@annie2, @lacy2 Hello, Annie and Lacy.....After reading both your messages I decided I had to share with you some of my experiences with my own chronic pain, often unmanaged, and my son's pain from dystonia.

He's been in excruciating nerve pain for 17+ years with not one moment of pain freedom. He's had a dilaudid pump for the last several years. With that and botox shots he's surviving, but has horrid PTSD and is still in constant pain. He's finally getting emotional help, but it's far too long coming and he will probably never have the pain controlled.

I've had pain from osteoporosis since age 35, fibromyalgia age 35, sarcoid age 40, abdominal surgery for large benign tumor age 45, other issues along the way all seeming to cause pain. Now, I'm in constant and often serious pain from severe arthritis, especially in my feet, hands, wrists, lower back and cervical vert.

So, a lot of things for a lot of years have caused a lot of pain.

Today, I'm much better due the help of Mayo doctors I've seen for the last several years. I began with neurology after 12 years of misdiagnosis w/MS. I've received caring, kind, extremely thorough and knowledgeable care since the first visit. I haven't agreed with nor liked all the docs, but 95% have been wonderful to me and helped me beyond belief.

Today, thanks to this hard work with them and by me, I'm a much better and different person. No more bad docs! No more 'poor me'! I'm in charge of myself, not the doctor or nurse nor anyone other than me. I make the choices every day that determine how my day and the next day go. I choose to be emotionally well, healthy, or I choose to allow myself to feel sorry for myself. Sometimes, I give a day or two to have a pity party. Then, buck up and move ahead.....

When I work to be emotionally healthy, to be positive and reduce negative in my life, I feel better, I hurt less or don't notice or dwell on it.....I'm walking now, not a lot or a long way, but walking with my hot pink walker and stand straight and as tall as I can....it hurts and when it's too unpleasant, I slow down and/or stop. I don't go anywhere but Mayo, PT, PCP, drive-through for meds. Been that way for years since before Covid due to my own illnesses and pain levels.

No more soap-box, but ladies, so much of it is in our control. For real. Pray. Think good thoughts about yourself. About others. Be kind to yourself and others. Be a realistic 'Polyanna'! I do good things just for me just because I deserve good things!

Ck out @becsbuddy, Let's go for a walk....or @artscaping on Chronic Pain or Quality of life.... and the other angels who have lifted up so many. Connect has probably done more to help me in this walk than anything other than prayer! They've given me hope. You can have hope. Listen to what they've experienced. I've learned from them, about all this, treatments that work, new ideas.... Amazing how much all this has helped me. I've been helped and healed by this and by prayer....

So, enjoy this journey. This is it.....no do over, so now I'm making the most of each day, every person.
Blessings to you both and all who are hurting. Life is yucky sometimes! But, it's life and that's good....elizabeth