Renee Makes A Decision About Wellness: But…Where To Start

As I have heard more and more talk about this issue, I realize I am not so alone in this. Pain. Even as I write this, I have noticeable pain in my neck and face.  YES, I am a pain in my own neck! Geez, a lot of us are in pain because of one medical condition or another. Or what I have been hearing more and more of, someone hurts and has physical problems, but the doctor can’t really say what it is. Pain and frustration that is un-fun mix.

I am not sure when my pain started; I am guessing around 1980, I would have been a high school freshman. I remember having pain in high-school. There have been a few car accidents over the years and I used to ride horses as a kid so I used to fall off horses and hit the ground!  I have always been overweight and the stress that creates on the body.  I have also not had the best eating habits.  I don’t think it I one thing, I believe my pain is the end result of everything.

I vividly remember two times when I know I was pain-free.  The first time I took a migraine pill. OMG! I remember thinking “does everyone else feel this good all the time?” The second was when I did my first round of steroids for the pain on the left side of my head and neck.  Again, I was thrilled with the feeling.  The steroids never made me feel that good again.  I have kept the migraine meds in my life, but they are not an everyday thing.  They can’t be.  Over use causes, you guessed it...HEADACHES!

So the search for pain reduction or elimination continued.  I did more work with my doctor on the headaches.  I then had vertigo. Came out of nowhere and every now and then still affects me. Around the same time there were issues with my hearing and sight. There were tests, spinal taps and scans. Nothing was found in most of it.  But with one scan it was discovered I have a mass in my brain.  I was damn scared.  As you might imagine that was a stressful few weeks.  It is still there, it is not that uncommon of a condition, it should not cause issues and there is sits.

OH and the other therapies. There has been massage of many different types, acupuncture and chiropractic.  All felt great! I can’t say that about the spinal tap.  All have been helpful in some way. Some were more helpful than others. Some I continue because the make a difference.

The uses it or lose it theory. I needed to be more physical.  And I am. In the last few years I have been more active then I remember.  Water aerobics was the biggest help. But I walk at least a few times a week. ShadowDog is my walking partner. He kinda forces the issue of getting out for a walk.

So this is what I know about my pain from all of the above.  Besides having high cholesterol and being overweight and that ‘thing’ in the scan the doctors say is not a big deal, I am fairly healthy.  So, why do I feel still so bad?  Maybe it is food.  More on that soon- just admitting all of above has me needing a nap.