Talking about pain

I love WebMD; it’s full of sensible information. Just read the article on pain and it’s so true that pain is very personal and that if I have pain only I know how I feel.

In childhood, I suffered from Poliomyelitis, and had difficulties when participating in activities. I slowed everyone down and could not compete because of the corrective shoes, leg and back braces I had to wear. I was the fat kid with the crooked body. No one could understand how much pain I was in. I was labeled sickly and a whiner.

No one who knows me today would ever guess that I was a very shy girl. I spent much time writing, dreaming, and dancing. Put on plays and despite the fear of being made fun off, or clumsiness I took part in school performances.

Never thought that someday, after intense treatment, I would be called an ugly ducking that became a swan. I became a model and later a dancer with my own troop!

Today, in my second half, after a full youth, and adventurous life, I suffer from-varying pain of nerve, joint, bone and muscle problems common to athletes.

Moreover, pain is still hard and shameful to admit so I can connect to this article’s description of pain: "It's invisible to other people looking at you -- and that can lead to a lot mistrust and difficulties in relationships."

Note: inspired by: Using the Pain Scale: How to Talk About Pain By R. Morgan Griffin, WebMD Feature, Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD http://bit.ly/g58LKb