Thinking About PainTrain MHS? Shall we Chat?
(Posted on pain-train.com.au) As health tech creeps up in the medical industry, it’s becoming clearer healthcare’s direction is changing and PainTrain MHS are thrilled that people are [...]
Self Management Navigator Tool
I've been on the communication case for a while now with PainTrain My Health Summary (PainTrain MHS), as you all know. So when my dear friend (sleuth) and Advisory Member of PainTrain MHS, Mandy Mercuri, sent me news of the Self-Management Navigator Tool, I was thrilled to see it. My professional communication background alerted me throughout my misdiagnosed years (and beyond) that something needed to be done about the ongoing appointments we all have to endure. In my view, the distress of miscommunication, not feeling understood, blank stares, the expense of wasted appointments, and the rest that you are all too familiar with is critical to helping people manage their illnesses. This type of approach is now being embraced, and it will be unavoidable for patients to adopt a new way forward if they are expecting the best care. Sadly those living with an invisible illness can not be passive patients. We have to create and navigate our own individual paths. As if we need more work! But it's genuinely the only way forward.
PainTrainMHS: Patient-Controlled InformationSharing Instrument
When viewing my enormous health timeline (pictured), I feel like I've put the information and experience somewhere – it makes it authentic and validates it. Few people validate our experience of living with chronic pain. But this is a way I can validate it and value it. I want others to validate and respect it too. PainTrainMHS helps me do that when I present the information. Showing this to various practitioners and hearing their responses means a great deal to me. It also means a great deal that they grasp an in-depth understanding of my experience. No GP referral letter will ever include this much detail. I always find important information about me has been left out of the letter. All these feelings and activities are part of my pain management strategy – it's not all just about treatment, it's also so much about what I manage day-to-day, and there is so much detail in that day-to-day management. What I also see looking at my timeline is how my appointments have gone from red (bad) to blank (neither here nor there) to green (good). My experience is shown precisely and all it took was a glance. Have a look at how lost I was in the first few years... it was awful!!!!
A Chat With Anne-Florence Plante
I can't really think of a better way to mark my 14 year anniversary with chronic pain than to present this wonderful (loooong) chat with my diagnosing physiotherapist, Anne-Florence [...]
Presentation: An Approach to Chronic Non-Cancer Pain
In November this year, I was invited to present my pain experience to a group of 40 GP's. The topic was: An Approach to Chronic Non-Cancer Pain and the workshop was facilitated by Dr Paul Grinzi for Murray City Country Coast GP Training. Where does one start when asked to present to 40 pain interested GP's in 20 minutes? There's a great emoji to illustrate the look on my face when I ponder this question. You can well imagine. As an 'expert' in my 'field' 20 minutes to describe 13 years of living with chronic pain of which 4.5 years were spent lost in a forest is still a tough gig. However, this was a presentation to medical professionals. And they know everything, right? .... I've decided to make this video a paid resource. All proceeds go towards funding this website and PainTrain – My Health Summary. What do I talk about in my video? — O:43 My story — 2:50 Investigating pain, research & treatment — 4:26 Diagnosis — 5:55 Advocacy — 7:45 The experience of pain — 8:27 Medication — 9:35 Characteristics of Pain — 10:55 Planning life with chronic pain — 12:09 Pain management — 13:50 PainTrain
A PainTrain Post CV-19 Update
Watch and listen to my PainTrain Post CV-19 update. I missed my health summary. I didn't feel right not having my own history. Sure I have health files all over the placed (physically, digitally, with many professionals, x-rays galore) but PainTrain is a bit of a rock for me. It's my safekeeping. After not having PainTrain for months, what I most kept thinking about was 'what if I have to go to an appointment and meet a new healthcare professional?'.
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!
Spinal Cord Stim Trial Day 6
I'm not exactly enthused about health admin. There's already enough admin and digital filing to do in life. But I've found that my PT health summary is saving me, not only admin time, but alot of stress having to remember details of my experience. I've included a self portrait for my specialist today!
Pain Revolution Names PainTrain a ‘Best Resource’
PainTrain has followed Pain Revolution very closely over the years and its this research with Soula's experience that has driven the PainTrain concept. We love having your support all the way Soula! Your [...]
My Health Record vs PainTrain My Health Summary
Um, actually, they aren't in competition. They are two very different online resources. There's no turning a blind eye or choosing to stay away from this technology change as it is affecting you right now and there is a decision you need to make within three months about your autogenerated account on My Health Record. Are you staying in or opting out? I opted out. And not because I think My Health Record is a poor concept – it's a great idea! Remember I've made a type of online health summarising resource myself because I realise how important it is to organise your health information and communicate more efficiently with your health team/s.