PainAction

[Guest guest]

Here are some links from Pain Action about socialization in terms of pain.

http://www.painaction.com/members/article.aspx?id=336 & utm_source=patientnewslett\

er77 & utm_medium=email & utm_campaign=Teaming%2Bup%2Bwith%2Bfamily%2Band%2Bfriends

It takes emotional energy to deal with pain and stay focused on your

goals. A person who is well rested and without work or family stresses, can deal

with pain more constructively than someone who is exhausted and working through

tough issues.

One way to restore emotional energy is to spend time with supportive

family members and friends. Yet, many people living with pain become cut off

from others. Why does this happen? One explanation goes back to this fact:

living with pain uses up emotional energy. This

leaves a person with less energy to keep his or her moods under control. As a

result, flare-ups of negative emotions can occur, and that can drive loved ones

away.

http://www.painaction.com/members/personalstory.aspx?id=4617 & blogid=11252 & utm_so\

urce=patientnewsletter77 & utm_medium=email & utm_campaign=Losing%2Bthe%2Bsupport%2B\

of%2Bfamily%2Band%2Bfriends

have RSD/CRPS - Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, also called - Complex Regional

Pain Syndrome. I never stay in bed with this extreme pain I am in and do go for

long walks most of the time as I am never going to let RSD win. But, I do not

have Family or Friends Support, as 2 of my 3 older brothers will not even talk

to me anymore, as they do not want to know how I am doing. And most of my

friends have left me too, as they have said, they want the old me back and that

person is gone for good. I only have one true friend left now. This one true

friend though, has never had to deal with pain so does not and will not

understand, what I go through on a daily basis. I deal with all this pain, all

on my own. I have a good doctor as he does know what RSD is. I do take opiods

for my extreme pain, as it never goes away now. But I am very careful with them

and have always and still do, write down, when I take them.

http://www.painaction.com/members/personalstory.aspx?id=4621 & blogid=11252 & utm_so\

urce=patientnewsletter77 & utm_medium=email & utm_campaign=Taking%2Bmy%2Blife%2Bback\

%2Bfrom%2Bpain%2C%2Bfinding%2Bsupport

painACTION asked Max to write his biography and personal story as

an example of how finding social support can help. Max lives near

Detroit and runs an American Chronic Pain Association support group. I am a

53-year-old man, now divorced after 30 years, a statistic too

common with chronic pain. I have two daughters, and a beautiful baby

granddaughter. As a young adult I was diagnosed with pervasive

osteoarthritis and at age 44, the pain and limp took me to the operating room

for a total hip replacement. Not until my surgeon said " I did not do anything

wrong " did the lack of feeling in my right leg begin to concern me. With my

family crying, I became the cheerleader and jumped into a state of denial. The

pain was incredible.

After a long time, I found a new orthopedic surgeon and a pain

specialist. I had a spinal column dorsal neurostimulator implanted that helped

tremendously. This was also the first time I heard that I had something called

RSD - Reflexive Sympathetic Dystrophy, now named CRPS - Complex Regional Pain

Syndrome.

Wishing all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year