iPain Living Edition 3 2018

iPain Living Magazine 2018—Edition 3: Table of Contents
Contributors
4 — A Brothers Love
Barby Ingle— Content Editor 6 — Provider Spotlight; Dr. Sapna on Canadian Pain Care
Ken Taylor—Graphics Editor
Abby Drexler 9 — Learning to Thrive in Assisted Living Environments
Barbara Black, C.Ht. 10 — How Your Brain Can Physically Change Based on Feelings
Ben Bobrow, MD
Cara Smith 12 — Pains That Are Common For People Who Are Living with HIV
Chrissy Phelps
Dr. Sapna Sriram 14 — How Improving Your Mental Health Reduces Physical Pain
Glen Shurtz 15 — Celebrating 12 Years of Service—International Pain Foundation
Jason Miller
Jim Vogel 16 — How Can Women Become Their Own Best Advocate
Marbeth Levy
Teresa I. Wright-Johnson 18 — Tips for Living with POTS
___________ 21 — Exercise a Powerful Antidote to Stress and Related Conditions

Advertisers 22 — The Pain of Living In Pain
Intellectric Media 24 — How Charles Mattocks Reversed People Health
Dr. Gary Demerjian
Reversed TV Show 30 — A Bipolar Life
NERVEmber Project
KB Productions 34 — Communicating With Your Healthcare Team
Hope is True Project
_____________ 36 — Fighting The Fog
38 — Alzheimer's Caregiver Tools To Better Care of Your Loved One
Photo Credits
Cover & pg 24-28 photos Elle Mattocks 40 — 2018-2019 iPain Featurette Spotlights

50 — 2018 Top 50 Chronic Pain Advocates of Twitter




















www.internationalpain.org | 480-882-1342 | iPain Living Magazine®

If you would like to submit an article for consideration in an upcoming iPain Living Magazine edition, email
[email protected].

For comments, questions, or suggestions please email our content editor at [email protected]

International Pain Foundation—3

Chronic pain affects mil- condition in his 20s. While some
lions of people around the cases have been diagnosed in child-
world. Sufferers struggle daily with hood, AS usually begins in early
a range of symptoms that can affect adulthood and progresses through-
every aspect of their lives. Donnie out life. Donnie was only diag-
Hogan is one of many people suf- nosed in his 30s, with some symp-
fering from chronic pain from an- toms becoming worse in his late
kylosing spondylitis, a disease he 30s. While the late onset of this dis-
believes also affected his sister An- in the spine and large joints. While ease is common, according to Don-
na Nicole Smith, and possibly af- back and joint pain are the most nie, there's also a widespread fail-
fects her daughter Dannielynn. common symptoms, the multi- ure to diagnose this condition cor-
With more than 200,000 cases of systemic nature of this disease rectly.
this disease diagnosed in the United means it can affect a range of or-
States each year, this is a condition gans and systems throughout the Like many AS patients, Donnie
that needs more attention so people body. A thorough medical exami- suffers a range of chronic physical
know how to recognize the symp- nation is needed to diagnose this symptoms, including pain in his
toms, understand what help is genetic condition, including a blood tailbone, hips, and limbs. The on-
available, and know they are not test to check for the presence of the going nature of this pain affects his
alone in dealing with chronic pain. HLA-B27 gene. posture, sleeping patterns, and gen-
eral mood, with medications and
Ankylosing spondylitis, also known Like many people, the onset of AS self-care needed to treat pain which
as AS or Bechterew's disease, is a was slow for Donnie Hogan, who he describes as "like someone bit-
form of inflammatory arthritis that only started to experience the pain- ing a hold of you and not letting
mostly affects men. It causes pain ful symptoms associated with this go". Donnie's story is very interest-


4—iPain Living Magazine

ing because it highlights problems possible to do blood work in order inside. He witnessed the painful de-
in the medical community when it to identify the HLA-B27 gene, it's tails of her life first hand and now
comes to the acceptance and correct important to note that this is a per- advocates for more awareness in the
diagnosis of this condition. fectly normal gene found in 8 per- medical system.
cent of the Caucasian population.
Looking back on his life, Donnie Generally speaking, no more than 2 Due to the hereditary nature of this
now believes that both his father percent of people born with this disease, Donnie's niece Dannielynn
and sister Anna Nicole were suffer- gene will develop AS, which is a Birkhead may also have the same
ing from this hereditary condition strong indicator rather than proof of genetic condition. While the young
for most of their adult lives. He has the disease. Additional medical tests model and reality show star has not
lucid memories of his dad com- are needed, with an elevated eryth- been tested for AS to Donnie's
plaining about pain and believes the rocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and knowledge, she has suffered from
Anna Nicole story could have had a C-reactive protein (CRP) levels oth- eye problems and other health chal-
very different ending if she'd been er common indicators of inflamma- lenges that may be due to the dis-
diagnosed correctly. Ankylosing tion. ease. When women do suffer from
spondylitis can be carried down AS, diagnosis can be even more dif-
from a single parent, with Donnie's Correct diagnosis is crucial, howev- ficult due to symptoms presenting
mother never experiencing pain er, with Donnie believing things in an atypical fashion. After suffer-
while his father obviously did. may have been very different for ing so much himself with this con-
Anna Nicole if she'd known about dition, Donnie is hopeful that Dan-
Unlike many other chronic condi- her condition rather than self- nielynn can avoid the painful symp-
tions, AS is not easy to recognize medicating. Accurate diagnosis is toms that he lives with every day.
from the outside. While people may the first step in dealing with your
be living with physical pain, eye condition, with Donnie believing Despite constant struggles with
problems, sleep disorders, and gen- she could have done something pain, significant weight loss, and
eral fatigue, many of these symp- about it if the situation was made chronic lack of sleep due to this
toms are difficult to identify. In fact, clear. Looking back, Donnie re- condition, Donnie is advocating for
Donnie only put the pieces together members Anna Nicole asking to be a better future for himself and other
when he started to experience symp- rubbed and massaged as a way to AS patients. While there is no cure
toms himself, not believing either treat her pain, things he now under- for ankylosing spondylitis, medica-
Anna Nicole or his father when they stands from his own perspective. tions, physical therapy, and self-
complained of pain issues due to a care can be a great help. Above all
lack of outside evidence. Donnie According to Donnie, "I would else, Donnie hopes for faster and
changed his perception of their pain guess 100% that my sister had AS." more accurate diagnosis and a great-
after developing the condition him- Not only does he remember her reg- er sense of compassion from the
self, with doctors unable to access ular fevers and intractable pain, he medical community.
the same kind of subjective experi- also believes that the doctors in-
ences. volved in her case were unable or If we can learn lessons from the
unwilling to make a correct diagno- lives of Donnie Hogan and his sister
Despite the widespread nature of sis. Like many things in life, Donnie Anna Nicole, perhaps there is a
this condition, it often goes undiag- believes that people are often look- brighter future for Dannielynn and
nosed or misdiagnosed due to a lack ing for an exciting cover story ra- anyone else who may be suffering
of objective evidence. While it's ther than the complex truth that lies from this disease.


International Pain Foundation—5

What do you think needs tional/mental association to symp- sional help is ignored, simple inju-
to be done to raise chron- toms and pain medications often ries and issues can turn chronic.
ic pain awareness in the become a simple Band-Aid ap- Seeking an integrated approach to
Canadian medical com- proach. In fact, 80% have admitted care, is in my opinion, one of the
munity and the public? to taking medication to help man- most effective means to stop our
age their MSK (physical) pain. Sad- current opioid crisis and change our
Nearly half of Canadians experi- ly, those with chronic pain will of- behaviors and reactions to how we
ence some form of pain daily or ten become addicted to opioids and manage pain.
weekly, which is absolutely alarm- last year alone we had more than
ing! We are facing a concerning 2800 opioid-related deaths across However, Canadians are challenged
opioid dependency crisis in Canada, Canada. by several hurdles preventing them
and despite better options for pain from pursuing such options, namely
management, more than 5 million The two biggest barriers to chronic financial barriers (29 per cent), as
Canadians are turning to opioids pain support are financial barriers well as issues with private insur-
and struggle to find a real solution and lack of awareness. There are ance, and a lack of knowledge
to their pain. I think the biggest more than just pharmaceutical op- about/doctors not recommending
challenge we face with pain is that tions to help effectively manage non-pharmacological options (each
there is so much we don’t know. and eliminate pain, and we need 12 per cent).
What we do know for chronic pain more education to help promote
suffers is that there is a strong emo- awareness around this. If profes-



6—iPain Living Magazine

What got you interest- Which chronic pain I do directly with my patients,

ed in treating chronic disease do you find are hence my passion to create a
pain patients? the hardest to treat? comprehensive health solution
to help my community in a way
I’ve been surrounded by family I think the hardest to manage are where all their health needs can
and friends with various forms those individuals who do not be met under one roof. Often as
of chronic pain, and I always seek mental health counseling. I mentioned before, there is a
find it fascinating to understand Chronic pain is emotionally ex- strong link between chronic pain
the psychosocial impact and the hausting and often at times, and one’s mental health and
overall journey one experiences there are pre-existing factors with so many complex factors, a
that shapes how they rate, feel, that can impact ones overall team approach is often the best
and experience pain. pain and perception of it. I think and only approach.
feelings of hopelessness are of-
Which chronic pain ten my biggest struggles to find How have you
conditions do you motivators to help them rise changed as a person
treat? from their pain state, but I can’t because of your expe-
do this alone and rely signifi- rience with treating
I see a wide array of chronic cantly on an integrated team ap- chronic pain patients?
pain conditions ranging from proach.
autoimmune related chronic I’ve learned to become more
pain, low back pain, headaches, Where did your inner patient, tolerant, and my expec-

knee pain, shoulder pain, neck drive and hope to im- tations in managing conditions
pain, and much more. prove pain care (and are more realistic as chronic
life come from? pain is complex and there’s no
textbook answer to helping
I’ve always had a passion to them.
help others, beyond just in what
What therapies or ex-
ercises do you suggest
most often with your
patients?

Other treatments, such as mas-
sage therapy, strength training,
yoga/Pilates, trying to be as mo-
bile in your daily living, acu-
puncture, can all provide relief.

What have you
learned about human
interactions from


(Continued on page 8)




International Pain Foundation—7

cal therapy, yoga, movement, exer-
(Continued from page 7)
cise, psychotherapy, massage ther-

treating patients living apy, acupuncture, chiropractic ther- Connect with Dr. Sapna
with chronic pain? apy, etc. You are not alone in your on social media
suffering and if you feel you are
just relying on pain medication or drsapna/
We all crave connection. Often, my worse doing nothing, know that
chronic pain patients are looking there are plenty of options and so-
for emotional support as much as lutions out there in the form of pro- DrSapnaSriram/
physical therapy. So it’s important fessional help that can empower
to understand that a positive patient you to overcome your pain and DrSapnaSriram
experience isn’t just based on what suffering!
treatment you provided them but
more so in demonstrating how
much you genuinely care.

How important is it for
others to share their
stories of living with
chronic pain disease?

I think we need to shed a light on
all conditions, as it’s important for
us to better understand it. Chronic
pain sufferers need a community of
support and understanding, and
they need to STOP suffering in si-
lence.

Anything else you would
like to share about
patient empowerment

and the importance of
standing up for yourself
and working with your
medical providers?

