.000-07:00

I love the URL, iGotHit.com.

This site is all about what to do after an accident -- not just there at the scene, but in the days and months afterward as well. They even offer Automotive Safety News.

Well done!

The Coach Is Waving You Home!

2005-06-14T12:13:00.000-07:00

With a title like that one, you might assume that I'm about to break out a baseball analogy that has something to do with chronic pain. Nope.

Unlike my college baseball playing days (back in the life of my former self), I spent plenty of time getting advice from my coaches -- some of it was even useful!

But, what I'm writing about today is the option you have that you may not be aware of. There's a Chronic Illness Coach out there that can guide you through your struggles with work and other issues. And, if need be, wave you home to go to bed!

Her name is Rosalind Joffe.

Her site describes her best...

What I Believe:
I became ill with my first chronic illness, Multiple Sclerosis, 25 years ago. In the beginning, the Multiple Sclerosis symptoms were relatively mild and manageable. Then, twelve years ago, I was hospitalized with a second auto immune disease, Ulcerative Colitis. I had a husband, two young children and a successful, demanding career.

Getting my health under control was a major challenge. When I was physically able to return to work, however, I confronted an equally daunting challenge. How could I continue to thrive in the workplace with the dilemmas I now faced?

II wondered how or how much to "share" about my illnesses at work. I didn't know what my workplace legal rights or responsibilities were. I feared I would no longer be considered "a player" in my job. I was confused, scared and often depressed.

There were few resources to guide me through the maze of questions and emotions I experienced about living with a chronic illness in the workplace. I resented that most books (and caregivers) seemed to advocate that people with chronic illness should stop working. Many of us don’t view that as the only option. I don’t.

It has taken much trial and error to reach the point where I could once again thrive in my work. My experience living and working with chronic illness has become the inspiration for my coaching business and forms the guiding principles of my work:

Illness, like any type of adversity, is best dealt with when viewed as a challenge to be met.
A clear vision of where you are and where you want to be gives you the strength and clarity to move forward.
Workplace success in the face of illness is transforming. It gives you the power and the confidence to face other challenges large and small.
My coaching practice is focused on helping people who live with chronic illness or a chronic condition. I use what I have learned to coach others to succeed in the workplace.
At the time of my diagnosis, my neurologist (correctly) predicted that my illness would teach me a valuable life lesson: Illness enables you to see clearly what matters. 25 years later, I can now add a lesson of my own: Illness does not preclude either workplace success or personal happiness.

You can read more about Rosalind here, and you can visit the rest of her site here.

She's been there and done that with her own physical struggles, and she offers some great free and paid help that truly will assist you, especially with her specialty -- living with chronic pain at the workplace.

Check out the category links on the left hand side of her home page to check out all that she offers.

(I am not affiliated with her in any way, nor do I receive any compensation for linking to her. I just want to make sure you know Rosalind is out there.)

Buncha Fibromyalgia Links Added

2005-06-14T08:54:00.000-07:00

I just added a load of new Fibromyalgia links on the right side of this page.

But to repeat what I said back on another day, this blog isn't just for people with Fibromyalgia. It's for people living with all kinds of daily pain.

I happen to deal with Fibro as one of my main health issues since the accident. And what an issue it is.

The 10 Commandments of Medication Usage

2005-06-13T15:56:00.000-07:00

Whether you're starting to take medication to control your pain after an accident, you've been taking your meds for a few months, or for a few years, this list of commandments can help you be better off during this season of needing to take meds.

And, I truly do hope this time of taking pills day after day is only a season. We love our meds and we hate them. We're the only ones who can adequately understand that truth.

P.S. -- Please write to me and tell me if I can help you research in any way. I'd be happy to assist you in finding more info about what you're up against. And, I'll keep any correspondence private. I will respect that. I will respect you. E-mail: afteraccident [at] aol.com

Pain-induced Nightmares

2005-06-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

Do you have these? Sometimes my nightmares are because there's still some medication flowing through my system when I get into bed at night. Other times, like last night, my pain levels were so much higher than normal that I spent the entire night jumping, startled out of one dream after another. It's a terrible way to go through a night, and I've had at least 200 of these kinds of nights since the accident two years ago. It might be as high as an average of every other day. I'm not really sure of the exact number of these kinds of nights.

