June is Scoliosis Awareness Month, so I thought it was the perfect time to explain a wee bit more about my back pain. I have been living with scoliosis (a curvature of my spine) for fifty years, and with the pain it’s brought for over forty years. I’ve learned to…
Category: Chronic Pain
Back Pain & Scoliosis
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Adapting to Chronic Pain — Again and Again
Adapting to chronic pain isn’t something that happens just once. Pain can change over time, and when it does, we have to learn how to live with it all over again. Adapting doesn’t make life perfect; it just makes some things possible — until the next change comes along and…
Chronic Pain
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Focus On Something You Love, Despite Pain
It’s easier said than done, but sometimes we have to try to focus on something we love rather than the pain. Living with constant pain is hard. That’s putting it mildly, isn’t it? Pain creeps into every part of life, often putting a spanner in the works whenever you try…
Chronic Pain
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Simple Comforts For Difficult Pain Days
The simple things in life are sometimes the things that bring most comfort, especially on difficult pain days. In my previous post, I talked about practical things that can help. Today, I want to share some of the small comforts and gentle coping strategies that help me through those tougher…
Chronic Pain
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Practical Things That Help on Difficult Pain Days
In my previous post, I talked about the emotional side of living with pain. Today, I want to share some of the practical things that help me on those difficult pain days. But I want to start by being honest — sometimes nothing helps, and I just have to ride…
Back Pain & Scoliosis
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Coping With Difficult Pain Days: Hope, Emotions & Getting Through it
Coping with chronic pain isn’t pretty — especially on the difficult days. It’s not just about the physical pain, but also about coping with the difficult emotions that come along with it. I often feel the emotional side of living with pain gets overlooked. But when pain is overwhelming, our…
Chronic Pain
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Coping with Pain: Don’t I Deserve a PhD After 40 Years?
I’ve been living with chronic pain for over forty years, and sometimes I think to myself — don’t I deserve a PhD in Pain Management for coping with this monster that rules my life? I live with pain. I write about pain. I share tips, suggestions, and ideas to help…
Chronic Pain
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Dealing With Embarrassment and Shame — By Sigrid MacDonald
Living with chronic pain or chronic illness can bring unexpected emotions. Alongside the physical challenges they’re dealing with, many people also experience feelings of embarrassment or even shame — feelings that can be difficult to talk about. Today, I’m very pleased to share a guest post by author Sigrid MacDonald,…
Chronic Pain
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Letting Go of Guilt — You Are Enough
It can be so difficult to let go of guilt, especially if your life is ruled by chronic pain or illness. “You are enough” is a gentle reminder from me to you — and the reason for writing this post is that I sometimes need that reminder too. We live…
Chronic Pain
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Living With Chronic Pain: Protect Fulfilment, Function, and Joy
Living with chronic pain can be pretty soul-destroying because it affects every aspect of life. Today, I am sharing another guest post by Julia Merrill, a retired board-certified nurse practitioner. Julia has suggested ways to protect fulfilment, function and joy in our lives. Ways to Protect Fulfilment, Function, and Joy…