Find the right medical provider,
one who genuinely cares, listens
and understands you and your pain
and wants to get to know about it. I
firmly believe a multi-modal ap-
proach to chronic pain is vital,
where it includes medical manage-
ment that is partnered with physi-



8—iPain Living Magazine

Learning to Thrive in Assisted


Living Environments


By Chrissy Phelps






















Assisted living provides the support are generally mobile, using an alert somewhere with amenities that suit
for many Americans require when system to help raise attention when you as a person. Someone who
diagnosed with certain conditions. required will preserve a great deal loves cooking would benefit from a
Today, over 1.4m Americans use of independence. This is especially home with adapted cooking facili-
assisted living (according to the important for those diagnosed with ties, for example. Similarly, a keen
CDC) to maintain their quality of chronic pain, as a 2015 NCBI study gardener might be more at home
life whilst retaining independence. found that chronic pain diagnoses with an opportunity to use a be-
Of these, between 75 and 85% are affect independence where controls spoke garden area, or a communal
diagnosed with a condition that fea- are not put in place to assist. allotment. Remaining active with
tures chronic pain as a symptom. hobbies is a great way to stay men-
Adapting to the new tally stimulated and has been found,
Living in an environment that gives environment again by the UOI study, to help mit-
you the foundation you need to re- igate the effects of chronic pain.
main independent while guarantee-
ing your safety can be daunting, Moving to an assisted living envi- Chronic pain can, in some instances,
however. Independence is hard ronment with mandate contact with mean you have to reassess your liv-
fought for, with many people before caregivers and other people in the ing situation to guarantee your own
taking the step into assisted living. same situation. As a result, it’s help- safety and independence. What that
Adapting is straightforward, but ful if you stay open minded and doesn’t mean is that you have to
there are a few secrets to making it form connections with the people accept a lower quality of life.
a success. around you. Making a wide range of Through remaining open minded,
connections can also help you to carefully planning what you need to
Figuring out your develop aptitude in therapies that be happy and choosing the right
priorities are beneficial to managing chronic place, you can continue to manage
pain. A study by the University of your condition in a supportive, safe
Illinois found that holistic therapy is environment.
When you first apply for and be- effective for chronic pain and it can
come part of an assisted living situ- be learned more quickly, and effec- Chrissy Phelps is a Sales Consultant
ation, it is first important to learn tively, through interacting with a with a demonstrated history of working
exactly what the level of care you supportive community. in the publishing industry. Skilled in
require is. This will help you to Negotiation, Advertising Sales, Cus-
maintain independence in the long Focus on the amenities tomer Support, Advertising, and Sales.
run and make caregivers and your Strong media and communication pro-
fessional with a News Media focused in
family aware of what you will need Journalism from Australian College of
assistance with. For example, if you When looking for an assisted living Journalism.
space, it’s really important to pick


International Pain Foundation—9

In many ways, your brain is pain and/or the inability to experience. We now appre-
similar to your computer's extinguish the memory of ciate that pain is heavily
central processing unit, or pain evoked by an initial influenced by previous ex-
CPU. It’s where all sensory inciting injury.” periences and expectations.
inputs from the body are Recent improvements in
received, interpreted and neuroimaging (such as MRI
stored, and it gives instruc- scans of the brain) have al-
tions on what to do with lowed us to see for the first
this information. There's time structural and chemi-
one major way, however, cal changes associated with
that your brain is different both acute and chronic
from a CPU: your brain can pain. These scans provide
physically change based on visual evidence that our
what it learns. thoughts and emotions
(such as attention, anticipa-
“Chronic pain is defined as tion and particularly fear of
a state of continued suffer- Pain has long been viewed pain) can dramatically
ing, sustained long after the as the simple sum of things change how we feel. It's
initial inciting injury has like tissue injury and in- also clear that we can learn
healed. In terms of learning flammation. Doctors are how to modify our thinking
and memory, one could re- just beginning to under- and by doing so, alleviate a
cast this definition as: stand how it's more compli- lot of pain.
Chronic pain is a persis- cated than that—how pain
tence of the memory of is a sensory and emotional Neuroplasticity is the abil-






10—iPain Living Magazine

other areas such as the amygda-
la, which deals with processing In addition, the latest research
emotions. These other areas help gives us a better idea of the role
us determine how “serious” or psychological factors play in
how “dangerous” a stimulus pain and the enormous potential
may be. When bombarded with for improvement.
pain signals over time, these are-
as of the brain actually change There is no room for the idea
(grow or shrink), and so do lev- that pain is purely
els of the neurochemicals con- "psychological." That is an ob-
trolling your mood. solete concept. The truth is that
all pain is real. We just need a
ity of the human nervous system Neuroplasticity may be the nerv- more widespread understanding
to modify its configuration and ous system's attempt to adapt to of how psychological features
function in response to certain injury in a positive way. But in impact neuroplasticity and
stimuli. This concept can help the case of chronic pain, neuro- therefore affect the pain experi-
explain the pain-to-thoughts/ plasticity can go awry and make ence.
emotions connection. You're the chronic pain worse. While it
probably already familiar with is not yet entirely clear why, This is how shifting the views
the brain’s amazing ability to when or to whom these nervous on pain and our reactions to it
reorganize itself by learning system changes occur, the brain can help effectively manage
from its environment: think of interprets what used to be minor pain and even reverse the coun-
visually impaired people who pain signals as much more in- terproductive neurobiological
develop a heightened sense of tense. As a result, chronic pain changes. Things, like staying
hearing or increased sense of can feel much, much worse. active, engaged, positive, moti-
touch. This is the same thing. There are reasons for hope and vated, purposeful and focused
things you can try to help allevi- on what you can do as opposed
ate chronic pain. to what you can't do, will all
help deal with chronic pain.

Dr. Ben Bobrow, MD, Medical Di-
rector at Arizona Department of
Health Services creator of the The
Pain Project—thepainproject.com










Remarkably, studies have shown
that certain areas of the brain
known as the pain matrix are First, neuroplasticity is by na-
triggered in response to pain. ture malleable, meaning that alt-
The pain matrix is believed to hough changes to the nervous
include parts of the cortex (outer system can occur, they are not
portion) of the brain, as well as irreversible.


International Pain Foundation—13
International Pain Foundation—11

People who live with HIV often The irritation can lead to trouble in
face chronic pains since there im- sleeping, digestive issues, and
munity system is fragile, any other mood swings.
outside illness or pain tends to live
longer inside the body. The one Pancreatic Inflammation
single rule of HIV is not to get sick Primary cause of pancreatic in-
while you are sick, as the oppor- flammation is sometimes HIV
tune diseases tends to crack the drugs which unfortunately cannot
immunity system twice as much as be avoided. Another contributing
HIV does. Since chronic pain is the factors to the symptom is excessive
most possible outcome of a HIV, intake of alcohol and presence of
here is a list of types of pain, that high level of fat in bloodstream.
an HIV positive person can ac-
count for: Urinary Tract Infection

Peripheral Neuropathy Tract infection or bladder infec-
tion, especially in case of women
Nerve damage is the most serious can cause excessive abdominal
pain one can encounter in HIV. pain.
Peripheral Neuropathic pain is gen-
erally defined as tingling sensation Bacterial Infection
in nerves, burning and grave
numbness in legs, hands or feet. Particularly in case of women, bac-
The numbness of either of the teria and parasites can cause seri-
symptoms mentioned above, gen- ous infection in the vagina area; if
erally gives rise to stress, irritation neglected this can lead to cancer.
and causes difficulty while sleep-
ing for the HIV positive individual. Menstrual Cramps
Since, over the counter products Menstrual cramps in case of wom-
can be used for Peripheral, howev- en can worsen and cause more se-
er, it is advised to use some home vere abdominal pain. The opening
remedies like massage with laven- of the womb area i.e. cervix can be
der oil, practicing yoga and medi- greatly affected by severe menstru-
tation can eventually help in reliev- al cramps.
ing the pain.
Muscle and Joint Pain
Abdominal Pain Since HIV follows a slow growth

Abdominal pain is not surprising if continued to be monitored and
in case of an HIV. However, it is suppressed with drugs, many
important to know the causes of it times, even a normal muscle or
in order to avoid any complicated joint pain can become stressful.
situation in future: This pain can range from mild to
severe depending upon the pa-
Irritable Bowels tient’s age and stage of HIV in the
body.
Sometimes the digestive tracts fac-
es problems like irritable bowels.


12—iPain Living Magazine

Other contributing factors that give the body of an HIV positive indi- be detailed since it deeply depends
rise to muscle and joint pain are vidual, can cause some serious pain upon type of cancer. The only way
usage of HIV drugs (a side effect), and promote other viral infections. to stay clear of any cancer in the
high cholesterol and other condi- Many doctors have claimed that body, is to follow good hygiene,
tions like Hepatitis. once acquired, Herpes virus tends avoid drugs usage and alcohol, and
to stay inside the body, be it a also have regular checkups to avoid
Headache healthy person or an HIV positive any late stage confrontation of the

One of the most excruciating and individual. It only is a matter of infection.
chronic pain that happens to an time, that the virus decides to flare
HIV positive individual is head- up after a long hiding. Managing Pain in HIV
ache. It can start from a dull ache Pain during HIV can be managed if
and increase to a more serious and The primary symptoms of Herpes it is monitored and treated on time.
frequent pattern if left neglected. are painful blisters around the Once the whole characteristic and
Headaches usually are a conse- mouth region and the genital area. type of pain is identified, doctors
quence of side effects of HIV However, if Herpes is treated on can prescribe suitable remedies and
drugs. time, the individual continues to medication to avoid any future
feel persistent pain as the blisters complications.
These mild headaches can also give fade away.
rise to flu-like illness, muscle ten- Following Factors Play
sion, stress, insomnia and heart dis- Lung infection an Important Role in

eases as well. On the other hand, A very common opportune disease,
moderate headaches can be a con- lung infection can give rise to HIV Pain Management
sequence of brain tumor, sinus Pneumocystis pneumonia, tubercu- 1. Short term pain or long term
pressure, tooth infections, mi- losis, bacterial pneumonia and pain
graines, strokes and even bleeding chest pain. 2. Severity and cause of pain
in the brain. To avoid these head- 3. Substance abuse, drugs or alco-
aches to increase, an HIV positive Mouth Pain hol.
individual must practice yoga, med- Fungal infections like thrush, and 4. Pain in HIV is common and
itation or include normal daily ex- ulcers, also known as canker sores treatable as well. All one has to
ercise, and sleep for around 10 can make an HIV positive individu- do is to identify the cause of
hours daily. It is recommended to al highly uncomfortable with pain. With research advance-
keep the stress levels in check and mouth pain. ment in HIV, chronic pain can
practice good communication with be managed well if noticed on
your family and friends in order to Cancer time. Stay healthy, exercise,
keep your mind free from any meditate and practice yoga to
clogged thoughts. According to the HIV Testing web- suppress chronic pain.
site HIVRNATest.com, the chances
Many doctors even advice to pur- of an HIV positive individual ac- Cara Smith is a writer/editor with an
sue a hobby of choice like swim- quiring cancer is around 50%. Like endless passion for bringing a lot of
ming, playing lawn tennis, or jog- it is said, an HIV person doesn’t die trustworthy and useful information to
ging in order to keep the mind and because of HIV but dies because of the online community. She has been
body in sync with each other. other opportune diseases. Cancer is consistently sharing her experience by
writing various articles related to
one of the greatest causes of an health, fitness, pregnancy and STDs.
Herpes Pain HIV death. Pain caused by cancer In her free time, Cara enjoys watching
can house anywhere in the body.
Just like another sexually transmit- The identity of cancer pain cannot basketball and volunteers in AIDS/HIV
ted diseases, Herpes if acquired by education.

International Pain Foundation—13

The body and mind are intricately attack in its tracks; it lowers the ceived naloxone. This is a ground-
linked, and nowhere is this more heart rate and stops the ‘fight or breaking finding, because it shows
evident than in the connection be- flight’ response from taking over that even when the body’s opioid
tween mental health and pain. One when we are tense. This is great receptors are chemically blocked,
2010 study carried out by University news because anxiety can cause medication finds different pathways
of Oxford researchers found that muscular pain and headaches, as to reduce pain. Yet another study
when it comes to pain, it isn’t a mat- well as hyperventilation. There are a published in 2017 by researchers at
ter of choosing between ‘it’s all in plethora of free pranayamic breath- Leeds Beckett University, found
your head’ or ‘it’s all in your body’. ing apps, which guide users on exer- that just 10 minutes of mindfulness
Rather, it is a blend of the two, at cises lasting as little as five minutes. meditation is an effective alternative
least when it comes to depression. Try this while you are driving to to painkillers. Interestingly, mind-
As noted by lead researcher, Dr. work, or when you have a quiet mo- fulness based practices stress the
Chantal Berna, “"when healthy peo- ment at home. healthy connection of body, mind,
ple were made sad by negative and spirit. Studies have shown that
thoughts and depressing music, we Mindfulness Based although negative spiritual beliefs
found that their brains processed Exercises are linked to greater pain, positive
pain more emotionally, which lead spirituality (as is found in spiritual
to them finding the pain more un- meditation), when combined with
pleasant." In essence, depression or Holistic exercises with a strong medication, is an ideal way to treat
sadness decreases our ability to reg- mindful component (including med- migraine-related pain.
ulate the negative emotions linked itation and yoga) are popular com-
to pain. With these and other find- plementary therapies for everything Positivity is Key
ings in mind, scientists have sug- from breast cancer recovery to anxi-
ety, eating disorders, or depression.
gested many natural means to quell
mental distress, and therefore soothe Many studies have been carried out Focusing one what one cannot
pain, simultaneously. on their ability to help with pain. achieve rather than on positive as-
Yoga, for instance, has been found pects of one’s life can make pain
Controlled Breathing to help lower chronic back pain and worse, according to experts. Self-
migraines, and mindfulness medita-
compassion (being kinder to one-
to Lower Stress tion has been found to provide opi- self) and keeping a journal gratitude
oid-pain pain relief. can help keep one’s spirits up and
The Benson-Henry Institute for focus on the things one can do. Pain
Mind-Body Medicine at Harvard Meditation and Pain limits the range of activities we can
University has found that there are carry out, yet there are always a
several techniques that alleviate Research published in 2016 in the smaller range of activities that can
stress, anxiety, and pain, one of the Journal of Neuroscience found that be enjoyed.
most powerful of which, is deep meditation reduced pain by 24%. To
breathing. Controlled breathing, determine if meditation uses the If you have chronic pain, why not
called pranayamic breathing in yo- body’s opioids to reduce pain, re- give mindfulness based practices a
ga, involves inhaling air for several searchers injected participants with test run? Studies have proven that
seconds (and ‘inflating’ the belly), either naloxone (a medication they are useful for quelling pain.
and exhaling for an even longer blocking the pain-reducing effects Moreover, they are powerful busters
amount of time (while ‘deflating’ of opioids) or a placebo. They found of stress hormone, cortisol, instilling
the belly). This practice is powerful that pain was reduced significantly a sense of calm that can be a big
and capable of stopping an anxiety in the meditation group that re- help when the pain is strongest.