Most often, my dream will be a half-awake/half-asleep dreamlike state where someone will be in my apartment with the intent to hurt me. Often, I'll wake-up just as the person attacks or charges into my room, other times I won't be able to wake-up and the intruder hurts me, tortures me, or even kills me (I then go through every emotion under the sun as I lie there realizing that I'm about to die, alone every time, and how much my family will hurt because of it.

I always wake-up with a face full of tears in those cases. It's a profound moment that finds me at my most fragile. Too many times to count, I've laid there literally petrified anywhere from a few seconds to perhaps a minute or so. Being terrified to a point of not being able to move is unreal. Surreal.

I never deal with these dreams apart from extra painful nights, or when I take meds in the middle of the night in order to get through it. I don't have any kind of history with nightmares like this. It's just another terrible part of my recovery process that few people would take seriously.

It's not about having "bad dreams" once in a while. It's about going through as traumatic an experience as someone can go through, night after night, and usually being totally shaken the next day. Some days I won't speak to anyone unless absolutely necessary.

It's beyond a sobering experience. It cuts into who I am as a person that next day -- as it's once again done this morning.

What makes it so tough to take is knowing that if the truck driver just would've simply paid attention while he was driving and not taken his eyes off the road in front of him for 5 or 6 seconds before he hit me (from what he told me at the scene) ... then my life would be so different today. Right now. At this moment.

Then I wouldn't have created this blog, and I'd be the "old Mike." I loved the old Mike. I miss him a lot.

Fringe Benefits

2005-06-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

Some of the most important elements of accident recovery are found out on the fringe ends of what has happened to us -- and what continues to happen to us. So often we think mainly about topics such as "pain relief," "treatment options," and "medication recommendations" as we attempt to improve our new existence.

But, there are many keys to getting through accident recovery that are out in the suburbs of our focus. Those things need to be brought into the spotlight so the main topics mentioned above aren't as troublesome as they otherwise would be.

In plain English, I'm talking about the fact that during your accident recovery you don't have as much energy as you used to have. (You already knew that.) So, the idea of productivity becomes vitally important. Be more productive with your time, and be as efficient as possible with your remaining, and sometimes limited, resources, and you'll have more time, energy, and concentration to give toward the other needs you need to deal with every day.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, I direct you to two blogs that you should really bookmark. They'll help you, with new ideas and resources every day, to make the most of what you've got. And, they'll train you and direct you to a more enjoyable life.

First up, check out LifeHacker.

Next up, take a look at To-Done (not "To-Do").

They're service blogs. They're there to serve you -- so take advantage of these important ways to improve today, tomorrow, and your future.

Life is still worth living. (and I'm saying that on a very bad pain day)

How Revealing?

2005-06-03T14:43:00.000-07:00

Should Job Hunters Reveal Chronic Illness?
The Pros and Cons
By JOANN S. LUBLIN
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Graphic artist Lisa Hall hid her stiff and swollen fingers during job interviews last spring with Kaestle Boos Associates, an architectural firm in New Britain, Conn.

The firm hired Ms. Hall without knowing that she has had scleroderma since 2000. The chronic connective-tissue disease typically kills patients within 10 years. If she had divulged her disorder before she joined, "the safer route would have been to hire someone else," says Laura Morris, her supervisor. But, she adds, "I'm glad I didn't."

To tell or not to tell is a complex question that job hunters with a chronic illness must confront. Thanks to improved treatments, many of the 125 million Americans with a chronic condition hold jobs or seek work. Federal disability law bars most employers from asking about an applicant's ailments. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a company may refuse to hire a prospect whose medical condition might be worsened by a particular job.

Individuals with a potentially debilitating though unobvious chronic illness often keep silent about their condition during their job search. "If you disclose beforehand, employers can find a million other reasons not to hire you," warns Darren Flomberg, a career coach and rehabilitation counselor for the Five O'Clock Club, a career-counseling network in New York.

Ms. Hall agrees that favoritism toward healthy candidates "is a fact of life." So in applying to Kaestle Boos, the 34-year-old artist decided "to play off my ability, my experience and my background."

