Posts filed under 'chronic pain'
Laughter Quiz
Wh
at makes people laugh is an unexact science. What makes you laugh might not make me laugh and visa-versa. I tend to be a serious person and not prone to laughter. I’d like to change that especially after experiencing a day of laughter at our Thanksgiving feast.
“You laugh at me because I am different, but I laugh at you because we are all the same” (anonymous).
Have fun taking this True or False Quiz on Laughter.
- True or False. The study of humor and laughter is called humology.
- True or False. People laugh thirty times more often when they are with others compared to when they are alone.
- True or False. As children go through developmental stages what makes them laugh changes.
- True or False. Laughter is contagious.
- True or False. Laughter is physically good for you.
- True or False. An adult laughs 400 times a day whereas a child laughs 17 times a day.
Click below on (more…) to read the answers.
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Memory Falters When Dealing With Pain or Grief
Pain has an element of blank;
It cannot recollect
When it began, or if there was
A time when it was not.
It has no future but itself,
Its infinite realms contain
Its past, enlightened to perceive
New periods of pain.
By Emily Dickinson
“Grief disrupts your mind and thinking abilities. Confusion moves in and memory takes a vacation. . . Just as your leg can experience a cramp and not move, it’s as though your mind has a memory cramp. Your mind is paralyzed and shuts down…” (Wright, 12-13)1
Constant pain can also interfere with memory retention or recall. Fatigue, lack of sleep, depression, stress, and some medications also contribute to memory issues. This article about memory loss cites studies that show how disturbed sleep patterns and chronic pain affect memory.
Remember to cut yourself some slack if you are dealing with grief and/or pain. Your mind is working very hard right now trying to cope.You are not going crazy.
You don’t have to wait for your memory to right itself. There are a few things you can do now.
- Get adequate sleep. Figure out how to overcome your sleep issues. Getting the proper amount of sleep is necessary for your brain and body to function well.
- Get adequate exercise. Do more than exercise your body though, exercise your brain too.
- Manage your stress level. Prayer, exercise, practice gratitude, and journaling can help. Click here for 20 Ways to DeStress Your Life. Talk with a professional, if you are concerned about your memory, talk to your MD and/or a therapist.
- Practice your faith. We have a God who loves and cares about us. Even if you don’t understand your “why’s,” you can still find great help from God.
Works Cited
1. Wright, H. Norman. Experiencing Grief. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2004.
Related Posts
3 Surprisingly Healthy Reasons, Besides The Obvious, To Kiss
5 Things I Did in 2007 and Wish I Didn’t
10 Recommendations For the Mourner
13 Ways To Get Your Gratitude On
April s New Habit is a Sleeper (SMART Habit Saturday)
Grief Affects Behaviors, Feelings, Thoughts (Including Memory), & Body
I Just Gotta Read About Jesus Every Now & Again
Love is not a feeling; it’s a verb.
Mother Teresa’s Faith Crisis: Similar to Mine?
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Recovery Actions for Woman in Chronic Pain
Chronic pain/illness can be a sneaky intruder. It can sneak up on you and throw you off-balance, send you into a tail-spin, or plunge you into a deep depression. Take steps to prevent the pain/illness from taking over your life and defining who you are.
The following five steps are a good place to start.
- Grapple with God until peace is found.
- Find new meaning for living – finding and embracing a new normal. Change is not necessarily bad.
- Learn new coping skills.
- Grieve well and each time losses come up.
- Keep current with communication so that relationships remain strong or get stronger.
Recovery is not a one-time arrival at a set destination. The process is ongoing and ever-evolving. Life will be different because of the pain and the losses suffered. Remember you don’t have to navigate this life alone. My goal as a shepherd and friend is to help you (a woman in pain) to become healthier in spirit. Give me a call.
“When we go through any significant grief experience we come out of it as different people. Depending upon the way we responded to this event we are either stronger people than we were before or weaker-either healthier in spirit or sicker.” Granger E. Westberg
Related Posts
- Ministering to the Chronically Ill: 20 Ways That Take 20 Minutes
- Peace and Hope While in the Depth of Pain – John Stumbo’s Story
- 13 Resources for Chronic Pain: Books & Websites
- 25 Reasons Why Christians Suffer
- Theology Impacts a Woman Experiencing Chronic Pain
- Chronic Pain is a Mind Body Condition
- Chronic Pain Brings Losses That Need Grieving
- Feelings & Thoughts Are Affected by Chronic Pain
- Just Because I don’t Look Chronically Ill Doesn’t Mean I’m Not
- 1/3 of People (but 2/3 of Seniors) Suffer From What?
