Wednesday, September 30, 2009

To Do and Hurt ... or not

Is it better to sit around and do nothing and have controllable pain or be in intense pain while doing something and having fun?

That's my question. I've spent the past couple days mostly sitting around recuperating from a busy week or so. Just sitting around. Not doing much of anything. Not standing or walking very much. No lifting, bending, reaching. Limited activity. And truth is, the pain is on the lower end (that's still after the prescription pain medication -- at the end of the 12 hours, since the last dose, the pain returns). But, I'm bored.

Then I decide to do something. Today it was re-pot a couple plants, clean them up and prepare them to come inside for the cold season. 20 minutes or so and the major ache and pain erupted. Spasms. Sore. Burn. It's no longer the low-grade ache in the background. I'm counting down till 3 pm when I can take my next pain pill. But, besides the result -- the pain -- I had a little fun. And even if it was only for a few minutes, I did something I enjoyed. There was purpose. There was accomplishment.

So I ask again -- is it better to just sit around, do nothing and keep the pain under control or enjoy life a little, do something and hurt (a lot). Maybe there's a middle ground -- I haven't found it yet. I'll keep looking.

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