But covering up her disease deeply disturbed Ms. Hall. "I didn't want to lie," she explains. A week after she started work, the probationary staffer felt comfortable enough to tell Ms. Morris and other colleagues about her scleroderma. "I said, 'I want no special treatment. I may have a bad day once in a while.' " She promised to make up work missed due to her medical appointments.

Some bosses would feel betrayed by a new hire's deceptive behavior. Ms. Morris reacted differently. "My concern was, 'Can she do the job?' " the marketing manager recalls. Her qualms soon dissipated. Ms. Hall demonstrated she's very talented and thrives under pressure. "It's nice and calming when things start to go crazy and Lisa says, 'We'll figure it out,' " Ms. Morris says.

Read the rest of this article...

Who's Taking Care of Me?

2005-06-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

Check out The Dachman Center. That's my rheumatologist, Dr. Carey Dachman. The center is located in the western suburbs of Chicago, IL. He's a fantastic listener, in fact, he won't ever let me leave my appointments with him until all of my questions are truly answered or addressed. He's great with e-mail -- gets back to me the same day. And, he's been able to help me with my pain.

He offers some free resources on his site, so it's not just a brochure site.

Check out his sections: Ask the Expert, Articles, and Events.

Simulating Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue

2005-06-03T07:40:00.000-07:00

Being misunderstood is a very difficult part of the mental side of accident recovery.

If you want your family, friends, or co-workers to better understand what it's like to live every day with Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, then print out the full article at the link below and encourage them to try it.

They'll think you're kidding and that you're exaggerating, but for those of us who live this way, we know this comes pretty close to the real thing -- except others who might try this simulation can stop at any time...we cannot. This is no exaggeration.

Here are some suggestions on simulating Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for an afternoon ...

The days before the test ...
Create the bone-crushing fatigue with severe sleep deprivation. The subject is forbidden to sleep for three days before the test date. This will approximately reproduce the level of FMS/CFS fatigue which is far beyond "just tired".

Provoke the muscle pain by having the subject play a strenuous contact sport, rugby is suggested, and moving heavy furniture in confined spaces on the morning before the test. Also, the subject must balance a heavy weight on their head for half an hour to exacerbate pain in the head and neck area.

The common FMS/CFS symptom of hypoglycaemia - low blood sugar - can be induced by not permitting the subject to eat anything on the day of the test.

Immediately before the test ...
Low blood pressure in FMS/CFS is caused by low blood volume. This can be induced by having the subject donate a pint of blood approximately 15 minutes before the test. This will create dizziness, lightheadedness and sudden unexpected collapse when standing.

FMS/CFS patients feel often as if "gravity has been turned up". Create this sensation by having the subject wear a lead bodysuit, including hood, so that every movement is more difficult and energy-sapping that usual.

Muscle twitching and spasms are difficult to reproduce. An approximation can be achieved by attaching several TENS (elecrical muscle simulation) units to the patient and setting then to trigger at random intervals.

As the test commences ...
Enhance brainfog - the FMS/CFS effect of feeling like the brain is wrapped in cotton wool and nonfunctioning - by administering a sedating drug as the test commences.

Open a bottle of extra-strength drain cleaner and have the subject inhale deeply several times as the test commences. This will perfectly reproduce a sore throat and, after a delay of a few minutes, the sinus and nasal congestion that FMS/CFS patients are prone to.

Nausea can easily be created by exposing the subject to the fumes of meat which has been kept in a warm place for approximately a week

During the test ...

Read the rest of this article here...

"Pain, Pain, Go Away"

2005-06-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

PLEASE NOTE: This is not an effort to preach in any way. It is, although, a very effective look at a different angle in our understanding of pain. Perhaps there's something to the ideas presented below...

Pain, Pain, Go Away
by Jeff Taylor

"But pain insists upon being attended to, God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."
-- C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Recently, Clark (my 7-month-old son) had to get his second flu shot. Having never attended a doctor's appointment for Clark, I felt the need to go. There are two things you need to understand about Clark: 1) He is huge; approximately 2.5 feet tall and 20 pounds at 7 months and 2) he is probably the happiest baby you could ever meet with a beautiful smile for anyone who wants to see it. So Clark, Alison (my wife) and I are sitting in the doctor's lobby. Clark was in a particularly jovial mood using my lap as his own personal Johnny Jump-up and staring at the other babies (whether he was fascinated by them or planning a way eat them, I cannot be certain).

