Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimking
One thing about Suzy is if a stranger brushes up against her in public she takes it very personally as though they did it on purpose. I've told her so many times that they just don't know, it's not on purpose. That brush or bump causes her pain, a lot of pain. Those without RSD pain just can not fathom it even a husband of one who does. One thing I'm convinced of is the reality of it, although Suzy thinks I don't believe her which is the farthest from the truth. Sometimes she gives me the impression that she'd love to share her pain with me........no thanks, one in the family is enough!  |
There was a period I was miserable being out in public. The more out of control my pain was, the less rational I was, and the more personally I took the "bad manners" of others.
I hardly ever go anymore, but there was a period where I used to use movie theatres as a way to recoupe when I was out in the world. After takings meds, or driving a distance, etc. Depending on the behavior of my neighbors, it could be relaxing or it could be a horrible experience. It would baffle me when I go into a mostly empty one and someone come and sit behind me and then proceed to kick my chair, or even a few chairs down for that matter. If they're fidgety and sit in the same row, it will drive me crazy. I used to get irritated. Now, I tend to just move, not worry about it and realize I'm hypersensitive.
If I'm in a car with someone, the force they use to close a door, can make a big difference in my pain. When my son was a teenager, and I was not adequately medicated, I'd ask him to wait for my slow behind to get out of the car before he'd close his door. I can't tell you the amount of tension this caused between us. He was sick of hearing about it, I was sick of him forgetting, etc. It got where even when I was dropping him off, I'd get out, wait for him to close his door, and then get back in. The more my pain was out of control, the more foul my mood...
Those of us that are ubsurdly sensitive to environment and vibrations are not easy to live with. It can feel as if your being tortured 24/7. Some inconsequenstial thing to everyone else in the world, can seem catastrophic to us. The better managed our pain, the less of an issue these things are!
JimKing--I have close family members that I highly doubt have ever bothered to even do an internet search about RSD. You seem to be incredibly compassionate. I'm sure your wife doesn't want you to experience her pain, she just wants you to comprehend something that she knows is likely uncomprehendable for you. It can be a very isolating experience--both physically and emotionally.
I am not in remission, but my pain is being managed (with meds and a variety of coping strategies) to a level that I'm no longer in constant acute stress. Perhaps, that might be a goal for her to work towards?