Chronic pain series helps public to see the 'invisible'

Chronic pain series helps public to see the 'invisible'

Re: Chronic pain series, Oct. 1-5


The series typified the reality of people who live with chronic pain. I am thankful for those pieces of journalism. Most of the public still doesn't understand what chronic pain sufferers live with.


My daughter suffers from a number of "invisible" yet crippling disabilities including endometriosis. She is an attractive, engaging, committed and hard-working 26-year-old forced to rely on opiates to get through her day.


Some days she can't get out of bed. Some days her entire body feels like it's been beaten. Some days the pain is "manageable."


Some days she can't function because she has had to take too many opiates to squelch the pain.


People would never guess she is sick because she looks so "beautiful." And every day she needs to justify her illness to someone because it isn't something you can see.


Her good fortune is that she has the support, strength and courage to carry on. Through her family, a few friends and excellent health care professionals she has advocates who do understand.


Chronic pain can be a life sentence - lack of knowledge about it doesn't have to be.


Shirley Ross


Vancouver

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Chronic+pain+series+helps+public+invisible/5536855/story.html#ixzz1aeDpkw1L