"No Pain, No Gain" from A New Perspective

"No Pain, No Gain" used to be my motto back in Jr high in my teens. I played all sports very competitively and never considered the long term effects on my body. Understand that sports is not the reason I have degenerative disc disease, but I will always wonder how much my "No Pain No Gain" attitude from back then still affects me today. I wish I had been encouraged to take care and love my body instead of abusing it. At least I can say with pride that I have encouraged both of my kids to think long term always and love their bodies that they were blessed with. I miss sports but not the body abuse side of it. Loving yourself and encouraging your own healthy self esteem is essential to everyone. Give yourself a hug today and love your body for all the things it does right. Living with illness and pain tends to give us all a reason for self loathing and hatred. FIGHT IT!! Because if you change your perspective, and decide to love your self and find the good in yourself then you will bolster not only your body image and self esteem, but you bonus better health, too. "Keep an optimistic outlook--its proven to prevent a host of heart problems. According to a roundup of Harvard researchers a perennially sunny disposition will help you lower your blood pressure, ward off heart disease, heal faster and live longer. Its not just your heart: multiple studies show that a cheerful outlook can ward off other health problems and add years to your life." (quoted from an article in Prevention Magazine, page 124, of the October 2008 edition) For more see prevention.com

Written By:
Liz Hall
Creator and Administrator for Pain Sufferers Speak's Global Community

Crazy Hot Summer

Its been a crazy summer!!

With my daughter preparing to leave for college on August 16th (just a few more days to go) and the emotional roller coaster of dealing with my childhood traumas being revisited on my own children through my parents, I feel like I'm screaming to get off the ride but no one can hear me. My daughter is full of insecurities right now. Wondering if she is packing the right stuff? packing too much? not packing enough? will people think she is weird? will her 2 new dorm mates be cool or drive her crazy? will she miss home too much or forget to miss us? I have tried to help her through lots of late night chats and encouraging words, but she must ultimately face this huge transition on her own at UTDallas. I am super confident that she is ready with all the skills to live on her own. However, emotionally she is 18 and all that goes with that age of self doubt and self discovery. She went last night to get another hole in her head to commemorate her adulthood and her desire to express herself. Don't freak out--she just got a second piercing in her right ear. She was so proud when she got home last night. Since I know she is very into boys, I will never question her sexual orientation nor will any of her friends, but it did occur to me that times have changed dramatically. When I was a teenager, getting a piercing in your right ear only meant you were homosexual. My husband has assured me that with the popularity of piercings now, all that stereotypical junk has gone by the wayside and I'm glad to hear that, because it always seemed stupid to me to determine sexual orientation on an earring!!!!

Both kids have recovered from their trauma caused by my parents. They both created a list of all incidents and discussed each one with me and Jason (my hubby). It was important that all that junk got out of them in a healthy way. I told them as they wrote to release the yuck, and let it go. My 11 year old son still has nightmares of his abuse by my father. My Dad can be a really bad bully and tried to make it his purpose this summer to break my son.....of what I am still not sure. He did that to me also and so I have been able to heal alot through my childrens' experiences. I was an only child and so it was just me and my parents had me convinced I was a bad daughter, and crazy. I can proudly say I have known for years they were wrong, but through my children's eyes I was able to forgive my parents and I'm working on moving forward with new confidence in myself and learning to love me again. Funny (not Ha Ha! funny but interesting) that life comes full circle and provides opportunities for positive growth  through the most unusual and unexpected avenues.

The Texas heat has proved to be an additional challenge this summer along with the drought and burn ban. I have missed our back porch fireside smores and chats I always associate with summer.  Our yard has taken a death slide with almost no grass still alive since we can only water once a week or get a $500 fine!!! My flower beds have been watered by hand by all 4 of us as often as we remember, because hand watering is allowed anytime. I guess I could have hand watered the lawn, but hours of standing with a hose in my hand is beyond my pain threshould and frankly I don't have the patience for it. The yard will recover eventually and if not good thing I have always loved rock gardens and zero scape plants. LOL

I hope all of you have had a lovely summer and enjoyed time with your families and friends!! I am sure many of you have also had unexpected challenges and not had the summer you planned. With this in mind, I decided to post about my crazy summer so none of you feel alone. Many hugs and blessings to each of you!!

Love to all, Liz

So Many Of You Are Curious

I have had so many questions about why my blog has other blogs listed for FREE, why I NEVER plan to charge for advertising, and why I feature lists of "Top Blogs" always on my blog.  So here is my explanation:

My deep desire is for everyone to express their pain in a healthy way. I want to provide each person on the planet not just Pain Sufferers Speak's Community resources, but loads of other resources and locations for you to find "Safe Havens" to communicate all types of pain for all age groups.

Other blogs, websites, and other random resources I choose will ALWAYS be listed and promoted which equals FREE advertising for businesses, companies, organizations, associations, etc. I provide this service in order to encourage everyone to find their favorite place. If you don't choose to join Pain Sufferers Speak's community, I'm not upset at all as long as you find another way to make the healthiest choice for your overall health--Communicate your pain!! Get the negativity of pain out of you through spoken words, poetry, journaling, join a support group, and find others who share your pain so you don't feel alone. For me, the #1 message I want to get across is SHARE YOUR PAIN!

I support ALL worthy causes worldwide not through funds I can't afford to pay, but instead through promoting awareness and advocacy to everyone.

There will NEVER be a charge to join any part of Pain Sufferers Speak's Community, because I believe all this information, awareness, advocacy and all these resources NEED to be available to everyone all the time.

