Hello 50
I have arrived! I have lived half a century. I somehow made it through the horrid decade of my 40’s. I made it through the dark forest of chronic pain. Goodness people can whinge!!! The whinging I’ve heard about ‘turning [...]
Need a new search?
If you didn't find what you were looking for, try a new search!
It’s Been a While… So How am I?
Being resourceful is what makes the difference — it is so hard working life out. But Theo and do it. We burrow down and we make it happen. There's no choice... or rather there was but I didn't want a fulltime WorkSafe paycheck. Of course, I think about that. And of course, I often call myself stupid for declining it – I was safe! I had that full-time paycheck for the rest of my life. But creativity and sharing the day with Theo is so precious to both of us. Even with the complexities and risks, it appears to be the only way Theo and I can live. For this, I am grateful! So I'll stop complaining now and go on with what I've been doing and what I am achieving. It's all good! I'm moving. Life is in forward motion after being so still for so long – a decade at least!
Hello. I’m back!
It's an act of forwards and backwards, sideways and a lot of down ways. It's really hard work. The less it yells, the better I feel and only then can I do more and pace up. The more I poke it, the worse it gets. The worse it gets, the deeper into the hole I go and further away from coming back out! I don't just pay with pain, I pay with time – lifetime!
A national plan for better pain management (we hope!)
MEDIA RELEASE 17 June 2019 At last – A national plan for better pain management Painaustralia has today launched the new National Strategic Action Plan for Pain Management. Millions of Australians live with ongoing persistent pain. Chronic pain can have [...]
Excusing Myself For a Bit…
I'm finding it draining to advocate and blog my experiences. But also, I don't feel my voice is as necessary anymore. I want to be known for my creativity and where it aligned with chronic pain to influence behaviour change – specifically the structure of appointments.
Out With the Sacral, In With the Spinal (part 3)
It will take one whole year until stim and I get to know each other. I've done this twice before, I know! There are programs to explore, capacity to pace, and sitting to try without the aids. I want to hop in a train and a tram, and hop off in the city without an agenda and limits. I want to catch up with my dearest friends, some whom I've not seen since I left Melbourne. We've been living off parcels, emails and the phone, and that really hurts.
Out With the Sacral, In With the Spinal (part 2)
Where to next? (Part 2/3) I knew there was something seriously wrong with my sacral stim implant. By the time that information was confirmed, my mind had run off a few thousand questions. I’ll share a few: Question number 1: [...]
Out With the Sacral, In With the Spinal (part 1)
Then things got even more strange. There was heat, radiating heat where the IPG is, in my face and also other strange feelings that not only added to my pain issues but it made me turn my stim off, more than on! Weird.
Under Anaesthetic, However…
While you read this, I'm in total bliss under full anaesthetic having my spinal stim implanted and my sacral stim (which fizzed) removed. I've popped this poem in my head, and now yours too in the hope that Brain Plasticity, in all its madness as clarified so perfectly in Michael's poem and illustration, works its nonsense on me.
Ho, Ho, Holidays
Can’t say I’m feeling festive. But my treatment glitch is no excuse to put a damper on everyone else’s holiday season. I love seeing people happy and having a great time. And that’s what I’ll be doing as Queenscliff fills [...]