Manipulative vs Superhero
Over the years, it has been my undeserved privilege to be with people in pain. To wander in, to be invited in, to be expected when someone is in pain is a compliment that is not to be taken lightly.
I have watched many people gallantly march on through the rehabilitation process with panache, grace and yes, sometimes drugs and tears. They have inspired and challenged me, and I come away asking… How would I go in situations like this? Would I be as strong or wise, to say nothing of those who are nearest and dearest by the bedside? They, too, have their own psychological and emotional pain that leaps up at them and frightens them.
It’s a pretty fine line between being an absolute wimp at one end of the spectrum and being a superhero at the other. Asking for the right medication at the right time, but also not abusing the marvellous medicine world that we happen to live in at this point in history and in this place. How do you get the balance right?
They tell me everyone’s threshold of pain is different, so perhaps the key is to be absolutely honest with that mystical ‘pain number’ between 1 and 10. What if we said that it was OK to tell the world that today really sucked, or that actually, I think I can and will do those painful exercises and just see if I get a little further than I did last week.
If you are one of those who are struggling through some kind of long-term pain, physical, emotional, psychological, or you have a combo, then I doff my biretta to you. You have my sympathy and admiration.
When it comes my turn, as inevitably it must, may my greatest super weapons be tissues, drugs, courage and honesty.