14—iPain Living Magazine

It was Thanksgiving 2006, and the Despite the high prevalence of pain, deal with the symptoms of
Ingle family gathered in their fa- access to appropriate and effective Central Pain Syndrome in
ther’s house in Colonial Heights, pain care remains a barrier for 2002, it was life-changing.
VA for dinner. Each year at dinner many. It took almost three years
they discuss what they are thankful just to get a proper diagno-
for and decide on a family project iPain empowers the pain communi- sis. I felt alone and isolat-
that they want to accomplish the ty to take action to improve their ed; and I didn’t have the knowledge
following year. This dinner was dif- quality of life. The foundation helps to get through the medical system
ferent; the biggest project was pro- identify, prioritize, and drive aware- on my own. Through all of my sur-
posed and taken on by the Ingle ness to key issues, advocate for re- geries and complications I had hope
Clan. They had seen a family mem- sponsible pain care and collaborate that I would find relief someday.
ber go from 2002-2005 with no with key decision-makers to find Healthcare providers across the
medical diagnosis and only getting workable solutions. The iPain advo- country now tell me that because of
worse due to the improper medical cates for a variety of chronic illness- hearing stories like mine, they were
care she had received. The idea was es, from idiopathic neuropathy, fi- able to recognize and diagnose oth-
brought up that if Barby is dealing bromyalgia, reflex sympathetic dys- ers quicker. This shows me that
with these issues and there are mil- trophy, juvenile diabetes, arthritis, speaking out has a large impact
lions of others with the same dis- lyme, lupus, spinal cord injuries, even if you are only one person.
ease that those people would need cancer pain, mental health issues
assistance as well. By January 1, associated with pain, among many With over 1.5 billion worldwide
2007 the family had a plan of action more. living with pain team iPain makes
and started the Power of Pain Foun- daily showing the chronic pain com-
dation, now dba: International Pain As part of their public awareness munity are not alone in the fight
Foundation (iPain). They received campaign the foundation has begun against pain.”
501(C)(3) status in March of that to highlight high-profile people who
same year. In the past 12 years, the live with or care for someone who www.internationalpain.org
foundation has grown to an Interna- lives with pain. “This is a way to
tional charity, based out of San Tan inspire others to speak up about In Memory of
Valley, AZ helping patients and their experiences and seek the help Jim Ingle, Sr.
their families learn to overcome the they need”, says current iPain presi- Melanie Anne McDowell
challenges of living with a chronic dent, Barby Ingle, who works with … and all of those we have lost to
pain disease. celebrities to raise awareness about suicide due to lack of proper and timely
care in the in pain community.
chronic pain. “When I first began to


International Pain Foundation—15

Women can be cian who has expertise in the treat-
their own best ment and management of your spe-
advocate by cific illness or condition.
taking steps to lead
your life. Don’t rely Finding out if the doctor knows about
on others to make your your conditions in-depth is very im-
decisions, do your research, portant. For instance sometimes a
and keep organized. pain doctor will know more about
arthritis and others pain conditions.
Start by speaking up and coordi-
nating with the people in your Once you find your provider team be
life. Setting the expectation is sure not to waste their time or yours
so important and although best done by preparing for the visit. At the ap-
at the beginning of a challenge, it is pointment be assertive and listen to
possible to be successful doing this the other side.
later in the process. To become the
Chief of Staff of my medical team You need to be an expert of your
I focused on 5 areas; finding the challenges through research and ask-
correct doctor, preparing for the ing questions. Make sure you have a
doctor visit, what to do at the shared understanding of your treat-
doctor visit, following my care ment goals.
plan, and staying on top of
my medical billing state- If you want to be pain free, but the
ments. condition you have will not allow it,
come up with better goals that are
Finding a doctor that special- realistic and increase them as you get
izes in the condition you are better.
diagnosed with can be a
challenge. It is important Many people have a lot of questions
to keep in mind that or information they want to share
you are not looking with their doctor. Bring them in writ-
for just any general ing and write them as you think of
physician but ra- them, not at the last minute.
ther for a physi-



16—iPain Living Magazine

research you can make a better deci-
While at the doctor’s office organ- sion on the options your doctor don’t be
ize the visit by going through your gives you and make sure you are afraid to ask for a
summary sheet (try to keep it to one choosing the one that is best for cash discount, insurance
page, and typed if possible). you. companies get discounts and doc-
tors can write off your discount on
It is important that you stay on track Keep track of progress and setbacks their taxes.
and focused at your doctor appoint- and report back to the provider on
ments and it helps to take someone your next visit as a section of your Remember to file an appeal if you
with you. They can take notes while one pager. feel the insurance company got it
you are speaking with the doctor. I wrong. For example they ask you to
have come home and said, “what Be sure to educate the doctor on do Step Therapy but you have al-
did the doctor say about taking this revisits with the progress made, ready tried and failed the cheaper
medication” and if my husband ability to function in daily living medication.
wasn’t there, I would not have activities, and any new goals or re-
known what to do and would have search information you have found Using your records to show that you
had to call the doctor’s office and in relation to your condition. already went through this can save
take up more of their time. Staying you time, money and health. Keep-
focursed can help you get organized The Joint Commission on Accredi- ing organized records and file ap-
and achieve accomplishments. tation of Healthcare Organizations peals when possible.
(JCAHO) says, “8 in 10 medical
Finally, be specific. For instance, if bills have a mistake on it”. I have Many people will say no the first
you are there for pain show where it paid thousands of dollars in medical time asked, because they don’t want
hurts: point to the areas; if it is your bills because I didn’t pay attention. to have a financial burden or take
whole body, does any part hurt I got some of the money back but time out in their own life. If you can
more than the rest or does the pain not all. Before you pay medical provide records and other re-
feel different in different spots? bills, check the explanation of bene- searched information and go back to
fits from your insurance company them, it is more likely to get them to
In-between appointments you are against the doctor’s bill. Sometimes say yes to assist with your goal
responsible for following through doctors send you a bill before they achievement.
on the doctor’s orders. hear back from your insurance com-
pany. Your insurance company will Staying organized and prepared
Be sure to do your homework so negotiate rates for you so the helps us get through the day with
you can accomplish your goals. amount you owe may be signifi- less stress, anxiety and pain.
cantly less than the doctor’s charg-
When you are proactive through es. If you don’t have insurance


International Pain Foundation—17

Tips for Living with POTS






By Abby Drexler
7




POTS is more formally known as order to make the blood flow up- various medications to regulate
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia ward towards their brain. Their blood pressure. There are also a
Syndrome, and it is a disorder that heart rate can thus increase by as variety of lifestyle changes that
most commonly affects women much as 30 beats per minute, and POTS patients can make, and they
between the ages of 15 and 50. their blood pressure often drops at include the following:
While researchers have not yet the same time. The patient will
determined the cause of POTS, also feel lightheaded, faint or diz- 1) Increase Salt Intake
they have learned that it is more zy.
likely to develop in patients with Patients with POTS need a lot of
other autoimmune disorders, in- Other symptoms of POTS can in- salt in their diet to help their blood
cluding lupus, multiple sclerosis, clude the following vessels retain water. That extra
mitral valve prolapse (also known • Nausea and vomiting water, in turn, will keep the pa-
as click-murmur syndrome), pre- • Blurry vision tient’s blood pressure within nor-
diabetes, diabetes, anemia, infec- • Brain fog mal levels or at least prevent it
tions hepatitis C, lyme disease, • Fatigue from falling when they stand up.
and mononucleosis • Sweating Depending on their age and size,
• Chest pain many patients take between six
What are the • Insomnia and ten grams of salt per day.

symptoms? • Constipation or diarrhea They can get the salt in the form
• Anxiety of salt pills or by simply adding a
• Neck pain and headaches lot of salt to their food. Naturally
The most common symptom of • Discoloration of hands and feet salty foods include store-bought
POTS is orthostatic intolerance soups, cured meat, and cold cuts.
(OI). Under normal conditions, a Many patients experience POTS
patient’s blood flows at the same symptoms right after eating be- 2) Stay Hydrated
rate regardless of whether they are cause their GI tract needs more
sitting, lying down, standing or blood to properly digest their Since patients with POTS need to
even hanging upside-down. In a food. They are also more likely to increase their salt intake, they
patient with OI, however, the have symptoms when under stress need to increase their fluid intake
blood rate changes when they or when they are showering or to prevent dehydration. A patient
change positions, especially when standing in line. with POTS should drink anywhere
they go from lying down to stand- between two to four quarts of wa-
ing up. Living with POTS? ter, Gatorade, milk, Pedialyte,
sports drinks or Propel per day.
Most of a POTS patient’s blood Both Pedialyte and Propel replace
stays in the lower part of the body There is currently no cure for electrolytes and prevent dehydra-
when they start to get up. As they POTS, and the medical treatments tion. Drinking a bottle of water in
stand, their heart beats faster in include compression stockings and one or two minutes while pumping


18—iPain Living Magazine

the leg muscles before getting out of 5) Sleep with Your
bed can reduce the risk of fainting. Head Elevated

3) Eat More and Smaller Meals This requires more
than simply piling a
POTS also affects the digestive lot of pillows at the
tract, so the stomach empties either head. The patient
too slowly or too quickly. Eating a will actually
large meal can thus cause a stom- need to
achache. A patient with POTS place bricks
should, therefore, eat four to six or blocks of
smaller meals to reduce the chances wood under the
of stomachache and increase their head of the bed. As the
digestive system’s efficiency in ab- patient should sleep at a
sorbing nutrients. Mixing the food 30-degree angle, they
in a blender or processor can also should raise the head of
make it easier to digest. the bed anywhere between
four to twelve inches.
4) Exercise
6) Take Advantage of Technology
Researchers have found that exer-
cise is even more effective at easing Fatigue is a symptom of POTS and patients
the symptoms of POTS than are be- shouldn’t spend their limited energy on chores
ta blockers. A patient should gradu- that can be done by a machine. Dishwashers
ally work up to 30 minutes of exer- can be used to clean cutting boards and scis-
cise five days a week by adding a sors as well as dishes and silverware. Robots
minute or two to their workouts eve- can handle the vacuuming, and automated
ry two days. carwashes can clean the car.

Patients should avoid high-impact 7) Get a Shower Chair
exercises like jogging or jumping
rope, for these can actually make Many POTS pa-
their symptoms worse. If they are tients feel faint
just starting out, they should also or get dizzy
avoid exercises that require stand- while shower-
ing. Patients with POTS should try ing. A shower
recumbent exercises like rowing, chair can reduce
riding a recumbent bike, or swim- both the dizziness
ming. The last is especially benefi- and the risk of falling
cial for the cool water can relieve and getting hurt.
pain, and the water also puts pres-
sure on the blood vessels that com- Abby Drexler is a
presses them. Pilates and weight contributing writer
training can also help people with and media specialist
for POTS Care. She
POTS. regularly produces con-
tent for a variety of health
and wellness blogs.

International Pain Foundation—19

Temporomandibular

Joint and Airway


Disorders, A


Translational

Perspective Book










Order Your Copy on Amazon Today!