My Story & Diagnosis

Hello Pain Brothers & Sisters!! I'm already in the process of writing my first book (of course) called Pain Sufferers Speak. Within the last year, I started Pain Sufferers Speak's 4 Elements: our Exclusive "Members Only" Pain Family, Community Fan Page, Blog plus I host Twitter chats every night that pain allows me to at 10pm CST-USA. Its been therapy for me after 15 years living with chronic pain, 2 back surgeries, partial hysterectomy, 2 kids, & hubby of 18.5 years. Life never gives us what we think, but I am super blessed to have gone through everything!! One chapter in the book is planned to have loads of my pain peeps and their stories. (Please message me your story to be considered for the book if you want.) Its a timely topic it seems as pain has invaded every section of the globe's society. However, at first it was to help me come back and talk about my pain after 18 months in hermitville and severe depression after losing 2 careers (8 yrs in healthcare as rehabilitation tech for head injury hospital, Home Health Aide Dispatcher & Home Health Aide for Disabled & Elderly Clients + 9 years as Nationally Certified Paralegal with most of my time in Bankruptcy & Social Security Law plus a little Real Estate Law). Took me 38 months and many trips to food banks and my parents help to finally win Social Security disability. Was turned down 4 times and 3 of those were with my attorney's help!! I refused disability after the first back surgery at age 24, because I just couldn't accept being disabled that young. It was emergency surgery in 1996 (age 24) because my right leg went completely numb. I have degenerative disc disease that effects 4 discs in my back (L5/S1, L4/L5 and 2 cervical discs in my neck), neuropathy (nerve damage and nerve pain) in both legs with balance and falling issues, carpel tunnel in both wrists and arms with nerve damage, occasional panic attacks since age 16, plus chronic fever blisters on my eyes, nose and mouth.... and a partridge and a pear tree. LOL I am so blessed to have such a big supportive real family and now over 200 Pain Brothers & Sisters in my self-created Pain Sufferers Speak "Members Only" Pain family. My hubby has had to take care of me off and on after surgeries, etc. He works out of our home as a mobile mechanic on cars and trucks so that he has time to chauffeur the kids since I have not driven for last 4 years on doctor's recommendation. I am mostly homebound due to falling and the car being so painful. My disabilities DO NOT define me!!! I keep my faith in God, my positive attitude plus I keep HOPE alive by always trying to do new things and test my limits to see what I CAN do. Life is challenging to everyone, and these just happen to be my challenges. I love to network with other bloggers, advocates of all kinds, and fellow chronic pain and chronic illness peeps. My book should be finished by the end of this year and hopefully published next year. I love to read (always have at least 2 books Im busy with), watch movies (Netflix ROCKS!!), host gamenights for friends and family, yoga, swimming when pain allows, cooking when carpel tunnel allows, blogging as often as I can, and I LOVE Twitter and Facebook. I am most proud of my 2 children (Jocelynn-17 and off to college in Aug, and Scott-11 who starts Jr High in Aug), my husband and our marriage of 18 years (loads of consistent work and lots of fighting through issues), and last but not least the repair of my relationship with both of my parents after tumultuous teen years. I practice unconditional love and acceptance of everyone in my life and carry my positive attitude as a shield against depression's pull. My faith sustains me and grounds me and is my ever present joy in life.

Hope you will enjoy Pain Sufferers Speak's Global Pain Community AND Choose to Join ALL "4 Elements" and Share our Global Pain Community with all of your friends and family!

1.) Pain Sufferers Speak's Exclusive "Members Only" Facebook Pain Family

http://www.facebook.com/groups/painsufferersspeak

2.) Pain Sufferers Speak's Facebook Community Fan Page

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pain-Sufferers-Speak/112276272164064

3.) Pain Sufferers Speak's Blog **You are here now.** : )

http://painsufferersspeak.blogspot.com/

4.) Follow Pain Sufferers Speak's Founder & Administrator, Liz Hall, for nightly chats on Twitter as @painspeaks at 10pm CST-USA!

http://twitter.com/#!/painspeaks

A little bit about me.....

I have degenerative disk disease and 4 disks are effected—2 in lumbar/low back, 2 in cervical/upper back & neck. Required 2 back surgeries-1st in 1996 at age 24 when my right leg went completely numb (L5/S1), and 2nd in 2008 when left leg had pinched nerve (L4/L5). Left with neuropathy in both legs and feet which causes balance issues, weakness & falling sometimes. Due to doctor’s recommendation, I have not driven since 2006 and remained mostly homebound to prevent further injuries and keep pain level reasonable. Even though complete disability was recommended in 1996, I did not file for Social Security Disability until 2006 and was not approved until 38 months later in 2009.  After 9 years of endless typing as a paralegal, I also have carpel tunnel in both wrists and arms with moderate nerve damage in both. Occasional panic attacks helped to diagnose PTSD in 2009. My disabilities do NOT define me. They are my life’s challenges and I choose to be positive and thankful. That’s right-Thankful! Without my issues, I would work full time and only get nights and weekends with my husband & 2 children. Instead, I am here every day to make breakfast and eat with all of them. I am here when the kids come home from school, and love helping with homework & school projects.  I make dinner and cook as often as I am able. My husband and I share household chores and responsibilities. Due to my disability, my husband works out of our home and we get quality time together each day.  I have had the time to rediscover my love of writing and make daily connections through Pain Sufferers Speak’s community which is my passion! I love sharing FREE health/wellness information, doing webresearch 5 days a week, helping people to feel less alone in their pain, and encouraging others to share their pain in a healthy way. I feel truly blessed and excited about the future!