@faithwalker007 Renee I love the words you wrote.

Every time I am asked my pain level I cringe... a chart number just does not put it in perspective. You have the overall pain and then a specific area pain. .. shoulder, back, knee, foot, hand, abdominal, etc. How much do you let that pain take you over. ..

I do not like taking an opiate. I cannot take nsaids nor other meds for pain. I had to up the dosage earlier this year for some thumb surgery. I asked my doctor to lower the number of pills back down and here I am two months later asking him to up the number again. I am having another body issue. I am getting an injection on Monday that will hopefully calm the pain.

Friends tell me I am so strong and so brave. I feel weak and like I am drowning at times. At those times I say some fervent prayers to help me get through them and take one moment at a time. I try to distract myself from pain by occupying my mind with other things. Crochet usually is my go-to, but the surgery earlier this year was for my thumb. My thumb is only up to small amounts of the activity. So puzzles and games on my tablet. I cannot concentrate on novels, so short times reading scriptures, short stories and poems.

My husband starts telling doctors that I can tolerate more pain than he ever could. I tell him to hush up. I see him go through pain daily.. that I could not handle. He is no weaker nor stronger than I when it comes to pain. We all handle pain in our own way. Lately pain has slowed us both. We went for a drive last week. It was painful on our bodies.. but oh the good it did our souls!!

Always put Joy in your life so you will have Happiness in your soul.

ZeeGee