Ministering to the Chronically Ill: 20 Ways That Take 20 Minutes
Ministering to the Chronically Ill: 20 Ways That Take 20 Minutes
by Lisa Copen
Rest Ministries, the largest Christian organization that specifically serves the chronically ill, recently did a survey and asked people to “List some of the programs or resources a church could offer to make it more inviting [and/or] comfortable.” They have provided a sampling of some of the 800+ responses, all of which could be done in 20 minutes or less.
1. Encouragement emails.
2. Make sure the handicapped stalls in the restroom are functioning and clean.
3. Padded chairs or cushions, room for wheelchairs, and plenty of room for my family to sit with me.
4. Be open-minded about a support group for the chronically ill like HopeKeepers. It would make me feel very special, knowing that there is an understanding of people’s needs that are not always visible.
5. Add more disabled parking, even if they are temporary spots.
6. Educate the ushers that people arriving late may have difficulty walking or getting out of cars and will need some assistance.
7. Ask volunteers to call people with chronic illness just to check on them when they don’t make it to services.
8. When suppers are given, recognize that I may need help getting my meal–or at least understand that I won’t be able to wait in a long line.
9. Be gentle when giving people big hugs. It can topple over or hurt a person.
10. Have a video tape of the service, not just a live web cast. Not all our computers work that well.
11. Make sure that the church doors aren’t too difficult to open or at least have mechanical assistance if they’re unusually heavy.
12. Stop telling me that if I really believed and had faith I would be healed by now. Please don’t insist how good I look, because I know for a fact that I look terrible and miserable that day.
13. Offer me ways to serve within the church that can be performed regularly, but not on a set schedule. I still want to contribute, but I need some flexibility so that I can do a job when I feel well enough to do so.
14. Have sermon notes available so I can listen later or even just review what I didn’t catch the first time.
15. Acknowledge National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week. Rest Ministries has a nice book list of top 100 Christian books for the chronically ill. It would make a nice display in your bookstore that week.
16. Just mention chronic illness occasionally! Don’t forget to talk about it in sermons as one of the challenges many people face just like unemployment or divorce.
17. Have Christian volunteers from church that will clean house for small fee. Some have offered to clean my house, but I cannot accept charity yet, but neither can I afford to pay a regular house cleaning service.
18. Help with some of the small costs of providing encouraging books and resources for the church library the chronically ill can check out.
19. Remember how many caregivers are in the church, not just caregiving for their parents, but also for their spouses or ill children.
20. Have copies of sermons for free on CD or computer.
Find over 500 ways to encourage a chronically ill friend in the book “Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend” at www.beyondcasseroles.com
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Peace and Hope While in the Depth of Pain – John Stumbo’s Story
The theology one has about God makes all the difference in how one handles the pain of hard times. It is the person with faith, the person who sees God rightly, that can say in the most painful of times, “God is in it and God is good.”
I recently heard John Stumbo’s story from this video. He is the pastor of Salem Alliance Church in Salem, Oregon. At the beginning of the week of October 17, 2008, John thought he had the flu. By the end of the week that was far from the truth. Many months and 100 tests later, the doctors still don’t know why John’s body weakened to the point of death (several times). One of the medications produced delusions some fun, but many dark and eerie.
Overview of John’s Reactions to Pain (Illness)
- John described having a deep peace despite his desperate illness.
- The hope John had in seeing Jesus upon his death helped John get through the dark, delusional times.
- This deep sense of hope helped keep John sane.
- The prayers and encouragement (verbal as in calls and cards, practical as in money and meals) aided John in his journey during the dark times and now in his journey back to health.
- These events have been good for his spiritual journey, marriage and congregation. God has already begun to use it.
- After 100 tests the doctors still don’t know what was/is wrong with John. But God is still in it and God is good.
Quotes I especially liked
- I had my hand on death’s doorknob ready to push the door open but I had about 3000 of you pulling back on me not letting me in. I didn’t have a chance to get into heaven with all you people praying for me.
- I’m running a marathon I didn’t plan on running.
- I don’t really like the journey I’m on…but God is in it and God is good.
- Some of you don’t like the journey you’re on either right now. You’re in a tough spot . . . Economically hard times . . . Financially bad news . . . Relationally tough situations . . . Physically struggling. Please know according to Psalm 139, He is the God of the light and the darkness.
- God is in it and God is good.
