This article was submitted by Michele and is in the running to win a prize, as are all the articles this week at How to Cope with Pain.  See how you can enter to win prizes!

Michele writes…

I’ve never written anything on my pain before, but something happened recently that’s prompting me to share.  I’ve been dealing with persistent, increasing pain from degenerating disk disease for more than 7 years.  It’s something I just live with and have been making peace with for about four years.  I never thought it had taught me anything until the other day when I had to have part of a toenail removed.

You know the torture they show in the movies, when somebody gets a nail pulled off?  Well, that’s mild compared to how it really feels.  Once I was back up walking around, with my toe all bandaged up, I had good-hearted people giving me all kinds of advice about how to handle the pain, how to manage my foot so the pain doesn’t get worse, etc.

While their ideas and thoughts were heart-felt and well meaning, most of the ideas were nothing new to me.  In fact, I realized, through the whole thing, just how much I know about managing pain and living with little interruptions that pain causes in my day-to-day life.  And even more, how much pain I really am used to handling!

I joked with my husband how much I would give to have the pain of this little toe be my only issue.  But it also pointed out to me that I really have become good at dealing with the little irritants that we all may deal with in time.  As my younger sister recently pointed out, “We’re all going to have to face our growing limitations, as we baby boomers continue to age.  You’re just way ahead of the game!”

So while I wouldn’t wish a pain condition on anybody, I can say that I’m stronger and better equipped because of it.  And when it seems that my pain is getting the last word, I will try to remember my little toenail, and how it’s all “relative”!

Thanks, Michele, for submitting some of your story.  – How to Cope with Pain.