My New Friend, Freddie
I’ve never had much success with inflatables. However, Freddie is a little different – he’s got structure and he’s not so wobbly. If you’ve sat on one of [...]
I’ve never had much success with inflatables. However, Freddie is a little different – he’s got structure and he’s not so wobbly. If you’ve sat on one of [...]
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 [...]
I’m not talking about the food kind. As you’re all aware, this is a site about chronic pain education and pain management. But what do DIMs SIMs have to do with chronic [...]
Theo and I continue to establish our new life in Queenscliff and are enjoying the many wonderful new aspects of our new lifestyle. We're also learning to manage the sacrifices. It makes me feel I've turned a corner. Home Then Actually, a couple of weeks ago, I literally did turn a corner. After staying in Melbourne for a special family lunch, during the evening we also managed to catch up with old friends on our old pavement. I kind of felt a little emotional pang when I turned into the city end of Gertrude Street and saw the magnolias enjoying the Autumn evening light and the little drizzle that was beginning. Very steadily pacing my drinks, the night saw us hop around our old favorite spots. The life turn happened when I stepped out of the Everleigh and instead of turning right to head 'home', Theo and I turned left to head to a city hotel. We were going to sleep at this hotel, wake up in the morning and return to Queenscliff. Theo had to work... Sunday. I don't often have overwhelming emotional moments. I really deal with life's activities quite well. I mean, who would I think I was expecting a perfect life run, right? 'Suck it up!' But this was one of those overwhelming emotional moments and it was damn hard. I knew what it was. I knew that overdue moment since we left 'home' had finally caught up with me. I fully comprehended that we had said goodbye, and life had moved us on. I lapped up every step away from my previous home as the rain fell on/off and the concrete took in all the glittery, yellow, autumn Melbourne evening lights. I bid abiento to each magnolia as I walked up the street. I also lapped up the arms that were around me and the huge hug that Theo and I stopped to have to mark our moment. Home Now
Soula shares her frustration with pain management and how it lead her to founding Pain Train. In this short video Soula also provides her insight on how people experience pain as well [...]
(Image: Written Within* by Elizabeth Banfield hand burnished linocut, kozo tissue, thread ©2017) My sacral stim and I have known each other for a full 17 months now, so I felt it was the [...]
(Written by me, the founder of PainTrain) That’s easier said than done. When I first had my accident in 2007 and literally landed in chronic pain, the last thing I expected to [...]
It took six full months for me to feel I was ready to have my follow up appointment with Dr Nick Christelis after my Sacral Stimulation Implant. I got a few ticks [...]
Or should I say, looking forward to 2015? Looking forward is more my tune but the changeover of another year, especially with chronic pain, calls me to reflect and to ponder my [...]
APS: How important are support groups for both you and your close family/community? Soula: I can’t say I feel there is much support for my husband and family/community. It’s difficult with invisible pain, it’s a similar scenario with depression, we still don’t get it. Society seems to have been given an immense right to provide their opinion (e.g. with social media platforms) and this has opened up some kind of authority to encourage opinions and much judgment. Not many tread carefully or really think from someone else’s perspective. Although we have more information accessible to us, we seem to be learning less.