When I’m going through a painful time in life, I listen more readily to people who have been through their own painful times. John has been through such a painful time. Yet he still clung, and clings, to the truth that God is in it and God is good. I love this example of perseverance and faith, this illustration of a man’s deep love and trust in God.
Many times life doesn’t make sense and in fact its not always a likable journey. But it is also a fact that we, Christians, don’t travel alone. God is with us. And often, often we are surrounded by a faithful group of people who cheer us on with their prayers and encouragement.
Let’s Talk About It. Where are you in this journey?
- Needing prayers and encouragement? Who will you contact for this? Will you do so today?
- Able to offer prayers and encouragement? Who has God laid on your heart to help? Will you do one thing today?
- Do you believe that God is in your painful journey and that God is good? Why or why not.
- Listen to the video. What are your reactions? Favorite quotes?
13 Resources for Chronic Pain: Books & Websites
Books
- Copen, Lisa J. Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend.
San Diego:Rest Ministries Inc, 2008. - Copen, Lisa J. So You Want to Start a Chronic Illness-Pain Ministry. San Diego:Rest Ministries Inc, 2002.
- Harvey, Greg. Grieving for Dummies. Hoboken: Wiley Publishing, 2007.
- Kassan, Stuart S. and Charles Vierck, Jr and Elizabeth Vierck. Chronic Pain for Dummies. Hoboken: Wiley Publishing, 2008.
- Koestler , Angela J. and Ann Myers. Understanding Chronic Pain. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 2002.
- Thomas, Richard. Alternative Answers to Pain.Pleasanton: Reader’s Digest Association, 1999.
- Wells, Susan Milstrey. A Delicate Balance: Living Successfully with Chronic Illness. Cambridge: Da Capo Press, 2000.
Websites
- PainFoundation.org, The American Pain Foundation: Library has information on a variety of topics related to pain: qualifying for disability from Social Security, diseases that cause chronic pain, pain relief studies, therapies
- Pain.com, Danemiller Foundation: Information for patients and a forum where pain medicine experts answer questions
- MayoClinic.Com, The Mayo Clinic: Diseases and conditions are listed alphabetically – find updates in research and background information.
- MedlinePlus.gov, Medline Plus: Access to summaries of many medical journal articles, extensive information about drugs, interactive patient tutorials, illustrated medical encyclopedia, and latest health news
- aaPainManage.org, American Academy of Pain Management: Database of 6,000 physicians and accredited pain centers
- AmPainSoc.org, The American Pain Society: Database of pain treatment centers identified by location, services, classification and setting (home or hospital-based)
What books or websites have you found helpful?
25 Reasons Why Christians Suffer
The Bible, God’s revealed Word, doesn’t give just one answer for the question of why there is suffering (pain). It gives many answers. The list of 25 Reasons for Suffering (below) infers that one, none, or a combination of reasons could explain the “why” question. But there is no specific way to determine which answer (if any) belongs to which questioner.
Go here for the rest of the article on How Theology Impacts a Woman in Pain.
I find this list to be encouraging as it shows me that pain (suffering) does have a purpose. Today I’m drawn to #4, #5, #10, #18 and #25. Going through these reasons with their corresponding Scripture would make a good Bible study.
Which of these reasons are especially helpful or encouraging to you today?
