RE: Re: Introduction/Darlyene

[Guest guest]

I second the desire to have a machine to show pain..though my blood pressure

does that to some extent. They are always asking me what " number between one to

ten " I'm at. and It's hard with RSD, because while there is CONSTANT pain (for

me) there is also " surges " of pain that take it up. Are they asking about the

constant pain or the surges? How do you put a number on those? To me, a 10 is

unconscious and not able to speak, so if I'm able to TALK to you about a number,

I'm not there.BUT, to others, if they had my pain for five minutes, they might

rate it a 10.

I've had SO many medical people tell me that if I'm joking or laughing, I can't

be in pain...that is SO much BS! I joke and laugh because it beats the

alternative of curling in a ball and keening. For me, joking about things keeps

me from going insane. And laughing beats crying. Crying makes my nose stuffed

up. So people will dismiss my pain because I'm making (often dark humor) jokes

and laughing...but they don't understand that it is my " survival effort " ; the

way I stay sane.

I've actually had a nurse ask me, " If you're in so much pain, why are you making

jokes? HOW are you doing anything other than crying? " I told her that

screaming wouldn't make my pain any easier for ME, and a LOT harder for everyone

around me...I distract myself with dark humor and laugh because at least I'm

still communicating.

If I gave in to my pain, I'd be rocking in a corner, keening.and would that

help? No..so keening or laughing, both are ways to expel emotion.physical

manifestations of emotion...my way is to make jokes, often about my pain. It

allows me to concentrate on something else, even though my pain is always there,

just waiting to attack me.

Marta

> Darlyene

> I think someone very very smart needs to invent a machine that shows pain and

the severity of it so it can be physically seen by doctors.

[Guest guest]

I had to look up what keening meant although I was pretty sure I understood what

you were saying. I learned something new today.

It is difficult for people to understand how chronic pain sufferers learn to

deal with extreme pain and live on. Doesn't mean life is enjoyable or why else

would we be seeking help for our pain?

Jennette

> Marta wrote:

> If I gave in to my pain, I'd be rocking in a corner, keening.and would that

help?