That's what I meant about recognizing yourself as 'different' now. There are limits on what you can do or not? But the brain still works...put it to WORK! Simply DO things, or some them differently.
If needed, learn about 'advocacy' on any level you want. Also learning here is important about what we have and what we do about it and how we cope..helps US deal with doctors of all sorts! We must deal with them, so should try and play their game on their playing field-only knowledge can help us there. We must come to terms with the pain, then do the very best we can to either ease it or deal with it! Those are the better options than being miserable and self-asorbed in the misery of if all. And this is a miserable and self-asorbing type of pain!
Doing things that take your mind off of the pain is helpful, as is trying to improve daily, no matter how slowly it goes. Then? Try doing something to help others in your area, those who need help more than you do? There must be lots of ways to help? Just look at your local United Way and see all the orgs that rely on volunteers. Even county governments [or city ones] often seek voluteers for a whole slew of things....things we CAN DO!
Just because we can't DO some things? Doesn't mean we can't do other useful and productive things...maybe just on terms we can deal with better tho. !'s - j