Chronic Pain members - Welcome, please introduce yourself

Yes. It is not for whimps. Ee do the best we can. I have to remind myself sometimes it is what it is and do what you need to. Hard for others to understand.

We adopt senior dogs--and senior cats. All of our dogs have been seniors, and they have been absolutely wonderful. Most have lived in a home and know the rules. Most are housetrained. Most know how to walk well on a leash. Some have been through one of those inmate programs, in which they live with an inmate at a prison and the inmate trains them. (One of our dogs came from such a program and was the perfect dog.) And seniors are SO grateful to be adopted. They KNOW that you've saved their lives, and their gratitude lasts a lifetime. Anyway, artscaping, I hope you'll consider adopting a senior dog. They are just the best companions.

Hazel (and Sidney and Butch, our rescue dogs, agree)

Peach, totally and utterly agree with you on this. No one seems to comprehend that there are those of us who are in PAIN and who genuinely need pain medications. When I think of the pain and the nausea that people with cancer have when they go through chemo, and how they, in a weakened state, have to fight to get medication--or MM--to help them, it infuriates me. You can bet that our lawmakers don't stint themselves when they're in pain. Grrrrrrrrrrr. (This is what happens when you live in a state capital and get to see politics up close and dirty.)

Hazel

And I forgot to add: those of us who're in pain aren't taking medications or MM for the sheer joy of it. We are in pain! Pain is as medical a condition as is anything else. Honestly, it took long enough for there to be less stigma about so-called mental illness--which is just as physiological as kidney disease or heart disease or. . . .; it's just that our brain chemicals are involved--so now the stigma has shifted to people who're in pain? No, not all of us are drug/opioid addicts. Again: Grrrrrrr.

Hazel

Mikween, I received a catalogue from the Vermont Country Store yesterday, and they offer hemp oil. I think it's blended with a bunch of other stuff, however. Anyway, they're online. Take a look at their "old-time remedies." I don't know if their hemp oil is strong enough to help, granted.

Hazel

Not to be curmudgeonly here, but I will just add a point from my perspective. My wife battled her war with brain cancer for over 14 years. During those 14 years she never wanted for the pain medications that were necessary for her health and as good a wellbeing as was possible under the circumstances. She was on a daily cocktail consistently made up of over 20 medicines with over 30 doses a day, which took a long time to formulate and which over time, due to the fact the human body can build up tolerances to almost any medication, changed often over those years. It was never simple, but we also understood the complexity of her disease, medical team, condition, etc. required a great deal of understanding, compassion, and often patience on both sides.

Yes there were hoops we had to jump through for some of her medications, but given the national emergency we are experiencing with opioids we both viewed them as understandable. Frustrating, but never kept her from her needed meds.

As I said, just one view from one bedside.

WOW! I haven't had such nice things said to me since that cute young thing wanted an A in the collegiate Public Speaking 303 class I was teaching. Thank you. I try to help.

I have RSD same as you're. 5 years of level 5-7 pain on Subutex 2/day 8mg and 3600mg of Gabapintin daily. It helps but I never get lower than 5 pain. I am losing all memory short term. Really bad. I have had spine stimulator which did not work. What has helped and I had a lumbar ablation block treatment yesterday 8/9/17 and seems to be working. I have had them before no results. I will do follow up if u wish.

@hazelblumberg

Our terrier - looks like a Manchester - was picked up on the streets of San Bernardino, flown to Seattle by a rescue group, shown at a dog fair, seen by our daughter, who told us about him, and we drove there and adopted him and brought him home to Oregon. We don't know much about his history or age.

My McNabb we adopted a year ago from the local humane society, unknown age. I've trained her to be my psychiatric service dog. I don't know her background.

Both dogs had fear issues, but they've done well here with lots of space to explore and play. They both had been pets before, have good food attitudes, and knew basic commands.

They've been a lot easier to adopt than puppies would have been. We love puppies, especially on So Cute on TV, but they surely are a lot of work.

Pete and Sadie have definitely become family. Pete's my wife's dog and Sadie's attached to me at the hip.

Jim

@IndianaScott

Where do you live? Maybe I should establish a residence there and see your wife's doctors. Our son lives in Indianapolis, and we've been there and don't want to live in that climate.

Having all of her meds available must surely have made your job easier.

Jim