25 Reasons Why Christians Suffer by H.L. Willmington. Willmington’s Book of Bible Lists, (1987).
| Reason | Scripture reference | |
| 1 | To produce the fruit of patience | Rom. 5:3; James 1:3–4;Heb. 10:36 |
| 2 | To produce the fruit of joy | Ps. 30:5; 126:5–6 |
| 3 | To produce the fruit of maturity | Eccles. 7:3; 1 Pet. 5:10 |
| 4 | To produce the fruit of righteousness | Heb. 12:11 |
| 5 | To silence the devil | Job 1:9, 10, 20–22 |
| 6 | To teach us | Ps. 119:67, 71 |
| 7 | To purify our lives | Job 23:10; Ps. 66:10–12; Isa.1:25; 48:10; Prov. 17:3; 1 Pet. 1:7 |
| 8 | To make us like Christ | Heb. 12:9, 10; 1 Pet. 4:12–13; Phil. 3:10; 2 Cor. 4:7–10 |
| 9 | To glorify God | Ps. 50:15; John 9:1–3; 11:1–4;21:18–19; Phil. 1:19–20 |
| 10 | To prevent us from sinning | 2 Cor. 12:7, 9–10 |
| 11 | To make us confess when we do sin | Judg. 10:6–7, 15–16; Ps. 32:3–5; Hos. 5:15; 6:1; 2 Chron. 15:3–4 |
| 12 | To chasten us for our sin | 1 Pet. 4:17 |
| 13 | To prove our sonship | Heb. 12:5–6 |
| 14 | To reveal ourselves to ourselves | Job 42:6; Luke 15:18 |
| 15 | To help our prayer life | Isa. 26:16 |
| 16 | To become an example to others | 2 Cor. 6:4–5; 1 Thess. 1:6–7 |
| 17 | To qualify us as counselors | Rom. 12:15; Gal. 6:2;2 Cor. 1:3–5 |
| 18 | To further the gospel witness | Acts 8:1–5; 16:25–34;Phil. 1:12–13; 2 Tim. 4:6–8, 16–17 |
| 19 | To make us more than conquerors | 2 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 8:35, 37 |
| 20 | To give us insight into God’s nature | Job 42:5; Rom. 8:14–15, 18 |
| 21 | To drive us closer to God | 1 Pet. 4:14; 2 Cor. 12:10 |
| 22 | To prepare us for a greater ministry | 1 Kings 17–18; John 12:24 |
| 23 | To provide for us a reward | Matt. 5:10–12; 19:27–29;Rom. 8:16–17; 2 Cor. 4:17 |
| 24 | To prepare us for the kingdom | 2 Thess. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:12 |
| 25 | To show God’s sovereignty | Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 10:13;Ps. 66:10–12; Gen. 45:5–8; 50:20 |
Theology Impacts a Woman Experiencing Chronic Pain
The Bible, God’s revealed word, doesn’t give just one answer for the question of why there is suffering (pain). H.L. Willmington’s list gives 25 answers.[1] And it is possible there are more. The list of 25 Reasons for Suffering infers that one, none, or a combination of reasons could explain the “why” question. But there is no specific way to determine which answer (if any) belongs to which questioner.
God, through the prophet Isaiah, doesn’t apologize for this confusion. God’s ways are at times unfathomable and make no sense. (See Isaiah 55:8, Isaiah 45:7.) God declares that He is the Creator and thus has the right and power to do as He plans. (See Isaiah 40:25-28.) Therefore, God does not owe me or anyone else an explanation for why we suffer from pain whether it’s physical, emotional or spiritual.
This finite list of reasons should not be used to explain or excuse an infinite God’s reasons for why He might allow, permit or cause suffering to occur. But many women do this. However, since a woman’s theology affects her pain[2], just like her thoughts and feelings also affect her pain (and thus her quality of life), it is necessary for a woman in pain to struggle with and come to a peace about theodicy (the problem of evil).[3]
“For me theology only becomes an issue if someone is trying to claim that it must be the result of sin & is therefore a judgment of God. I believe the life of Job & the “thorn” Paul experienced are in direct Biblical opposition to such legalism.” Connie
Since God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent and still allows, permits or causes evil (which have a variety of views attached to it), how does a woman in pain deal with these dichotomous positions? The Bible does not give a distinct black-and-white answer. Theologians throughout the centuries have debated this issue with no resulting satisfactory, unified opinion. But the Bible does depict people in pain and what they did with it.
So it appears that the why question is the wrong question. The question that can be answered in Earth-time is how one gets through pain well. The classical chronicle of Job and his many catastrophic sufferings doesn’t answer the why[4] but the how. Job acknowledges that God is good and has the right to send trouble.[5] And yet he still struggles with God over the pain. The later chapters of Job show (through God’s own words[6]) that God is omnipotent and omniscient. This recitation of God’s history corrects Job’s misunderstanding of God. Job concedes that he ignorantly questioned God’s wisdom and that God has knowledge he never will.[7]Job’s struggle with theodicy results in a deeper relationship with God.[8]
“It’s comforting to know two things. 1. Jesus experienced pain of unimaginable severity so He understands. 2. There will be no pain in Heaven.” LS
Paul’s many sufferings have not been described with the same detail as Job’s. But enough description is shared to show his life was filled with much physical and emotional pain. 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 says Paul went through the following:
- Five times received 39 lashes (these were meant to kill a person)
- Three times beaten with rods
- One time stoned (also a death sentence)
- Three times shipwrecked – spent a night and a day in the open sea
- In danger from rivers, in the city, in the country, at sea
- In danger from bandits, own countrymen, Gentiles and from false brothers
- Known hunger and thirst and often gone without food
Paul was a mighty man for God and did much to advance the Kingdom of God. Paul suffered for his single-minded approach to life.[9] God could have protected Paul from these assaults and dangers and yet He didn’t. God could have healed the “thorn in the flesh” that Paul asked three times to be removed. But He didn’t.[10] At some point Paul dealt with theodicy.
