From: Linda.Cummings@f34.n375.z1.fidonet.org (Linda Cummings)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: sympathectomy part 3 of 3
Date: 23 Nov 92 22:14:08 GMT
Reply-To: Linda.Cummings@f34.n375.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:375/34 - Batteries Included, Montgomery AL
Originator: wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com

Index Number: 25852

[This is from the Chronic Pain Conference]

 > Compared to so many other folks that have chronic pain problems, I
 > still count myself fortunate, since all of this is only 7 months
 > old.

I have had chronic pain for the past 10 years, Jim.  I have had
worse chronic pain for about the last 5 years, though (after the
second partial laminectomy).  I remember when my chronic pain was
new (as yours is).  There is NO quick cure.  There may not even be
a cure.  I hate to burst your bubble, but the sooner you adjust
yourself to the possibility that you may have some sort of chronic
pain for maybe the rest of your life, the better off it's going to
be on you and your wife.

 >  And, how long can I expect W.C. to cooperate with medications,
 > brace upkeep, etc. while I wait?

And, how long will it take for you to get on Medicare after you
fight tooth and nail with Social Security to get on Disability?  It
took me almost 2 years, twice of being turned down, and finally
appearing in front of a judge with my lawyer before I got my
disability.  I sure hope you're keeping good records, Jim.  You'll
need them.

 > No.  Actually, neither of us have felt like we need any (sort of
 > like a crazy person claiming to be sane) :-).

Okay, Jim, here's what I have to say about this subject.  When all
the tests were over and done, and there was still no relief in
sight for me, my neurosurgeon suggested a pain clinic.  I was
apprehensive, but I thought, "well, what the heck.  I've tried
everything thing else there is to try except a body transplant." ;-)

My husband had just been laid off.  There was no way I could drive
myself a hundred miles one way to go to the Birmingham Pain Clinic,
so his layoff was sort of a blessing.  He was getting unemployment
insurance, so we weren't too bad off.  I attended the clinic for a
little over two months.

As far as anything physical, they tried acupuncture.  When we saw
that it wasn't doing any good, we stopped it.  We hit on a
combination of medication that helped me with the leg
spasticity/cramps/spasms.  I'm still on these medications.

At the orientation meeting, we were told that we had been sent
there by our physicians because "there is nothing else that can be
done" for us. And, now, we would "learn how to live with it" (the
chronic pain).  Slap in the face time!  Reality set in.  This was
it.  Here comes the depression again.

But, Jim, the pain clinic was worth the trips, even though the
chronic pain increased when travelling.  We have a van, and I would
lay down in the back while Eddie drove to and from the clinic once
a week.  And, here is why it was worth it...because everybody there
was in the same boat I was in.  It didn't matter if they had back
problems (like me), an amputation, headaches, or what.  A lot of
people brought their spouses. A lot of anger and frustration was
released.  The spouses could see that other spouses felt like they
did.  It was NORMAL!  (Actually, I hate that word.  As they say in
the MPD echo, "Normal is a washing machine setting.")

It wasn't a "shrink" session.  We had a psychologist for the first
hour, a person who would teach us relaxation techniques the second
hour, and a physical therapist for the third hour.  We did have
discussions, but it wasn't what I was expecting.  It was more of a
question/answer period. I didn't feel like I was in a group of
"crazies."  ;-)

Anyway, I have documented my visits and put it into a file here on
our system available for freq'ing.  It's "Clinic.zip."  It has all
of the handouts included, plus all of the forms that we had to fill
out each week, plus a synopsis of each visit.  It might help.  It
sure can't hurt you.

 > one of us has felt the need to talk to anyone but each other.  We
 > gain a considerable amount of support from this.

Sometimes, it DOES help to talk to someone else, Jim.

Linda

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