I Have Been There
I have been battling chronic pain for over a third of my life, and I understand the toll pain takes on an individual. I know how hard it is to continue looking for relief when the medical field believes recovery is impossible. All I wanted was the same thing every patient wanted: a cure. Just like the millions of other people dealing with chronic pain, I needed validation not to give up or lose hope. Knowing I deserved to be pain-free led me on my quest to find answers and heal. Yet to find that cure, I had to take my own route through the medical system.
On my quest for answers, I have seen and done it all. I have visited the most renowned medical institutions and saw specialist after specialist. I have tried many conventional and unconventional treatment programs. I have screamed in frustration and have cried out in pain. I have been there. I understand the torment. But I also know miracles happen. I should be dead and yet somehow I survived.
The healthcare problem is vast but I have faith it can be solved. With twenty-five percent of our country’s population living in pain, the moment has arrived for chronic pain persons to regain their voice and rediscover hope. It is time for us, the Heroes of Healing community, to teach, inspire and come together. By forming a grassroots effort to change our current health-care system, we can start a fresh, positive dialogue between patient and doctor. The helpful pain resources and connections obtained through the Heroes of Healing community empower us to see that we can make a difference.
I am here to offer hope, present answers and allow others to believe in the unimaginable. I am ready to share my story, because in reality, it is everyone’s story. Will you join me?
The "Chronic Pain" Campaign
I am proud to have recently participated in MediaplanetUSA’s “Chronic Pain” campaign. The campaign aims to shed light on new innovations in treatment, readily available therapies and resources in an effort to bring awareness and help people to live fulfilling lives while battling chronic pain. I am happy to have contributed my story of chronic pain and hope to inspire others to learn the key to taking control of your pain and living a proactive, fulfilling life again. The campaign was distributed within the centerfold of USA Today on September 29, 2015 and is published on a Mediaplanet original site.
Visit the site to learn more: http://bit.ly/1iWaJcU
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No, It Is NOT In My Head: The Journey of a Chronic Pain Survivor from Wheelchair to Marathon tackles the themes of despair and shame while highlighting the underlining message of hope and perseverance. In 2002, mainstream medicine wrote Nicole off as being untreatable and incurable. No, It Is NOT In My Head outlines her nine-year journey through the medical system and stresses the importance of a positive attitude.
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