Page 19 - An Awakening Journey Sampler

A CONSTANT

COMPANION

Pain has been with me since birth, some-

times liveable and other times I am crum-

bled on the floor unable to move. One of

the results of my first operation was losing
much of the feeling in my left leg. I had to

walk with a stick and abandon my great

passion for running.

After my two spine operations I spent time in many pain clinics. It

was there I noticed that many other pain sufferers had lost their
spirit. Some were very bitter and overwhelmed by their pain. Many

were on medications that caused other physical problems requiring

more medication to try and balance out the side effects. I saw peo-

ple totally reliant on their partners to be their care takers, a depend-

ency that added emotional pain to the physical. And I resolved not

to take this same path. I decided not to take pain killers, determined

to hold off until the pain became impossible. I didn't want to begin
a journey of ever-increasing medications and dosages that would

clearly diminish my quality of life.

So over the years I learned how to live with the pain. From early

childhood I decided it was not going to rule my life. This decision to
accept rather than fight the pain helped me through my life and

gave me a better life experience than succumbing to bitterness and

anger at my circumstances. This attitude has certainly helped me

through the changes that are happening now.

When pain is so severe that you drop to your knees or you

Portrait For The Celtic Art Of Courtney Davis (1985)

Page 19