A new book was released July, 2018 on Amazon by publisher Springer. This book on the local and systemic mani-
festations and correlates of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMDs) encompasses the two intertwined facets of
translational science – translational research and translational effectiveness – as they relate specifically to TMDs.
The first part of the book, on recent translational research, focuses on topics such as the neuroanatomy and neuro-
physiology of the trigeminal nerve and trigeminal network system, the manifestations of neuro-inflammation in
TMDs, and the molecular mechanisms underlying TMDs. The second part discusses the clinical effectiveness of
treatment approaches from the perspective of evidence-based dentistry, with careful attention to the critical rela-
tionships between dental malocclusions, the signs and symptoms of TMDs, and airway/breathing disorders. Inter-
ventions to correct for mal-occlusal conditions that lead to TMDs are examined, with explanation of the ways in
which they can ameliorate a variety of local and systemic symptoms. This will be an excellent reference book for
established practitioners, residents, interns, and students as well as a powerful cutting-edge document for research-
ers in the field.




Chapters: 1: Neuroanatomy of the Trigeminal Nerve and Proximal innervation of the TMJ, 2: Neuroanatomy and Neurophys-
iology of the Trigeminal Network System, 3: Neuroimmune and Systemic Manifestations of Neuroinflammation in the Tem-
poromandibular Joint and Related Disorders, 4: Lubricin: Toward a Molecular Mechanism for Temporomandibular Joint
Disorders, 5: Head & Neck Manifestations of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders, 6: Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunc-
tion, Trigeminal Nerve Inflammation, and Biomechanical Dental Treatments for the Suppression of Neurological and Neuro-
psychiatric Symptoms, 7: The relationship of Temporomandibular Joint, Orofacial Pain and Sleep Apnea, 8: Immunologic
and Physiologic Effects of Dental Sleep Appliance Therapy, 9: AIRWAY-kening™ Orthodontic/Orthopedic Development -
A Correlation of Facial Balance, TMD and Airway for All Ages, 10: CBCT & MRI of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
and Related Structure, 11: Patient-centered outcomes research and collaborative evidence-based medical and dental practice
for patients with Temporomandibular Joint Disorders, and 12: Future Avenues of Translational Care for Patients with Tem-
poromandibular Joint Disorders


20—iPain Living Magazine

Studies have shown that might also improve mood, pain, have greater responses to
chronic pain increases the and wellbeing. Other studies have pain stimuli, or those who
risk for depression by be- shown that exercise can significant- are unable to block pain, are more
tween 2.5 and 4.1 times. There ly lower stress and anxiety. In one likely to have chronic pain issues.
is also an inexorable link be- University of Georgia study, it was
tween living with chronic pain, de- found that anxiety caused by chron- Meditation and Mindful-
pression, and other stress-related ic illness can be reduced by 20%
conditions such as anxiety. As not- through regular exercise. Addition- ness Activities for Stress
ed by Harvard academics, al research has revealed that exer- Although aerobic and strength ex-
“Psychiatric disorders not only cise is an effective treatment for ercises are important for those
contribute to pain intensity but also depression, thus making it an ex- wishing to boost their mood and
to increased risk of disability.” cellent complementary therapy for stay lithe and active, those facing
Changes in mobility, not knowing everything from substance abuse to stress-related issues should also
how your pain will manifest itself eating disorder recovery. consider holistic practices such as
on a given day and being unable to mindfulness meditation, yoga, and
take part in professional or personal Staying Active to Quell Tai Chi. Numerous studies have
plans and outings can trigger feel- been carried out on these activities,
ings of sadness, fear, and worry. It Pain with results showing that they bring
is therefore vital to tackle stress Because the relationship between about a significant drop in cortisol
actively, with a well-thought-out pain and depression/anxiety is cy- (stress hormone) levels. These ac-
strategy. Doctors recommend treat- clical, exercise catered to pain re- tivities focus on keeping the mind
ing pain-related anxiety and de- duction, can also boost one’s men- in the present moment. Difficult
pression from a multi-faceted per- tal health. Thus, one study pub- emotions and reactions to problems
spective; one that can include cog- lished in the journal PAIN (the of- such as pain are honored yet kept
nitive behavioral therapy, relaxa- ficial publication of the Internation- distant enough so that they are not
tion training, and, of course, one of al Association for the Study of allowed to drive one into a negative
the most powerful natural boosters Pain) found that older people with state or downward spiral.
of mental health: physical activity. high levels of physical activity
have pain modulation patterns that Living with chronic pain means
Movement is Life can lower their likelihood of devel- that sometimes, it can be difficult
oping chronic pain. The researchers to get out of bed, let alone face the
A review of 34 studies comparing noted that those who did frequent thought of a grueling workout.
the effectiveness of various inter- moderate or vigorous exercise had However, on days when one is feel-
ventions for fibromyalgia in partic- less pain responses to pain stimuli, ing more energetic and pain sub-
ular, found that regular aerobic ex- while those who did at least some sides, it is important to avail of the
ercise improved patients’ overall activity were better able to ‘block’ beneficial effects of exercise, to
wellbeing and physical functioning, pain perceptions (in a process reduce stress and keep associated
and might soothe pain as well. Oth- called pain modulation). The find- pain down. Aerobics, weights, and
er evidence shows that strength ings are particularly interesting for mindfulness-based routines are an
training, such as lifting weights and those battling arthritis, back pain, ideal blend for optimal results.
other effective resistance exercise and fibromyalgia, since people who
International Pain Foundation—21

The Pain of Living In Pain




By Teresa I. Wright-Johnson



Pain. I search for the person I used to be.
We des- The old me. Pain free me. Sadly, I
pise the word, turn away knowing the old me is no
yet in truth, there are longer. The perception of the person I
many that suffer from once is null and void. The person I
Chronic Pain. I am am now is all that I have and despite
one of those people. I all of life’s obstacles, I am phenome-
have literally learned to nal, tenacious and courageous. In life
live with pain and believe me everything changes.
it is not an easy task. I feel
sad every time I confess that I have been asked multiple times to
I have learned to live in pain. explain chronic pain. Chronic is de-
On a scale from one to ten, I rate my fined as “always present or encoun-
daily pain around a 7. I try not to tered.” Pain is defined as “the physi-
complain because I know that people cal suffering or discomfort caused by
rarely listen. They are busy trying to injury or illness. “Thus, chronic pain
survive whatever life circumstances is unrelenting discomfort. This is my
they encounter. However, there are daily existence. I am not sharing this
those moments when my pain be- to elicit sympathy or to complain
comes intolerable and I cannot re- about my current condition. Oppo-
Teresa I. Wright-Johnson serve my feelings. I cry and bemoan sitely, it is my intent to educate and
a married MS Warrior and my current condition. raise awareness about chronic illness
Congenital Heart Disease
Survivor, strongly believes and chronic pain. Pain changes every
that writing allows her to I have Congenital Heart Disease and part of one’s existence. It encom-
express her pains and tri- Multiple Sclerosis. Surviving multi- passes the tangible pain that we phys-
umphs as well as inspire ple open heart surgeries and now dai- ically feel, the mental and/or psycho-
others to face adversity ly chronic pain has changed my qual- logical effects that living with pain
with courage. She has
written several published ity of life. There are times when I causes and the spiritual weakening
articles and poems. A col- ask myself how or why have I con- which may occur at times. It is
lege graduate with a back- ceded to existing in pain. The pain weighty.
ground in Criminal Justice pilfers pieces of me one moment at a
and Social Services, Tere- time. There are days that I don’t rec- As an advocate, I have met many oth-
sa is a retired parole of-
ficer. Teresa is a poet, au- ognize myself. I look in the mirror ers with Chronic Illness that have
thor, inspirational speaker, and see the reflection of me, yet chronic pain. I feel like we are broth-
heart health advocate and when I stare into my pupils and see ers and sisters connected at the hip.
a community activist. my soul, I often wonder where I am. We speak the same language that












22—iPain Living Magazine

most others won’t ever understand. We applaud • Speak out — In sharing my experience with
the mental fortitude that we possess. We celebrate pain, I realize that there are many others that
the triumphs knowing the silent battles we fight live with pain. Expressing myself allows others
daily. I remember to never judge a book by its the opportunity and comfort to share theirs.
cover until I read the content. Invisible illness is a
perfect description for my existence at this time. • Spend time with family — This is perhaps the
My MS symptoms are invisible to the human eye activity that gives me the most joy. Spending
and no one would know the extent of my pain just time with my family uplifts me. I am a family
by looking at me. I’ve come to realize this is both oriented individual.
a blessing and a burden. The blessing is that my
physical appearance does not portray the many • Laugh — Laughter is the best medicine as they
obstacles I face. The burden is having to “mask” say. Although laughter cannot cure my condi-
my pain at times, going through life as if it does tion nor can it stop my pain, a good laugh al-
not exist when my body is throwing a tantrum ways makes me feel better. It lightens my spirit
internally and externally. My pain demands to be and is good for my soul.
acknowledged on occasion. There are days when I
have to sit with it and let it have its way. • Pray — I pray for strength, patience and the
courage to persevere. I pray to always maintain
I believe it is necessary to share the methods I my fighting spirit.
employ in living with pain. Please know that this
is not a universal anecdote, we are as different as Please know that I am grateful for my life, love,
our ailments. However, here is my list in no spe- family, friends and the many blessings that have
cific order: been bestowed upon me. I don’t take any of it for
granted. I will continue to live my best life, with
• Keep busy — The adage “pushing through the illness, injury and chronic pain until I am no long-
pain” rings true. When possible, I try to keep er. Maya Angelou’s quote “I’ve learned that even
myself busy. If I cannot physically get out be- when I have pains, I don’t have to be one” keeps
cause of pain and fatigue, I read, write and/or me grounded although I fall short at times. I simp-
watch a good movie. It distracts me from focus- ly blame that on being human
ing on my pain. and living with pain. In
conclusion, living in
• Practice gratitude — in the midst of the pain I pain is most definite-
try to focus on the goodness of my life. It is my ly a pain, yet my life
attempt to focus on those things which I find is the greatest gift. I
pleasurable and give thanks for the relationships have to play my hand
and love that surrounds me. to win.











International Pain Foundation—23

What is the importance formation. For many this is only
of a proper diagnosis of In the case of my mother, her the beginning of a long and gru-
pain disorders condition progressed for over a eling cycle.
(emotional and physical)? year without her even knowing
she had a life-long condition. Being ill is never fun and can
My perspective comes from what Passing from doctor to doctor break even the strongest people.
I have witnessed while filming with nothing but testing after I, personally, do not have physi-
and through the many patients testing after testing. Seemed like cal pain, but I do find myself de-
that work with me while still a never-ending cycle and without pressed at times, wondering why
managing pain disorders. With any indication of the issue at my body isn't working the way I
any condition, obtaining any in- hand. I could tell the frustrations want. Continuing to try all that
formation as soon as possible is were taking a toll on her body. you can, and yet no anticipated
always key. I couldn't tell you the Of course any diagnosis holds its results. Gaining proper infor-
amount of friends and colleagues own weight, as now you have the mation/diagnosis, as soon as pos-
I have worked with that went task of understanding the whys, sible, is key to beginning the next
years before knowing they were how's and what's of the condi- steps in managing life with a
diabetic. Many times these peo- tion. With my mother, her condi- medical condition.
ple landed in the hospital before tion is quite rare and being so,
receiving a diagnosis. many doctor offices we left with Did it take a diagnosis
a bottle of pills and minimal in-
































24—iPain Living Magazine

of diabetes to start tak- nessing the vast lifestyles of others mediately. It did. I went from skip-
ing better care of your- while filming Reversed also gave ping meals to snacking on veggies,
self? me the light that reassessed my life swapped out sodas for water, and
choices. Diabetes could kill me, but avoided carbs and sugar as much as
To be honest, yes. There are many being diagnosed has saved my life possible. Beyond physical changes
levels of what is considered a and put my health at the forefront. in my diet and exercise routines, I
healthy lifestyle. My lifestyle may also took the time to educate myself
not be "healthy" to someone who Please share some of on the condition at hand.
runs five miles a day and follows a your "road to recovery."
strict vegan/gluten-free diet plan. Knowledge is power and this could
What I am saying is, my thoughts I literally looked in the mirror, the not be more important in taking
on what is healthy is sure to differ bathroom mirror. I wasn't happy back control of your life. Life is
from another's thoughts on health. with what I saw and knew I needed short and there was no time to
to lose 20 pounds. I started on the waste. I had to make changes and
When we were scouting for our physical journey right away. Soon stick with them. My life depended
guests to be on Season 1, I went to there after, I took a long hard look on it and always will.
visit each of them and remember into myself; assessing my diet, my
how each felt they were living/ exercise and my overall self. I am a What were the contrib-
eating fairly healthy. I recall a very disciplined person and I found uting factors to your
phone call with Jerome and when I this discipline is key in accomplish- health successes?
asked what he was eating, Jerome ing almost anything. My focus was
said I didn't want to know. Margie purely on myself and bettering my I was never on insulin, but I did
felt she was eating right, but vege- well-being, so I could in turn help need some medication about five
tables were not in her diet. Lisa was those in their struggles. years after my diagnosis. Medica-
cooking a pot of chili with turkey tion became necessary to stabilize
rather than beef and felt that made I was always very active in my my diabetes, as I began to slip off
it healthier. work and the daily grind. Thi long- my regimen of diet and exercise.
hours, nonstop lifestyle had me Weight gain started and other
Being diagnosed as a diabetic most barely sleeping and working stresses were slowing my progress.
certainly made me stop and take a through many nights. I knew this
second look at my lifestyle. Wit- had to change immediately and im- (Continued on page 26)
































