[QUOTE=amit;656678]well, PN is not what I wish to myself in early days.

*** Yeah, neither did I. Last summer I took a wonderful class on pain management skills. By the time we were finished, there were over 200 different activities I could do if I wanted to try and lower my pain. There are 4 or 5 I can use and they will lower it at least half a point. But I have to do them.

*** Another way I look at it is -- my disabling pain doesn't really begin until 3 or 4 in the pm. "Disabling" in the sense I cannot do my usual work. But there are many other things I can still do, so I am grateful for the fact I can do my work until 3. There are lots who have PN who cannot.

*** Attitude is important. There is a practice called "mindfulness". I don't necessarily practice it in the manner you might read about it, but it means staying present in the moment. And while the moment might involve pain, if I pay too much attention to the pain I will miss all the other things going on in my life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness_%28Buddhism%29

*** But also I sometimes have days when I just feel sorry for myself. I don't dwell too long on it, but the combination of high pain and having to still deal with stressors, well, it gets to be too much and I just feel bad. But not for more than 10 minutes.

*** Plus I've found this is a safe place to let down. You-all understand me in ways my wife never will, so this is where I would come to whine if I need to.

Cowboy