Most people may assume that sitting in front of a computer is easy work. Some may say they get tired of sitting all day and it hurts their neck or something. But, how many people realize that for every click of the mouse or character typed a muscle is engaged in your back (in addition to the neck and tightness average people feel). For me, that means torture. For me, that means minutes in front of a computer instead of hours.
Today, I began distributing my release/announcement titled “Cary Resident Takes on Statewide Pain Awareness and Action Efforts (Advocate Awarded Scholarship to American Pain Foundation’s Advocacy Summit)” Yee-hah. I guess announcing me as a NC American Pain Foundation Action Network Leader makes it more official.
For now, after more than 5,000 (800+ in this blog post alone) characters/arm movements, it’s definitely time to rest. I think I’ll post the release here, when I’m sending it out to others … tomorrow.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Southern Women's Show -- A Family Tradition
Today I went to the Southern Women’s Show in Raleigh. In the 1990s, my daughter and I went EVERY year to the show in Nashville. I would take off work, keep her out of school and we’d go enjoy a mother-daughter day of makeovers and fun. Back then, Kroger had an entire section of delicious samples to test. Those are good memories for me.
Nowadays, the food samples are few (they did give out Skinny Cow ice cream, yummy), the lines are too long and I am too tired to make it a major event.
There must be a lot of people in pain, because there were a lot of pain-reducing exhibitors. One was a Go Green Pain Relief which offered a spray “all natural pain relief.” It included grape seed oil, jojoba oil, aloe vera, vitamin e and Australian oil of Eucalyptus and promised to relieve or stop pain from arthritis, fibromylgia, lupus, etc., etc. The lady rubbed some smelly stuff on my neck and shoulder. It did make my muscles relax immediately – for about 10 minutes. Then – not so much. And it only cost $49 – I didn’t buy it.
I did get a free ‘computerized spinal examination through surface sEMG which measures relative levels of electrical activity generated when muscles contract.' Sounds like a bunch of goobledy-gook. My graphic didn’t have much green (normal) but lots of reds which show high tension on my left side and below normal tension on the right side. The structural damage in my back from my broken back at T5 means I overcompensate (work harder) on my left side and don’t do much with the muscles on my right side where the pain is. Makes sense to me.
If I thought it would do any long-term good, I’d go to the chiropractor, but I’ve done that before and it doesn’t fix the damage nor the pain. Guess I’ll just take a pill, lie down and relax to relieve the pain. I’m still glad I went. The memories of time with my daughter are good!
Nowadays, the food samples are few (they did give out Skinny Cow ice cream, yummy), the lines are too long and I am too tired to make it a major event.
There must be a lot of people in pain, because there were a lot of pain-reducing exhibitors. One was a Go Green Pain Relief which offered a spray “all natural pain relief.” It included grape seed oil, jojoba oil, aloe vera, vitamin e and Australian oil of Eucalyptus and promised to relieve or stop pain from arthritis, fibromylgia, lupus, etc., etc. The lady rubbed some smelly stuff on my neck and shoulder. It did make my muscles relax immediately – for about 10 minutes. Then – not so much. And it only cost $49 – I didn’t buy it.
I did get a free ‘computerized spinal examination through surface sEMG which measures relative levels of electrical activity generated when muscles contract.' Sounds like a bunch of goobledy-gook. My graphic didn’t have much green (normal) but lots of reds which show high tension on my left side and below normal tension on the right side. The structural damage in my back from my broken back at T5 means I overcompensate (work harder) on my left side and don’t do much with the muscles on my right side where the pain is. Makes sense to me.
If I thought it would do any long-term good, I’d go to the chiropractor, but I’ve done that before and it doesn’t fix the damage nor the pain. Guess I’ll just take a pill, lie down and relax to relieve the pain. I’m still glad I went. The memories of time with my daughter are good!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Walk a Day in My Shoes (or in My Wheelchair)
I just read an email from a person (a veteran and senior citizen) who had a negative experience with a doctor in the VA system. The doctor challenged his use of prescription pain medication and questioned whether he was malingering and using these medications to avoid working. Horrible treatment. The saddest part is that this is NOT an isolated incident. It happens regularly (in and out of the VA system) to thousands of people who have chronic pain.
This person wrote: “If only this doctor could spend but a day in my wheelchair, and suffer the pain which I do and have, his attitude would definitely change.” That’s a powerful sentence and probably very true.
I replied: “You are not alone. Thousands of people feel exactly as you do and that’s why the American Pain Foundation is so important. The bottom line is that everyone deserves timely and effective pain management – and that sometimes includes prescription pain medicines.
Let me say that not everyone has to fight to get appropriate pain care. I now have a wonderful doctor and family nurse practitioner and am getting the health care support I need, but no one should have to fight for that kind of support. Every day I believe more strongly in the importance of uniting to take action and raise awareness of the undeserved stigmas and unacceptable treatment of chronic pain. Will you join me? Join with the American Pain Foundation so together, we can make a difference.