International Pain Foundation—25

(Continued from page 25)
When you are feeling over-
Thankfully I was only on medi- whelmed, what advice have
cation for about a year and you found most helpful?
was cleared to continue on
without. In the beginning, I try to keep a positive attitude and sur-
I thought I could beat it round myself with like-minded souls. At
on my own because I times we may find people in our lives
knew very little at the that show concern but there is a differ-
time. Maybe I would ence from one who is concerned and one
have started medica- who already has the car ready to drive
tions earlier in the pro- you to the hospital at 3am; these are the
cess and been in a bet- ones to keep close. It's not always many
ter place today, had I that we have in our lives that we can find
been educated from the peace in but even having just one can be
get go. all the difference. I am human too and
have those days. Maybe its not about a
What can be condition or pain but about life in gen-
done to raise eral. When you compile this with pain or
awareness for bet- a disease it can make things unbearable
tering a life before but a strong support system can lighten
diabetes gets bad? the load. I am a huge fan of Shawshank
Redemption and a quote I live by, "Get
We truly as people need to busy living or get busy dying."
take better care of ourselves
and stand up against fast- With the success of
foods and convenient, quick Reversed, season 1 and now
meal options. Too many of us on season 2, what is the big-
are caught stopping at gas sta- gest take away from the
tions, rest-stops, convenient show you want to share with
stores, drive-thru and more on a the world?
regular basis; this needs to end.
To be honest, it shouldn't have been this
I also feel doctors and specialists hard. Each day we fight against the big
should provide more education on business of diabetes with stock holders
not only what you may have but al- holding them accountable and "reversed"
so how to prevent issues in the fu- is not a word they want to hear. The show
ture. Information needs to be shared is not about reversing diabetes, but rather
with the young for they are our future. reversing unhealthy lifestyles. After the
I truly believe that if I had known airing of season 1 we thought we had a
about certain diseases when I was a huge "hit" show and we would be getting
child, I would have avoided certain calls left and right. Like the famed direc-
foods. I ate a lot of salty foods when I tor Lee Daniels shared, he saw himself in
was a kid, but never knew of high the same position after his award-winning
blood pressure or that I would have it
on my radar as an adult. (Continued on page 28)


26—iPain Living Magazine

International Pain Foundation—27

(Continued from page 26) Finding a good doctor(s) is a neces-
sity. If we are paying for insurance,
film but he too was not receiving the the care we need should be available.
calls he anticipated. It wasn't until We should not feel pressured to bury
three more films were produced that our health concerns or be "pushy" to
the industry began to take him seri- obtain the care we need. We should
ously. I thought it would have gotten never feel guilty when seeking the
easier but in the business of helping best care for our health and well-
others comes no glory. There are being.
many times I feel I should "play the
games" and be molded into the "just Final words?
make a show" mentality but this is
my life's mission and I will sound Thank you to all those who have
the alarms in all areas in need. supported me, believed in me and
have encouraged me in this journey.
How do family and It's not easy finding people who
friends encourage you share your vision and can help it
through the tough times? grow but it has been a blessing to
share my passion. The time we have
I have few great people in my life here is short and we should not be
that share loving and kind words Can you make a decent living mak- living it in pain or discomfort.
with me and keep the light visible. ing films and shows. Of course, but
Like I mentioned before, surround- only when they hit big. What hap- I also want to say, begin each day in
ing myself with positive people and pens behind the scenes is a constant hopes of helping another. The sim-
positive words is key. At times, you struggle and nonstop hard work. The plest acts can change one's entire
may find yourself accustom to the work with chronic pain can be ex- day. Share kind words, donate items
constant fight forward and lose the hausting and many times I was the you can live without to someone
bliss of life itself. Stop and take the brunt of someone's pain. It's said that who can't, cook a meal so someone
time to look around and be grateful "hurt people, hurt people" and in too else can relax for once, or maybe
you're still alive. many cases, I was left with my feel- you could spare a few dollars to
ings hurt from someone who was someone who has less than you.
How have you changed as reflecting their pains on me. When Your gifts be them small or large,
a person because of your you put yourself out there and the will always come full circle and
experiences with creating needs of others first, you become a bring the love you have shared for
media projects related to vulnerable target. I will never let this others.
chronic pain? get me down. I will only push for-
ward and continue the fight many Where can readers find
In all honesty, I'm ready for a break. don't have in them. more information on you
There are many stages in life and I'd and your pain projects?
like to move forward from this one. What can you share about
The journey of helping others and patient and caregiver em-
creating awareness has been a strug- powerment and the im- They can visit my website at
gle and there comes a point where it portance of standing-up www.CharlesMattocks.com is where

begins to affect your well-being. I'm for yourself to receive the they can find information and links
ready to live a simple life, have love care you need? for all my films, shows and broad-
in my life and take care of my kids. casts.


28—iPain Living Magazine

International Pain Foundation—29

Every one of us has the capacity to Yet despite all this, AND despite He was a bully who was very ath-
make a fundamental choice that has my father’s frequent reminders that letic, intelligent, and quite success-
a huge impact on the quality of our I “had the world by the ass,” I was ful in business. Any time we played
time here on Earth. Whether we are absolutely miserable. Haunted by a game, he delighted in beating me
going to settle for survival or we are the belief that I “should have been into the ground and rubbing my
going to thrive. And if there is one happy,” there was a heaping, stink- nose in it, whether it was intellectu-
truth I have learned over the years, ing pile of shame that came with al, like chess, or physical, like one-
it’s that human beings can thrive that emotional pain. on-one basketball. This created my
spiritually, regardless of material deeply held false core beliefs that I
conditions and circumstances. Pain For as long as I can remember, I was incompetent and that I was
is inevitable, but existential suffer- had insomnia. Often, I would lie weak and cowardly. One thing
ing is an option. awake in bed until 2 or 3 o’clock in about my father though, in a some-
the morning, feeling 100% certain what warped way, he made me feel
I spent many years making mud that I was the only human being on loved and protected.
pies in a slum. And I am happy to the planet still awake. Bed-time ar-
share the story with you, as well as rived with a dose of anxiety that I To be fair, both of my parents did
the way in which I made my way to would never get to sleep that the best they could with what they
the holiday by the sea. It is my fer- night. This went on until I got into had, and through much spiritual ef-
vent prayer that this testimony of a middle school. fort and the power of God, I have
God-rendered miracle of a Phoenix forgiven them both. They were
rising from the ashes will provide Coupled with that, I had depression, “hurt people hurting people who
hope and inspiration to fellow suf- pretty serious OCD, and some hy- hurt.” I shudder to think what had
ferers who read it. pomania, though I hadn’t a clue happened to them in their youth,
what these maladies were. Much regardless of who may have inflict-
Born in 1966 to a lower middle less that I even “had” them. Much ed it upon them. They treated me as
class American family, I grew up like a fish doesn’t know he is swim- they had been treated, I am sure.
with all my necessities and many of ming in water, I thought these were And God knows I gave them plenty
my creature comforts met. Blessed “normal” states of being for every- of hell as I got older.
and privileged, right? Most definite- one. I just thought that everyone
ly. else was strong enough to handle Nature abhors a vacuum, and it
them without flinching or sweating filled my empty and sick mind and
Health care, food, clothes, roof over and that I was a weakling. I had no soul with maladaptive “survival”
my head, good education at a subur- idea the water was even surround- tactics and self-medication, includ-
ban school, Scouts, football, pets, ing me, and “normal” people were ing checking (door locks, windows,
friends, sleepovers, camp-outs, on dry land. appliances, etc.), sneaking food and
dances, some dating. All that “good over-eating (my mother put me on a
stuff.” My father had narcissistic, verbally 1,000 calorie a day diet when I was
and emotionally abusive tendencies. 10 because I was 20 pounds over-

















30—iPain Living Magazine

weight), masturbating to pornogra- reality that because I had striven so and all your shit better be out of the
phy (starting at age 11), and run- hard to please my parents by be- house by the time I get back in
ning excessively while seriously coming Valedictorian of my HS town.” Our fight was a draw and I
restricting my food intake (taking class and an Eagle Scout by age 14, moved out. Ironically, or perhaps
my weight from 155 to 119 with I had neglected my social life, ex- co-dependently, once settled into
3% body fat in 6 months). And that cept for a few friends who were my own apartment, I wound up go-
was just the “warm-up” before I hit also academic over-achievers. ing to work for my father as a fork-
19. lift driver and order packer.
By age 21, I was still a virgin and
I took an abnormal psychology had never smoked or drank. Social With all of these “social achieve-
course my sophomore year at the anxiety and limited social skills left ments” under my belt and my vir-
University of MO Kansas City and me paralyzed with fear at the mere ginity history, I “proved” to my
began diagnosing myself with eve- thought of going to a party or any wicked obsession that there WAS
ry mental illness in our textbook. type of social event. Yup. An somewhere in society that I could
That meant, of course, that my “undesirable” in the making. Detri- function. I now felt that I had found
world was coming to an end. Be- tus of society. Might as well have “my people.” Others with low feel-
cause having a mental illness, in used me for cannon fodder right ings of self-worth, likely mental
my worldview, meant that I was then and there. health issues, and a very freeing
weak, vulnerable, weird, a loser, a lack of giving a f*** about much of
pariah, a failure, and destined to a Somehow, between sheer willpow- anything. And while all of this was
life of misery, poverty, homeless- er, the notion that I was “supposed true, and to this day those are “my
ness, and isolation. One particularly to live up to the only artificial people,” (though I spend the most
disturbing belief that had been es- standard I knew,” the best support time with those in recovery), I was
poused in my home growing up my parents could give, and a tad bit still an “undesirable.”
that fed my terror of “becoming of very weak mental health therapy,
mentally ill” was that war was good I managed to muddle through 3 Then I did something monumental-
-because it got rid of the undesira- miserable years of undergrad liber- ly detrimental to the Marine Corps
bles of society. Nothing like a doc- al arts classes at UMKC. and to me. I enlisted. There was no
trine of Social Darwinism to boost war going on, so there was no need
your sense of self-worth when you It was during that time that I met for me to enlist and no noble cause
have a mental illness! my first wife. One of my big fears – to pursue. In retrospect, I was look-
that I was not equipped to take risks ing to further my “social achieve-
Like a fungus in a damp, dark envi- and leave my secure little world– ments” and continue to prove my
ronment, this particular obsession began to be unmasked for the lie demons of self-doubt “wrong.” But
only grew worse. Excruciating and that it was. it was one of many decisions that
relentless, these intrusive thoughts became powerful opportunities for
plagued me and crippled me psy- My first “adventure” was getting growth. (An AA euphemism for a
chologically for over a year. Nasty into a physical fight with my very tribulation that is often self-
and unstoppable ruminations of this intimidating and much stronger fa- inflicted).
Eagle/Valedictorian becoming an ther, who had always dominated
“undesirable’ were too shameful to me psychologically. For several After a few months of futile efforts
verbalize to anyone and eventually months I had been standing up to to intimidate, cajole, and shame me
became a self-fulfilling prophecy. him and yelling back at him. It all into cooperation, the drill instruc-
came to a head one Friday night as tors gave up and moved me to a
Further fueling the power of this he prepared to leave for the week- barracks with other miscreants for
relentless barrage of unbidden, un- end, things got physical and we about a month. We sat on the bar-
wanted, tortuous thoughts was the came to blows. He shouted, “you (Continued on page 32)


















