Excalibur
How did what happened change your life, at home and at work?
I never leave home without some kind of over-the-counter pain medications. I do not need to take them every day but when I am having a day worse than others I know I will not function without them. They have become a part of my life. I have them in every vehicle, lunch kit, and pocket. I know I am lucky. I do not consider it chronic pain. I am not on disability or prescription pain pills. I am still able to work, cook and clean, and look after my family. I still have a good quality of life and most days I am able to still do the things I enjoy like gardening, horseback riding, and swimming. The pain is always there though. An annoying pain. Just enough that I know it’s there and that it will ALWAYS be there. I was only 24 years old when my incident happened and it has been over ten years. I don’t remember what it is like to not have constant pain.
I know the daily pain as I suffer it for many reasons but I try at all costs not to take anything as I always hated pills or drugs guess I was scared straight as a child lol. But that said I wish for days that I didn’t feel it.
Ya I have to be having a pretty bad day to take anything. All the meds aren’t without side effects either and I’m scared to do damage. It’s almost like the mentality is that the more you can endure the stronger you must be but at what cost.
But that’s the point, something bad happens, you get hurt physically, emotionally, you suck it up and carry on. Don’t talk about it,except to other hurtin old dinosaurs comparing aches and pains and pass on the whole damfool emotionally stunted philosophy to th younger drivers coming in. There are days I deeply regret ever getting into trucking, it’s like rodeo, gets in your blood, but at the age of 75 I’m starting to think so does malaria
Exactly. You don’t talk about it cuz we all have aches and pains and you don’t want to be known as a pansy. You suck it up and carry on simply because there is no other option.
So what I’m wondering is how do you cope with (and go to work and care for your family and garden and ride horses etc) this pain that’s become constant companion. That is a monumental obstacle!