Experiences and Sage Advice From Roxy
Dealing with Pain, both Physical and Emotional, While Continuing to Live Your Life
It’s been 1.5 years since I was told my cancer was back, with a vengeance, in my lungs, liver and bones. Pain, both emotional and physical, became a reality. I learned quickly I had to develop a relationship with the both types of pains in my body. Physical pain became the easiest to deal with. The path for dealing with physical pain was first learning that rest is healing. Rest is an important part of pain control because it relaxes the body.
I then realized I had to rate the pain (1 through 10) to make other decisions. For instance when pain at level two I usually could be ok with, if I did not think about it and kept busy. It especially helped to be busy with other people. Level 3 to 5, I usually relied on Tylenol and it did the “trick.” Level 5 to 8, I may use a narcotic but also use meditation with it to keep my body relaxed. This was sometimes very difficult because I get so focused on pain. If I have a symptom in my body that scares me, and trust me every cancer patient thinks a headache is bone cancer. That would add emotional pain to the physical pain.
Sometimes I add emotional symptoms like heart palpitations, that then adds to my pain level, because I struggle to decide what’s real and what is not. Those are scary times for me. I then work very hard at staying in the present because I know worry projects the future and can work up my mind in a “tizzy.” If I start feeling sorry for myself, it will sometimes increase the pain because I believe depression and despair add to my focusing just on my body as my enemy instead of my friend. Staying peaceful is a key to pain control, but many times difficult.
I have realized that living with pain is a process. I have tingling in my hands and feet every day and I rarely recognize it because it has become part of my life so therefore I have excepted it.
There can be advantages in pain – it gets me out of dishes, cooking and laundry. Ok, sometimes I may be just lazy, but no body knows that because I have cancer you know.
The first few months of dealing with cancer and pain, I stayed home and thought I should suffer alone. Now I go out with pain at level 1-4 and find I can choose at the last minute if I want to go and when I want to leave. It’s okay.
When I am in pain around family and friends, they all want to fix me. They especially remind me of all the drugs I can take so I don’t have to suffer. I understand know one wants to see someone they love suffer, but many times I just need to complain a little and I know what my options are. Most of the time, I just thank them for their advice.
I think when I got cancer one of my biggest fears was, I was going to die in pain. Now I know I am in charge and will choose how that all goes.
Pain builds character and builds patience. Actually not for me, but it sure built a knowledge of drugs and alternative medicines.
Many providers I have worked with and talked to over the years have experienced a round of cancer or some other debilitating disease. It occurred to me that many of you have or may share my experience personally or through a loved one. It is my hope that reading this may help you to understand or feel less helpless if you understood pain by reading about it through someone who also has experienced it.
Roxy Chuchna www.roxysdaycaresupplies.com
952-432-7700 1-800-244-2440