International Pain Foundation—31

(Continued from page 31) a fifth of whiskey a night when my had 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns
shift ended–drinking until I passed on 20% of my body. Hospitalized
racks floor in front of our bunks all out or blacked out. And I saw to it for two weeks due to the risk of in-
day with nothing to do but read the that the liquor supply never ran out fection, the pain was excruciating,
New Testament or meditate in si- because I drank the cheap stuff right as every day they put me in a whirl-
lence. Communication was not al- out of the bottle. No bar tabs or $5 pool and scrubbed the scar tissue off
lowed except at chow time. Two shots for me. $5 fifths were my ve- that would have prevented the burns
weeks later, they sent me home with hicles to inebriation. I just wanted from healing properly. I still cringe
a bus ticket and a Convenience of my medicine. No matter how bad it when I see burn victims. And both
Government Discharge. That was a tasted or how isolated I was. of my legs bear significant scarring
happy ending. An active alcoholic to remind me of this near-death ex-
with untreated bipolar disorder One day I went into work still perience.
would have been nothing but a bur- slightly drunk/hung over and man-
den to them. At that point in my life, aged to fall into the 1600-gallon Without my “medicine,” and some
I lacked the tools to navigate the re- tank filled with 200-degree concen- conventional therapy that was of
alities of day to day civilian life, trated sodium hydroxide. The little help. I went back to working as
much less the rigors of the Marines. “cleaner” was used to strip the a machine operator making $8/hour,
grease off metal parts that we plated performing tasks a monkey could be
Not long after I returned from the with zinc and was the type of a solu- trained to do. Anxiety-ridden, hiding
Marines, my future wife and I tion that the Mafia could use to my knowledge and ability to articu-
moved in together. After a year, I make a dead body disintegrate. By a late (so as to fit in with my poorly
had quit school and started a very miracle of God, when I slipped on educated co-workers), and tortured
under-employed “career” working in the edge of the tank, I went in feet to my mental and emotional limits
machine shops. We flew to Vegas to first rather than head first and some- by my obsessions, compulsions, and
get married, which contradicted all how emerged alive. ruminations fed by my repetitive,
her family’s beliefs and defied all solitary work, hour after hour, day
their wishes. I ended up staying ex- As I desperately grabbed the lip of after day, week after week, I was so
tremely drunk most of the time we the tank, hoisted myself out, and immiserated that I began slipping
were there and met a fellow dis- flipped myself out of the near boil- down the rabbit hole of clinical de-
charged miscreant from the MCRD ing lye soap and onto solid ground, pression.
who supplied me with cocaine. My the only other employee was work-
new wife was, to say the least, ing that night happened to be com- I headed to a nice facility covered
“displeased.” ing down the stairs. He got the hose by insurance, so there were many
and started dowsing me with fresh kind professional people and oppor-
Ultimately, I got a job making more water to rinse away the chemicals tunities to get various types of help,
money, but it was still hard, hot, that were still eating my flesh. When with the exception of my psychia-
dirty, dangerous work that involved I removed my socks, layers of skin trist. After several days (in what lat-
a lot of heavy lifting in a sweatshop, peeled off my heals and ankles. My er would seem like a 5-star hotel),
production environment with a co-worker rushed me to Trinity Lu- he rendered his “brilliant, highly
group of older men hardened by theran Hospital where they immedi- professional and incredibly ethical
years of this type of labor and envi- ately threw me into a cold shower in opinion.” He said that I “had a shitty
ronment. I lasted a year and a half at the ER to wash away the rest of the personality” and wasn’t mentally ill.
this metal plating facility. chemical. That was one of the most
unbearable 15 minutes of my life, as While my illness probably manifest-
My drinking progressed to the ex- it felt like someone was running a ed itself in shitty ways, telling a
tent that I was completely absent blow torch up and down the chemi- mentally ill person they are defec-
from our marriage and finishing off cal burns and scalding my legs. I tive rather than sick serves to starve


















32—iPain Living Magazine

their already anemic sense of self- school district. I changed jobs work was my only socialization
worth and snuffs out nearly all again, landing the one where I am and the only three people with
hope. still working as I scribble this testi- whom I was truly connected were
mony. Today, it’s 17 years on this my therapist, my son, and my 96-
Around the time of my stint in the job. Two promotions. One into a year-old grandfather, whom I
psychiatric hospital, our beautiful supervisory role. One into mid- called every night. Dark night of
twin sons had been born and were level management that involves the soul. Rock bottom. Spiritual
about 6 months old. The pressures marketing and operations instead of wilderness. Call it what you will. I
of work, impending fatherhood (for collections. With God, all things was there.
which I was about as well- are possible.
equipped as a school bus is to fly to Untreated bipolar disorder is hell.
the moon), school, marriage, and Then suddenly, without warning, A grizzled veteran of the relentless
home-ownership converged to the train crashed. My feelings of roller coaster of this deadly illness
throw me into my first manic epi- invincibility, elation, and grandios- and of alcoholism, I (barely) sur-
sode, though I didn’t recognize it ity were pulverized on impact. My vived for 43 years. But today I
as such at the time. mania dissipated, ebbed, burst, thrive, thanks to therapy, medica-
went away, or whatever it does. I tion, a strong support network, per-
Yet, that was just a beginning. And was left feeling like a person with sonal recovery tools, AA, and my
in some ways, the worst was yet to “normal capacity” facing the hercu- Higher Power.
come. In working with this won- lean tasks that I had created for
derful woman, I used the tools and myself. I felt like the Earth had My avocation and purpose are to
direction she gave me to become a crumbled beneath my feet and I help those who are still suffering
reasonably stable, productive mem- was in free-fall into a dark and bot- from mental illness or addiction.
ber of society again. I faced one of tomless abyss. I was terrified. And And I do so in a number of ways in
my biggest fears. I was terrified of at the same time tormented by the my community and online.
trying to get a job that offered rea- chaos, turmoil, and intense pressure
sonable compensation in exchange I had inflicted upon others and my- For the complete story go to:
for responsibility and intellectual self. https://bipolarisbeautiful.com/
challenge. I had almost zero faith
that I could articulate, problem Once the mania train came to a
solve, and think on my feet. So, screeching, bone-jarring halt, its
what did I do? I got a job at a col- nefarious twin demon, depression,
lection agency as an account man- reared its ugly head. It was like
ager. My social anxiety, newly nothing I had experienced in my
minted skill of asserting myself, life. For a couple of agonizing
introversion, and low self-esteem months, I had a ball of anxiety-fed
were sorely tested by the rigors and fire in my belly, but my overall
stresses of dealing with people who state of being was one of complete
owed money they didn’t want to and utter deflation with a depressed
pay. Yet the pain birthed a sense of undertone. My “indomitable” will
confidence AND a career for me. had met its match. My drive to get
back up and keep fighting was
Our marriage went on for several gone. I wasn’t suicidal. I just didn’t
years. The twins came over on a feel that I had the inner strength to
regular basis. We moved to a nicer keep going. And to top it all off, I
area, so our son could be in a good had isolated myself to the point that


















International Pain Foundation—33

Good pain management starts with too quickly. Addiction is when the
great communication between the patient has lost control over use of Prep and organize before ap-
patient and their healthcare provid- the medication and continues to use pointments. The more prepared and
ers. You and the members of your it even when the medication is do- organized you are with your care
healthcare team are partners in man- ing them or others harm. People the better care you can achieve. The
aging your pain. Here are some top who are addicted engage in accepta- better you communicate the more
tips to help that partnership work ble behaviors like obtaining pain relief you can obtain and the better
well from iPain Team Members! medications from non-medical your daily living will be. — Barby
sources or altering oral formulations Ingle
Be Honest and Open with your of medications. Don’t be afraid to
caregivers and healthcare team. get help if you do believe you are Write down questions as you
Keeping a pain journal can help you having trouble with addiction. — think of them. You have no reason
to be embarrassed to talk about any
communicate with your medical Ken Taylor
team. — Glen Shurtz particular symptom you are experi-
Make sure you understand your encing. Your provider needs to
Know the difference between tol- responsibilities and ask for expla- know if you are having trouble with
erance, dependence, and addic- nations. How many times have you nausea or even urinary leakage. If
tion. Tolerance is when a medica- left your providers office and said ‘I you don’t understand what the pro-
tion becomes less effective over- forgot to tell them about my poor vider is telling you, ask them to re-
time. Physical dependence is when digestion’. Between appointments explain it in common terms or write
the patient develops symptoms and you can jot down your most im- it down so that you can go home
signs of withdrawal (sweating, rapid portant questions and concerns so and research the topic. — Marbeth
heart rate, nausea, diarrhea, anxiety, that you will have a list next time Levy
etc.) when the medication is sud- you visit your provider. This can
denly stopped or dose is lowered help guide the conversation. — Bar- For more information visit:
bara Black, C.Ht www.internationalpain.org

34—iPain Living Magazine

International Pain Foundation—35

A surprising 14% of adults below the way to do so is by focusing on activity that remains the same on
the age of 40 report that they have that general health. both good and bad days, recovery
regular issues with their memory. is much quicker. Slowly increas-
Instances of brain fog increase to a Not Overdoing It ing the level of both. Over time
staggering 85% for those with pain sees far better results than the feast
disorders such as fibromyalgia. For many years there was a worry and famine model that is prone to
Cognitive impairment in the form that those with chronic conditions constant setbacks and crashes.
of poor concentration, losing could become conditioned to ac-
thoughts, difficulty accessing vo- cept bed rest and as such would Healthy Mind In A
cabulary and general poor mental never recover if allowed to simply Healthy Body
focus is commonly known as brain rest. Even today there is a very
fog. This fog is common to all mixed message regarding activity
forms of chronic pain disorder levels and chronic conditions, but By looking after your general
such as chemotherapy, fibromyal- the answer is actually very simple; health you take the pressure off
gia, CFS and injury recovery. do no more on a good day than your body. Chronic pain and the
you would on a bad. Conditions related fatigue that cause brain fog
Research has shown that the link such as CFS are cyclical in nature take an enormous toll on the body.
between the pain and fog may not meaning that those with the condi- By adding any additional issues
be direct but could, in fact, be due tion will have both good and bad you will tax it further and make it
to a lack of effective sleep and rest days. The temptation very much is significantly harder to find the en-
caused by the pain. With many to achieve as much as possible on ergy needed to concentrate. A
chronic conditions having at least a good day before a crash follows. healthy diet is the foundation of
a partial psychosomatic element to good mental and physical health.
them, the depression and frustra- Even in other conditions such as
tion that can accompany this fog cancer treatment or fibromyalgia It is best to ignore any fads and
does little to help those diagnosed there can be a temptation to get as instead focus on getting a good
with a pain condition. By helping much done as possible on positive balance of nutrients that avoids
to reduce poor concentration those days. In fact the opposite is true. being too high in carbohydrates.
with chronic pain can help their By trying to maintain a less ambi- Make sure that your diet it diverse
overall health; and in many cases tious level of concentration and and gets its proteins from a variety




36—iPain Living Magazine

Routines and endless lists have
been shown to have a positive effect
for those struggling with cognitive
problems. Keep your keys in the
same place, write out your routines
and tick them off, and have every-
thing you need organized into bas-
kets or drawers. Simple steps can
of sources such as meat, dairy, poul- have big effects.
try and fish.
While you keep your key tasks as
By maintaining diversity you help to routine as possible, it is important to
ensure that all major vitamins, min- vary the rest of your day as much as
erals and amino acids are part of you can. Changing something as
your intake, but you also help to simple as the route you take to your
stimulate your brain. Toxins such as doctors, will increase your cerebral
alcohol, recreational drugs and to- stimulation, helping to keep your
bacco may give a momentary allevi- brain active. New activity creates
ation from your symptoms but in the new neural links in your mind
long run they simply give more for which, in turn, causes an increase in
your body to do and ultimately will your level of alertness.
cause a greater brain fog.
Living with chronic pain is tiring,
Brain Exercise And Sup- yet it can also ensure that you can’t
port sleep properly when you should. The
impact of the pain and tiredness can
be deeply depressing and lead to
For some, the idea of overcoming a those who have such conditions get-
brain fog is more about remember- ting lost in the fog of their minds.
ing even the most routine of things, By reducing the pressure on your
rather than reaching the dizzying body by staying as healthy as possi-
heights of being able to write or hold ble, not overdoing things, making
a conversation. daily tasks routine and varying all
other aspects of your day, you can
When it is at its worst brain fog can help punch through the fog. Brain
be truly crippling. Even if your fog training exercises and mindful medi-
is very variable it still pays divi- tation have also been proven to be
dends to set as much up as possible tremendously effective but they re-
to support your brain and memory. quire a degree of concentration to
By taking the pressure off yourself get started with. Take the baby steps
for routine tasks, you free up your first and, when ready, move onto to
mind to focus on more challenging the greater challenges and the re-
things.
wards they will bring.


International Pain Foundation—37

Being a caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimer’s
entails a great deal of work and planning. Caregivers
need to ensure their homes are safe for their loved
ones, especially because patients with this type of
dementia tend to wander, have difficulty sleeping,
and can become confused easily. Preparing and
improving your home as early as possible will
help you provide better care for your loved one
with Alzheimer’s disease.

