This blog is part of a series, the true story of Akkie and her struggle with chronic pain.
Becoming Independent
I am no longer completely dependent on the doctors and have already come a long way by becoming my own therapist and am still "growing". Sometimes I even have periods when I think I am almost free of the pain. But when there is stress again, the pain rears its head again. Because I have experienced this situation so many times now, I also know that I can get the pain under control again. I have the feeling that after every dip I have to "conquer" myself again, but that works better and better.
New rules
If I had a severe pain attack before, I would sit/laid down and wait for it to pass. Now I'm going to do something fun and I often come home better and with new energy. Distraction and a positive mindset really help! The pain attacks are getting less and less severe and last less and less long. The good periods are getting longer and longer and that gives me a lot of grip. Sometimes I can hardly understand myself that I have gotten so much less pain because of my behaviour! In the past I often thought: I can't do that during physical activities. Now I usually think: I can do it. I think this is mainly because I have learned to understand my chronic pain and that is a prerequisite for my success.
If I can do this - you can do this
I hope that with my story and my experiences I can inspire and motivate chronic pain patients to start working on their own. I grant all my fellow sufferers that, by investing in themselves, they get a life with less pain and more quality. You do yourself too short if you don't try. Don't expect very big leaps forward in a short period of time. Learning to deal with chronic pain "is a hell of a job" according to Frits Winter. Allow yourself time for this learning process. With very small steps, little by little, on the way to less pain. You don't get it as a gift but you SUPPORT yourself a huge gift by investing in yourself!
The next blog will cover all the tips and strategies Akkie has gathered in all these years.