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From: Rob.Flor@f21.n272.z1.fidonet.org (Rob Flor)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Am I handicapped?
Message-ID: <15235@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 27 Oct 90 03:27:24 GMT
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RH> Unless I do absolutely nothing for a week or so, I am in
RH> continual pain of some degree or another.  I too feel that I am
RH> losing perspective on all this.  I sometimes think it must all
RH> be in my head.  My in-laws, for example (ok...they are really
RH> the MAIN ones) keep telling me how all their retired friends
RH> who have had this type of surgery were playing tennis and golf
RH> and jogging only a few months after their surgery.  I have been
RH> swimming 3x a week since about a month and a half after the
RH> surgery, and I am damn proud of that!  But...sigh..I too am
RH> very good at beating myself up about this.  Well...enough of
RH> me...what I really wanted to say was that M'Linda's message,
RH> generally, could have been from me, and that YOUR response
RH> helped me ALOT.  Thanks!!! 
RH>  Ruthie
 
It's a good sign, Ruthie, that if you do absolutely nothing for
a week, the pain isn't continuous.  It may mean you have habits
that continue to stress the injured area, especially if you are
beating yourself up for being in pain.
 
 As a weldor I injured my back in several places, and as the
years passed when I did things I'd always done, like carry two
bags of groceries, I'd hardly be able to walk.
 
 I would think "If I had a child, I wouldn't be able to carry it".
 
  It made me so angry.  It was years before I let it in that I
really had permenant damage.  I felt so sad. I think it was the
sadness I didn't want to face.  I did start telling myself "don't
do that" "make two trips", "put your foot up on the tub when you
brush your teeth".  I couldn't make accomodations before that.
 
M'Linda, you've probably touched a chord common to very many of
us.
 
Now my sister has twins, a year old! Those kids walk a lot! (GRIN)
 
-Rob

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