When People In Pain Care And Share, They Help And Heal
April 14, 2009 by Bonnie Boots
Filed under General News
Recently, I wrote about my purchase of some Vitamin B12 patches. It seems my internal "B12 receptors" have gone on strike, leaving me critically short of that important vitamin.
My doctor recommended weekly injections. I stalled him by trying an 8-week course of a brand new product, transdermal B12 patches. I thought using them would be much less traumatic than closing my eyes and blindly stabbing a needle into myself.
But Kathi Harris, a reader of Pain Health News, chimed in through the comment box and told me she'd been giving herself weekly injections for years. "The first time I tried to do it," she wrote, " I sat there holding the syringe over my leg for like 20 minutes before I got up enough nerve to stick myself. Then I started laughing so hard, I pulled the needle back out before I actually injected myself…LOL! After the first time, I've never hesitated to give myself that shot. Really, after you've made yourself do it once, you'll never be scared to do it again!"
8 weeks later I reported to my doctor for new blood tests to see how I was doing on the transdermal patches. Alas, they didn't work for me. My B12 level was even lower! "You're risking nerve damage," my doctor said. "You need weekly injections. It's possible to do it at home. Do you think you could handle that?"
I thought of what Kathi Harris had written and said, confidently, "Sure I can! After I make myself do it once, I'll never be scared to do it again!" My doctor nodded. "That's good," he said. "It will save you a lot of time if you don't have to drive all the way over here ever week. And save you a lot of money, too."
So a nurse came in, gave me a few simple instructions and watched me take my first stab at injecting myself. Sure enough—I can do it! But only because I had it on good authority that someone much like me had already done it.
By being a positive role model, Kathi Harris helped me overcome some fears and move on with my life. That life has changed dramatically since 1989, when an auto accident turned me into a chronic pain patient. There were days, months, even a whole year when I didn't think I'd ever get better. When I didn't think I could live with it another day. I just couldn't see a brighter future for myself.
But then I began reading books about people that had overcome impossible odds to achieve a life worth living. They'd overcome cancer, blindness, abuse, imprisonment, disability and illness of every kind. I read every book I could find in my local library about people who'd faced every situation that can stop a human being dead in their tracks—and overcome it. With those positive role models before me, I found the courage to overcome my fears and fight for a life worth living.
That's why I write Pain Health News. Because if you know that I overcame crippling pain and deep despair, you'll know it's also possible for you.
That's why you should add your own thoughts and comments to Pain Health News, just as Kathi Harris did. You never know who is looking in on these pages. You never know what they struggle with or what they fear. You never know how just one positive comment or suggestion from you can turn a life around and point it in a new direction. What you can know is that when you reach out and make even the smallest effort to contribute advice, information and personal experience, someone, somewhere is helped. And you did it!
### Bonnie Boots publishes Pain Health News to share information, motivation and conversation with people living with chronic pain. To stay in touch with her, use the subscribe form in the upper right corner.
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I read your e-book. Excellent tips. I also do EFT (suggested in your book) and strongly recommmed to use EFT for anything. I appreciate your generosity.
Thanks for your kind comments, Lalitha. I also recommend people try EFT for just about anything. But EFT is one of those things that just seems so strange and “woo woo” when you first hear of it that it’s difficult for people to take seriously. That’s why comments like yours are so important. The more that people speak out about EFT, the more other people will be willing to at least try it.
Hi Bonnie,
Just now getting back here…glad to hear that you’re doing well with the B12 shots. I told you it would be easy after the first time!!!!
Been real busy, my 99 y/o mother-in-law, got real bad sick a month and a half ago, for the first time in her life. (She had never even been to a doctor, much less a hospital!!!) Was in ICU, critical for a few days, then to the recovery program at a nursing home for 20 days. We have her home now, but she’s not doing too well, basically bed bound, so haven’t had much time to get on the computer these days. Since she lives next door, I’m making lots of trips back and forth every day. Not an easy thing with rheumatoid in the hips and feet, and back problems. Hospice is providing some home health care which helps. They are really wonderful, supportive people.
I always look forward to your posts and emails! They offer a little ray of hope to help keep me going.
My heart goes out to you, Kathi. While you’re a caregiver, remember to take good care of yourself, too! I know how easy it is to let your own health slide when you’re taking care of others. We all need to remember that making ourselves priority number one is not selfish. It’s the only way we can be in a position to help others.
Hi Bonnie,
I guess I missed your note back to me. My mother-in-law was sliding pretty quickly at that point.
On May 21, she roared into heaven on her 1937 Harley Davidson, yelling ‘whoooo-heeee, what a ride!’
She was pretty amazing. In her 30’s, during WWII era, she rode a Harley. We have some really neat pictures of her on it, complete with knee-hi, lace up boots, and leather helmet.
It makes me smile to picture her arriving in heaven on a motorcycle!!!!
She made it 8 days past her 99th birthday…so she lived way longer than most of us can ever even hope to live. And did it in pretty darn good health, up til the last couple of years.
Things are finally starting to get back to normal a little bit here. Hope all is going well with you! Kat
That’s a great tribute to your mother-in-law, Kathi. You were blessed to be in each other’s lives.
Thanks Bonnie,
She was a pretty neat lady. Did real well up til a couple years ago, then the dementia episodes started coming and going, as the physical health declined.
She didn’t believe in doctors…said “All they do is take all your money, then you die anyway.” Absolutely refused to go. Her only medicine was one extra strength bufferin a day for her arthitis. (And the aspirin in it probably helped keep her heart going…!) Up til she was about 90, she kept both of our yards raked and picked up!
She never smoked, but an evening glass of wine was another issue…LOL!