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(From my free e-book) You know it will happen. You’ll have difficult days. Prepare for that time now by putting together a kit to help you get through the rough times. Inside this kit could be a letter to yourself reminding you to stay positive, a list of your positive qualities and accomplishments, some favorite candy, music, photos and whatever else provides short-term comfort.  Play Chronic Pain Champions online word search to help distract yourself and learn some new tools to help you self-manage pain. Bingo is also available. Mark a box for each activity you do. You win by playing!   Red Skelton was one of America's funniest comedians as well as a profound artist.
At the end of the day, Red Skelton would write down the five most important things that happened to him that day, five things he learned that he never knew before and the five most humorous things that happened to him. All this, in addition to writing his wife a love letter, writing music and starting an art project each day! Red was truly grateful. He harnessed the power of gratitude to increase his happiness and resiliency. You can, too! This helpful article explains how. The University of Michigan Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center has put together a great resource to use as part of your personal approach for managing chronic pain - Pain Guide.
Here is a short video from Dr. Daniel Clauw explaining what Pain Guide is and what it does. Check it out and sign-up to access the tools. I've added a link to Pain Guide in the Resources section of this site. Studies have shown that comprehensive (interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary) pain treatment that addresses the biopsychosocial aspects of the chronic pain experience is not only more clinically effective than conventional medical treatment by itself, it’s also more cost-efficient. It’s no wonder the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), the National Academy of Sciences, and the US Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force all recommend comprehensive treatment for chronic pain. I was blessed to be able to attend the Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center in Rochester Minnesota - not just once, but twice. I highly recommend the program to anyone interested in talking an active role in managing their own care. It was a life changer for me. Read about my time at Mayo Clinic. Other programs are available. I've included some of them in the Resources tab of this website. Learn more:  |
