Distraction from Pain

By Optomistic Jean Tuesday, March 27, 2007

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I have been living with pain for 11 years and one of the most important things to do is to find ways to distract yourself from the pain. I'm interested in what you all do to accomplish this. I mainly do 2 things. I craft and also do relaxation CD's. The CD's allow me to craft more. I really try very hard to take care of myself and the pain so I can enjoy the rest of my day.

What do you do? This is the latest quilted wallhanging that I've completed.

Intrathecal pump

Comments (7) | Add comment

DebV

3/27/07 7:30am

Thanks for the reminder- I'm best when distracted and worse when I dwell on pain or feel sorry for myself. I was knitting last year but my neck hasn't allowed it this year. I like comedies, talking with friends, shopping, eating (not all good distractions) and taking rides on my day off- preferably near the ocean. Hopefully i'll be able to garden and sail this summer but it is a day at a time! thanks for your upbeat sharing!- Deb

Bekah

3/27/07 1:26pm

Your quilt is awesome! What talent you have!

Distraction is a great thing for me. I like to bead, I make lots of bracelets and necklaces and I sell them online with a site called Etsy and I also sell on Ebay. You can see my Etsy site here
http://devinityinmotion.etsy.com

I also like photography, my camera is like a permanent fixture on my body. LOL. I take it to all the concerts I attend, trips, etc. I have an online gallery too if you want to have a look
http://luxuria.smugmug.com

My pets also help me a lot. My Pug is always by my side day and night. He's like my furry little shadow. We go for our daily walks and then of course I have my music. I listen to rock mostly (especially 80's!) but do have some more easy listening that I enjoy as well like Rufus Wainwright.

Decorating my house I find very enjoyable too as well as gardening. I can't wait to get out there and start for the spring! Pansies are my favourite. We are fencing our back yard this spring/summer so I'm looking forward to getting out there and tearing it up! LOL. My plan is to have no lawn, all patio and gardens.

Hugs,

Bekah

Karen Lee Richards, Health Guide

3/27/07 7:21pm

Beautiful wall hanging! Thanks for sharing it.

You're so right about the importance of keeping our minds focused on something besides our pain.

I spend most of my time writing which is both my job and my pleasure. If I really want to get lost in something else, I work on a graphic design project. Hours can go by without me even noticing the time or the pain. When I sit down to watch TV, I'm usually also doing a crossword or playing a game on my PDA. I find if I can keep both my mind and my hands busy, I'm less likely to notice the pain.

Thanks for starting this excellent discussion!

Karen Lee

Anonymous

3/27/07 11:46pm

wow! That is so beautiful! I always wanted to learn how to quilt! Maybe now is the time to learn. I have been suffering from pain due to Tmj and Ra. The road has been very rocky for me and my husband. I also try to do artistic things when in pain. I never realized that I had a talent for art untill I started to be in pain. You my dear are a true artist! I love the idea of making something beautiful to help cope with the ugliness the pain is!

Keep the optomistic outlook Jean and keep creating beautiful pieces of art! One stitch at a time!

Optomistic Jean

3/28/07 2:59pm

Thanks to all of you who responded to my post. It is so nice to meet others that want to make the most out of their lives. Besides quilting, I like to scrapbook, make greeting cards, do counted cross stitch and needle point, bead, but only for short times. I can usually craft for about a hour a day. My other great joy is to go for walks. For years, I was unable to do that and now that I can go for walks again, I feel so fortunate. I often walk from 1-3 miles a day. I am so blessed. Besides another wall hanging quilt, I am working on a small purse, a deacon's stole for a friend that will be ordained soon, and Easter cards for my 4 grandsons. I also spend about 2 hours a day reading and 1 hour a day doing relaxation CD. I don't do any hours work and very little cooking. I'm blessed with a very supportive and understanding husband. As you can see I have a rather full day and count my blessings for every day

Nicole

3/29/07 1:33pm

What a great screen name!!! You truly are the ultimate optomist! Thank you for sharing your story and words of advice. We could all learn a lot from you! I look forward to seeing more of you on this site. :-)

Nicole

Jenn B.

4/ 2/07 11:09pm

Hi Jean,

Thanks for the reminder :) I too depend on distraction to get me through the day. Most of my time is occupied by school/work and also volunteering. I think it's essential to do something you love. I have found something I'm passionate about and have decided to make a living out of it. When I'm doing my craft, I don't see time or feel pain. It does come back twice as strong the minute I stop though, but it's well worth it. I also do photography, colouring, and I write poetry.

Thanks!

Jenn

Distraction from Pain

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