Set to Work as Soon
as Your Loved One is
Diagnosed

When your loved one is diagnosed with Alz-
heimer’s, immediately set to work preparing
your home to make it safe. Many times, Alzhei-
mer’s patients’ minds and bodies are affected by
the disease, and they have difficulty using their
judgment, having a sense of time and place, main-
taining their balance, and using their senses as they
once did. They also easily become confused, suspi-
cious, or fearful. The Alzheimer’s Association
points out that your loved one’s abilities will
change as the disease progresses: the sooner you
prepare for those changes, the better.

To make your home as safe as possible for
your loved one as they experiences these
difficulties, take precautions to secure
hazardous areas, equipment, and









38—iPain Living Magazine

supplies, such as garages or base- make arrangements before your Ensure You Have
ments that contain chemicals and emotions take over. You both will Adequate Lighting
cleaning supplies and kitchens that have peace of mind knowing that
contain knives and other sharp you will honor their wishes and do Alzheimer’s patients need adequate
utensils and appliances like blend- your best to provide loving care as lighting to help prevent falls; in
ers. long as possible. fact, people with the disease have
an increased risk of falling because
Organize your home so that each Improve Bathroom of vision challenges and issues
item has its own space, and store Safety with balance. One study found that
potentially hazardous items in seniors with Alzheimer’s disease
locked cabinets or drawers. It’s al- Bathrooms are dangerous places are three times more likely to have
so important to check your smoke because of slippery surfaces, elec- hip fractures than those without the
detectors and carbon monoxide de- trical appliances, and hot water. disease. Thus, you need to take
tectors and make sure they have The Mayo Clinic offers several tips steps to prevent your loved one
fresh batteries and are in working for improving bathroom safety, in- from falling. In addition to in-
order. Post emergency numbers cluding installing grab bars by the stalling non-skid strips in the bath-
near your phone or program them toilet and bathtub and in the show- room, ensure you have adequate
into your smartphone. Also, make er. Also, install non-skid strips or lighting throughout your home.
sure you have working fire extin- mats in the tub and shower and on
guishers in your garage, kitchen, the floor near the tub, shower, toi- Bright lights in bathrooms, hall-
and basement. let, and sink to help prevent falls. ways, and kitchens are a must, as
are nightlights throughout the
As you prepare your home for your Reduce your water heater’s tem- house to illuminate dark areas at
loved one with Alzheimer’s, you perature to below 120 degrees night. Also, add lighting to stair-
should also help them plan for the Fahrenheit to prevent burns and ways to help prevent falls.
future before their disease pro- place a soft faucet cover on the
gresses. Have a conversation with bathtub spigot to prevent injury if As an Alzheimer’s caregiver, you
them about end-of-life wishes and your loved one falls. Put childproof must secure your home and make it
care expectations, especially in re- latches on bathroom cabinets and safe for your loved one. You will
gards to their changing needs as the drawers to prevent your loved one provide better care when you know
disease progresses. While it may be from accessing cleaning products, your home is safe. Begin preparing
difficult to have this discussion, it hygiene products, razors, and elec- your home as soon as your loved
is important to do so while your trical appliances. one is diagnosed with the disease,
loved one is able, so you can un- take safety precautions in your
derstand their perspective and bathroom, and install adequate
lighting throughout your home.





International Pain Foundation—39

40—iPain Living Magazine

International Pain Foundation—41

sure you keep advocating for your-
self until you get that help.

If you are a healthcare provider that
hasn’t heard of this disease, listen to
your patient. If you don’t know what
it is, your patient is telling you what
is wrong with them. Be open-minded
to new diseases, no provider can
know everything in healthcare.
Working with the patient rather than
coming from a more domineering
approach can be beneficial to the
Brianna Cardenas, PA-C, ATC is it the more it took away from her patient and help build your practice
living with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and more difficult it was to cope. So, and expertise. This is how we will
– Hypermobility Type. She also has she chooses to live positive and hap- bridge the gap in knowledge and
a cerebral spinal fluid leak and crani- py for good days and good moments. care long-term.
al cervical instability. Primarily she
is super flexible, which at first was She went to college to become an Brianna uses music therapy to cope.
amazing for her. She was able to athletic trainer. During her physical Her favorite group is Above and Be-
play sports as a youth and do yoga therapy rotation one of her instruc- yond. She most likes their song, My
classes in college. The flexibility tors actually saw her limping and Own Hymn. When her spinal fluid
was actually an asset. Slowly as her stretching her back often. After ex- leak was very severe and she could-
connective tissues and joints have amination, he realized that her hip n’t even stand without passing out,
broken down, she began to have pain was actually out of socket. After a she helped manage her moments
in her back, knees and shoulders in table adjustment she instantly felt with the music as her mantra to keep
addition to multiple dislocations. 70% relief. After standing back up pushing through. She believed it
her hip subluxed once again. She saved her life to draw on the positiv-
By the time she was 23 she had al- worked with that physical therapist ity in the song, have a connection
ready had 4 surgeries (knee x2 and for another year to gain improve- with people, and remember all the
shoulder x2) to increase stability and ments. good times she had had at music fes-
help the joints line up. To get tivals when she was more able bod-
through these challenges she also She suggest, if you are a patient ied and went dancing.
does a lot of meditation, mindfulness struggling with pain, hang in there.
training, physical therapy, coping Keep fighting for yourself. It doesn’t To Brianna, hope is not something
mechanisms and has taken pain matter how many doctors you have tangible. Its something that can
medications. She found that the pain to go to, until you find someone who come in any form but it starts inside.
medications were not as helpful for will work with you and help figure Hope is really the only true thing
her as other treatment options. out what the best care is for you, that is going to continue to drive you
Chronic pain affects Brianna daily. don’t stop. You need a team of pro- and pull you. Hope is the thing that
fessionals to be with you in your will keep you grounded and keep
Brianna works to stay positive and corner, so keep looking for resources you fighting for what you need most,
find the silver lining of each chal- and get the help you need. Find the to continue to take the best care of
lenge. Living with a chronic pain resources in your community and yourself that you can.
condition takes a lot away but the online. There are a whole bunch of
more she focused on the dark side of providers who want to help, so make

42—iPain Living Magazine

injections, uses CBD and mariju-
ana. She wasn’t into the marijua-
na at first as it didn’t fit her
brand, but it gave her so much life
back, that there was no denying
that it helps for her.

She was able to start doing regu-
lar life activities, build her mus-
cles back up, and help her nerves
calm down. Nicole uses a bio-
psycho-social approach with heal-
ing the mind, body, and spirit for
Nicole Arbour has been diag- disorder from the pain she faced the best outcomes.
nosed with multiple medical con- daily and that created a cycle of
ditions including fibromyalgia, pain that took six years to finally Of her whole life she is most sat-
post-concussion syndrome, get to a provider who was able to isfied right now with getting into
chronic migraines, tmj, SI joint look at the big picture and help advocating for herself and others
dysfunction, sciatica, neck and her. to get the care they need. Nicole
lower back injuries, chronic fa- believes it comes down to how
tigue and depression. She works The Rothbart Centre For Pain many people she can impact with
daily to get through the pain so Care in Toronto, Canada was the her story and getting others to
she doesn’t like the labels. first to say, lets address all of share their story.
your challenges from head to toe.
A lot of her chronic pain came They were the first providers in Being a real human is part of her
from a car accident. At first, they the 6 years that said, we can help pain story. She wants people to
said, we know you hit your head, you. impact others and change the
you have a concussion. Some- world through advocacy work. If
thing happened in your back, we The doctor there let her know that you need to make a change, shift
are not sure what yet. she had to be an actively engaged perspective, she says.
patient who was invested and did
The biggest challenge she faced the work to recover. It took so Sharing her story was not easy or
in learning to manage the pain long to get past the providers who pretty, but it is important work.
was being prescribed pain medi- just wanted to give her pills that She loves seeing peoples respons-
cations that covered up the symp- masked the symptoms. Once she es to her advocacy work and see-
toms, verses actually having treat- took the treatment into her own ing them open up to then share
ment. hands and took responsibility, she their own stories.
finally was able to get some re-
She believes the delay in care was lief. The more we share our pain sto-
so long that her physical condi- ries the more we can work
tion worsened. The pain wors- The first thing that worked to help through it and not have stigma or
ened. The conditions compound- Nicole manage the pain was fear attached to it.
ed with undertreatment. changing her mindset. She had to
believe that she was getting better To Nicole, hope is being
When you can’t sleep, your body and that she was going to feel bet- honest and allowing other
can’t heal. She developed a sleep ter. She went through nerve block people to be honest.


International Pain Foundation—43

living and using her healing tools.
She uses many alternative medical
treatments including acupuncture,
cannabis, massage, physical therapy,
aquatic therapy and music therapy.

One of the International Pain Foun-
dation projects is Music Moves
Awareness. Amanda uses the pro-
grams theme song – HOPE IS
TRUE and other music to get herself
moving which is very beneficial for
her joints that are affected by the
arthritis. Sometimes being in so
Amanda “LAlupusLady” Greene is look how she feels, so she uses much pain the music is what gets her
living life with osteoarthritis, rheu- makeup hair and dressing up as a moving and mentally in a more posi-
matoid arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia, mask to help keep her pain challeng- tive place to better cope with the
antiphospholipid antibody syndrome es invisible. For her its not a sign of pain she lives with.
and other auto immune diseases. Be- weakness, it’s a sign of “I wish I
ing that once you develop one auto- could, but I can’t, my body just She also loves Lady Gaga and all
immune disorder it is likely to devel- won’t let me. So, I will make the that she stands for as well as using
op more. Her providers are keeping best of it by controlling what I can”. her music as a healing tool. As a
a close eye on her since initial diag- woman with lupus and osteoarthro-
nosis in 1983 at the age of 15. She finds herself apologizing for sis Amanda is especially motivated
things that she has no control over by the song JOANNE and the world
It was shortly after being diagnosed and has seen first hand that keeping tour under the namesake, which is
with Lupus that she was also diag- friends that are not living with about Lady Gaga’s Aunt who passed
nosed with osteoarthritis. Osteoar- chronic pain themselves is very hard away from lupus complications at a
thritis affects an estimated 27 mil- because they don’t understand that young age.
lion Americans. The chance of de- the body just can’t do what we need
veloping the disease increases with as often as we would like. She likens Amanda shares that patients need
age. Most people over age 60 have it to when living with a disease that awareness, education, social sup-
osteoarthritis to some degree, but its is invisible, sometimes our friends ports, and access to care. She be-
severity varies. become invisible too. lieves that iPain is important because
it focuses on what the patients need.
For Amanda, everyday presents a Amanda’s super power is getting With so many living with chronic
different challenge. Scheduling is through one day at a time. If she can pain, this nonprofit and others like it
done with a pencil because a flare make it through today who knows are there doing for the pain commu-
can creep up at any time. A 1-hour what tomorrow will hold. She was nity what the pain patient may not
preparation for an activity can easily told that she would only live 5 to 7 physically be able to do on their
turn into three hours or cause her to years and here she is 36 years later own.
cancel the activity all together. still living life that was not promised
Sometimes she can’t move as fast as to her by anyone. As with anyone Amanda says, “when you are part of
the flare come. The pain affects her living with arthritis, the medicines the iPain Team, you know you are
every day and in every way. So just are not enough so Amanda has doing something”
many days Amanda doesn’t want to to use a multi-modality approach to



