It only takes $10 to say thank you for all these free resources
Have I helped you in any way? That is my complete intention because raving on about living with chronic illness isn’t fun. So your smallest act of gratitude would mean the world to me (and to the ongoing management of this website).
Then hit the button!
Donate via the PayPal button.
Diarmuid McCoy – YouTube Resources
Who wants to learn about pain? Who wants to have to learn about pain? Why should we? Are you over it yet? I am. But… I’ve found some information that is really, really good and it fits my ongoing mission of building a website of helpful resources. In 2014 when I was invited to present at AIM Pain, I met the wonderful Diarmuid McCoy. I remember feeling absolutely gobsmacked that Diarmuid (like other practitioners at the conference) acknowledged my pain experience. In fact, they had questions for me, they were eager to [...]
SBS Insight: Hurt At Work
It's hard to watch these programs and listen to the stories of injured workers and how their lives are affected because of the poor and unjust Workers Compensation system in Australia. I notice that not one 'official' WorkSafe representative or a Minister ever attends these programs – no one ever fronts injured workers! Which WorkSafe employee or Government employee would actually have the face to look at another human who had been treated so badly? Insurers are never there either! Yet, in order to understand the personal effect on lives as a result of this unethical treatment what [...]
A Chat With Dr Susie – Pelvic Pain Specialist for Men
Please note that Soula and Dr Susie Gronski caught up again to reflect and update this original conversation, which can be viewed on My Health Story. There's no way I could have set up a video resource section of people who have most impacted my chronic pain journey without including Dr Susie Gronski. That reason is because I love that Dr Susie's practice is totally focused on helping males with pelvic issues. I'm so in support of that because from – what I hear, it's even harder to find a specialist who can [...]
Maddy Lock – My Alexander Technique Physiotherapist
Alexander Technique is a very special kind of physiotherapy. Well, it's kind of not physiotherapy but rather a guiding formula for your body and mind. When I was in my first few years of chronic pain, I sought to set up my pain management team on foot as I quickly realised the car was a terrible trauma for me. I found Knowbody Physiotherapy online and discovered that the owner, Maddy Lock was in East Melbourne which was the suburb just next to mine. Crossing one of Melbourne's busiest roads (and tram tracks) and into the peaceful streets [...]
On Neurostimulation
Neurostimulation has been key in my management of pain. It's also satisfied my wish to find a way to be as self-sufficient with my management as I possibly can be. My first stim was a peripheral stimulation unit (leads under the skin) and that was implanted in 2011. I still have this unit as a backup. In 2015 I had a sacral stim implanted but that fizzed (in my opinion) within three years. So in 2019 I had the sacral stim removed and replaced with a spinal cord neurostim. WARNING: In the video, I talk about my experience and have a few Xrays pop up to demonstrate a little detail. If you're the squeamish type you may not want to see the images – they are small, however. Read key blogs about my stim implants experiences and adventures:
- My Peripheral Stimulation implant
- Peripheral Stim messing with my bone density score
- My pain management is turning into a thesis!
- Adventures of a stim controller
- Out With the Sacral, In With the Spinal (part 1)
- Out With the Sacral, In With the Spinal (part 2)
- Out With the Sacral, In With the Spinal (part 3)
- Spinal Cord Stim Trial Day 6
Perhaps Pain Isn’t my Brain’s Fault
Or my nervous system's fault either. Have you ever let your mind wander beyond the boundaries of chronic pain research? I can't help it, my mind flies around all over the place! Today, it's in Maroni, a village in Larnaca Cyprus. That's where my mum was born. I've been wondering alot about village life lately. And more specifically about my grandmother (Giagia) and her lifestyle in Maroni. I've visited Cyprus four times – each time without pain! I really love mum's village Maroni, it's beautiful. I always make a point of walking around the whole village when I visit so am very familiar with its nostalgic, stony, dry characteristics. I love the feeling of my feet on the ground in Maroni – not sure what that is. Perhaps a memory...