Clark's name is called and we take him back to the room and there he begins showing the nurse his mastery of the English language with words like "Bah" and "Muah." Clark loves strangers so he enjoys seeing the nurse and trying to get her attention. I lean down and hold his arms and put my face by his to help keep him still. Clark's eyes got really bright because he thought I was playing with him.

Then it happened.

The needle for the flu shot pierced his skin. His jocular countenance had been replaced by pain and sadness. Looking at his eyes beforehand, he never knew that such pain was about to happen to him. It was hard to look him in the eyes, knowing what was going to happen. But the pain from the shot will keep him from getting sick; in fact, the shot made Clark stronger.

What does it all mean? I think about how God must look at us right before He inflicts some necessary pain in our lives, the purifying pain that makes us strong. To see wide-eyed innocence that you know is about to be lost is a sad thing. But sometimes the pain that we experience is necessary to save our lives. God hates to hurt us, but pain is sometimes needed in order to wake us up out of our stagnation to help us grow. Sometimes you have to tear up the ground to bring about the good soil.

In truth, pain sucks. But pain can serve a holy purpose in our lives. You see, it all depends on our reaction to the trials we encounter. Do we take joy in our trials (James 1:2)? Not pleasure, mind you, but joy. What benefit is there in taking joy in our trials? Well, it develops perseverance, which, in turn leads to maturity (James 1:3-4). So now that we know the benefit of taking joy in our trials, how do we go about doing it? What are some ways that we can deal with pain in a healthy, godly way?

Cry Out to God
After Clark got his shot, I was there to hold him closely. That is all he wanted was to be held by his daddy and mommy. He did not doubt our will for his life, he did not rage against us for "setting him up" or "letting him get hurt." All he knew was that being close to his parents in the pain helped. Being held close to us did not negate the pain that happened, but it did comfort him.

If you are experiencing this purifying pain right now, just know that God is there and He, our great spiritual surgeon, sees the pain now as required for our healing tomorrow. Things might look bleak but know that God is faithful and desires for you to grow closer to him through this. Cling to God. Climb up into your Father's lap and be comforted.

Remember That Pain is Better than Paralysis
I was watching The Today Show a few weeks ago and there was a report about a girl who has a disease where she cannot feel pain. She severely burned her hands at one point and did not feel a thing. The reporter discussing this issue said that this is very dangerous because pain is a wake-up call to let us know that something is wrong. If she is incapable of feeling it, then she is in grave danger. She may burn herself to death one day and not even realize it.

You might be hurting, but be thankful that you can still feel it. If you get too callous, then you will never know just how close you are to falling. Better to feel hurt than to feel nothing at all.

Get Up and Move On
When experiencing pain, there comes a time when you need to move forward. Being immersed in the thoughts of "Woe is me" is only healthy for so long. It's key to realize that to properly glorify God in our trials, we need to move on and show God's strength because His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). This need not (and should not) be done with an attitude of martyrdom. A proper act of humility that points others to God is done when we rely totally on His strength and the proper expression of faith in this moment is to "rise and walk." Nobody is impressed for the pain you are going through because most people are too busy wallowing in their own guilt hoping that others are watching.

Joy expressed through pain should point others to God, not to our own "humility" or "strength."

I feel hypocritical for writing this because I am still very much a wuss when it comes to dealing with pain. But although the times I hurt are not times of which I am particularly fond, the more I look back, the more I realize that my life and the lives of those around me are shaped not by the pain which we are dealt, but by our reaction to it. Hang in there friend, and know that God will not let you be tempted or hurt beyond what you can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). It really is hot in the furnace and the flames are burning all around us, but this is how we are made into instruments with a noble purpose (2 Timothy 2:21). No pain, no gain.

