Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Pain Management


Last week, quite suddenly and inexplicably, my neck started hurting. It started out as a nagging, muscular thing. By Sunday morning it was downright debilitating. I made it to church, even made it through the worship set. But as soon as we got home I put on my jammies, took some extra strength Excedrin and spent most of the day lying on a heating pad. As I write this post, I am still in pain. I have an appointment with a chiropractor, but until then, all I can do is manage the pain as best I can.

Sometimes that's all we can do, isn't it? Manage the pain. We know (or at least we think we know) how to alleviate it, but sometimes all the other stuff in our lives takes precedent over immediate relief. So we endure and try to compensate.

Here's what I learned over the past few days about compensating -- too often we overcompensate. The pain that began at the base of the right side of my neck soon found a new home at the base of my skull, then radiated up the back of my head and behind my right eye. I didn't stop the pain, I simply chased it to another location. I'm guessing I will continue to chase the pain from one place to another until I can get some relief. Because I've got to feel like I'm doing something other than simply enduring. Right?

Maybe not. Perhaps we're meant to endure some things. Because without enduring the pain we can never truly appreciate the healing.

My observation, anyway.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

This made me want to find this verse... Romans 5:3-4
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.

I pray that you'll be feeling back to your spunky katdish self again soon!

Heather Sunseri said...

Love that verse, Bridget.

I am always quick to want to do something to alleviate the pain or frustration I'm feeling. I can't just sit. But I think you're right. I think we're meant to endure and learn from whatever it is that's bothering us. Sometimes we just need to BE for a while.

Hope you feel better soon, Katdish!

Annie K said...

I think you're on to something Katdish....

And I'll be praying for the pain in your neck. (sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Sherri Murphy said...

Sounds horrible-yes, we are called to endure pain, but thank God for his healing power. Praying for that power to come to you today.

( And I can't believe Annie would even mention being a pain in the neck to a woman in your condition!)
I would never!

Corinne Cunningham said...

I think you're very right.

That being said... I'm going to go all new age on you and tell you to try acupuncture, haha :) I just went through 3 months of a constant migraine, and that, my friend is enough suffering for this woman. Anyway, acupuncture was the only thing that helped.
(stepping off my soap box...)

Annie K said...

Yes you would Sherri.

Andrea said...

Amen. Some of those most painful times in my life molded me into a better person. Did I like or enjoy them...NO, but now...after the pain, I am thankful for who I am becoming. I am definitely still a work in progress.

Blessings, andrea

Heather of the EO said...

UH HUH.

love this post. The way you're kind of thinking out loud and hitting the nail on the head at the same time.

Billy Coffey said...

Don't take this the wrong way and all, but I'm almost glad you're hurting if it means you write stuff like this. Wow.

That said, I'm praying you'll feel better soon.

Helen said...

I am sorry you are hurting. I hope the chiropracter helpsl

Anonymous said...

ice and muscle relax meds.
more advil than you normaly take.
no heat is what i had to do this week.

hopefully.. you will back to full and painless motion very soon.

jasonS said...

Pain is no fun. I was gathering a different analogy from what you were saying: we chase the pain and move it so that it manifests itself in different areas. It doesn't go away until we discover the root and deal with it. I may have to steal that one! :)

Chris Sullivan said...

Serious... introspective... who are you and what have you done with katdish?

katdish said...

deepdish katdish...

mwha, ha, ha!

Tina Dee Books said...

Without the pain, would I have even known about the healing? For me, probably not.

Great post, Katdish, lots of great verses being shared.

Praying for your healing. Love you, girl!

Candy said...

This is just another example of how often we take things for granted and don't appreciate them, or even notice them, until they scream for our attention. I definitely haven't told my neck how much I appreciate it today (or anyone else, for that matter).

There's a great lesson in pain, but one we don't like to learn.

I'd use ice, stretch, & massage. I went head-first down this water slide once....

~*Michelle*~ said...

You are so right Candance.....I tweaked my back one time and was floored on how much I took for granted, like getting out of bed without having to slither out.

I hope you have a speedy recovery, Katdish....I know how that pain can radiate.

The pain deal.....yeah, it's like the pruning process that we need to endure to be so much more fruitful in the end.

great post!

Sande said...

Without the valleys, there would be no mountain tops.

Joanne Sher said...

Enduring always makes you stronger. You're gonna be TOUGH pretty soon ;)

This is a super lesson. Praying that pain goes away SOON! (and that you learn as much from it after it's gone as you did when it was here)

Janet Oberholtzer said...

I read this post this morning, then had a busy day and didn't get to comment until now (plus I needed time to think about it)

Great post!

You wrote ... "meant to endure some things" ... that causes me some grief, I don't want to endure unpleasant things. Yes, I know I can learn a lot from them, but I want to have someone (God/you/me/etc.) snap their fingers and I learn/appreciate without having to endure!

Sorry about the pain you are feeling - hope the chiropractor works wonders!

Peter P said...

WAAY too deep for any snarky comments from me, or even any attempts at witty ones!

I am guilty as charged of pushing the pain somewhere else instead of actually dealing with what's causing it!

Awesome post, Madame Katdish

JML said...

Good point. Apply that to any pain in our lives and all of a sudden it's spreading like a rash, or like N1H1 and freaking people out!