I have been on this Chronic Pain Journey for 20 plus years with the onset of RA in 1987. One day I was on vacation hiking in the woods & designing cross stitch towels at home---the next---I couldn't lift my head off the pillow & my hands and feet were aching, red and swollen. As the RA traveled to all parts of my weary body ---treatments tried were almost EVERYTHING the medical profession had during the various decades. I even tried pain counseling, acupuncture, and hypnotherapy. Two things I refused to try were gold injections and Enbrel.

I found journaling didn't work well for me bc I loaded the pages with angst, complaints, and time diary entries showing when, how, & what pain level. When I reread my entires I would cry...when I showed them to my pain doctor...he would just do a quick glance---and a "ah---what do you expect-you have arthritis!"

So I started giving myself distraction mini prompts everyday...similar to my student's writing prompts. The object was to take my mind off the pain for a bit...ten minutes or so.

One book I found that contained very clever questions was The Conversation Piece (Creative Questions to Tickle the Mind) by Bret Nicholaus and Paul Lowrie.

Since I am having a rather tough bout with RA again...I thought I would enter some writing prompts here and you could all join in --- if your hands allow you to use the keyboard!

Students always asked me if they had to write the truth. Well---who would know whether it was fact or fiction? If you have no personal opinion on a question or would rather not express the truth---use the mindset of an alter ego, created character, known fictional/historical character or a friend/family member. Remember to identify them---if you like.

Again --- the point is to get your mind off the pain. No one will check for grammar or spelling. We might even laugh at some of the answers. And humor therapy is great!

Include as much who, what, why, where, and when as you can...

Here is Prompt 1~~~fromThe Conversation Piece p.126 - #312

If you could wake up every morning and look out your bedroom window at the perfect view, what would that view be?

Going to think about this and write an answer later tonight.

Gentle ehugs all...Carly