Jeff Taylor is an Academic Counselor at Texas Tech University and the author of the forthcoming Friendlationships: From Like, to Like Like, to Love in Your Twenties (Relevant Books). Jeff Taylor Ministries

Ten Commandments for Fibromyalgia Sufferers

2005-06-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

Ten Commandments for Fibromyalgia Sufferers

1. Thou shalt not be perfect or even try to be. Realistic expectations only!
2. Thou shalt not try to be all things to all people. Save some time for yourself.
3. Thou shalt leave things un-done sometimes.
4. Thou shalt not spread thyself too thin.
5. Thou shalt learn to say, "No". You can say, "No", gently and with respect.
6. Thou shalt make time for thine own self and thy support network. Supported people live longer and happier lives.
7. Thou shalt switch off and do nothing - yes, nothing - regularly.
8. Thou shalt be boring, untidy, inelegant and unattractive sometimes - it's OK.
9. Thou shalt not feel guilty.
10. Thou shalt not be thine own worst enemy. Be kind, gentle and loving towards thyself.

-- author unknown

Fibromyalgia & Auto Accidents

2005-06-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

Because I'm dealing with post-traumatic Fibromyalgia as one of the results of my accident injuries -- and because this is very common after an accident, especially for women -- I will be linking to helpful resources on the right side of this blog as well.

Please let me know what links have been helpful for you, or if you run a related site. I promise to review it and link to it if it's good stuff. Thanks!

The First Post of This Important (??) Blog

2005-05-31T17:48:00.000-07:00

"My name is Mike, and I was in an accident."

"Hello, Mike."

That's how support groups begin...right?

Yes, I was involved in an accident. And since it is, at this time, still in litigation, I cannot give out all of the details of my case. But, I can explain it to you mathmatically, in the story problem format most of us hated back in our junior high and high school years...

An 18-wheel truck weighing 70,000 lbs. runs into a 2,000 lb. vehicle. The driver in the first vehicle is buckled into the smaller vehicle, but, because he is not bolted to the frame of the vehicle, he takes the brunt of the force at the time of the rear-end impact. How much force is applied to the driver of the smaller vehicle?

It hurt. A lot. A few years later, it still hurts...at least as much as ever. I will have to live with a lot of chronic pain for the rest of my life because a truck driver was looking into his rearview mirror too long and let himself be distracted. At least, that was how he explained it to me.

The truth of this actually happening to me is still very difficult for me to swallow at times. I cannot do the things I want to do, day in and day out, and the driver gets to eventually get hired to his old job once again -- after losing and getting his job back in the past after a previous accident. Yet I have not been pain-free since that terrible day.

I've been able to make some progress on some fronts in my life since the accident. But I still deal with so much. So much pain. So much unending pain. My mornings are still and filled with burning, stabbing, prickly, and pounding pain. Sometimes the medication helps some of that, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it takes a few doses to feel any improvement, and other days it simply takes longer for the meds to kick in. But the medication doesn't work as well as it used to for me.

I was up to so many vicodin pills each day, the limit, that it eventually began to show up in bloodwork in the form of problematic enzymes that signaled liver toxicity. So, I worked with my doctor to begin the extremely difficult process of reducing my medication. That meant I had to live with more pain, but it did it, along with turning my diet literally upside down, my liver enzyme problem was no longer a problem. That scared me. Suddenly I was looking at another life-long problem on top of my existing problem that I'm still working on accepting.

So, here I am today. I want to help others, and I love to research. After the accident, I researched everything I could in order to help easy my anxiety concerning my pain, the legal end of things, and to find out what resources are out there on and off the Internet that could help me. Now, I will be giving those same resources (and more as I find them) to you.

When I give you sites to check out, check them out and see if they can assist you. I also have added my email address so you can write to me and I'll help you personally in any way I am able.

I've learned this...the more I focus on others, and do my best to assist them, the less I am concerned with the problems of my life. We both win if you become a friend of this blog. I don't know you, but I care about you. I would love nothing more than to hear that I've been able to help you in some big or small way. You matter to me.

I'll do my best to give you my best, and I sincerely thank you for reading this message and giving this blog a try. If you have a friend who might be encouraged by this blog, please pass the URL over to them. You can find the RSS feed URL in the navigation section of this blog.