TheBanyanTree: My #OnwardIGo Musings

[Barb Edlen]

I’m celebrating 3 entire days opioid free. Especially, because I was placed on various types of opioids since my fall on 2/26/15. So. That was 3 years and 10 months on pain meds. A long freakin’ time. I dearly needed them, but I deeply resented that need, as well. 

I am truly fortunate that addiction was not an issue for me. I give full credit to my medical team and my awesome daughter for helping me to stay on track when my cognitive abilities were compromised during my recovery. 

So. Now. Ibuprofen & Tylenol are ok. Eh. They don’t provide much relief from pain. But, opioids hijack your systems ability to manage pain properly. Add in how the TBI has totally messed up my systems response to pain, sensory input, etc.....and my body doesn’t know up from down some days. 

I asked for more PT to help me learn how to manage my pain more effectively, now that the 4 surgeries are done. Some of my body is brand new, some has been put back where it belongs, and some is permanently damaged. 

I want to be able to differentiate what’s what without opioid pain meds interfering. 

Realistically, there will be days that my attempting to embrace a previously enjoyed past-time will place too much demand and I’ll need relief. 

But, it will be my choice. Not a have to. 

#OnwardIGo. 🥰🦋


> ✿*ﾟ‘ﾟ･.｡.:*