Pain Fog: Living in spite of Chronic Pain
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Month 17, Get Moving

6/24/2016

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What holds people back more from living their lives more than pain?  Fear, is the answer. Fear holds all of us back from getting what we want out of life at one time or another. Sometimes the fear of pain is far worse than having the pain itself. It can be crippling.
I've heard from so many people that after an injury, joint replacement or recovering from an illness that they can't really move on. They continue to see themselves in the role of "can't."
Of course everyone is different, recovers differently at a different pace,but if you're honest and want to move on, ask yourself the real question; is it fear that is stopping me.
I have many friends, relatives and readers who have had hips replaced.  The degree to which they use that new hip is as different as the person who owns it.  My friend had his replaced then had the second one replaced. He went to Physio for quite a while and went to the pool several time a week to work at walking in the water.  He is the one with the best results I have seen in anyone.  He was able to do so much with his new hips. Things he hadn't done in years.  He walks, hikes, swims, and exercises daily. He has even water skied but won't take a chance doing that on a regular basis.  He is proof of how well it can go.
Then I know people who have had replacements who didn't do as much while recovering and now cannot do as much as they would like.  I have seen the same scenario with knee replacements.  One of my neighbours had a replacement and as soon as he was home he was out for very short walks daily, the Physio and finally, fully functioning knees.  Another neighbour babied his and didn't walk. Went half heartedly to Physio and still ten years later has a stiff painful knee.  The sad thing is it doesn't have to be this way.  Don't let fear or fear of pain hold you back.  If you want to live the life you want, then you need to face it head on and put the fear away.
As adults we get to choose wether we do what's best for ourselves or take the easy way out. Taking the easy way out in times like this is setting yourself up for failure. We need to push ourselves as though we would push our kids or a friend to get better, to do better.  This is true of weight, exercise and so much more. Giving in the the child inside all of us that says "but I don't want too" is easy. Being the adult and speaking up to say, "but I have too". That's the hard part.
Everyday I get up I really don't feel like walking. I hurt, I'm stiff and my balance is not great.  I can easily talk myself into not going. Some days it's hot, or I have the ill do it later feeling  My secret weapon is a memory.  I remember being in that rehab bed last year, having to wait for someone to help me into a wheelchair to move.  When I think of that I get myself ready and go. I'm fortunate. I may have pain, and my legs are weak, but they are working. They came back to me again, so I can't give up on them now.  With that I'm out for a walk, to soak in some of this beautiful sunshine. Happy Friday everyone.  Go get your vitamin 'D'.



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    Maureen Clout

    I'm going in for a 4th neurosurgery; this time it's a repair to my lumbar fusion. Here, I will post my daily updates on dealing with diagnosis, surgery and recovery. Join me on my journey.

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