Posted by MERM on 6/21/2008, 12:52 pm, in reply to "LIVING WITH PAIN FM"
The concept of pacing is a magic key when living with chronic pain. To achieve my goals I have learned to pace myself very carefully. I came to realize quite quickly that to succeed, my goals needed to be realistic; I have a definite skill for dreaming up impossible goals. If I wanted to go out in the evening I would have to have some energy left by the end of the day. I began to achieve this by being very strict with myself and by using various bits of equipment to help me in my daily tasks. I also realized that some activities are simply not worth the energy expenditure. It was amazing how often housework fell into this category; my ability to not see mess and dust are quite exceptional!
I can’t walk very far due to severe pain in my hips and lower back; for this reason I’m careful where I choose to use my walking ability. To me walking around a supermarket is not half as enjoyable as walking outside along the canal or in the park; so I choose to use my electric wheelchair, Millie, to whiz round the supermarket and then enjoy my exercise by taking a walk outside. So for me, using Millie is a method of pacing and I find I walk further knowing that the wheelchair is available to do the necessary chores. I spend a lot more of my day outside, rather than stuck in the house, so in essence my wheelchair gives me the independence I need and makes my life much more enjoyable.
Other pieces of equipment I use to pace myself and achieve independence are: voice activated software for my computer; an adapted car; and a hands-free phone. The voice-activated software allows me the freedom to write as much as I like without inducing the wrist pain I develop from the repetitive activity of typing or writing. It leaves me free to use my wrists to accomplish other tasks like washing up or arranging my latest travel photos. My adapted motability car, Molly, is totally amazing. I have a twin flip accelerator pedal so I can drive my automatic car with either leg. It has doubled the distance I can drive, as when my right leg begins to ache from operating the accelerator and brake I can switch to a left accelerator pedal and drive with my left leg (not as dangerous as it sounds!). The steering has also been lightened to put as little pressure on my wrists as possible, and installed in the boot is a hoist for lifting my wheelchair in and out of the car. All my friends adore this piece of equipment, as they no longer have to strain their muscles lifting lift it in and out of the car for me!
Relaxation is something I struggled with. My brain would simply not switch off when I lay down to rest and relax in the afternoon to conserve energy for my evening excursions. My solution came with the discovery of audio books at my local library. I found listening to books not only opened up a whole new world of adventure, but finally stopped my brain in its tracks. I now take my audio books with me everywhere to use to keep my brain occupied whenever I am really tired but can't sleep, or when I get into a state with my brain whirring in circles. I get through so many books that I have even branched into the next county’s libraries!
These are some of my techniques and solutions to living in the situation I find myself. Yours may be totally different. What is essential is to discover ways to enjoy life as much as possible despite the pain, and to build a life for yourself in which you find a level of contentment. Kathy Longley *wellnestrainresearchteam
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