Re: Warning Whine Alert!! to

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

Please don't feel that you have to apologize for whining and venting your

issues here among us. We do understand. While I can't speak for all the

others, I think I'd be accurate if I said that what you're feeling right now is

something that we have all encountered at some time in our journey of

dealing and living with CP. While some may be more affected than others,

we''ve each had those days where the depression over all that we'd lost

seemed to creep into our subconscious and suddenly it was in control of

everything we did.

I was very much like you, active all the time, working 40 hour weeks and still

able to exercise afterwards or come home and plant a flat or two before

cooking a full dinner for 6 every night. I swam, skiied, ran, biked, canoed,

kayaked, hiked, camped, gardened (ha...is that a word?), shot skeet, sewed

and never missed one of 's baseball games for his 4 year ball career.

There wasn't anything that kept me back, until CP. It was a blessing that my

journey with CP began after I'd raised our four children. At the time that it

began I only had one child at home, my grandson Austin, who was 7 when

this all started. Out of that long list of activities I quoted, there are only

a few

that I can partake in now....not because of age, but because of the physical

demands that are hampered by my CP limitations.

It's very normal and healthy for you to be going through this grieving process.

It will bring you one step closer to dealing with the reality of living with CP

and

dealing with the consequences it throws at you. One thing I might

recommend is that you talk to your doctor about your feelings and see if he

thinks that an antidepressant might be helpful. Most of us take some kind of

antidepressant to help us deal with living with a chronic pain illness. It's

quite

natural for you to be feeling the way you are, and this can help you to cope.

Another thing that I believe strongly in that helps me with my depression is my

pancreatititis antioxidants. I take the daily Antox requirements of Beta

Carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium and Methionine, along with

grapeseed extract and a few other vitamins and minerals, and the Antox really

makes a difference for me. You might try it.

Do not stress right now over not being able to garden or get to that soccer

practice this time with your son. There are going to be different phases to

your health and to your abilities, and there will be many times that you will be

able to participate if you are under the right medical care. If your doctor can

get your diagnosis firmed up and get you under the necessary pain

management treatment to help conquer your pain, much of what you're

missing now will be restored.

It isn't easy living day in and day out with a chronic pain disease. There's

going to be the good days and the bad days, no matter what you do or what

you take. The key is to accept what you can and can't do, try not to dwell on

the " can nots " and embrace the " cans " . You are a wonderful, compassionate

young woman who has already given herself so unselfishly to help the rest of

us here at PAI. Whine whenever you need to and we'll support you in your

frustration with encouragement, understanding and love. You will get over

this and better times will be ahead for you. You will be the one that makes

this happen, I can see that it's in your nature to do so. Meanwhile, accept

this

as just another phase of the adjustments that you have to go through to learn

to live with this disease, and go forward from there. We'll be walking beside

you all the way.

Think good thoughts,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep.

PAI

Note: All comments or advice are based on my personal opinion or

experiences only, and should not be substituted for a professional medical

consultation.