Coping

Hello All,

I have some chronic pain, not as horrible as probably most people here, but I have a chronic injury that I'm hoping maybe someone here can relate to. I have massive congenital problems with my feet that are being fixed (we hope) through a series of surgeries over a couple of years. I've done 4 now, and have 2 more scheduled. My pain ebbs and flows, and when it's particularly bad I use oxycodone, but I try to avoid it because I hate how stoned it makes me feel.

Mostly what I have trouble coping with is how this has destroyed my life. I was in college, but that is on hold for almost 2 years now. I'm living with my parents. I spend long periods of time on bedrest, and on the rare occasion I'm walking, it's only for limited distances. I have almost no social contact offline, as anyone I knew is busy at school and I have no way of meeting anyone else.

I guess I just don't know how to cope with this anymore. It's such a long road and it gets to me. I don't know how to fight a problem that's caused by something I can't fix, so to speak.

Becca

I'm sorry you are having to deal with all this, and do hope the two (more) surgeries fix the problems. How long will this take, do you know?

Try to find other outlets for now, here, online was a good choice I think! This won't be forever that you are limited like this. Many ppl have to stop school for a bit, or delay it, until other life issues are ironed out you can go back. (Wow, when I went to college, if you didn't go finish before you were 30 you had to forget it! Now, you can go at any age. But you are young and will have others there your age even if you have to wait.)

Do what you can and don't beat yourself up over it. You can't change your circumstances right now, and are taking care of what needs to be taken care of so you can have a better future, right?

I know the pain gets you down. Realize that what you describe is normal for the situation. Losing control of something that "has" you is a tough realization. I still battle that from time to time...and I've been disabled 20 years now

You will meet new ppl, and a few of the old acquaintances will also revive once you can fit into their schedules. (But doesn't that tell you something - now?)

TC

Hi Sky.

Well, there's recovery and then there's RECOVERY. The official recovery date after any one of the surgeries I'm having is 2 years. Needless to say, that doesn't mean I'm on my back with my foot up for all that time. Functional recovery, to the point where I could manage being back at college, is about 6-8 months after the last major surgery.

I was supposed to have just the two major surgeries this time around, but I ended up with a complication in my right foot, and will have to have another major one in July to adjust the positioning of a bone. I'm tentatively hoping to go back to school in the Spring.

I have a minor one on March 13, but I'm actually really looking forward to it, as my surgeon will be removing a plate and two screws that he thinks are grinding on a nerve and responsible for most of my nerve pain. *cheers* So I'm really psyched not to be in pain from that plate anymore. It's sticking out of the top of my foot, and even the pressure of a sock is often too much.

It helps to know that you're still battling it, although I'm sorry to hear it's been so long for you. I'm part of an online foot group for people with one of the issues I'm battling, and talking to people there who are going through some of the same surgery is great. At times though, I really wish I had someone I could just hang out with and watch a movie. Just quiet companionship.

Becca

((((hugs)))) I hear ya.