#63 Teach your friends your pain scale

 

When I told my best friends about my personal pain scale, it really helped me function in social situations. People who know me well are always able to tell when I am in pain, but the best thing is if people can tell a little before it hurts too much, without us having to actually talk about it.

It's so much easier hanging out with people who can just ask, "Where are you at?" and I'll say "5" and they know that means we ought to be heading home soon. That way I don't have to even think about the pain, or try to convey that it hurts so much that I may need to lie down soon.

As a chronic pain patient you don't want to nag, complain or focus on your pain in any way at all. It's a matter of life, you deal with it.

Sometime I want to design my own T-shirt with a meter gauge on it, and I can just adjust the arrow to my pain level. Non verbal communication, I love it:)

#62 Space travel - in your own bed!

Tempurpedic mattresses have been getting way too much attention, and they are too expensive.
But I must admit, since I broke my back in 1996, I have been an ardent user of all things tempurpedic.

It feels so strange when you lay down on it, how it's hard at first, then adapts to your body temperature and moulds around your body like clay. And every time I go to bed I can't help thinking it IS really cool to be sleeping on space travel material, sort of like my bed is a space shuttle preparing for take off every time I go to sleep...  The legend has it that the material was developed by NASA, so the human body could withstand the G-forces involved in space travel... and today, it's in beds all over the world.

But anyway, the material was adapted for use by Swedish scientists (go Sweden!) and the good thing about THAT is that some other Swedish designers, yes you guessed it, it's our favorite blue and yellow furniture chain, has developed a way cheaper alternative. I've tried it, it's great!

Healthy people spend a third of their life in bed, and some of us professional patients spend way more than we want to there. I know at least for back and neck pain, it makes a huge difference if your spine is well supported as you sleep. All I can say is, "Beam me up Scotty!"

#61 Try fire cupping (if you dare)

Definately one of the weirder pain treatments I have tried, fire cupping is absolutely exotic.

from wikipedia:
Fire cupping or simply cupping is a form of traditional medicine found in many cultures world-wide. It involves placing cups containing reduced air pressure (suction) on the skin. It is known in local languages as badkesh, bahnkes, bekam, buhang, bentusa, kuyukaku, gak hoi, hijama, and many other names.

I really don't think I would advice you guys to try this... I was exposed to it while living in Indonesia, and yes, it actually did work really well... but.. why??? How??

#60 Reach out and touch faith

March is outreach month at the 365 Pain Free Days blog. We've got more and more readers (now 500!!) and this month we'll be publishing some great guest entries from other writers who know a lot about pain, either as patients, caregivers or doctors. I'll be talking to people who have worked with and overcome debilitating pain conditions, and share links from organizations and networks that can help chronic pain patients in all phases and conditions.

It's a common sideeffect of living with pain to become isolated, which increases the negative pain spiral. Once you're cut off from social networks and don't have meaningful activities in your daily life anymore, the pain has a way of "taking over" - claiming more and more space in your life till there's little else left.

So don't let it.

Reach out to someone else, a friend, family member, fellow patient, neighbor or health care provider. Try to get out and do something with someone else every day, even if it's just a walk around the block or a trip to the mall.

PS. And feel free to share links and info to good pain resources: We are stronger together!

#59 Treat yourself to looking your best

Ok, so you may have been inside watching TV and guzzling pain meds for a week trying to deal with a recent flare up. You're walking around in your track suit and feel about as miserable as you can possibly do. Why should you bother fixing your hair, putting on nice clothes and maybe some make-up? You're sick. Nobody's gonna see you anyway, right?

But... wait a second...

YOU are going to see you. Are you calling yourself a nobody?

Actually, all of today, you have a healing date with yourself. You are at home, doing your most important job, which is taking care of your health.

So why not dress up and make the most of it? Put on some NICE and COMFORTABLE clothes that make you feel good... why save that good dress or pair of slacks till you're going out? Today is much more important. Ladies, pamper yourself with a good skin care session and do your hair and make up. You're worth the effort, and by the way, it's your first day in your new job, remember?

PS: One of my Swedish friends has a super sweet blog where she posts a picture of a dress every day, it's such an inspiration!!!