Distraction.
Not a good thing if you are trying to concentrate on an important task, reading a book, listening to….well, there are lots of times when distraction is annoying.
Sometimes, it’s a blessing.
Changing weather is never good for achy bodies. With the ups and downs we have been experiencing, I have developed feeling in bits of my body heretofore undiscovered. However..
Dawn arrives early these days. I open my eyes as light penetrates and if there is any hint of colour, I launch myself up. I can get dressed in a flash, even in my decrepit condition.
Not an option this morning. To hesitate was to lose!
Flinging open the door, I sailed forth, camera in hand.
Vaguely, I thought “oh, it’s quite mild this morning!”
Mild compared to seriously freezing, that is.
A little while later I glanced at my phone, discovering that in fact I had been dancing around in my nightshirt in a balmy 34 F / 1 C.
It was a good way to wake up, anyway.
And light does not wait for anyone.
Ironic, when I think of how much time my mother and I expended waiting for my father to get just the right light for his photography. It is true that in those days, one needed to take some care in composing each shot.
As much as I complain about modern technology, digital photography has become a large part of my life that I am very grateful for.
It is, in fact, what I wrote in the beginning.
Distraction.
In the absence of frowned upon drugs, distraction is the best cure for pain. If it won’t go away, the best thing is not to focus on it.
In my many years, I have experienced an impressive variety of pain and what I know is that if you allow it to, it can take over your life.
There were times when all I could do was moan. A multi-level spinal fusion is incredibly painful, though I can well believe there is worse.
The problem of lying in bed (on my back no less), in a hospital was the absence of distraction to occupy my mind. At least not any sort of distraction that helped.
There were plenty that added to my woes!
My first pain management specialist, interestingly, was a South African. He treated me with acupuncture that he renamed “dry needling” for insurance purposes.
The right “dry” needle in precisely the right place cured sciatica instantly. It was astonishing and a great relief.
Undoubtedly, I should have paid more attention to the advice Dr Jacobson offered, but in those post-fusion days I was not inclined to accept it.
“Don’t make a crusade out of searching for pain relief”, he said. I did not take the message well. I wanted to retort angrily, “have you ever been in excruciating pain?”
Had I actually spoken, probably, we could have had a helpful conversation about it. Instead I shoved my frustration down and let it fester for a long time.
My fault. Not his. And he was right.
Encounters with medical doctors always take me back to the first I can remember, when I was five. It had been discovered that I was severely asthmatic. “We must get an x-ray”, said a stern looking man.
“Mummy, is that like an operation?” I asked.
After all these years, wouldn’t you think I could have learned not to be intimidated?
Yes, I still seek relief where I can find it, but I have abandoned the crusade.
Pain is like a little second part of my existence that I carry around. Sometimes it pops up and shouts, especially if I challenge it (by running outside in my nightgown on cold mornings).
Other times it hides behind old age.
And occasionally, it is almost dormant.
It has a resident relation called depression.
It too can be handled.
But that’s a story for another day.
One can, of course, have too many distractions.
Like wordle….UK/USA version??
Wordle in French (wordle.louan.me)
Airport wordle (airportle.scottscheapflights.com)
and now
Worldle.teuteu.fr (geographic version)
Perhaps I’ll go and lie down…
Beautiful photos! Thank you. I’m sorry that you are in so much pain.
Joanna
There are so many who suffer far more!
Thanks for the game idea.
I wish you better health.
I also feel the weather changes in my body. Today was a strangely warm 12C, and I felt active in that.
I don’t know what Wordle is, and I don’t want to find out either.
Best wishes, Pete.
Not a single mention of a cat cannot be a good thing. Wishing the pain away and lots of good distractions. 😻😻😻😻
Maybe I could create a catwordle…
You’ve now got me thinking of five letter words to do with cats!
Tiger…snarl!
Messages from Mali warmly received. I need an address to properly reply/
You said 1 C … I can’t even imagine getting out of a warm bed at that freezing temperature, let alone go outside in my nighties!
But you managed to take AMAZING photo’s Carolyn! I like them ALL!
I hope the pain subside (even if it’s just a little) 💌.