Paul’s Romans 8:18-39 could have been that answer and written for a woman in chronic pain. Paul’s theology gave him encouragement when discouragement and pain were high, a reason to keep on keeping on.
- There’s no comparison with the present suffering to Christ’s 2nd coming.
- All creation is subject to the curse but one day we will experience freedom from death and decay and receive new bodies.
- It’s ok that Believers long for their bodies to be released from sin and suffering.
- While suffering on earth, the Holy Spirit helps the Believer in their weakness partly through prayer.
- God causes all things to work together for good for the Believer.
- God has a plan for Believers that will come to pass.
- God does not condemn the Believer, why should Believers care if a person does?
- No person or spiritual being can ever separate the Believer from the love of God.
“ Some answers will be helpful to those who search for understanding; some will not. Some will ring true at one time in a person’s life, but not at another. There will be times when no solution is forthcoming and one can only pray for the faith that is able to turn unanswered questions over to God.”[11]
Think about it. What is your position on God and the problem of pain? How do your answers impact your life?
Related Articles
[1] Willmington, H. L. Willmington’s Book of Bible lists. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House, 1987. (Logos software)
[2] If a woman believes that God is mean or powerless, she is likely to have emotional distress. This distress leads to more pain.
[3] The most helpful minister, counselor, friend will have done this work before counseling a woman in this area.
[4] By this I mean that Job and those around him did not know why the events were occurring.
[6] See Job 38:1-42:6.
[9] See Philippians 1:20-22.
[11] Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. Harper’s Bible Dictionary. Includes index. (1st ed.) (997). San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1987. (Logos software)
5 Ways to Know When Pain Is Chronic
Accidents, illness and growth prompt pain receptors to ignite.
Aches and pains visit bodies young and old. Pain, we’ve been told, tells a story with . . . a beginning (cause) . . . middle (healing) . . . and ending (conclusion of pain).
But sometimes the story becomes muddled and confused. There is no recognizable theme, no point. And no conclusion.
The pain persists beyond explanation. Pain, the silent, sneaky, and invisible intruder, shows no identifiable tell-tale sign of its existence.
If a cause can’t be found for the pain, is the body really hurting?
Although chronic pain may be hard to diagnose there are five characteristics that signal when pain has become chronic.[1]
- Your pain doesn’t go away after six months.
- You’ve had lots of medical “workups,” and yet no cause for the pain has been identified.
- You’ve tried lots of different medicines to control your pain, and yet the pain doesn’t go away.
- You may have undergone numerous surgeries, and yet your pain still doesn’t go away.
- You’ve visited doctors or other health providers over and over again in an attempt to find relief, but your search for relief has been futile.
Even though chronic pain is often difficult to treat and even if no diagnosis is given, it is important to seek medical help . . .
- To learn how to manage the pain and prevent more damage to the body.
- To learn new coping skills and receive emotional support.
Action Step. Is it time to take action regarding your pain? What can you do to support someone with chronic pain?
Related Articles
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[1]Stuart S. Kassan, Chronic Pain for Dummies. Hoboken: Wiley Publishing, 2008, p. 10.
Chronic Pain is a Mind Body Condition
There is a link between mind and body so it is important to treat both. The more the woman in pain understands her personal dynamics the better she will be able to manage pain. The wise counselor, pastor, family member and friend will be of greater asset to this woman if they also understand these components and regulate their advice and reactions accordingly.
“Our tolerance for pain depends on mental attitude, the response of those around us, our ability to control our reactions to pain, and the situations causing the pain.”[1]
Dialoging about the above components via . . .
- journaling
- friends
- a pastor
- and a professional counselor
. . . have helped me to deal with pain (in mind and body). I’ve also made myself not dwell on certain things. I have a list of things to think about and a verse to meditate on when my thoughts start spiralling. I also find that music makes me “feel” better. And when nothing soothes me, I have several friends that I can always call! Their responses are supportive and bring me back to reality.
Let’s talk about this.
- What have you done that helps?
- What about journaling how your pain is affected by your attitude, responses of others, or your ability/lack of ability to control your reactions to pain?
- Can you have a discussion with a women in pain about the above?
- How can you be supportive of others with your responses?
Related Articles
[1] Richard Thomas. Alternative Answers to Pain. Pleasanton: Reader’s Digest Association, 1999, p 13