This person wrote: “If only this doctor could spend but a day in my wheelchair, and suffer the pain which I do and have, his attitude would definitely change.” That’s a powerful sentence and probably very true.
I replied: “You are not alone. Thousands of people feel exactly as you do and that’s why the American Pain Foundation is so important. The bottom line is that everyone deserves timely and effective pain management – and that sometimes includes prescription pain medicines.
Let me say that not everyone has to fight to get appropriate pain care. I now have a wonderful doctor and family nurse practitioner and am getting the health care support I need, but no one should have to fight for that kind of support. Every day I believe more strongly in the importance of uniting to take action and raise awareness of the undeserved stigmas and unacceptable treatment of chronic pain. Will you join me? Join with the American Pain Foundation so together, we can make a difference.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Back from Minneapolis
Minneapolis -- the home of Mary Tyler More. Yes, I found her statue just a block from my hotel.
After enjoying (and being overwhelmed) at the American Pain Foundation 2010 Summit in Minneapolis (and taking a day to at least partially recuperate), I’m back. I’ll be writing more (much more) about the conference and all I learned in the future, for now, the trip … in review.
I like Southwest Airlines. Unfortunately, this trip was on Delta Airlines. Nothing bad happened, just not up to Southwest standards. The plane left from a different, busier terminal. Coming home, I was at the furthest possible gate from the entry (walking is not my favorite activity with pain). Plane was crowded and I was forced to sit crooked to give the big (really big) person in the center seat enough room (crooked is not good for my back).
I will totally complement the Minneapolis airport, the light rail transportation system and the Radisson Downtown Hotel. Easy. Nice. Nice people.
One thing I learned about myself is I have spent so much of the recent years in isolation (I sit home alone most of the time because of pain) that when meeting with 150+ other people, it was overwhelming. So many people. So much talking. So much social interaction. It wore me out. Don’t get me wrong. All the people I met were wonderful and supportive and smart and motivated and many were also in pain. Still, whew. I need a rest … in my cave.
Coming soon … stories from the summit and what I am going to do to speak up for the millions in pain!
I like Southwest Airlines. Unfortunately, this trip was on Delta Airlines. Nothing bad happened, just not up to Southwest standards. The plane left from a different, busier terminal. Coming home, I was at the furthest possible gate from the entry (walking is not my favorite activity with pain). Plane was crowded and I was forced to sit crooked to give the big (really big) person in the center seat enough room (crooked is not good for my back).
I will totally complement the Minneapolis airport, the light rail transportation system and the Radisson Downtown Hotel. Easy. Nice. Nice people.
One thing I learned about myself is I have spent so much of the recent years in isolation (I sit home alone most of the time because of pain) that when meeting with 150+ other people, it was overwhelming. So many people. So much talking. So much social interaction. It wore me out. Don’t get me wrong. All the people I met were wonderful and supportive and smart and motivated and many were also in pain. Still, whew. I need a rest … in my cave.
Coming soon … stories from the summit and what I am going to do to speak up for the millions in pain!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Off to Minneapolis for the Pain Summit
I just finished packing. I leave early (really early) in the morning for the American Pain Foundation Pain Summit in Minneapolis.
Years ago, I used to travel regularly for work and learned to pack light – 1 pair of black pants, 1 pair of khaki pants, 1 black shirt, 1 tan shirt and 1 print shirt. That makes 6 outfits – black and black, black and tan, tan and black, tan and tan … you get the idea. I usually fly Southwest and am not used to the checked baggage charges (bags still fly free on Southwest). This trip I’m going Delta. Despite my expenses being reimbursed, I don’t like to pay for a checked bag (it just doesn’t seem right) so I re-learned packing light. No airline is getting an extra $25 to $40 from me!
I’m nervous about arriving in Minneapolis. The best way to the downtown hotel is by light rail. I don’t really know what that is and my back (and the accompanying pain) doesn’t allow me to carry luggage too well. Thank goodness for wheels.
No matter what, I’ll get there and then rest and be raring to go – learning about the APF and what I can do to help myself and others who live with pain!
Years ago, I used to travel regularly for work and learned to pack light – 1 pair of black pants, 1 pair of khaki pants, 1 black shirt, 1 tan shirt and 1 print shirt. That makes 6 outfits – black and black, black and tan, tan and black, tan and tan … you get the idea. I usually fly Southwest and am not used to the checked baggage charges (bags still fly free on Southwest). This trip I’m going Delta. Despite my expenses being reimbursed, I don’t like to pay for a checked bag (it just doesn’t seem right) so I re-learned packing light. No airline is getting an extra $25 to $40 from me!
I’m nervous about arriving in Minneapolis. The best way to the downtown hotel is by light rail. I don’t really know what that is and my back (and the accompanying pain) doesn’t allow me to carry luggage too well. Thank goodness for wheels.
No matter what, I’ll get there and then rest and be raring to go – learning about the APF and what I can do to help myself and others who live with pain!
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