Andy@APF

Health Interests

Neck pain,  back pain,  fibromyalgia,  breast cancer

Drugs I am Taking

Whatever my doctor and I choose to be the best for me

About Me

I am a volunteer patient advocate for the American Pain Foundation. In sharing my story, I hope to improve the lives of other folks who are going through tough times. Having lived with chronic pain since early adulthood, you could say I understand what it's like to live with the compromises and everyday challenges that comes with having a body that doesn't always cooperate. My career as a graphic designer ended about 5 years ago after my body simply couldn't take it anymore (surgeries, cancer, pain). Now, I'm trying to rediscover art on my own terms: both as a distraction from pain, and to communicate my feelings about it. I also love to sing (folk music), and through singing with others, have found joy to be the best analgesic around. In the past year I've been working with psychiatric and cancer patients, sharing art and music activities that I hope lifts their spirits and aids healing. My advocacy efforts help me to keep things in perspective, and add purpose to my days. I try to maintain a balance in my life: not allowing pain to hang like a cloud above my head. I take medication to manage the persistent and break-through pain, exercise in a warm water pool, try to employ stress management techniques, have some fun and work with my health care team to manage other symptoms. By putting one foot in front of the other, one day at a time, I'm making a new life for myself that includes a lot more than chronic pain.