44—iPain Living Magazine

passes on helpful information and
research that has been passed on
to her and reminds her group
members that everyday there are
new tools being developed. She
reminds others that where you are
right now is not going to be where
you are in a year or five from now
or even a week from now. Life
with chronic pain changes minute
to minute. Never forget that each
good and bad moment is just that,
a moment in time. If this is a bad
Mrs. Kelly Brooks lives with mi- get through yet she pushes moment, work to make the next
graines, TMJ Disease, complex through and helps others through better starting with a positive atti-
regional pain syndrome, and gas- her advocacy efforts and as a par- tude and believe that you can ac-
troparesis. Living with chronic ent. The hardest challenge to over- complish something. It might take
pain has affected her life in many come was setting the expectation more time than expected or want-
ways. She used to be a participat- and teaching her children how to ed, but it is possible. It may not be
ing baseball mom, chasing balls, interact with her despite the pain. an easy journey, but when you get
and being very physically active. to the other side, there is nothing
Now she is at home most of the To help control and manage the like that feeling of accomplish-
time and most of her communica- pain and migraines, Kelly does ment.
tions with others is done through spinal blocks, takes seizure medi-
the computer and phone. cation and other medications to Kelly uses distraction techniques
help control the nerve pain. All of to help motivate others. She uses
Her first migraine hit while she these efforts help, but it had yet to the Pitch Perfect movies to remind
was in school and she will never take away all of the pain. For her her that pain community leaders
forget the overwhelming experi- it is a success to lower her pain are her flashlight. Being able to
ence. It was like being hit with a levels and manage through the get online and talk to others who
spotlight so bright it was not only pain. Taking the edge off can be have painsomnia or severe pain
painful but also caused her to very helpful to keep her going flares, knowing that you are not
begin vomiting. All of the bright with some daily activities. Even in alone, that the others can be your
lights and sounds are exacerbated pain she can still have a good day light and you there’s as each other
and it felt like her teacher was where she is up, celebrating and needs a light can be so impactful.
screaming at her. Her mom, who doing everything she can. Just seven years ago Kelly didn’t
also lives with migraines took think she would be where she is
Kelly to her doctor. He knew right When it comes to Kelly’s super- today. The bonding between pa-
away that it was migraines. power she draws on the inspira- tients who support one another is
tion of one of her mentors, Barby unlike any other support available.
One of the hardest parts for Kelly Ingle. With friends and a support It is needed and it has helped
to overcome, but she has, is ac- system you can get through any- Kelly achieve living even through
ceptance that her old life is gone. thing. Kelly runs a support group the worst of times. Always re-
She has had to learn pain manage- on Facebook where other patients member, Hope is True.
ment tools like pacing herself. now come to her for that same
This is not an easy challenge to hope, help and inspiration. She


International Pain Foundation—45

happy good morning from someone
else can sound like an insult. Also,
taking pain medications on a daily
basis can alter your mood and sexual
life as well. It’s so easy to give into
the pain or believe the pain can beat
you. Daniel says it may tear you
apart and break you down but don’t
give up because there is hope and
help! Reach out, somebody under-
stands, is going to listen, and is go-
ing to help you get your pain man-
aged.
Daniel Garza has been diagnosed officially admitted people with HIV
with HIV, anal cancer, tuberculous who are undetectable prevents sexu- Daniel’s health hero is his boyfriend.
and chronic pain. He has also over- al HIV transmission in October, He has his own set of issues, chal-
come colon cancer and now has an 2017. lenges and health problems. When
ostomy bag. Some of the medica- Daniel needed him most, he put
tions he has had to take for HIV, tu- In May 2015, he was diagnosed with aside his own needs to advocate for
berculous and cancer have caused anal cancer. Daniel has learned to Daniel and make sure he got every-
neuropathy pain and arthritis. He live with pain because it is invisible thing he needed. When Daniel was
now lives in daily pain. He was diag- and difficult to teach others what he diagnosed with cancer and going
nosed with HIV in September, 2000. is feeling because they can’t see it or through treatment, Christian was
At that time his diagnosis was AIDS understand it. He wants others with right there beside him. His boyfriend
because his numbers were so low. It pain to know they are not alone or didn’t complain he stepped up and
took a trial of multiple medications crazy. He wants you to keep advocated, putting all of his personal
before finding the one that helps fighting. For people working to get needs aside to take care of Daniel for
him. That process took 18 months. access to care, keep fighting, keep almost 2 years. The nurses and
Today he is undetectable. talking, go to doctors, go to every friends let Daniel know after he had
appointment. At some point some- completed treatment everything
An undetectable viral load means body will help you, hear you, Christian had done for him to make
that so few copies of the virus are acknowledge your pain and make a sure he got everything he needed. He
present in the blood that today's difference. The unfortunate thing became Daniel’s voice when he
monitoring tests are unable to detect about physical pain is that it also af- needed someone to speak and Daniel
them. Even with an undetectable vi- fects us emotionally and psychologi- couldn’t do it for himself. Daniel
ral load, however, an HIV-positive cally. hopes to pay him back, but these life
person still has the virus. There was moments are something you can
a landmark partner study which Pain doesn’t just affect you it affects never pay back. How do you repay
tracked HIV transmission risk everyone around you, how do you somebody for being your voice when
through condom-less sex. The study thank those people who were there you can’t speak? You pay it back by
found that if the HIV-positive part- to stand up and speak up for you saying, “hey I love you and you are
ner is on suppressive antiretroviral when you are not able? Pain affects my hero”. Daniel believes hope is
medication so far found not even one your mood, your energy, the way when, no matter how sad he gets,
case of an HIV-positive person with you speak to those around you, the how lonely he feels, how hurt his
an undetectable viral load transmit- way you receive information. When body is, he doesn’t give up.
ting the virus to a partner. The CDC Daniel is having a bad day, even a



46—iPain Living Magazine

They did stop the medicine, and
she began to react in a good way.
“I started...to feel better. It seems
like a lie, it sounds funny but after
those big surgeries and stopping
the medicines from the doctors, I
felt better. But it was hard for me
because it all started as if I was a
baby.” She had to start with physi-
cal therapy. They started to show
her how to walk. “I was in a
wheelchair. I had to use a cane.
My caregiver was always with
Alma Cedillo is a cancer survivor me. It was difficult for me because
of 16 years and she lives with At the moment of starting treat- I always had to ask for help. And
chronic pain around the clock. She ment for the cancer, Alma discov- to ask for help made me feel use-
shares that it is difficult to live ered that she is allergic to the less.” Later she changed her think-
with this pain. “It takes a lot of medications that the doctors give ing and realized that she had very
effort for me to get up in the her. “I can’t take any medication important reasons to carry on –
morning and take care of all of my for pain. So, I investigated a little her three granddaughters. “They
chores. It is not the same as before and what has helped me is medi- give me strength, energy and
cancer.” cal marijuana ointments, and courage to move forward.”
drops. These have helped me a
She found out that she had breast little to lower the level of pain but For other treatment options, she
cancer after having a lot of pain in it does not take it away complete- likes mindfulness. “I like to listen
her left breast and a lump near her ly. It has been very difficult for to meditation music a lot. It relax-
heart. “I told the doctor that I have me to discover this, because at es me. I prefer always to be re-
a lot of pain and he told me you first, I had a lot of pain. I went to laxed, because my life is a bit
are very young. I asked if he could the emergency room and what stressful. Therefore, I prefer to
please do a mammogram because they gave me was strong drugs for listen to something that relaxes
I feel a lot of pain, and he told me pain that made me worse. me. I love Vangelis. I listen to
not yet because you are very Vangelis and a lot of meditation
young. Therefore, in that moment I fig- music. That is what I like.”
ured out that the medicine was
Until I told him, I can’t stand it harming me.” So, when they did For Alma, hope is to get up and do
anymore. The pain is too intense. the operation for the cancer, she the thing that she loves most,
He performed a mammogram and felt like she was dying from the which is being a makeup artist.
gave me the bad news that I had doctor’s drugs. Until she spoke She is a person that believes a lot
stage 3 cancer.” It was very diffi- with her doctor and told him no in hope and that is why she be-
cult for her at that moment all she more medicine. The doctor was lieves she is here. “I believe that
saw was black as if the world concerned because she had things are going to be better. If we
stopped. Alma could think of wounds in her body from the can- don’t have hope, I don’t think that
nothing else but her children. cer treatments and wanted to help we can do anything. For me it is
They were very small. When the control the pain. Alma told him very important to have
doctors told her, it changed her she couldn’t take that medicine. hope.”
life!



International Pain Foundation—47

signed herself to believe that this
was going to be the rest of her life
and she would just find a way to
deal with the pain. Finally, Bri-
anna’s mother convinced her to try
one more time. It turned out to be
life changing for Brianna.

This was the first time that a doctor
had asked very detailed questions,
and really took the time to hear
what was going on and offer a plan
of action to help manage the symp-
toms, including the pain. This one
Brianna Capers is living with sickle are appropriate times to focus on the provider gave Brianna life, but even
cell disease (type SS) and chronic pain and other times that you must more important, HOPE!
regional pain syndrome (type 1). bring other life activities into focus.
Chronic pain is a part of her daily For Brianna, its all about focus and Brianna had lost hope for a long
life. She takes life as it comes be- perspective to live the best life you time because she didn’t have an-
cause living with two different can as a pain patient. swers. Once she had a provider
chronic pain diseases it can over- willing to be on her team she was
take your life if you let it. She recalls a time in middle school able to get answers, create a treat-
where she was not able to walk. Bri- ment plan, and move forward with a
She uses a compartmentalization anna used the assistive devices of a more positive and hopeful life.
technique to get through the physi- walker and wheelchair to be mobile.
cal, psychological, and emotional She would fall often and needed a This also helped her mother become
challenges that living with pain nurse’s aide for her time in school. a better caregiver and help even
brings on. This is a coping skill she Her mother took her to many doc- more with the challenges of living
learned growing up over the years. tors. The doctors would say that the with sickle cell disease and chronic
symptoms were all imagined with pain. Brianna keeps herself busy
She chose to push through the pain some saying it was all sickle cell volunteering for multiple organiza-
to get living and then deal with the symptoms. tions and sharing her journey. Other
flares when she could not push pain coping techniques for Brianna
through anymore. Many of the doctors told her to ‘just are eating good foods, reading, and
suck it up and deal with it’. They watch comedy movies. Her and her
She does this to get the business of believed that there was nothing that mom use these activities to distract
life taken care of so that the pain they could do to help her. She got from the pain.
doesn’t take over her entire being. the point of not wanting to go to see
Daily life for her consisted of going another doctor. Her mom kept To Brianna, hope is waking up eve-
to school, doctor’s appointments, searching for answers and help. ryday knowing it can be better than
long hospital stays. Her mother did the day before. Tomorrow wont be
a lot of the physical work for her One day her mom came to her and as bad as today and 5-10 years
over the years. said, please come to one more doc- down the line you will be in an even
tor. At first Brianna resisted. She different place.
She learned these coping skills from didn’t want to go and hear the same
her mother. She learned that there things all over again. She had re-


48—iPain Living Magazine

the sudden Lynne realized that she
had a disease that was very seri-
ous and that she must not ignore it
any longer. It was a physiological
problem, she had not imagined it
all these years. She knew she
could overcome everything she
had been through, and anything to
come. This turned out to be a de-
fining moment in her life. When-
ever things got really bad with her
health after this, she could pep
talk herself. Sometimes its not
Lynne Matallana has lived with Within about two years of diagno- easy and you can feel hopeless,
pain since the age of 7. She has sis, Lynne had to stop working. helpless and miserable but know-
been diagnosed with more than 20 She went to bed. She had given up ing what it was and that she had
chronic pain conditions including on trying to ignore the pain and made it through so much already
interstitial cystitis. The conditions finally started seeking out provid- gave her hope and help back. She
are fluid in nature and therefore ers who were able to address the learned that depression is real and
you go through flares with differ- types of pain and other symptoms also part of a biological and emo-
ing symptoms but the pain is al- she was having. She had to see 27 tional response to losing physical
ways there. Lynne was raised not providers before she was dialoged abilities due to pain, but it too can
to speak of her pain. She had to with interstitial cystitis. One of the be addressed and overcome.
just pull herself up by the boot- providers told her that her life
straps and deal with it the best she would be a living hell another said So much new research is being
could. he would be her coach and help developed to come up with cures,
her get to a manageable point with solutions and treatment options.
It wasn’t until she became an the pain. She would have to work What we have learned about the
adult and was experiencing a lot hard and do her part as an empow- brain, chemicals, processes, in-
of pelvic pain and challenges with ered patient. Together her and the flammation has led to many new
her menstrual cycles that she provider could make it livable and innovative treatments, making us
turned to professional help and manageable if she would be an stronger in our approaches to
started to get answers. At the time active part of her treatment team. treating pain in a whole new way.
she knew that there was problems He said one thing that made all the Interstitial cystitis is very difficult
with her gut and bladder but pro- difference. “You will get better”. to diagnose. It affects both men
viders didn’t look at things that He could not promise how much and women, and it is a very pain-
they did not understand. If the or when but working together she ful disturbing disease that we need
symptoms didn’t match the condi- would have improvements. This to work on for better diagnosis
tions they knew about they just gave Lynne hope for the first time processes and meaningful treat-
ignored them so Lynne grew to at the age of 39 years old. ments.
just ignore a lot of the symptoms
as well. Or, at least not talk about It was a lot of years of living with To Lynne, hope is knowing that
the pain. pain, feeling guilty, wanting to there is always something better
please her family and never being ahead!
If you have pain, it needs to be able to overcome the pain on her
treated. It needs to be dealt with. own without complaining. All of


International Pain Foundation—49

50—iPain Living Magazine