Thursday

"If I Lived in a World with Less Pain, I Could..."




If I lived in a world with less pain, we would all see more people making a difference, using their gifts and talents more openly, pursuing their passions more avidly, and being even more active in their lives, families, communities, countries, and on the world scene. Those people are currently somewhat hidden. We cannot always do what we want to do, need to do, and are called to do, because we are hindered by an invisible enemy. Our pain cannot always be seen on scans or X-rays; it certainly cannot be seen by the naked eye. However, the effects of our pain are keenly felt in our lives, our families, our societies. How is this pain felt? In the missing pieces of artwork because the arms and hands hurt too badly to form them. In the missing pieces of legislation because the bodies who were intended to write them are in bed, not elected to office. In the missing teachers, because those bodies are racked with pain and can no longer teach. In the missing police officers, business owners, athletes, musicians, etc., who cannot do what they were supposed to do and are now doing something different, not lesser nor worse, just different.







Even when some of us are able to pursue the passions to which we are called, we are unable to do as much as we would love to do. It is not because we are lazy. It is not because we are rebellious or pouting or insubordinate. Our bodies do not cooperate the way we wish they did. The pain holds us back. The severity varies from day to day, hour to hour. We have to cancel appointments, change plans, postpone gatherings, and flat out miss out on many of life's offerings because of pain. Some of our friends disappear. Some of our family members stay away. Some who are close to us think we are making excuses. We are not. It is something we cannot change or we would. If we were making it up, we would stop making it up so we could have our lives back. In a world with less pain, we would not have to make all these concessions for ourselves.





If we all lived in a world with less pain, money that is spent on surgeries, procedures, medications, treatments, alternative care, and therapies could be spent instead on other causes and important things. We could travel, visit our ailing, aging relatives or newborn grandchildren or stay with someone who had just had surgery. We could adopt a child or a pet. We could afford to help our children pay for college. We could buy art supplies and actually create beautiful, inspiring pieces. We could support candidates or even afford to run for office ourselves. We could live in more substantial housing than many of us find ourselves in. We could continue to pay our mortgages and not be forced to sell our homes to afford our care for our painful conditions.





Pain robs our bodies and the citizens of our world of many tangible and intangible assets. It robs friendships because friends don't or won't understand. It robs marriages because partners don't know what to do and give up. It robs bank accounts because we have so many physical needs. It robs our society of the gifts its pain-riddled citizens just cannot give. The misery endured by those of us in pain is unbelievable. It is not a mere toothache that is treated in a few days by your dentist. It is not the pain after surgery which is indicating healing. No, it is constant, chronic, unrelenting, merciless, interfering, obstructive, and uncaring. In a world with less pain, there would be less misery, less irritability, and grouchiness. I wish pain were less and very temporary. I'm not so naive to think a world could exist without pain altogether. However, if it were only assured to be tolerable and short-lived, we could have more hope again. We could make plans and keep them. We could pursue lives and not drop out. We could work at our chosen professions and not have to quit or go part time because of pain.

In a world with less pain, these problems would not exist and people who were born to do incredible things would not have to settle for less than that.


"If I Lived in a World with Less Pain, I Could..."
Campaign - submitted by Lynn E. Mora 9/2011


Taken from the APF - American Pain Foundations Facebook page






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Monday

Relieving Pain - Can It Be Done in Todays Society??

Chronic pain affects an estimated 116 million American adults—more than the total affected by heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined. Pain also costs the nation up to $635 billion each year in medical treatment and lost productivity. The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act required the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enlist the IOM in examining pain as a public health problem.

In this Report, the IOM offers a blueprint for action in transforming prevention, care, education, and research, with the goal of providing relief for people with pain in America. To reach the vast multitude of people with various types of pain, the nation must adopt a population-level prevention and management strategy. The IOM recommends that HHS develop a comprehensive plan with specific goals, actions, and timeframes. Better data are needed to help shape efforts, especially on the groups of people currently underdiagnosed and undertreated, and the IOM encourages federal and state agencies and private organizations to accelerate the collection of data on pain incidence, prevalence, and treatments. Because pain varies from patient to patient, healthcare providers should increasingly aim at tailoring pain care to each person’s experience, and self-management of pain should be promoted. In addition, because there are major gaps in knowledge about pain across health care and society alike, the IOM recommends that federal agencies and other stakeholders redesign education programs to bridge these gaps. Pain is a major driver for visits to physicians, a major reason for taking medications, a major cause of disability, and a key factor in quality of life and productivity. Given the burden of pain in human lives, dollars, and social consequences, relieving pain should be a national priority.

This is from The Board of Health Sciences and is a 313-page Report that you can read/browse thru Online.


Click on the LINK below-->

Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, and Research

Should State Laws Dictate Pain-Care Practices?

VERY IMPORTANT -- THIS IS A MUST-READ ARTICLE!!

Those of us who live with/in Chronic Pain MUST start taking an active role, have a voice AND start being heard & believed in Pain-Care decisions that will ultimately effect our daily lives, our futures and the lives & futures of our families!!

PLEASE, take the time to read this article and look over the other informative articles on this website.

Thank-you
Love and Blessings,
--snookiecollins

Click on the LINK below -->

Pain-Topics.org News/Research UPDATES: Should State Laws Dictate Pain-Care Practices?

Tuesday

Does Anyone REALLY Care About My Pain?

I know that's what alot of you are probably thinking or feeling...
I know, because I have been there.

And now I'm back again.
Just when I thought everything was settled & I had finally found a Doctor that was actually nice to me AND believed in me.

I was told last month that he is retiring... So, I guess we shall see where it goes from here.
Anyway, here's a Video that might just give you a bit of Hope that things are changing for the better in the Healthcare community. I know it does me.
Cause, now what do I always say kids? All together now...

NEVER GIVE UP -- NEVER GIVE IN

Please consider becoming an actual Member of The American Pain Foundation - painfoundation.org
And support our Cause in any way that you can. If we ALL join together, we CAN make a difference.

Please keep me in your Prayers & as always You will be in mine!
Love & Blessings,
--snookiecollins


Chronic Pain IS a Disease

TITLE says it all baby...

The Title, Says - It - All.

And it is about time that it is being Recognized as such!!

Click on the LINK -->
Chronic Pain Is a Disease That Needs Special Treatment - Health.com

Why Most Patients Dislike Pain Care Providers

Wow, this is a really good Topic and one I have personally heard & talked about with my fellow patients for years now.
And from my experience....
Well, let's just say that unfortunately there is VERY good reason for Chronic Pain sufferers to feel this way.

I have been finding alot of good, informative & helpful articles on this website.
So, this is one Site I think we all should 'Bookmark'.
(they are on Twitter also, so you could follow them for current updates).

Ya know what to do...
Click on the LINK below kids... -->

Pain-Topics.org - Why Do Patients Dislike Pain Care Providers?  



Saturday

NEVER GIVE UP... 7 Tips To Surviving Tough Times







Well,  its been a rough one kids...

Hope this article I have linked to helps someone, it made me feel a bit stronger after reading thru it a few times.
Still feel like I have a Long way to go...
And if you are reading this blog, then I'm pretty sure you've been there before.
Or might even be there now.

But, what do I ALWAYS say?

--  NEVER GIVE UP  --  NEVER GIVE IN  --

Good Luck to us all...
Keep me in your Prayers & I will do the same for all of you.

Love & Blessings,
--snookiecollins

Click on the LINK -->

7 Tips To Surviving Tough Times