Inner Death and health issues lifer…

I’m what’s called a walking quadriplegic x 37 years. All the long term studies on my condition are full of survivor bias’ which means too many people have died to come to reasonable conclusions. Pain, spasticity, no use of my arm or hand. I feel like a liability to my family, the tax dollars that pay for Medicare, my friends, you name it.

I just take it day by day. I take enjoyment when I can get it. I try to get out of the house 5 days a week. I like to read. I paint a little with my non dominant hand (very frustrating but it’s important to find a hobby). I advocate for the ADA. If taking it day by day is too much, try hour by hour. Try to get enough sleep. If you are having suicidal thoughts please discuss them with your doctor.

Many people with ongoing pain have started to use Gummies CBD or otherwise..It works for many many folks..some states its legal through a Dr..Dr's are allowed to discuss this now with their patients..Reach out I'd you feel you could try this..to ease your pain and mental stress..Prayers to you..

@pattymc So true. Many patients with cancer and undergoing aggressive cancer treatments swear by CBD gummies for pain relief. I’m fortunate I haven’t needed to (yet) but they’re definitely on my radar if ever needed.

Pain makes everything else so very very much harder to handle.

Sometimes when I start feeling hopeless, I will think of things I am grateful to have. I am not homeless. I am sober. I have food and my basic needs met. Although I struggle with several physical issues as well as emotional trauma, I can still find something that I am grateful for. I did have to start taking a low dose of an SNRI for depression. It lifted me out of the hole. There are still mornings that I wake up wondering how I am going to "make it." I make myself get up and take care of my animals. They depend on me. I have no children and have isolated quite a bit the last few years due to my health issues so I only have one or two people I can call that I truly trust. All any of us has is today, not guaranteed tomorrow. Today I am going to do what I can. I am so sorry that you feel so bad and have had so much pain. Talk with your doctor about Naltrexone. Even a dose of 25-50 mg can make a difference in relief of pain. Hang in there and I am glad you reached out. Keep talking, there are those of us who are here. I have felt a lot of support from these groups.

All of us are dealt a hand of life cards. Why some to be dealt worse hand than others are, who knows? And besides: "worse" is relative.

I've discovered in my 70 years that few people have an easy life and we are not as alone as we feel. And if we do truly feel alone in our "suffering", as everyone does at some point - just remember: you are your own best friend, be kind to yourself.

I agree that medical cannabis can be very helpful for things that are challenging. My loved one was having the worst time sleeping through the night, waking up to 6+ times to pee. Now that he’s started cannabis gummies and tinctures at microdoses, he sleeps much better and wakes feeling so much better.

Other have found it helps with pain relief and mood elevation. In our state medical cannabis is legal. Our primary care md’s APRN was able to refer us to an APRN oncology/hematology guy to get the medical card authorized.
We now can get product at state supervised dispensaries. It’s a bit of trial and error. I’m buying a book, The Physican Approved Cannabis Handbook by Benjamin Caplan,MD to learn more since he’s gotten data from over 400,000 patients including 20,000 he personally supervises.
There’s more about him at CEDclinic.com.

@hicopd I was on treatment(chemo) for 48 weeks for HepC, ..Ribavirin & Interferon..I did clear at 24 weeks..but I couldn't have made it through without cannabis..