Pain

Lots of news about the Boston bombing this morning. I sure it will be wall to wall coverage all day. I have been thinking a lot about pain, both physical and emotional. Boston is experiencing emotional pain and the injured people still in the hospital are experiencing both.

Pain is something that can take control over a life. It is present everyday. I was speaking with a woman while waiting for the rehab class on Tuesday who has back pain. Severe back pain. She is very skinny because she says she is never hungry so it is hard to even eat. She is in constant pain and morphine is the only drug that helps so she can't drive. Her life is defined by the pain and now she just added a diagnosis of COPD. I so admire her for being up and out into the world and trying to function. That is one strong woman.

Pain. I am so grateful that it is not part of my daily life.

At the school where I got sick, a longtime teacher's husband had a horrific bicycle accident. He broke every bone in his face. He even destroyed his lower jaw. Truly extensive injuries. Even after many surgeries, he still had problems eating and drink and physically, they could only do so much. He recovered enough to go back to work but he committed suicide several years after the accident. He just couldn't live with the pain anymore.

Pain. I am so grateful that my husband is pain-free. Most people in his industry have pain later in their lives. He has always protected his back, legs, knees and lungs.

A brief note about yesterday's planned mammogram. It didn't happen. The radiologist was worried that a paddle could rub against the two stitches from the lesion I had removed the day before and cause an infection or pull the stitches. It has been rescheduled.

My love to the city of Boston and I hope their pain will wane with time.