Thoughts on Pain

Day 29-

So today I’m watching a “House MD” marathon… big surprise right?! There is a scene in the episode “Who’s Your Daddy” in season 2 where House is pacing his condo looking for relief from pain. I remember nights and days doing that just hoping for an ounce of relief. Well it got me thinking about pain. More specifically, pre and post op pain. Before I had the surgery, my knee was incredibly arthritic and painful. And not just painful, but a pain that you just can’t describe. It was deep in the bone and there were days when heat, cold, a bath, the sun, pain meds or my wedge pillow just didn’t help the pain and I would writhe in pain and just hold back the tears until I just feel asleep from pure exhaustion. That’s no way to live after years of that kind of pain coming and going was why I choose to have this surgery. Now, that pain is gone. That pain was gone even the day of surgery. I knew it was gone because I was sore, I was really sore, but that deep and intense pain was gone. I think that was part of the reason I was able to tolerate the pain so well and have been able to as well. Now, sure the knee is sore and weak but it’s manageable. It’s manageable… what a change! What a great change! Sure, I complain about the gimping around, about being sore and the staples and the ugly scar but when it comes down to it, the pain is gone and once my PT is over and the leg is strong again, the pain will be gone. GONE! That’s the most important part of this whole thing… the whole reason I got this done. Just think about it.