Alone in the Dark

Getting Through the Tough Times Oh the nights are so tough! Have you been there? Have you laid in the utter darkness and the quiet is deafening, the pain is unbearable, and you feel like you will ever get through this moment of phantom pain? Yep, the reality is, we all go through it at some point or another, to varying degrees. The last two nights, for me, have started great, I feel asleep and wasn’t feeling anything in the way of phantom pain. However, as soon as I shift, the sensations would start and the I couldn’t shut them off! It’s almost unbearable. To sit in the dark, feeling like your body is screaming out loud, and no one else knows. My husband, laying right next to me, has no idea what I am feeling or that I am even going through this…. and he won’t know until morning. Have you experienced this? How about when you are out and about in a crowded store or venue, and your limb is on fire, or a sore within your socket is rubbing raw and stinging? And no one knows the pain you are feeling as you stand in line at the grocery store? Such is the life of an amputee. It comes and goes. Most of the time there is no warning, it just comes at you. So how do you deal with this, seeing as this is your life now? First off, we all deal with pain differently, what works for one person won’t work for another. As you experience these “episodes” you will learn what works for you (oh, and for added fun, what worked last time for you might not work the next). You can only prepare yourself for the mental battles ahead. Communicate. Let the people around you know how you are feeling and what you need. They can’t see what’s happening within you and not everyday, all day is bad. Make sure you speak up and not assume they understand. Build mental toughness. Use positivity and positive self-talk to get through hard times. You can redirect how your brain process what you are going through by the way you address it, internally and out loud. Try not to fall back on medications every time you feel “out of sorts”. This goes for people dealing with the average phantom sensations/pains. I do not know what you’ve been going through and what you have been prescribed, so you need to do what you need to do but I will tell you that I will only use Tylenol or Advil once in a blue moon, when all else fails and when I can’t take anymore. There is no right way to handle an episode, but if you can stay away from prescription medication, and start leaning on your own devices to handle the mental situation, then do it. You’ll be stronger in the long run and your body will thank you. These moments are truly times to develop your mental toughness. Sometimes we just need to hit them head on to become a stronger version of ourselves so we are ready for the next battle. Finding time for myself to breathe and let go, helps me thru hard times Don’t forget you were made to fight, and survive. You are a Warrior, you just need to unleash its within you and believe that you are strong enough to handle it. Rise up, Warrior, and face your battles with inner strength! You can do it, and you are not alone! I pray you have a wonderful week ahead, And as always, Be Healthy, Be Happy, Be YOU!!! Much love, Remember: You are Beautiful, so just Be-YOU!